>> From WXXI News.

This is Connections.

I'm Evan Dawson.

Well, we'll start our connection this hour with a question.

Do you do any volunteer work?

If you are like most Americans, you're just too busy to do any volunteering.

And according to the U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 28% of the population 16 and over volunteered in recent years.

And that number stayed about the same over the years until, unsurprisingly, volunteerism dropped to historic lows during the pandemic.

During that time, only 23% of Americans did some kind of volunteer work.

Now, the good news is that volunteerism was back up to pre-pandemic levels in the most recent year of data, and that's data from AmeriCorps.

So who are the American signing up for this kind of work?

Are members of Gen Z a significant part of the mix?

In an effort to understand how to better recruit Gen Z volunteers, the Red cross learned that 93% of the young people they surveyed said they were motivated to do work in their community because they wanted to make a tangible impact.

That may seem like a given, but the nonprofit pointed out that volunteerism among those young people is not transactional, meaning it's not just about fulfilling a requirement for work or for school, the Red cross writes.

It's about solving real problems, feeling connected to real things.

So what does that look like?

What does leadership look like in 2026, both with the current sociopolitical climate but also as members of Gen Z navigate a number of factors a changing workforce that relies more and more on technology, automation and in many cases, A.I.

A loneliness epidemic and a challenging economy with factors that may all contribute to decisions by members of Gen Z. When it comes to volunteering or not, how to spend their time, how to spend their money.

Our guest this hour are members of RYP Rochester Young Professionals.

The group is hosting a gala later this week to honor members who've gone above and beyond in their efforts to shape Rochester in positive ways.

We're going to talk with Ripe representatives about their work and about what service looks like today, about what motivates them, maybe about what worries them.

For our community and the future, the kind of work that they're doing.

We've got a lot to talk about with the co-chair of Rochester Young Professionals.

Welcome, Izzy Loughlin.

It's great to have you.

Thank you for being here.

>> Thank you for having us.

>> Izzy is also VP at Captrust.

What is Captrust Captrust?

>> We are a registered Ria here in Rochester, New York.

>>, and it's been a little while since we talked to RYP.

In fact, when I started hosting this program in 2014, I talked to one of your predecessors, Andrew Brady, quite a bit, who happens now to be on on the WXXI board.

And I was always impressed with sort of the community spirit, the involvement, the drive in 20 and 30 somethings to be part of something bigger than themselves.

So RYP is sort of back now.

I mean, having a little renaissance.

What's going on?

>> Yeah.

We're back.

We relaunched February of last year.

So to go back RYP started early 2000. the main reason why this group was created was because Rochester was experiencing something called the brain drain.

We have incredible universities, incredible schools here in the area that people come from all over the world for, and they leave after college because they don't have a sense of community.

they don't have a social network.

So RYP was created to solve that goal, to keep young professionals here in Rochester by having them feel rooted in Rochester and community and Connections.

it ran for years, very, very successfully.

And then, like many other businesses in the pandemic.

Yeah.

operations stopped.

and then once things kind of opened up, back again, we there was no like rebound right off the bat.

So me and a few other people, Matt Zager, Jordan Crowley, we knew we wanted to start something, to get people together, to get people meeting people.

so we approached Andrew about restarting Rochester Young Professionals, and we had our first relaunch in February 2025.

>> So what is it that I mean, there's not one secret sauce to keeping a young professional here, a 20 something here, but a decade ago it was a very different time.

Now there are all the factors that you normally have to deal with, plus the questions on whether A.I.

is going to wipe out jobs, whether people feel secure and whether they feel like Rochester is a place where there will be a job in their various fields.

What are you hearing from people when you talk to them about Rochester, about our mission to keep more people here?

>> Yeah.

Oh, there's a lot of people really excited about RYP.

It's a great way to meet people.

It's a great way.

We have so many different events.

We have volunteer events.

We have community events.

We have professional development events.

so it's really just a way to get involved in whatever capacity you would like.

If you're here to have fun, if you're here to learn, if you're here to grow we're here and we're glad to have you.

>> Are you from here originally?

>> I'm not.

I'm originally from Connecticut.

>> Connecticut.

So, what brought you here?

>> My mom actually moved here my junior year of high school, so we moved to Victor.

then I got out of here.

I went to Arizona State for college.

Go, Sun Devils.

And then I came back, actually in 2015.

So.

>> So you've been back for more than a decade now?

I have I moved here in 2003.

I was very young at the time, and a lot of people told me I'm from Cleveland.

A lot of people told me out of towners think they're going to come in and Rochester will be a career ladder stop and you're going to end up staying.

And here I am.

So I stayed.

You're staying now?

I mean, I presume that you plan to stay.

>> Yeah.

Yes, it's it's a really great city.

I'm from a very, very small town.

So I really like that this city, although it has a lot of people, it still has that small town feel.

so yes, I have no plans of leaving Rochester.

>> Okay.

And I presume.

Is he part of that?

Is that you feel like you're in your professional line of work, that you'll be able to stay working here?

You're pretty comfortable with that?

>> Yes, definitely.

>> Okay, well, tell us a little bit about what the RYP excellent awards are about.

Before we meet some of the people involved with that.

>> Yeah.

when we relaunched our RYP, we had a huge success in the beginning, and we were realizing there's a ton of individuals in Rochester that do so much good for our community.

And a lot of people don't know about it.

So we wanted to take a minute and recognize some of those individuals.

RYP events are broken up into four pillars.

They are the community development, professional development, sports and rec, and volunteer.

