Dr. Candice Lucas Receives 2024 Colors of Success Leadership Award
September 26, 2024 (ROCHESTER, NY) – Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce presented Dr. Candice A. Lucas with its third annual Colors of Success Leadership Award at a ceremony on Thursday, September 26, 2024. The Colors of Success Leadership Award celebrates individuals who have shown outstanding leadership in fostering a sense of belonging, ensuring economic fairness, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion across a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences in their workplace and the Greater Rochester community.
Lucas is the Senior Vice President, Equity and Advocacy at Urban League of Rochester and works to fight for racial and structural equity for Rochester’s most marginalized and oppressed communities. With 20 years’ experience in addressing the needs of underserved residents across Rochester, she developed and led programs and initiatives aimed at promoting equity, improving health outcomes, engaging and mobilizing communities, and training on anti-racist practices. She is additionally involved in the Greater Rochester community through her work on the Commission on Racial and Structural Equity and her volunteer leadership roles on the boards for local nonprofits.
“Congratulations to Candice and all of this year’s award finalists! We are grateful for the work you are all doing to make Greater Rochester a more equitable place for all. Their contributions make the community we all live, work, and play in a better place,” said Bob Duffy, President & CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber, “Thank you to our 2024 Colors of Success Leadership Award sponsors and partners for making this recognition possible, and all of the event attendees who joined us to celebrate and uplift these hardworking and impactful leaders in our community.”
A full list of 2024 Colors of Success Leadership Award finalists is as follows:
- Tracy Archie, Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, Regional Transit Service (RTS)
- Alana Barend, Talent + DEI Manager, Partners + Napier
- Fernán Cepero, PHR, SHRM-CP, Deputy Director Department of Human Resource Management, City of Rochester
- Renee Elwood, Lead, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Talent Management, L3Harris Technologies
- Christina Heyon Lee, EdD, Coordinator, Global Education and International Services, Co-chair IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability) Council, Monroe Community College, and Board of Education Vice President, Brighton Central School District
- Maiah Johnson Dunn, Beverage Education Manager, New York Kitchen
- Paul L. Leclair, Esq., Partner, Adams Leclair LLP
- Jessica Lewis, President & CEO, LáLew Public Relations
- Candice A. Lucas, EdD, MBA Senior VP, Equity and Advocacy, Urban League of Rochester
- Amanda Miner, Director, IT TPO – Business Technical Services, Co-Chair – CARE, Avangrid
- Jonathan Ntheketha, Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, The Harley School
- Evelyn Parker, Chief Diversity and Culture Officer, Catholic Charities Family & Community Services
- Mario Roque, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Facilities, A&F Division, University of Rochester
- Kiki Smith, Outreach and Fundraising Coordinator, South East Area Coalition
For more information about all of the finalists, please see our 2024 Colors of Success Leadership event publication. A selection committee consisting of a diverse group of professional leaders from the Rochester and Finger Lakes business community determined the recipient based upon submitted nominations.