Circle of Champions

Our Champions truly epitomize the word “Champion” itself. This select group of leaders raises millions of dollars for Best Buddies annually, and they impact their local programs in an extraordinary and unprecedented way. While they compete for weeks, we revere their commitment to inclusion forever and lean on their wisdom to guide future Champions.

Champions

Million Raised

$ 0

Champions

Million Raised

$ 0

Our 2023 Top 3

1 | $142,588.00

Tina Gulledge

South Carolina

2 | $137,401.45

Melissa Taylor

Palm Beach

3 | $117,048.00

Kaelyn Cassidy

North Florida

Our Nationwide Champion of the Year Winners

Congrats to our 2023 Alabama Champion of the Year

Lillian Hill

Raised $11,000 for Best Buddies in Alabama

2023

Alabama

Lillian Hill

$11,000

Congrats to our 2023 Arizona Champion of the Year

Kailey Sullivan

Raised $105,610 for Best Buddies in Arizona

2023

Arizona

Kailey Sullivan

$105,610

Congrats to our 2023 Bay Area Champion of the Year

BJ White

Raised over $31,795 for Best Buddies in the Bay Area

2023

California: Bay Area

BJ White

$31,795

Congrats to our 2023 Los Angeles Champion of the Year

Kristen Van Handel

Raised over $66,000 for Best Buddies in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Orange County!