So this year we did four awards each for each pillar.

And we were lucky to have four awesome ladies here that you guys will meet very soon.

>> Well, let's start that.

We've got Jordynn Barnhart Sullivan and Maggie Coleman with us in this first half hour.

Jordynn Barnhart Sullivan is one of the Excellence Award winners and Vice President of Marketing at Lilac Manor Rehabilitation And Nursing Center.

Welcome.

Thanks for being on the program today and welcome to Maggie Coleman, also an Excellence Award winner, a real estate professional, founder of Roc Girl Walks, which is what tell us about Roc Girl Walks.

>> I will go first.

and it's all women walking in social club here in Rochester.

>> And you are the founder of Roc Girl Walks.

So why did you decide we needed that.

>> After the pandemic, which I feel like a lot of this, you know, we were we were craving some type of connection with others, I believe.

I know that I was and I was looking for something and I couldn't find exactly what group I wanted to join.

So I created my own and started a walking club.

It's evolved over the last couple years, and it's become more of a a friendship social club.

But we still walk.

We walk multiple times a month and it's just been great for women in the community.

>> Okay.

And how many people go out and walk with you?

>> It varies.

So in the winter months we walk during the winter.

last walk we had a close to 30 and the summer months we have about like 80 that just walk and we walk all over Rochester.

Whether it's Fairport, you know, Greece anywhere.

>> Do people wonder, like when they see this blob of 80 people like, who are you?

>> What are you doing?

You see a lot of heads turning.

Absolutely, absolutely.

>> It's good for local businesses, though.

>> It sure is.

>> If they can handle 80 people.

Yeah.

what have you what have you learned about the way people want to feel connected, especially post-pandemic?

you know, because I think a lot of people, as we mentioned, off the top here, the reason that most Americans don't volunteer is not because people don't care if people feel like they don't have time.

So why are they making time to do this?

Why do you think people want to be connected this way?

>> I think that a lot of people get so stuck in their schedules, and this is just maybe I'm speaking from my own experience.

We get so stuck in our schedules, our work schedules, our home, our, you know, our chores, our this or that.

When they take a moment and they realize that they may be missing something, a like minded conversation, something like that.

I think that this is so important.

I think it's really important work.

I've watched it grow exponentially in the last couple of years.

>> Are you are you from originally?

>> Buffalo.

But yeah, originally.

>> I mean ish.

>> Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

>> We're going to give you, like, partial credit.

>> Right?

>> Right.

You're from Western New York.

are you seeing parts of our community that you feel like you would never otherwise see because of walking?

Yeah, yeah.

>> And so it's not just about walking.

We also do kind of local partnerships with local businesses as well.

So we're exploring things that I never even knew existed, whether it be a salon business will go there and hang out all sorts of things.

We do board game events, all, all different types of events and things that I just never really would have explored.

And I'm sure others as well feel the same.

>> So growing up in Buffalo, did you think you were going to stay in Western New York?

>> Good question.

Yes, yes, yes you did.

>> Yes.

You had to.

You had to really think about that, though.

>> I had to think about that.

I was going to say I'm very close with my family.

My parents have been together forever.

However, they did move ten years ago.

So out of state.

>> Yeah, okay.

But you weren't someone who grew up thinking the first ticket out of here, correct?

Okay.

Yeah.

so why do you why do you think you can stay in this region?

I mean, you're your parents have moved.

You could look at other places.

Why stay in Rochester?

>> for me, I do agree that the type of small town, even though it's a big city, has been a great draw.

And then on top of it, my career.

I don't think that I truly don't believe that I could be as successful if I did, you know, uproot and go somewhere else.

>> And you're in real estate.

Okay?

It's going well.

>> Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

>> There's no inventory for sale.

>> That I'm working hard.

I'm working hard.

>> It's a small pie.

>> I know.

>> We all.

It's great.

Oh, boy.

>> I got a I got a slice of it at least.

>> How secure do you think your industry is?

No matter what changes, whether whether it's A.I.

or other factors?

>> Great question.

I still think that it'll be there.

>> Because people need some sort of human interaction.

>> With this.

Yeah, I truly believe I mean, if you think about it with what's that company, the company Carvana or something like that, where it's like a vending machine.

Did that do away with car salesmen?

No.

So no, I believe it'll be there.

>> For now.

>> For now.

>> Have you met people through Roc Girl Walks that you know, that you've either had business relationships or friendships with that you would not have otherwise met?

>> Absolutely.

So I'll touch on the professional today.

I actually just listed two hours ago a house for a woman that I met through the group.

And then on a friendship level.

Absolutely.

I've met so many people, whether it's a close friendship, but you know, this or that.

Business opportunities.

It's been absolutely wonderful.

Yeah.

>> What does Rochester need most to keep more young professionals here?

>> More groups like this, more groups that have, you know, help foster connection.

I can only do so much.

>> Okay.

No, I think that's a really interesting answer because again, if you've got a chance to either work remotely or work in a in a career field that's stable, that's one thing.

But the either the amenities or the quality of life, you know?

So for you, it's feeling connected to professionals and groups here.

>> Yep.

Absolutely.

>> Okay.

Yeah, that's a really interesting answer.

I'm going to ask Izzy that same question.

What do you think, Rochester?

I mean, because again, you're not here from here originally.

Yeah, but you want to stay.

What is Rochester need more of to convince more of your generation to stay?

>> Yeah, I would say to back off, Maggie.

Definitely more social programs, but I think other ways to connect and meet people.

For example, RYP, we have a kickball team.

