Sarah was born and raised in Owensboro and is a graduate of Owensboro Catholic High School and Centre College.  She lived in Washington, DC and Louisville, KY after college before moving back to Owensboro in 2016 to work as the CFO for First Security Bank.  She now serves as the SVP Chief Internal Auditor for German American Bank.  Her parents and siblings all reside in Owensboro, and she spends much of her free time with them and her seven nieces and nephews.  She also enjoys music and concerts, travel, reading, cooking and entertaining.

Sarah has been a member of Impact100 since 2016 and joined the Board in 2020.  She is a founding member of Impact100 NextGen and continues to serve on that Board.  She also serves on the boards for Habitat for Humanity and the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, and is a member of the Women’s Guild.  Sarah is also a member of the 2023 class of Leadership Owensboro. 

Beth grew up in nearby Henderson, Kentucky and is a graduate of the University of Louisville. Graduating with a degree in sociology, Beth first worked in social services in Louisville with the homeless population.  She continued working in social services at the Louisville Deaf Oral School, where she was Director of Development, helping to raise $5 million dollars for a new school to be built for deaf and hard of hearing children in the tri-state area. After a career change for her husband John meant a move to Owensboro, Beth decided to stay home with their young children Samuel, Caroline and Elliot.

Beth has served on the board at the First Presbyterian Children’s Day Out and the parish council of St. Pius Tenth Catholic Church.  She also served as a member of the Owensboro Catholic Diversified Learning committee. She is a member of the Junior League of Owensboro and served as the corporate sponsor chair for Charity Ball. She served 3 years as the co-chair for the annual OCS fundraising gala.  Beth is currently a board member of CASA of Ohio Valley and Impact100, where she has been a member since 2010.

Beth enjoys gardening, her book club, yoga and spending time with friends and family at Lake Barkley.  Her family also includes their golden doodle, Bella.

Katie grew up in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where she earned a degree in Agricultural Economics.

She is a dedicated Realtor in Owensboro and is passionate about strengthening the community through service, relationship-building, and civic engagement.

Katie has enjoyed serving with a number of local boards and organizations, including the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, the Greater Owensboro Realtor Association, Impact100 Owensboro — where she has been a member since 2014 — the Women’s Guild of Owensboro, the Fleur de Lis Garden Club, and her church, Owensboro Christian. She is also a proud member of the Leadership Owensboro Class of 2020.

Katie and her husband of 15 years, Brian, have two energetic children, Nellie (5) and Teddy (2), who keep them on their toes. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.

Jodi Krahwinkel, O.D. has been an active member of IMPACT100 Owensboro since 2015.

She first became engaged in membership recruitment and focus groups before joining the board and ultimately serving as President in 2022 and 2023. Her favorite parts are visiting the non-profits who apply for the grants and making wonderful new friendships with other generous women. She is also happy to share this experience with her mom and her daughter who joined NEXTGEN in high school.

A native of Hartford, KY, Dr. Krahwinkel began her education at Kentucky Wesleyan College and graduated from Southern College of Optometry. She has recently retired from a 30 year career in optometry.

Jodi and her husband, Ed, love to travel, especially to visit their adult children, Owen and Avery.

Born and raised in Owensboro, Emily is a graduate of Owensboro High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in business and professional writing from Kentucky Wesleyan College. She then earned her Master of Public Administration Degree from Western Kentucky University while working at Green River Area Development District. After several years as a stay-at-home mom, Emily now works as a grant writer for several non-profit organizations, including Owensboro Public Schools, OASIS, Inc., and the Community Dental Clinic. She has contracted with additional area non-profit organizations and has received grants totaling over $21 million so far over her career.

Emily volunteered on the First Christian Church Board of Directors and the Sutton Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization for many years. She and her husband, Eric, have two sons, Miles and Max, and a daughter, Annabelle. Emily enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching her children participate in sports and activities, participating in book clubs, reading, watching movies, and travel.

Martha Clark, a native Kentuckian, received her B.A. from Vanderbilt University and her M.A. in Education from Western Kentucky University. After passing her CPA exam, Martha practiced accounting for 28 years – 20 years of which she established her own firm. She administered the John B. and Brownie Young Scholarship Fund for 15 years. Now retired, Martha was a 2005 Leadership Kentucky graduate.

She has long been involved in community services and is Co-founder and Founding President of Impact100 Owensboro. She serves on the boards of the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra as well as its Foundation, and River Park Center. Her honors include the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame award, Junior League White Rose Award, the 2005 Athena Award, the 2006 Owensboro Board of Realtors Heritage Award and the 2009 Steel Magnolia Award. Martha has a daughter, Julie, and three grandsons, Julian, Marcus and Clark.

Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RDN, LD, FADA, FAND is Founder and Principal of The AgriNutrition Edge, a consultancy committed to assisting food, health and agriculture organizations in communications and strategic positioning. In addition, she is a senior associate with The Context Network, a global agribusiness consulting firm and is on the Board of Advisors for FLM/Harvest, a food and agriculture public relations and marketing agency.

Prior to founding The AgriNutrition Edge, Marianne served as Senior Vice President, Nutrition & Food Safety Communications for the International Food Information Council (IFIC) in Washington, DC. Before joining IFIC, she was the owner of MSE and Associates, LLC providing strategic nutrition consulting services for the food and healthcare industry.

Marianne is a former president of The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and a member of the Board of Editors for Nutrition Today. Statewide, she serves on the Kentucky Hunger Task Force and was elected to the Foundation for Healthy Kentucky Board in January 2019.

Marianne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics from the University of Kentucky where she was a former member of the Board of Trustees and a past president of the National Alumni Association. She has a master’s degree in public health-nutrition from Western Kentucky University and earned a certification in Appreciative Inquiry from the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University.

Marianne is a past president, co-founder and life time board member of Impact100 Owensboro. She has also served as chair of the Healthy Horizons Steering Committee and the Citizens Committee on Education in Owensboro. Other former volunteer board memberships include the Owensboro Symphony and Foundation, Wendell Foster Campus, Hospice, Owensboro-Daviess Co Chamber of Commerce and the Owensboro Community & Technical College Foundation. She is a 2005 Leadership Kentucky graduate. Marianne is married to John R Edge, retired regional president of First Security Bank (German American Bank).

Kelly was born and raised in Union County and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. After completing a graduate degree from George Peabody College in Nashville, she moved to Owensboro and worked at a nonprofit, later becoming a state trainer for that nonprofit through Kentucky State University. Later she joined the family auction business and bought the Morganfield office of Kurtz Auction Realty from her father, George M Kurtz. After 32 years of selling real estate in western Kentucky and southern Illinois, Kelly sold the business and joined Impact 100 in 2013. She has served on and co-chaired several focus groups.

She is married to Jim Goetz and has two grown children Sydney Goetz in Louisville and Nick Goetz in Owensboro and one grandson James . Kelly travels at any and every opportunity and enjoys walking trails on the family farm.

Born and raised near Owensboro, KY, Rachel Hall is a 09’ graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in art with a minor in communications.

With a strong background in sales and marketing, Rachel now serves as the Director of Communications for the Diocese of Owensboro, supporting the bishop’s office and the 78 Catholic parishes across Western Kentucky. She is also an active member and on the Parish Council at Our Lady of Lourdes and remains closely involved in her children’s school community.

Rachel married her high school sweetheart, and together they have three wonderful children – Clark, Louie, and Flora – who keep them on their toes. Amidst a busy life filled with school and sports activities, she enjoys traveling and making time for her lifelong passion for art.

A member of Impact 100 since 2019, Rachel is grateful for the friendships she has built, the opportunity to learn about the grant process, and the deeper understanding she has gained of the many inspiring initiatives taking place in Owensboro. She is passionate about the mission of Impact 100 and values the chance to help empower women to make a collective, lasting impact on the community.

Patty has been a resident of Owensboro since 1984.  In June 2022, she retired from 24-year career as a Vice President of Performance Initiatives and Development with U.S. Bank.  In her career, Patty coordinated U.S. Bank’s community engagement and volunteerism efforts.  She hosted many community events including Friday After 5, Balloons Over The Garden and Concert On The Lawn.

Patty has served on the board of directors for multiple community groups.  She is a three-term board chair for the American Red Cross.  She has also served as a committee chair for the March of Dimes and dedicated a decade of service as an executive board member for United Way of the Ohio Valley.  Patty also currently serves on the board of directors for OASIS.

Patty is a graduate of Leadership Owensboro and served as an advisor for the GO Careers program with Owensboro Community and Technical College.

Patty’s personal interests include gardening and cooking.  Patty has been a host of What’s Cooking on WBKR The Country Station for the past 10 years.

Dr. Veena Sallan currently serves as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer of Owensboro Community and Technical College. She has been in this position since 2017.   

Sallan’s academic credentials include a Post-Doctoral Research Associateship, a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences/Population Genetics, a Master of Science with an emphasis on Human Biology and Biological Anthropology, a Bachelor of Education in the Teaching of Biological Sciences & Physical Sciences, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology (Zoology and Botany) and Chemistry, all from the University of Delhi, India. Her doctoral and post-doctoral research projects were sponsored by UNESCO and World Health Organization (WHO) grants. 

