Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Announces 20 Honorees for 2026 Re:Gen Rising Program
May 12, 2026 (ROCHESTER, NY) – Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the twenty honorees for its Re:Gen Rising program, celebrating the next wave of changemakers in Greater Rochester. As part of our Greater ROC Young Professional (GRYP) initiative, Re:Gen Rising is being presented for the first time in 2026 to celebrate professionals aged 25–40 who are excelling in their careers while redefining innovation, collaboration, and leadership.
This year’s class of honorees includes:
- Malorie Benjamin, Chief Transformation Officer, Dixon Schwabl + Company
- Erin Bombard, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
- Hope Breen, Rochester, NY Influencer, ROCthecitywithHope
- Samantha Britt, HR Manager, Palmer Food Services
- Nick Esposito, Director, Process & Mechanical Engineering, Re:Build Optimation
- Dr. Ana Gómez Parga, Director of Strategic Implementation in Community Engagement & Health Outcomes, University of Rochester Medical Center - Department of Surgery
- Kristy Gonzalez, Global Credit & Cash Manager, Radionix
- Allison Hinman, President & CEO, National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House
- Stephanie Hyde, Community Engagement Planner, Highland Planning
- Jasmine Mabry, Program and Development Coordinator, Women's Foundation of Genesee Valley
- Alyssa Moore, Vice President; Business Banking Relationship Manager, Bank of America
- Kateri Murphy, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, The Arc of Monroe
- Lindsay Murphy, Disability Resource Coordinator, RochesterWorks
- Dr. Mary Rombaut, Founder and CEO, R-Sqaured Solutions LLC and Recommenda LLC
- Amy Sadler, Creative Services Lead, Production, Helen + Gertrude
- Chris Stocking, Director of Advancement, Veterans Outreach Center
- Samantha Taylor, Founder & Owner, Olive Speech Therapy, PLLC
- Colin Thompson, Architectural Designer, Architect, CPL Architects, Engineers, and Planners
- Nick Wetherwax, Sr. Director of Technical Solutions, Info Advantage, Inc.
- Shaina Zazzaro, Founder and CEO, Effortlessly Healthy
Bob Duffy, President & CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber, said, “Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees! Greater Rochester Chamber is proud to recognize and celebrate the tremendous impact you are already having on our region, and the promise of continued impact for years to come. From non-profits to entrepreneurs to corporate icons, this year’s honorees are redefining excellence across all areas of our community, and I know our region’s leadership is in good hands for the future. We look forward to celebrating with you in June!”
Re:Gen Rising is an evolution of Greater Rochester Chamber's longstanding IGNITE Awards for young professionals. Originally launched as Re:Generation in 2017, we're bringing our brand back with a broader focus to create a bigger impact. Honorees were selected from a pool of applications and judged based on award criteria, including innovation, impact, demonstrated excellence, and future vision. All of our honorees will be recognized at a ceremony and celebration on Wednesday, June 24.
About Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is the region’s one-stop shop for business support, influence, and community connection. Rooted in advocacy, compliance, talent, and belonging, our organization combines an unmatched depth and breadth of business support with the agility and dedication to turn possibility into progress and accelerate opportunity and action. Here, you’re in good company. Learn more at GreaterRochesterChamber.com.