We're going to have a soccer team.

We're going to have a running club.

so just different ways because everybody's different.

They like to come out for different things and do different things.

So the wider span we can attract, the better.

>> I don't know where the generations cut off.

Are you Gen Z?

Are you all Gen Z?

>> Oh my gosh, I am a millennial.

>> You're a millennial.

Okay, millennial.

Gen Z is here.

Millennial millennial millennial.

Oh, it's mostly millennials here okay.

So it's close.

So because Gen Z is.

>> 9697.

>> Everybody just looked at me like do not ask my age.

>> I'm not going to ask the.

>> Actual age.

I know Julie just looked at me like, be very careful where you.

I'm just trying to understand I'm not a creepy old man.

I'm trying to understand the stereotypes about generations and really what people value.

Because one person or even one panel, you can't speak for an entire generation.

But it is interesting to hear the surveys and generation to generation.

What is more valued?

What is more important to convince more people to either stay in a city?

What gets more people connected?

And one of the stereotypes is that younger workers and you're all you're all younger workers.

I'll give you that.

you know that you're addicted to technology, that you're not as interested in person to person connection, that, you know, the stereotype would be that you wouldn't do a Roc Girl Walks because everyone's on their phone all the time.

And that's not necessarily true, is he?

What have you found?

>> Right.

Yes, I definitely think that people are craving connection.

a lot of people work remote nowadays, or even hybrid.

A lot of people move to the city for new jobs, so they're craving that in-person connection, getting to meet people.

And I think a lot of people just don't know how.

They don't know how to meet new people, make new friends, make new work Connections.

So we're hoping this platform and this group can help.

>> Yeah.

Maggie, what do you make of of this idea that, you know, young, young workforce gets stereotyped in certain ways, but what you're doing is sort of old school.

It's pulling people together in physical spaces.

>> Yeah.

It's funny, I see.

I truly believe that.

I see quite the opposite.

The majority of I mean, we have different age ranges, whether it's, you know, the 20 year old, the 50 year old, the 60 year old, the 70 year old come to these walks and majority of the events that I host, whether it be walking or something like that, seem to be the 20 something year olds.

So they're they're getting out there, get they're getting off their phones and they are chatting and meeting friends.

It's wonderful.

>> Well, because you're all millennials, let's talk about Gen Z behind their back okay.

Perfect.

I'm joking.

And I know you probably work with some Gen Z and RYP right?

>> I do, I do.

Yep.

And they're great.

They really are great.

I think that stereotype is a very blanket statement.

And I think there are definitely Gen Z employees that want to work, want to work hard, have great work ethics.

I think that they're definitely different.

I think.

growing they grew up in the world of technology and everything is there immediately anything that they want to figure out, they Google it on their phones.

Everything is so quickly available to them.

So it's just a different world they grew up in.

>> Yeah, we were talking recently about this New York Times piece about a couple in Manhattan, and they're they're living in Manhattan, which is expensive enough.

They're not making a ton of money.

They're getting by.

They have stuff that they can cook with at home, and they're spending $700 a month on DoorDash because they just want it now.

They don't want to cook.

And I'm like, I don't know if this is a whole generation, but I don't relate to that at all.

But one of the things they said in the interview was like, we're just so used to tech being able to give you what you need without much friction.

And I think there's some good and some bad in that.

But that's probably a conversation for another day.

It's just an interesting observation.

Okay.

See, look, I knew we were going to go far afield here, and now I want to bring in Jordan Jordynn Barnhart Sullivan, also an Excellence Award winner, vice president of marketing at Lilac Manor Rehabilitation And Nursing Center.

First of all, congratulations on the award for you here.

what is a what's a little bit about your background at Lilac Manor?

Tell us what you do there.

>> Yeah, that's where right now I just spent most of my.

>> Get right on your microphone.

>> In the hospital today.

I spent a lot of my time there, so I'm kind of a liaison between a lot of people.

going from rehab, long term care, dementia.

My background comes from that.

I worked at an assisted living where I was the director of admissions and marketing there, and then before that, I was director of communications for a homeless shelter down the street from here in a prisoner reentry center.

>> Wow.

And where did you grow up originally?

>> Rochester.

My whole life.

>> You're from here?

Yep.

And your intention is to stay here always?

Yes.

How come.?

>> I feel like Rochester?

It does have its challenges.

And when it comes to community, I haven't seen, you know, any stronger community.

In a sense.

People are really trying to make a difference every single day.

And when we go out there and we really find that connection through groups like this, I think it really it just gets me really excited.

Things like this.

It's such a great group of people and really have this enthusiasm to go out there and make a difference.

>> What do you get most out of RYP?

>> I actually this is my first interaction with the T. Ever since I've gone into it, since I was nominated for the award.

And when I got to meet.

>> They've pulled you.

>> In now?

Yes, exactly.

So that's where I'm just so interested to get to know everyone a lot better, especially to have a group.

I've always been one of the younger people in the room.

So to actually have, you know, a group of younger professionals together, I feel like you can find a lot of different connection and relationships in that sense.

>> For you, volunteering started young.

What did you do?

>> I started off well.

My first one was probably when I was like 5 or 6 at Town of Greece.

We were doing Spruce Up Greece.

We were doing all those different things and then it just continued from there into high school with Kiwanis and Key Club, continued into college with circle K, and then just continued all throughout my professional career as well.

>> What were some of the experiences that stand out that maybe, maybe affected you?

