The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce honored 10 emerging leaders on Tuesday, Sept. 15, pushing the 10 Over the Next Ten Awards program's all-time total to 200.
The ceremony, held in partnership with Lansing 5:01, marked the program's 20th anniversary. For two decades the awards have recognized emerging leaders for professional accomplishments, leadership potential and community involvement, according to the Chamber's announcement.
"Reaching the 20th anniversary of 10 Over the Next Ten is an incredible opportunity to celebrate not only this year's honorees, but two decades of talented people who have chosen to build their careers … here in the Lansing Region," said Sarah Bakken, talent development manager at the Chamber.
The 2026 class spans law, engineering, finance, nonprofit work, public affairs and economic development. The honorees:
- Amanda Dernovshek, shareholder at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, who came to East Lansing for law school in 2015 and helps companies set up employee stock ownership plans. She volunteers with the Junior League of Lansing and Girls on the Run Mid-Michigan.
- Bridgette Bauer, director of public affairs at Bellwether Public Relations, who serves on the boards of the Share the Music Foundation and YMCA Michigan Youth in Government.
- Devon Pung, mechanical engineering project manager at Matrix Consulting Engineers, a third-generation farmer who has spent four years as a volunteer firefighter and medical first responder.
- Harrison Leffel-Jones, vice president of small business and innovation at the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), who has deployed more than $1 million to regional small businesses and co-founded 517 Entrepreneurship & Innovation Week.
- Kahleea Washington, community development specialist at the Lansing Economic Development Corporation, who moved to Michigan in 2023 for a fellowship and also owns Sweet Lee's Teas.
- Travis Harris, investment advisor at PNC Bank and founding board member of the OurSpace Foundation.
- Kristen Fillmore, relationship manager at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, who holds both the Certified Financial Planner and Certified Private Wealth Advisor designations and sits on the Board of Trustees for the Capital Region Community Foundation.
- Monique Hudson, program and relationship owner at Jackson Financial, a Lansing native and Everett High School graduate who has volunteered as a CASA for Kids advocate since 2022.
- Jazmin Anderson, director of small business and equity programs at LEAP, a former elected commissioner on the City of Lansing Charter Commission who co-owns Stay Rooted.
- Quinn O'Donnell, program manager at Child and Family Charities, who chairs the Capital District Libraries Board of Trustees and belongs to the Kiwanis Club of Lansing.
The milestone carries weight. A LEAP population study released in April projected the Lansing region will lose about 10,000 workers ages 20 to 44 by 2050. The same study projected the area will add more than 30,000 seniors, according to Pure Lansing.
Two of this year's honorees, Leffel-Jones and Anderson, work at LEAP, the organization behind that study.
