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Stacee Sledge is joined by Kevin Coleman in celebrating Sledge’s nomination as Professional Woman of the Year by Whatcom Women in Business.

Stacee Sledge, Community Manager for WhatcomTalk.com, was recently nominated as a 2016 Professional Woman of the Year by Whatcom Women in Business.

And while NorthAmericaTalk partners enjoyed celebrating Stacee’s success, we weren’t surprised that she was nominated.

Since helping launch WhatcomTalk nearly three years ago, Sledge has been completely invested in the company. In the community social network’s infancy, she wrote articles while also networking and forging community partnerships with businesses and organizations across Whatcom County. Now, with a team of more than 10 professional writers and a community relations manager, Sledge has been able to focus solely on her role as Community Manager, building a community hub dedicated to sharing positive stories about what it’s like to live, work, and play in Whatcom County.

“It was so nice to see Stacee be recognized and admired by many influential and prominent women and men of business in our community,” says Kevin Coleman, Community Relations and Business Development Manager for WhatcomTalk.

“Before the October 25 awards ceremony, I had been ticking off each of the commitments for the Professional Woman of the Year experience from my to do list: shoot an interview video, attend a dinner with the board and co-nominees, prepare a speech for the membership, give said speech, and so on. All of those things were really fun, but also required a lot of planning and thoughtful answers and interactions,” says Sledge.

Martin McElliott (left) and Dan Jones (right) are two NorthAmericaTalk partners that traveled to Bellingham for Sledge's nomination ceremony.

Martin McElliott (left) and Dan Jones (right) are two NorthAmericaTalk partners that traveled to Bellingham for Sledge’s nomination ceremony.

“Finally, the big night arrived and I was ready to simply have fun, celebrate with my phenomenal co-nominees, and introduce my husband to so many of my business friends. I was also excited to help raise scholarship money for young students and build up important donations for local nonprofits,” she says.

Martin McElliott, Vice President of Sales for NorthAmericaTalk, was on hand to celebrate. “It’s wonderful that Stacee was able to share the stage with so many talented Whatcom County businesswomen,” says McElliott.

Six nominees were selected by Whatcom Women in Business for the 2016 award. “Each of the candidates has their own unique, compelling stories, but one thing is shared by all: they’re doing great things in our community. They love living in Whatcom County and work hard to make a difference here. I’m grateful to have met all of them and know our friendships will grow and continue on past this experience,” says Sledge.

Dan Jones, NorthAmericaTalk’s Chief Resource Officer, appreciated being a part of the event. “Stacee has done an extraordinary job creating a respected media brand in 36 short months,” he says.

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When Stacee Sledge learned of her nomination as Professional Woman of the Year, NorthAmericaTalk partners Martin McElliott (far left) and Dan Jones (far right) knew they wanted to join Kevin Coleman and Stacee Sledge in celebrating.

Now, reflecting on the nomination post-event, Sledge is continuing to build relationships, showing Whatcom County marketers how WhatcomTalk can help businesses reach their target market, grow their brand, and measure results.

“This nomination only reinforces Stacee’s commitment to create a positive way for people to learn about the place we live, and foster connections to make a better community,” adds Coleman.

“The nomination was a wonderful validation of the work I — and the entire WhatcomTalk team — have done to make an impact on our community through our website,” says Sledge. “We strive to create a powerful ripple of positivity every day, writing and sharing so many local stories that otherwise go untold. This recognition by my peers was an absolute honor, and also a strong reminder that all we’ve worked hard to build is appreciated — and I’m excited to continue bringing that positivity to all of Whatcom County.”

“I truly believe Stacee is not only deserving of the recognition but also really showed the passion of what WhatcomTalk is all about,” summarizes Coleman.

The entire NorthAmericaTalk team congratulates Stacee Sledge.

To learn more about Stacee Sledge’s nomination, watch this video or visit the Whatcom Women in Business website.