>> Oh, well, I mentioned the shelter, one really powerful moment was I had gone in and I had cooked Thanksgiving dinner for all of the guys there, and I'd created these notes with thank you cards.

And I wrote hand, wrote all of their names.

And one gentleman came up to me and he was in tears, and he gave me a hug, and he was like, thank you for giving me my name back.

And that was just so because he said everyone would call him a bum on the streets.

He kind of lost his identity.

And so to actually see his name written just on a card was really powerful.

even I used to volunteer at four Day Foundation, and it would be going to the hospitals to surprise children with cancer, and we'd dress up as superheroes and just to see the looks on their faces and to take away that moment is just really sweet.

>> I'd not heard of the four day Foundation.

So what's the mission?

There?

>> They basically children with life threatening illnesses going to the hospital.

So we would go it was technically a chapter with Rochester and with Syracuse, so we'd go to Upstate Cancer Center and Golisano Children's Hospital.

>> Awesome.

And you also recently worked with the Mayor's mentor Up program.

Is that right?

I did.

Tell me about that.

>> That was very fun.

all of the kids there, you could see, like I said, when I talk about Rochester, you could see how enthusiastic they were.

You had these kids in high school.

I felt like I wasn't at that point in high school, and they were just telling me about all of their careers.

One kid comes up to me, he's like, I want to go work for NASA.

I'm starting my own business.

I want to be social media influencer.

You could see all the different one girl, she said, I'm going to start my own law firm, so it just gets you really excited about what's to come for our community.

>> Okay?

I mean, I'm want I'm want to stay on the positive train here and not be like, yeah, but you know, what happens in the future to social media, to A.I.

Are you worried about that or do you worry about the future in that way?

>> I wouldn't say I worry.

It definitely makes me think, like, with everything, everything adapts for sure.

You know, adapting to the market, adapting to.

I even think back to when it came in math class about calculators and how that wasn't a thing.

And now we have ChatGPT just running all of these insane things.

So it definitely is a lot to think about.

I'm excited to see where that goes to.

>> A.I.

is good for the future.

Neutral negative for the future.

>> Ooh.

>> I'd say at this point neutral because I'm seeing a lot with environmental.

But then at the same time, all the there's also benefits as well.

>> But there's a, there's benefits.

What is.

No, I'm I'm being facetious.

I hope it's the best thing for medicine and and cancer fighting.

I mean I hope it is the best thing that ever happened to health care.

I hope.

>> I'm seeing a little bit of that in health care, which is very interesting.

>> I hope so, I certainly hope so.

let's ask the other panelists what they think.

So.

Positive.

Negative.

Neutral.

Maggie.

A.I.

>> I mean, right now I'm thinking from a career perspective.

Positive.

>> Positive.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> How so?

>> Helping cut down on time.

On time?

On certain things.

I mean, if I'm thinking, like, overwhelmingly on time.

>> Okay.

I like the.

>> Idea a little.

I'll be a little elusive on that.

>> Okay.

But I'll take the optimism.

Izzy.

>> I agree with Maggie.

I'm going to say it's a positive.

>> I mean, like, not for five years for like the next 50.

You feel like, positive.

>> I don't know what's going to happen in the next 50, but we're going.

>> To be cyborgs.

>> Maybe.

But I do think there's a lot of good that it does.

I think that there's a lot of potential as well.

so, yes, I think between I mean, people use ChatGPT for so many different things, whether it's how to answer in a conversation or be more polite or be a better person or be a better friend, it's it's a really great resource.

It could be.

>> Okay.

And maybe on that line then social media in general, because, you know, we all we're in kind of crossover generations everybody.

Right.

Like we didn't have it immediately when we grew up.

And then all of a sudden it becomes this thing that's everywhere.

It's good, bad or neutral for society.

>> I would say again, it's good.

I, I do not think RYP would be in the spot with the 600 plus members without social media.

It's how we get Ahold of a lot of people.

It's how we get in front of new audiences.

so right now, and maybe for the next five years, I'd say it's good.

>> That everybody uses Wholesomely as you do.

>> Izzy.

>> I think that is, again, I like the optimism.

Jordan.

Positive.

Negative.

Neutral.

>> once again, the pros and cons to both.

I think what would push me a little bit more to the positive side is always just, you know, different advocacy and law in place, like when it comes to A.I.

and things like that.

If we get some of those in, I don't see why not.

Why wouldn't be around in 50 years.

>> Okay, Maggie.

>> For social media.

>> Yeah.

>> Positive.

Same.

I mean with the platform with Roc Girl Walks, I primarily use Instagram and we have a wonderful following on there.

And we also have an app that we use that's another social media app that has a bunch of women in there.

And I think that it's incredibly powerful.

>> You all are killing my cynicism.

Before we let this panel go and we're going to bring in Miranda Leo and Rachel Yuhas in our second half hour, who are also excellent award winners, and we're going to hear their stories.

I want to ask Jordan just a little bit more about volunteering, because you've done it for so long and working in the in the mentorship program, you know, you you hear a lot about young people feeling nihilistic about the future, feeling like there's there's no real purpose, there's no real nothing that's kind of tethering them.

And I wonder if you first of all, if you experience that, you come across any of that and the people you've worked with at all.

>> in the mentorship program, that was some conversations from some of the younger students.

Absolutely.

>> And and what do you talk about with them?

I mean, like, what is how do you how do you work with someone who sees a future or maybe doesn't see much of a future?

>> I would say it made me I'm just thinking back to this one conversation I had with this student, and we were talking about the future of Rochester and where things are heading, and I told him that I always felt like when I was younger, volunteering.