2023

California:
Los Angeles

Kristen Van Handel

$66,000

Congrats to our 2023 San Diego Champion of the Year

Kimberly Hazard

Raised $57,231 for Best Buddies in San Diego

2023

California: San Diego

Kimberly Hazard

$57,231

Congrats to our 2023 Sacramento Champion of the Year

Ashlee Patel

Raised $26,885 for Best Buddies in Sacramento

2023

California: Sacramento

Ashlee Patel

$26,885

Congrats to our 2023 Connecticut Champion of the Year

Matt Davies & Val Sobol

Raised $11,000 for Best Buddies in Connecticut

2023

Connecticut

Matt Davies & Val Sobol

$11,000

Congrats to our 2023 Delaware Champion of the Year

Brianna Wolfle & Ben Moulder

Raised $10,958.00 for Best Buddies in Delaware

2023

Delaware

Brianna Wolfle & Ben Moulder

$10,958.00

Congrats to our 2023 North Florida Champion of the Year

Kaelyn Cassidy

Raised $117,048.00 for Best Buddies in North Florida

2023

Florida: North Florida

Kaelyn Cassidy

$117,048.00

Congrats to our 2023 Orlando Champion of the Year

Fabio Zacco & Marvin Fung

Raised $46,613 for Best Buddies in Orlando

2023

Orlando

Fabio Zacco & Marvin Fung

$46,613

Congrats to our 2023 Palm Beach Champion of the Year

Melissa Taylor

Raised $137,401.00 for Best Buddies in Palm Beach

2023

Florida: Palm Beach

Melissa Taylor

$137,401.00

Congrats to our 2023 South Florida Champion of the Year

Michelle Kligman & Carolina Rousell

Raised $55,094 for Best Buddies in South Florida

2023

Florida: South Florida

Michelle Kligman & Carolina Rousell

$55,094

Congrats to our 2023 Tampa Bay Champion of the Year

Michael Mitchell

Raised $52,000 for Best Buddies in Tampa Bay

2023

Florida: Tampa Bay

Michael Mitchell

$52,000

Congrats to our 2023 Southwest Florida Champion of the Year

David Elkins & Julie Lyle

Raised $7,585 for Best Buddies in Southwest Florida

2023

Alabama

David Elkins & Julie Lyle

$7,585

Congrats to our 2023 Broward Champion of the Year

Laura Geary

Raised $33,410 for Best Buddies in Broward

2023

Florida: Broward

Laura Geary

$33,410

Congrats to our 2023 Georgia Champion of the Year

Andrew Dixon

Raised $50,000 for Best Buddies in Georgia

2023

Georgia

Andrew Dixon

$50,000

Congrats to our 2023 Illinois Champion of the Year

Beth Hayes

Raised $23,520 for Best Buddies in Illinois

2023

Illinois: Central Illinois

Beth Hayes

$23,520

Congrats to our 2023 Chicago Champion of the Year

Victoria Hill

Raised $50,000 for Best Buddies in Chicago

2023

Illinois: Chicago

Victoria Hill

$50,000.00

Congrats to our 2023 Indiana Champion of the Year

Reid Brenton & Pete Steinkamp

Raised $69.950.00 for Best Buddies in Indiana

2023

Indiana

Reid Brenton & Pete Steinkamp

$69.950.00

Congrats to our 2023 Iowa Champion of the Year

Jennifer Taylor

Raised $31,000.00 for Best Buddies in Iowa

2023

Iowa

Jennifer Taylor

$31,000.00

Congrats to our 2023 Kentucky Champion of the Year

Ami Cain & Cam Brian

Raised $17,415.00 for Best Buddies in Kentucky

2023

Kentucky

Ami Cain & Cam Brian

$17,415.00

Congrats to our 2023 Maine Champion of the Year

Fiona MacArthur & Payton Brown

Raised $52,000.00 for Best Buddies in Maine

2023

Maine

Fiona MacArthur & Payton Brown

$52,000.00

Congrats to our 2023 Maryland Champion of the Year

Team Brandon

Raised $19,875.00 for Best Buddies in Maryland

2023

Maryland

Team Brandon

$19,875.00

Congrats to our 2023 Michigan Champion of the Year

Nick Paruch & John Wyskiel

Raised $69,500.00 for Best Buddies in Michigan

2023

Michigan

Nick Paruch & John Wyskiel

$69,500.00

Congrats to our 2023 Minnesota Champion of the Year

Sara Messerli and Maggie Erickson

Raised $44,216.00 for Best Buddies in Minnesota

2023

Minnesota

Sara Messerli and Maggie Erickson

$44,216.00

Congrats to our 2023 Kansas City Champion of the Year

Daniel Owen

Raised $9,045 for Best Buddies in Kansas City

2023

Missouri: Kansas City

Daniel Owen

$9,045

Congrats to our 2023 St. Louis Champion of the Year

Ethan Schroeder

Raised $20,080 for Best Buddies in St. Louis

2023

Missouri: Kansas City

Ethan Schroeder

$20,080

Congrats to our 2023 Mountain Champion of the Year

Lloyd Lewis & Kennedy Lewis

Raised $31,248.93 for Best Buddies in Mountain

2023

Mountain (CO & UT)

Lloyd Lewis & Kennedy Lewis

$31,248.93

Congrats to our 2023 New Hampshire Champion of the Year

Jennifer Corriveau & James Masterson

Raised $45,000 for Best Buddies in New Hampshire

2023

New Hampshire

Jennifer Corriveau & James Masterson

$45,000

Congrats to our 2023 New Jersey Champion of the Year

Angela Andrews & Holly Raymond

Raised $23,339 for Best Buddies in New Jersey

2023

New Jersey

Angela Andrews & Holly Raymond

$423,339

Congrats to our 2023 New Mexico Champion of the Year

Gracie Flanagan

Raised $8,478 for Best Buddies in New Mexico

2023

New Mexico

Gracie Flanagan

$8,478

Congrats to our 2023 Western NY Champion of the Year

Kettle Ridge Farms

Raised $7,706 for Best Buddies in Western NY

2023

New York: Western NY

Kettle Ridge Farms

$7,706

Congrats to our 2023 Albany Champion of the Year

Caroline Orr & Teagan

Raised $9,500 for Best Buddies in Albany

2023

New York: Albany

Caroline Orr & Teagan

$9,500

Congrats to our 2023 North Carolina Champion of the Year

Sarah Richardson

Raised $45,000 for Best Buddies in North Carolina

2023

North Carolina

Sarah Richardson

$45,000

Congrats to our 2023 Ohio Champion of the Year

Katie Kilmek

Raised $65,00 for Best Buddies in Ohio

2023

Ohio: Cleveland

Katie Kilmek

$65,000

Congrats to our 2023 Columbus Champion of the Year

Alex Rogers & Sharla Thomas

Raised $20,000 for Best Buddies in Columbus

2023

Ohio: Columbus

Alex Rogers & Sharla Thomas

$20,000

Congrats to our 2023 Oklahoma Champion of the Year

Kelsey O’Halloran

Raised $78,432 for Best Buddies in Oklahoma

2023

Oklahoma

Kelsey O'Halloran

$78,432

Congrats to our 2023 Oregon Champion of the Year

Kendall Campbell

Raised $44,000 for Best Buddies in Oregon

2023

Oregon

Kendall Campbell

$44,000

Congrats to our 2023 Philadelphia Champion of the Year

Ashley Long

Raised $9,159 for Best Buddies in Philadelphia

2023

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia

Ashley Long

$9,159

Congrats to our 2023 Pittsburgh Champion of the Year

Chelsea Beaufort

Raised $16,956 for Best Buddies in Pittsburgh

2023

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh

Chelsea Beaufort

$16,956

Congrats to our 2023 South Carolina Champion of the Year

Tina Gulledge

Raised $142,588 for Best Buddies in South Carolina

2023

South Carolina

Tina Gulledge

$142,588

Congrats to our 2023 Nashville Champion of the Year

Steph DeSantis

Raised $105,745 for Best Buddies in Nashville

2023

Tennessee: Nashville

Steph DeSantis

$105,745

Congrats to our 2023 Houston Champion of the Year

Jordyn Ensell & Juliette Molloy

Raised $83,975 for Best Buddies in Houston

2023

Houston

Jordyn Ensell & Juliette Molloy

$83,975

Congrats to our 2023 North Texas Champion of the Year

Donny & Tysen Churchman

Raised $10,995 for Best Buddies in North Texas

2023

Texas: North Texas

Donny & Tysen Churchman

$10,995

Congrats to our 2023 Central Texas Champion of the Year

Kate Avery & Laura Avery

Raised $74,360 for Best Buddies in Central Texas

2023

Texas: Central Texas

Kate Avery & Laura Avery

$74,360

Congrats to our 2023 Washington Champion of the Year

Courtney Block

Raised $45,000 for Best Buddies in Washington

2023

Washington

Courtney Block

$45,000

Congrats to our 2023 Washington, DC Champion of the Year

Dave & Reilly Donovan

Raised $64,850 for Best Buddies in Washington, DC

2023

Washington, DC

Dave & Reilly Donovan

$64,850

Congrats to our 2023 Wisconsin Champion of the Year

Don Weber & Jacob Borkin

Raised $21,000 for Best Buddies in Wisconsin

2023

Wisconsin

Don Weber & Jacob Borkin

$21,000