The Roanoker January/February 2022 - 32

40 UNDER 40
Madeline Sefcik, 27
Clerk to the Board of Supervisors & Manager
of Public Affairs, Franklin County, VA
" Our tight-knit community
has provided me the privilege
to network and learn from
some great leaders in our
region throughout the years
and has provided me with the
platform to grow and develop
as a young professional. I love
Roanoke because it is a place
that has so much character and
individuals from all walks of
life are able to find something
they are passionate about
here. "
As a Certified Municipal Clerk
through the International Institute
of Municipal Clerks, Madeline
Sefcik is also the county's Public
Information Officer and has been
tasked with creating the Department
of Public Affairs within Franklin
County. She recently worked with
Virginia Tech's GO Virginia program
to ensure interns were paid and
worked tirelessly on Franklin County's
recent Housing Summit to attract
residential developers to the area.
She is currently pursuing her master's
degree in Business Administration
from Bowling Green State University
and earned her graduate certificate
in Local Government Management
from Virginia Tech in 2020. She is a
member of the Junior League, serving
as Assistant Finance Vice President,
and is a Roanoke College Maroon
Mentor for students interested in
local government. " Serving our
community remains a top priority
for me, and making the region a
better place for future generations
is my passion, " Sefcik says. " I value
the time I get to speak and hear
firsthand from the community and I
am always learning ways we are able
to collaborate and work together to
make our home a better place. "
* Graduate of Leadership
Roanoke Valley, 2019
Kenna Smith, 36
Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner,
The Branch Group
" We immediately fell in love
with, what we lovingly refer
to as, our 'little-big city.'
There are endless activities
and the community does a
great job of bringing in new
adventures for us to enjoy! "
After realizing how many potential
employees never even consider a
career in construction, Kenna Smith
created a new role that put her out
in the community, reaching younger
audiences and sharing real careers
through " non-traditional " paths. She
speaks at high schools, trade schools
and industry associations, and
partners with local schools to promote
opportunities within the construction
industry, alternate career paths
and encourages apprenticeships
and internships. Her partnerships
bring about the next generation
of construction leaders, providing
hands-on education and tools needed
for a new career. " I am focused
on dissolving the myths around
construction with today's youth, "
Smith says. " It is important to share
with them the hundreds of different
paths that can be pursued within
our industry and the non-traditional
ways one can begin a career in
construction. Educating the next
workforce generation about these
careers and creating awareness of the
backlog of projects and opportunities
upcoming in our community also
sends the message that they can
create a lucrative career right here in
Roanoke. ... It is rewarding to play a
role in finding talented individuals
that will not only add value to the
company, but also to our community
as they bring to life the very things
that help communities/towns/cities
thrive. "
* Earned Master of Business
Administration, Marshall
University, 2009
32 JAN/FEB 2022
Sarah snider, 34
CEO, BEAM Diagnostics, Inc.
" [I love] The mountains! You
don't have to look far to find
hiking trails, gorgeous views
and a little peace from a hectic
day in the outdoors. "
Dr. Sarah Snider earned her Ph.D in
Pharmacology and Toxicology from
Virginia Commonwealth University
in 2014 and is a Post-Doctoral Fellow
at the Fralin Biomedical Research
Institute at VTC. She founded and
became CEO of BEAM Diagnostics,
Inc., a technology transfer corporation
that leverages behavioral and
decision science to help healthcare
providers and employers better
understand and serve their patients
and employees. BEAM is the first
company founded in this region
to bridge the gap between basic
science from Virginia Tech and
translate it to the patient at Carilion
Clinic. Since its inception, she has
led the company through over $2.3
million of NIH- and regionallyfunded
commercialization grand
awards, two competitive accelerator
programs and served international
and local clients since 2017. Snider
is a peer-reviewed scientist with 28
publications and 38 national and
international presentations, with
her work cited more than 800 times
in literature. She often participates
as a panelist and guest speaker as a
start-up entrepreneur, and serves as
an entrepreneur representative on
the Valley Innovation Council's Access
to Capital Committee. " I believe the
work that I do innovates the way we
approach preventative healthcare, "
she says. " Identifying and addressing
health conditions earlier improves the
lives of patients and ultimately our
community wellness. "
* Member of the Shenandoah
Club
* Mentors Virginia Tech
graduate students via the
HS&T Hokie Pitch event
Rachel SPencer, 39
Partner/Advertising & PR, Access
Advertising & PR
" There is a unique energy to
Roanoke that propels people
and ideas in a way that other
communities envy and it's so
exciting to be part of that. "
Rachel Spencer earned her BA in
Sociology with a concentration in
Communications from Roanoke
College in 2004. She received
certifications in market research
from the University of Georgia,
working her way up from a junior PR
position to Vice President of Strategic
Communications before becoming a
partner at Access in 2020. Her work
has received more than 40 awards
from the Public Relations Society of
America and she has contributed to
creative executions recognized by the
American Advertising Association for
creative excellence more than 100
times. She has advised prominent
regional companies such as the
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport,
Roanoke Economic Development
Partnership and more. She is a
member of Leadership Roanoke
Valley and currently studying to
complete her accreditation in Public
Relations from the Public Relations
Society of America. " As a marketer, I
am driven to understand audience
behavior and working with so many
different clients here; from nonprofits
to institutions of higher learning to
corporate visionaries, I am constantly
gaining new layers of appreciation
for the diversity and diversity of
experiences in our community, "
Spencer says. " I bring that knowledge
with me into each new client
relationship and hope to help others
understand their world and our
community a little differently. "
* Recipient of Illuminator
Award, Blue Ridge Chapter of
the Public Relations Society of
America, 2011
TheRoanoker.com
ALEXANDER HUF / COURTESY OF KENNA SMITH / COURTESY OF SARAH SNIDER / AMY PEARMAN
http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker January/February 2022

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