It's easy to critique a community when you're on the sidelines.

It's easy to give your opinion, but when you're actually in and involved, I feel like that holds a little more weight and merit when you're actively in trying to take action rather than just disengagement, feeling like, oh, it's someone else's problem, we'll take care of it.

I'll move somewhere else.

I feel like when people really band together and try and make a difference, that's where true change happens.

>> And I did want to ask you something that has the risk of kind of sounding either trite or cheesy, and it's not meant to at first I was going to ask you if you're trying to convince kids the value of volunteering, what would you tell them?

But this is really for everybody, because goodness knows, there's a lot of adults in this country who feel just disconnected, who feel untied to their communities, don't really know their neighbors very well.

A lot's changed in that way.

so what would you say about volunteering for people who maybe don't think they've got time?

or maybe don't see a possible value?

>> two pieces to that.

I would say for starters, you just made me think of one of my favorite quotes, and it's when we volunteer every day, we vote about we vote on what kind of community we want to live in.

So that's what was going through my mind when we said that.

But secondly, with my background in fundraising, I remember saying volunteering isn't the only way to get involved.

You can get involved through advocacy, through hands on volunteering.

I see more and more in healthcare through lived experience with family members at home, people being caregivers.

So a lot of different ways to pour into your community and to really get out there and create changes.

I was just at I'm part of Greater Rochester grape for partnership for the elderly and Thompson Hospital just came in, was doing this entire presentation on Medicaid, Medicare reimbursements, all where everything's heading now.

And it just made me sit there and think, like, I really want this to change.

By the time my time comes, you know, we really have to get on this and try and make a difference and start making some changes.

>> You mean because there will be no reimbursement?

No.

I mean, it's tough.

and of course you're with grape.

You're doing a lot, Jordan.

It's been really great to get to know you, Maggie.

The same.

Thank you very much.

And before we go to break, let me just ask Izzy Loughlin, as we talk about what's going on coming up on Friday, what do you want the community to know about your event on Friday?

>> Yes, we are hosting a Y2K gala.

since our.

Y2K themed, you know, it since RYP started in the early 2000, we thought it would be fitting.

so bright colors, sparkles come in however you'd like.

but it'll be at Arbor Loft.

we're very excited and will be celebrating our four award winners.

>> Tickets are available online.

We'll have a link if you want to check it out at 5 to 10 at the Arbor Loft.

By the way, Y2K themed for me.

I remember all the panic about.

I don't know if you guys do you remember like the yes.

>> Yes, >> Yes.

the like 1999 New Year's Eve panic.

>> Like like this could be the end.

Like we're not really sure.

And then nothing happened.

I'm hoping that that's like the A.I.

concern.

It's like, oh, this could be.

Turns out it's just kind of helps you with, I don't know.

>> Maybe your emails.

Yeah, exactly.

Exactly.

>> do you guys remember the whole panic about.

Yeah.

>> Yes.

>> You guys should have a panic at 6 p.m.

You should have, like, a Y2K panic on Friday night.

so the event's coming up with RYP.

Rochester Young Professionals.

We're going to come right back.

We're going to meet two more of the Excellence Award winners.

Maggie and Jordan, thank you very much.

Thanks for joining us.

We'll come right back on Connections.

I'm Evan Dawson Wednesday on the next Connections reaction to the state of the Union.

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And we'll have a conversation with local leaders about what they heard, the priorities.

Maybe some of the controversy, some of the feedback, what they liked, what they didn't like.

And we'll take your feedback as well.

On the state of the Union Wednesday.

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>> This is Connections.

I'm Evan Dawson Rochester Young Professionals.

Like a lot of organizations, saw some ebbs and flows in activity than the pandemic hits.

They hit some hard times, but they are back.

They've been back for a year and I before we meet a couple more of the Excellence Award winners, I want to ask Izzy Loughlin, who is the co-chair of RYP, who really it's for.

And if people are hearing this going like, oh, I think I might know somebody.

I mean, really, what are you aiming at here for membership and activity?

>> Yep.

Our go to line is we don't I.D.

at the door.

So although it's called Rochester Young Professionals, if you're young at heart, you're always welcome.

I would say most people are in their 30s 40s ish age range, but anybody is welcome.

>> 40s is still young.

>> That's good.

It is.

>> I like that a lot.

>> It is.

>> You got some 20 somethings.

>> We do.

We do get some 20 somethings.

I'd say the majority are in their 30s, early 40s.

>> Let's go 20 somethings.

We need some.

We I want, I want more 20 somethings to interact with this program.

We got to got to get more people involved here.

but anyway you can do that on where is your website?

Where are they going to find you online.

>> Is he.

>> Yep.

You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and our website.

>> Well, let's welcome Rachel Yuhas and Miranda Leo.

Hello to both of you.

Thank you for being with us.

Congratulations to both of you on being RYP Excellence Award winners.

And I'm going to start with Rachel Story.

Rachel is also an event program coordinator at Genesee Regional Bank.

Is that right?

>> That's correct.

>> Where are you from originally?

>> I am from Henrietta, actually.

>> So you're right here.

>> Right here.

>> And did you grow up thinking this is it for life?

Rochester?

>> First, check it out.

>> You were.

>> One of those first ticket.

>> Out people.

Yeah.

>> Oh, wow.

>> Immediately I moved down to Maryland, down to Baltimore to go to undergrad.

And then I actually went over to Ireland for grad school.

