The Roanoker - January/February 2021 - 31

40 UNDER 40

Katie Martin, 38

Brittny McGraw, 38

Candace Monaghan, 38

Amanda Nastiuk, 33

NICU Registered Nurse,
Carilion Clinic

News Anchor, WSLS10

Designer/Owner, Candace Monaghan
Fine Art & Design

Executive Director,
West End Center for Youth

" I love that Roanoke is such a
welcoming city with so many
ways to get involved and plant
roots in the community. "

" With Roanoke's location, we
have everything a large city can
offer and are close enough to the
country to escape and relax... "

" Roanoke manages to maintain
small-town charm while
continually moving forward. "

Brittny McGraw knew she
wanted to be a journalist since
the third grade - she is now an
award-winning journalist and
WSLS10 evening news anchor. " I
have a passion for making sure
people are informed about the
world around them, and that's
even more critical in an age
when inaccurate or misleading
information can run rampant, "
McGraw says. " It's important
that people have fair and
accurate information so they
can make the best decisions for
themselves, their family and
their community. " The Charlotte
native and University of Chapel
Hill graduate moved to Roanoke
in 2017, becoming an integral
part of the station's newscast
awards, most recently for an
Emmy nomination on her story
on integrating Floyd. She is an
active member of the Junior
League of Roanoke Valley, as well
as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,
Inc. An avid health enthusiast,
she's also known to lead her
coworkers in station workouts!
She is the station's lead for their
Habitat for Humanity Home for
Good project and formed a Polar
Plunge team to help raise money
for Special Olympics Southwest
Virginia, where the organization
named her one of the top
fundraisers.

Candace Monaghan earned
her associate's degree in
Communication Design from
Virginia Western Community
College, and has owned her
own design business for the
last 13 years. Also known in
Botetourt for her Paint Nights
and Children's Art Camp, she
has painted 17 of the well-known
Hokie birds throughout the New
River Valley, and was a Small
Business of the Year nominee in
2019. Most notably, she created
the Beaver Dam Sunflower
Festival on her family's farm in
2016, which has since grown
to over 20,000 visitors from
over 22 states in two weekends
in 2020. It has become the
largest artisan and sunflower
festival on the East Coast, and
includes handmade crafters
and food vendors, as well as 21
acres of black oil sunflowers
with hayrides, photos, farm
animals and kids' activities. " I
love bringing people together
and making them smile! "
Monaghan says. " By opening
up our farm in September and
having thousands out to see the
sunflowers, I am able to do just
that. It is a welcomed breath of
fresh air for people of all ages. "

" I cannot get enough of the natural
beauty of Roanoke. I consider
myself lucky on a daily basis to live
somewhere that is so gorgeous. "
Katie Martin earned two
bachelor's degrees (Biology,
James Madison University and
Nursing, The College of Health
Sciences), and has been an RN
and Clinical Team Leader at
Carilion's Roanoke Memorial
Children's Hospital Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit since 2012.
She mentors and trains new
nurses while providing positive
impacts for her tiny patients and
their families, and has worked
night shift throughout her entire
nursing career! In her limited
free time, Martin volunteers at
The Ronald McDonald Room at
Carilion's Roanoke Memorial
Hospital, supporting her patients'
families as their loved ones
receive NICU care, the closest
unit of its kind for many living in
rural SWVA and West Virginia.
Martin is also an environmental
champion, passionate about the
proper and responsible handling
of waste materials. She serves as
the NICU unit's representative
to the hospital administration's
" Green Team " and encourages
others to sign up for the city's
recycling program. " I love
encouraging others to recycle
and helping them to make easy
changes in their lives as a simple
way to beautify our environment
and improve the future of our
community, " she says.
*	 Earned bachelor's degree
in Biology, James Madison
University
*	 Earned bachelor's degree in
Nursing, The College of Health
Sciences
*	 NICU unit rep to the Hospital
administration's " Green Team "

TheRoanoker.com

*	 WSLS10 Anchor Monday Friday at 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and
11 p.m. newscasts
*	 Recently nominated for an
Emmy award

*	 Sunflower float Christmas
parade design, 3rd place, 2019
*	 Addy Grace Playground
Foundation Committee member
*	 4H camp adult volunteer, Art
teacher, 2016-present
*	 FFA/4H student career day
volunteer, 2015-present
*	 Botetourt County Fair volunteer

Amanda Nastiuk graduated from
Roanoke College in 2011 with a
Sociology degree, beginning her
career as a Case Manager. She
worked with adults facing mental
health disorders, development
disabilities or substance use
disorders, building strong
relationships with community
partners, social workers and
physicians. Nastiuk joined the
West End Center for Youth
staff in March 2018, seeking
fundraising opportunities and
overhauling the Tuition Credit
Program, which increased
WEC revenue and fostered
engagements with parents.
Assuming the new role as
executive director only two years
later, she equips children with
developmental assets needed to
become responsible adults. She
commits completely, enrolling
her three sons in the program
as well. " My passion impacts
the community in a way that
can be best described as 'people
first,' " Nastiuk says. " Whether it's
helping staff explore and grow
in what they do, or providing
students with the opportunities
to believe in themselves and
connect with their own greater
vision for success, my passion
helps motivate and develop
collaborative, big picture thinking
that uplifts the community. "
*	 Earned a B.A. in Sociology,
Roanoke College, 2011
*	 Overhauled the West End
Center's Tuition Credit Program
*	 Coached her 10-year-old son's
winning football team

JAN/FEB 2021 31
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The Roanoker - January/February 2021

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