Westchester Talk Radio

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Business Council of Westchester hosted its annual Rising Stars: 40 Under 40 Awards at Million Air at Westchester County Airport, honoring forty exceptional young professionals from across the region. Selected through a rigorous review process evaluating leadership, innovation, professional achievement, and community impact, this year’s diverse class spans key sectors including healthcare, finance, law, real estate, technology, and nonprofit leadership. Beyond celebrating individual accomplishments, the signature event underscores the BCW's commitment to cultivating emerging talent and strengthening the network of next-generation leaders who are actively shaping Westchester's economic and civic future.
Westchester Talk Radio host Bob Marrone interviewed Sayidana Brannan-Douglas, a documentary filmmaker and producer at SBD Media. Sayidana discussed her seven-year career in film production, which began with middle school classes at the Jacob Burns Film Center, and her passion for telling empowering, community-based non-profit stories. She shared insights into the creative process of directing and producing documentary media and mentioned her current work as a producer on season nine of the Netflix travel and food series”*Somebody Feed Phil”.

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Business Council of Westchester hosted its annual Rising Stars: 40 Under 40 Awards at Million Air at Westchester County Airport, honoring forty exceptional young professionals from across the region. Selected through a rigorous review process evaluating leadership, innovation, professional achievement, and community impact, this year’s diverse class spans key sectors including healthcare, finance, law, real estate, technology, and nonprofit leadership. Beyond celebrating individual accomplishments, the signature event underscores the BCW's commitment to cultivating emerging talent and strengthening the network of next-generation leaders who are actively shaping Westchester's economic and civic future.
Westchester Talk Radio host Bob Marrone spoke with Melanie Zamenhof, Director of Member Engagement at the Westchester Bar Association and Senior Staff Attorney at Neighbors Link Community Law Practice. Melanie detailed her work developing continuing legal education programs for local attorneys, judges, and community members, as well as her practice in immigration law and courtroom representation. Balancing her dual professional roles alongside raising two young children, she highlighted the importance of accessible legal education and thanked her mentors for supporting her career momentum. 

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Business Council of Westchester hosted its annual Rising Stars: 40 Under 40 Awards at Million Air at Westchester County Airport, honoring forty exceptional young professionals from across the region. Selected through a rigorous review process evaluating leadership, innovation, professional achievement, and community impact, this year’s diverse class spans key sectors including healthcare, finance, law, real estate, technology, and nonprofit leadership. Beyond celebrating individual accomplishments, the signature event underscores the BCW's commitment to cultivating emerging talent and strengthening the network of next-generation leaders who are actively shaping Westchester's economic and civic future.
Westchester Talk Radio host Bob Marrone interviewed Kristina Gazivoda, Director of Patient Care Services at Northwell Health Phelps Hospital. Kristina shared her journey from clinical nursing into administrative leadership overseeing the hospital's oncology programming. She discussed the rewarding nature of providing high-quality care to cancer patients, expressed optimism for the future of medicine driven by advances in immunotherapy, and emphasized her commitment to supporting her nursing staff and community advocacy through the Business Council of Westchester. 

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Business Council of Westchester hosted its annual Rising Stars: 40 Under 40 Awards at Million Air at Westchester County Airport, honoring forty exceptional young professionals from across the region. Selected through a rigorous review process evaluating leadership, innovation, professional achievement, and community impact, this year’s diverse class spans key sectors including healthcare, finance, law, real estate, technology, and nonprofit leadership. Beyond celebrating individual accomplishments, the signature event underscores the BCW's commitment to cultivating emerging talent and strengthening the network of next-generation leaders who are actively shaping Westchester's economic and civic future.
Westchester Talk Radio host Bob Marrone spoke with Jenna Bergquist, Regional Ambassador for the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), representing the New Jersey and Westchester regions. Jenna explained her role in leading community outreach and building brand awareness for HSS's regional outpatient and surgical centers in White Plains, Paramus, and Mahwah. With a background in psychology and healthcare marketing, she discussed her passion for helping guide patients to top-tier orthopedic care, highlighting her daily routine of connecting with local physicians, schools, community organizations, and internal marketing teams. 

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Business Council of Westchester hosted its annual Rising Stars: 40 Under 40 Awards at Million Air at Westchester County Airport, honoring forty exceptional young professionals from across the region. Selected through a rigorous review process evaluating leadership, innovation, professional achievement, and community impact, this year’s diverse class spans key sectors including healthcare, finance, law, real estate, technology, and nonprofit leadership. Beyond celebrating individual accomplishments, the signature event underscores the BCW's commitment to cultivating emerging talent and strengthening the network of next-generation leaders who are actively shaping Westchester's economic and civic future.
Westchester Talk Radio host Bob Marrone interviewed Ari Kwitkin-Close, Chief Revenue Officer for the Westchester Soccer Club, a professional USL League One team. Ari explained that the club, which plays its home games at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, represents Westchester's first professional sports team and features a roster of players who retain college eligibility through their youth academy. They discussed the club's growth, average home attendance of around 2,000 fans, revenue streams focused on sponsorships and merchandise—such as a jersey featuring Metro-North train lines—and an offer to upgrade any radio listeners who attend a game to VIP status. 

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, 914INC. hosted its annual Best of Business Awards at the historic CV Rich Mansion in White Plains, bringing together Westchester’s top local leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals to celebrate the region's thriving commercial landscape. The festive evening offered an invaluable opportunity for vibrant networking and collaboration while spotlighting the exceptional accomplishments of the area's business community. The event officially honored the leading B2B companies and innovators highlighted in the magazine's September/October issue, underscoring their vital contributions to Westchester's economic growth and success.
Stepheny Ordonez, Operations Supervisor at Inspiria Outdoor Advertising, spoke with Westchester Talk Radio host Bob Marrone about managing behind-the-scenes logistics for major out-of-home ad campaigns. Having been with the company for eight years, she described how her detail-oriented role keeps account deadlines, artwork, and production on track for CEO Ronnie Ram and VP Andy Seraita. Ordonez expressed pride in working for an agency with a strong community reputation and shared contact details for businesses interested in outdoor media displays.