I think my favorite line is that Rochester is the perfect place to move back to, because every time I've gone a bunch of places, I've been very, very fortunate.

But no matter what, I keep coming back to Rochester and there's just something about this city that pulls you back and really makes you want to put down roots here.

So no matter how far you go away, there's something always pulling you back.

>> And what is it that for?

You mattered the most.

Why do you think you are back here?

>> Not to really beat a dead horse here, but it has to be the community.

Like my mom is a city school district teacher.

She's been in the city school district for 33 years now, so I just really grew up knowing the value of community and the value of like, really investing in where you're from.

So seeing the work that she did, my sister is also a teacher.

So seeing the work they put into building community and seeing the impact they had specifically on Rochester had such a deep impact on me.

So when I was coming back from all these places, it made me really want to invest here.

>> Anything that is lacking that you say, boy, you know, it would be easier to convince more of my generation to come back here if what.

>> I mean, I'd love better public transport.

yeah.

>> No, especially.

>> Growing up in Henrietta.

>> You can't go anywhere.

but no, that's.

I mean, I now live in East Rochester because it's very walkable suburb, but something things like that, especially coming from Baltimore, where there's tons of public transport, their bus system is great.

And having a lot of friends from New York City when I'm like, oh yeah, I'm going to go back to Russia.

They're like, how do you go anywhere?

And I'm like, I just drive.

So I think that's something that I would really love to see investment in from a state level.

But other than that, I mean, I think we're doing a really good job, both in RYP Roc Girl Walks there's so many other smaller community building programs in Rochester right now that I think that's something that is really appealing to younger professionals.

>> You had.

>> To call Reconnect Rochester.

They'd love to hear what you're saying.

And I used to get myself in trouble.

I don't do this anymore.

But for years on this show, I used to say that it was it's illegal to have more than one person in a car in Henrietta, and everyone has to have a car.

And I don't think that was actually true.

And some people who live in Henrietta actually got on my case about that.

hey, I used to work in Henrietta for many years, and I have been at every stoplight for a long, long time there.

I know it's retail row.

There's a lot of restaurants.

it's not actually illegal to walk in, Henrietta, but it's just hard to do it.

So if you live in Henrietta, I love Henrietta.

I just I'm with Rachel in that I think communities are easier to connect when they're more walkable.

When they're when you don't feel like you're in this cement sort of ocean.

And so no, no disrespect to Henrietta anymore.

I don't intend to do that.

But growing up, it's interesting because you're now in a village that's very walkable.

It's like the opposite of the suburb that you grew up in.

>> Very much so.

I grew up on Corkins Road, so across just across the street.

Excuse me, from the library.

And that is the only place I ever walked growing up, because it was literally across the street.

Yeah.

So going from that to more of a village scene now, I can definitely see.

Obviously I picked what I liked, but I'd love to see.

And that road Corkins is developing a lot in Rochester.

That's where the Wegmans is now.

Those are doodlebugs.

There's a lot more investment in that park as well.

In Veterans Park in Henrietta, this is just a plug for the town of Henrietta.

because I do.

Hey, good for them so much.

>> Absolutely.

>> Look, I know a lot of people who are in Henrietta local government.

so.

And I think they are trying to develop the area, try to make it something that younger professionals want to go to, because I see Izzy and I actually were at El Greco in East Rochester the other night, and it was so easy to just walk around to like the next spot.

And that's not something you have in Henrietta right now.

So being able to build some of those smaller communities outside of the city and outside of just like the more affluent East Side, I think will do a lot to build more communities.

>> I think that's really, really smart analysis and a lot of your work that kind of led to this award focuses on mentorship.

I know you created a mentorship program and a young professional program at at the Bank Genesee Regional Bank.

Is that right?

Yeah.

So tell us about why you did that and sort of what the genesis of that was.

>> first, I want to say I'm very lucky to work at the kind of bank I work at.

I don't think there's a lot of banks or financial institutions where someone who's really just at, like, an entry level could walk into the CEO's office and be like, hey, I think we need a mentorship program and have them say, okay, go and build it and we'll fund it.

So first, I'm very fortunate to have that kind of support from leadership all the way down, and also the freedom from my direct supervisor to take four months out of my work schedule to research and really develop this program in a way that's going to really help and impact the employee experience.

So I worked very closely with our HR department.

I actually reached out to some educators at University of Rochester and University of Wisconsin, actually, because they had some great studies there about adult learners and how to get adults interested in their own career construction.

So getting in touch with experts, building things, asking questions of things I didn't know to kind of put together this program that really benefits all of our employees in a way that's very personal.

>> And I totally agree that it is unusual to have upper management say, walk in the door, tell me your ideas.

I mean, that's a good culture.

Yeah, but are you seeing the impact of the work that that you wanted to do with that?

>> Honestly, yes.

Like, not to toot my horn on this, but I had of our six executive managers at the bank, I had five of them buy into it and be mentors.

I saw direct impact of multiple people either finding new career paths through those mentorship programs, but also joining committees and affinity groups at the bank.

Outside of those mentorships.

Because of the way that their mentors were guiding them into their new paths.

And also, just like seeing that larger engagement in their workplace.

>> And you also, I've got a note here that I don't know much about.

I want to know a little bit more about this.

You've got leadership experience in sports.

>> I do have leadership.

>> What does that mean?

>> So I don't know how familiar your listeners are with rowing and crew, but so I was a coxswain, which is the little person that sits in the boat.

Yeah.

>> Let's go.

>> A lot of.

>> Yelling, a lot of yelling.

