Chamber News Release

ROCHESTER, NY (September 24, 2025) – Greater Rochester Chamber is proud to welcome 34 early-career young professionals to the second cohort for its RETAIN Program in partnership with Monroe County. Presented as part of Greater Rochester Chamber’s CampusROC program, RETAIN fosters a community environment to help encourage recent graduates of colleges, universities, and trade schools to stay in our region long term.

The program consists of opportunities for mentorship, networking and relationship building, and personal and professional development workshops. Through a financial incentive, the program helps to jumpstart whatever’s next for the participants and set down roots in our region.

The second cohort consists of 34 participants, expanding in impact based on the successful completion of twenty-one participants in the first cohort. This year’s RETAIN Program participants represent a cross-section of industries, job functions, and career paths represented in our region, both in the private and public sectors:

• Raykhona Aminova, Project Engineer, Javlyn
• Sabrina Antonini, BSA/AML Case Investigator, Five Star Bank
• Tharunika Ashok Kumar, Logistics Analyst Intern, Cascades
• Jesika Barnes, Academic Administrator Primary Care Clerkship, University of Rochester School of Medicine
• Grace Boesel, Marketing Specialist, Wilmac Technologies
• Cady Brunecz, Mechanical Product Support Engineer, L3Harris
• Jack Christie, Designer, Rozzi Architects
• Finn Cohen, Research Assistant, National Technical Institute for the Deaf at RIT 
• Jeremiah Cortes, Project Engineer, LeChase Construction Service, LLC 
• Katie Deatherage, Registered Nurse, Strong Memorial Hospital
• Adrian Deslongchamps, Software Developer, Alpine Software Corporation
• Tresa Elias, Postdoctoral Associate, University of Rochester Center for Visual Science
• Abby Garvey, Research Technician, University of Rochester Medical Center
• Zac Grant, Speech Therapist Clinical Fellow, Mary Cariola Center
• Breena Keefe, Research Assistant, University of Rochester Mount Hope Family Center
• Rhea Koli, Office Manager, Uncommon Schools Rochester Prep 
• Henry Litsky, Policy & Advocacy Coordinator, Reconnect Rochester 
• Zack Lovejoy, Nurse, Strong Memorial Hospital 
• Peyton Lucas, Assistant Teacher, Inspire Childcare 
• Maggie MacAdam, Paralegal, Piede Law LLP 
• Jancy Nightingale-Burch, Assistant Director Marketing, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Ayanna Oden, Controls Software Engineer, Progressive Machine and Design
• Mahnoor Raza, Classroom Aide, Mary Cariola Center
• Bianca Santonastaso, Lab Supervisor, University of Rochester Medical Center
• Jordan Scheidt, Educational Interpreter, Monroe One BOCES
• Emily Schillinger, Engineer 2, University of Rochester Medical Center
• Kyle Skovira, Instructional Specialist, Monroe One BOCES
• Janelle Snow, Youth Program Supervisor, RochesterWorks 
• Cristopher Soto, Human Subject Research Coordinator, University of Rochester Medical Center
• Jessica Spahn, Operations Manager, QuickFi
• Emani Sweeney, Social Worker, Rochester General Hospital
• Gregory Vogel, Associate Broker, NFP
• Aaron Weiner, GIS Technician, City of Rochester
• Hayley Wnuk, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Rochester Medical Center

Bob Duffy, President & CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber, said, “Greater Rochester Chamber is excited to kick off our second year of administering the RETAIN Program to welcome this new cohort into our community and network. Keeping Greater Rochester grown talent in our region is critical to its longstanding success, and we are proud to work alongside Monroe County to facilitate this. Thanks to County Executive Adam Bello for this investment in our workforce, which will support both business growth and prosperity and a vibrant and exciting community for all. We look forward to seeing the growth and development of this year’s participants.”

“I’m proud to welcome the latest cohort of RETAIN participants,” said Monroe County Executive Adam J. Bello.  “This program is exactly the kind of investment Monroe County needs to ensure our economy thrives, by growing and enhancing our workforce through helping recent graduates – from trade schools, two-year colleges, and universities – remain here, build careers here, and give back here. RETAIN’S success is made possible by full funding from Monroe County, jointly through COMIDA and MCIDC, and Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, which does an outstanding job of administering the program. Together, we are not just retaining talent – we are investing in the future prosperity of our community.”

The cohort formally kicked off at a reception at Rohrbach Brewing Company on Wednesday, September 24.

The program prioritizes graduates who have secured employment at for-profit businesses in Monroe County, particularly in underserved areas and minority and women-owned companies. Eligible applicants include those who have graduated within one year from a college, university, or trade school located in Greater Rochester.

For more information on RETAIN, visit CampusROC.org/RETAIN or contact Talent Strategy Program Manager Andrea Tuttle at Andrea.Tuttle@GreaterRochesterChamber.com.