Her experience includes a vast array of teaching and administrative experiences. Dr. Sallan has been at OCTC since 1987 in various roles including Professor, Division Chair, Associate Academic Dean, and Associate Director of Advancement. Selected accomplishments include being a recipient of the local Great Teacher Award and the Award of Excellence from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD).

Sallan has been active in local and international organizations. She has served as the Chair of the Owensboro Museum of Science and History Board of Directors and as a certified Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). In addition to serving on Impact100 Board of Directors, Dr. Sallan is currently also serving on the Board and Executive Committee of Owensboro Human Relation Commission and is the President of Girls Inc. Board of Directors.

Beth has lived in Owensboro since 2004 but originally grew up in Sturgis, KY. She graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a minor in Criminal Justice and is a Certified Public Accountant. Beth is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at Wendell Foster and has a passion for empowering individuals with disabilities. She has been a member of Impact100 Owensboro since 2015 and has served on focus groups each year. Beth is also a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Kentucky Society of CPAs.  

Beth married her college sweetheart, Wil Shepherd, and has 2 sons, Parker and Wesley. She loves spending time with her family, especially watching her boys play soccer. She also enjoys time outdoors walking, running, hiking, and going to the beach.

Born and raised in Owensboro, Amy is a graduate of Owensboro Catholic High School. She earned a degree in Psychobiology from Centre College where she met her husband of 21 years and counting, Madison Silvert. She continued her education at the University of Louisville with a Master’s Degree from the Kent School of Social Work. After several years of working with communities around Owensboro, as well as Louisville, in drug and alcohol prevention, she spent 13 years focused on raising their three children Emma, Lilly, and John. In 2016, she accepted a part-time position as Executive Director of the Green River Area Community Foundation.

Amy has enjoyed volunteering her time with various boards, including Impact100 Owensboro, Junior League of Owensboro, Owensboro Dance Theatre, Owensboro Catholic Schools Education Council, Women’s Guild of Owensboro, Fleur de Lis Garden Club, and her church, St. Pius X.

Cindra was raised in Charleston, Illinois, a small rural community where she earned her BS in Business Management from Eastern Illinois University (EIU), the hometown college. After starting her career in higher education financial management there, she moved to Owensboro in 1984 to work for Kentucky Wesleyan College in various business management roles. She secured her MBA from Murray State University while working at Wesleyan.
During her career, Cindra was involved in several state and regional higher education professional organizations, including leadership roles with the EIU foundation. She also became involved in several local non-profit entities that serve and enhance services for our community including the Library Board and Hospice. After a total of 40 years in higher education, she retired in 2018 to share time here and in Illinois focused on family care and business. Cindra is now enjoying retirement with local volunteer and leadership roles in non-profit service agencies such as Habitat for Humanity and The Opportunity Center.
She and her husband, Jimmy, continue to enjoy their small family farm life in Philpot, KY as well as periodic camping trips in this regional area. They have one adult son and daughter-in-law who are regular travel companions for family adventure trips seeking to visit, explore and enjoy the history, culture and vistas of all the US states.

Karla is the Chief Executive Officer of New Beginnings where she has been for 28 years.  Karla is also part owner of Backyard Bash Rentals in Owensboro with her husband Daymon and her adult children Madeline and Mason.  She is a member of Kiwanis of Owensboro and current Treasurer for Ky Association of Sexual Assault Programs in Frankfort.  In her spare time, she is an avid traveler and has been blessed to travel all around the world.  She and her husband also rescue and adopt senior dogs and currently have three Boston Terriers named Tator Tot, Leroy Brown and Lilly.

Sydney Warren graduated with from Murray State University in 2006 and received her master’s degree from Brescia University in 2016.  She currently serves as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Brescia University. 

Sydney joined Impact100 in 2015, has been involved with Impact100 NextGen since 2019, and joined the Impact board in 2023.  She is also involved in the nonprofit community of Owensboro by serving on The Owensboro Nonprofit Coalition planning committee. She also sits on Country Height’s PTO and teaches religious education classes in St. William’s Parish.

She and her husband Isaac are raising two sons, Remy and Grey.  They love to travel, be outdoors and be together. 

Somer Weaver is a lifelong Owensboro, Kentucky native and a graduate of Daviess County High School and Western Kentucky University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations. After spending time in Bowling Green, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee, she returned to Owensboro in 2020 and currently serves as Director of Marketing and Branding at EM Ford.