>> So I started with that in undergrad.

I kind of walked onto the team because I don't like being bored and I unfortunately got injured, so I couldn't be a rower.

So I transitioned to being a coxswain.

And I think it's one of the best things that ever happened to me as a person.

It kind of takes the ego away from sports because you don't get any of the credit.

That being said, you're making all the decisions.

So I did that through undergrad where I was very fortunate to win some big competitions, and then I got to join grad school, where I won two national championships.

So I learned a lot about the way pressure can impact people and the way you have to manage different people's expectations of pressure.

Like you're not going to win every race and emotions are going to get really high when those losses happen.

But there's another day, there's another race.

And like making sure that the people in your boat and the people on your team are all going in the same direction.

>> Do you think that you'll be doing sort of mentorship or volunteering for the duration of your career?

>> Probably.

I again, have been very fortunate to have the kind of up line that I have.

My direct supervisor, my senior leadership have been very kind in the way that they've allowed me to kind of chase this passion that I have towards allowing for and facilitating the growth of the people around me.

I think that's truly where I find the most value in the work that I do is like allowing other people to shine.

And I think that comes from rowing and coxing is like allowing and building these paths for the people around me.

>> Could A.I.

threaten your career?

>> I don't think so.

I mean, A.I.

is certainly an asset and I use it most days.

It's part of my mentorship program as well.

The matching part is all done through A.I., and by best matching.

So I put a bunch of codes in, give it to A.I., and it spits out the best match without my own personal bias.

But I also make sure the matches at the end of the day, are people who I think will work well together and have complementary personality types.

>> Rachel, I got all these A.I.

companies telling me that it's going to disrupt 20 to 60% of jobs, and nobody in this room who's whose jobs.

>> Were people?

>> People we are here to work with.

>> People.

>> And your job is building relationships and facilitating them, that then A.I.

can only ever be a tool.

If all of us were data analysts and we'd have very different conversations.

>> I actually think that's a really interesting point, that there are certain things that you feel insulates you a little bit from an A.I.

future.

>> Absolutely.

I think that and again, I don't want to speak for anyone else in this room, but we're all very fortunate to be the type of people and in the career paths where the relationships we build matter so much.

And that's something that no matter how good the A.I.

is, they aren't a person.

>> Okay, so A.I.

is positive, negative or neutral?

>> Oh.

>> Definitely neutral.

Like I'm not going to go all the way positive.

I do think the environmental impacts are something huge.

I think the way it's still hallucinating at times can give false information if the prompts aren't good.

>> But it might be the Terminator.

>> That might be a bit much, but.

>> I hope so.

>> I think so, I think it's a bit much, but I don't know.

it's really, really cool to get to meet our panel today, and I'm going to turn to Miranda Leo, who is an Excellence Award winner and a senior recruiter at Insero Talent Solutions, which is what tell us about what you do for work.

>> So I'm an executive and professional recruiter.

We Stem as an umbrella through our advisors.

So the CPA firm that's long standing roots here in the Rochester area.

So we function as a true recruiting agency.

We partner with tons and tons of companies.

You know, here in Rochester, but also spanning Western New York, the whole state of New York, and on a more national level, too, in almost every single industry.

>> Where are you from originally?

>> Born and raised in Rochester.

>> And you grew up thinking what, staying or going?

>> I was going to be so far from Rochester.

it's funny, I thought I was going to move to New York City, and I thought I was going to go for college.

And when that didn't happen I really didn't know what I was going to do.

My family's here.

I'm super close with my family.

I've got unbelievable friends and relationships here in this area.

and if you ask anyone , the first question they always ask me is, where's your next trip to?

I love to travel, but as I grew up, I went away to college.

I came back Rochester's home.

I, I've gone and visited so many cities, I've been able to stay with friends.

Nothing compares to the community here.

So if you had asked my 15, 16, 17 year old self, are you going to be in Rochester?

Absolutely not today.

I can't imagine living anywhere else.

>> What is it though?

You talk about community, make that a little bit more tangible.

Why is Rochester stand out then?

>> That's such a good question.

But I think, listen, I'm social.

I'm an extrovert person through and through.

I will talk to a brick wall.

I find connection anywhere I go.

But you walk down the street in Rochester and people say hi.

People want to understand how you are and not just surface level, how you are.

Like, truly how.

>> Streets are you walking down?

I want to be on these streets.

>> Come to my neighborhood.

I live in the North Winton Village.

>> Oh man, that's one of the hot places to be.

>> I love it, I absolutely love it.

But I think, you know, you look at Rochester over the last couple of years, our restaurant scene has gotten so much more robust.

We have unbelievable spots at all price points, all different types of cuisines.

We have even more organizations today, similar to RYP and what we're here to talk about today.

But there are so many areas and opportunities for people to get to know one another.

I know for me too, I love I loved my gym and I love to work out.

I have made such great friends with the community that's there at five in the morning as well.

And when someone's not there, they're wondering if you got sick, if something happened.

They want to know about your trip, like there's all these micro moments to connect.

And I know it's so broad to say, the Connections here, the community here in Rochester, but I truly find when I go to the grocery store, I'm able to strike up conversation with someone.

So even on a more broader level, I think that there's just an opportunity to build relationships here that I haven't found in other places.

>> Do you agree with Rachel that, you know, you both happen to be in pretty walkable places and not all of our communities are not all of our neighborhoods or suburbs are.

But there's been, in the last decade, a real push to make that.

How important do you think that is, especially for attracting young professionals?

>> I do think it's important, and I think that's why when you look at the Park Ave area, the East Ave area, the University Ave areas of Rochester, you tend to find younger professionals and probably younger families that are starting to build their roots here in the area.

I. I do agree, I agree wholeheartedly, I think an area of opportunity for our community and city is to find better public transport opportunities, because I do think if you live deeper out in the suburbs, you go out to Holly Medina, you know, Mary and some of those places that are a little bit further out.

It's harder to get around places.

so I think if we had different transportation modes and systems, it might draw a different, you know, a different crowd to our area and keep younger professionals in our area.

>> Your volunteer work began in high school.

Is that right?

Yeah.

What'd you do?

>> Oh, God.

I did a lot.

I, I volunteered regularly for the honor flight.

and that was right through my school.

I was a competitive figure skater as well, and there was always opportunities to volunteer both through our skating clubs and then in the community, as well as part of that.

And then as I got a little bit older, I so I left to go to college my freshman year, I came back and I started volunteering pretty regularly at school, 35 in the city school district and really, really found passion in that.

As I continued my education here, I I ultimately graduated from what now is Roberts Wesleyan University.

and I got involved with a program called Enactus and we got the opportunity to take a trip to Guatemala and volunteer on a mission.

and we we tenango.

And it was an unbelievable experience.

So those are some of my earlier memories volunteering.

and I know as a family, we would always volunteer where we could at a soup kitchen or, you know, through our local church or community.

>> I'm looking at the resume here.

I mean, even now, the Small Business Council of Rochester, the National Human Resources Association, Rochester affiliate, Villa of Hope, Best Buddies, Western New York, Saint Peters Soup Kitchen.

You're pretty busy.

>> Yeah.

>> My calendar's color coordinated, so I know where to be, what to do and and how to do it.

>> Do you ever feel like you spread yourself too thin?

>> Sometimes.

>> But you keep at it.

>> I love it.

>> I you know, it's so hard, I think that I've learned.

I've learned to protect my time a little bit more.

But I get really excited.

And I've met really, really unbelievable people through these organizations that I both sit on boards for and volunteer with.

And it's not hard to make the time now.

I'll say it's definitely a choice, and every decision has a trade off, but I have found such good value, both from the people that I've gotten to work with, the people that I've gotten to meet, and also the relationships that I build personally and professionally.

And I see so much of what I do as a crossover, both through the community and in my professional career.

So, yes, is it a lot?

Absolutely.

I think that there's definitely like I said, there's impacts to it, but I would do it all over again if I could.

>> So you're doing all of these things, you've got this successful career.

When you look back at your schooling and your teenage years, what was the most important factor that set you up to be a successful human in the world that you are now?

>> This is probably the.

>> Most cliche thing I could say, but I have an unbelievable family that came from really, really humble beginnings.

And they would always say, did you try your hardest?

And it didn't matter what my hardest was, I wasn't compared to my brother or someone else.

It was my hardest.

It was my best.

And they always, they always taught us growing up that there's a seat at the table.

If you make your seat at the table and there's nothing that can stand in your own way besides yourself and your thoughts I had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up, and it took me a while to fall into recruiting and to really build a career around that.

so I think, again, cliche long winded answer in saying this, but there life isn't a plus B or that straight line.

Sometimes it's like a super convoluted line and all those little like one offs that you see and try along the way end up being these like beautiful mistakes sometimes or happenstances that point you in this direction.

>> Okay, so now at this point in your life, is A.I.

going to threaten your career?

>> Maybe.

I think this recruitment is a is an arm of human resources.

And I say this all the time.

You cannot take away the human from human resources.

People crave connection.

People want to understand the how and the why behind something.

There's so much that we can use and use A.I.

for in technology, but I don't think you can ever replace the human aspect of the work that we do.

>> Are you sure we need humans anymore?

I mean, do we feel a little redundant?

Sam Altman makes me think that he thinks we're kind of redundant.

We're going to talk about that later this week.

I'm not going to make our guests talk more about that.

A.I.

though.

Positive, negative, neutral.

>> I think positive.

>> Ooh.

You're like the most optimistic person I've met here.

You said it might take my job.

I don't think so.

>> But we'll pivot.

I think that's one of the best things.

I look at technology, and there's so much that we're doing today that we didn't do ten, 15, 20 years ago.

And I can't wait to see what we're doing in the next ten, 15, 20 years from now.

And I think there's a plus that we get from that because of technology.

And there's probably things that we're going to lose because of technology.

But I think if we live in this scarcity mindset, that technology is going to take everything away, we're never going to be able to grow and get outside of what we're doing right now.

>> I certainly hope you're right.

I mean, I my son is between Gen Alpha, Gen Z. He's like, he's like the week the generation changed.

Its born in 2012 and I worry about Gen Alpha and Gen Z. I worry about their opportunities and how they see the future and whether they even think the future is something to be excited about.

That's the biggest difference that I cannot relate to because when I was growing up in the 90s, it was like, yeah, the future will be.

I mean, we'll figure it out.

I mean, I'm not saying everything was great, perfect, but boy, I hear a lot of darkness.

And I wonder, what do we do with that?

>> I mean, that's a great question and I don't know if I can solve that or answer that completely, but I think that, you know, it's I can't lie.

You go outside.

There's kids in my neighborhood and they're they're not playing outside as much anymore.

And I think, you know, technology drives a lot of that.

And I think there's you have to be very intentional about your connection points, because it's really easy to stay behind a screen.

And I also think for someone that might be a little bit more introverted on that scale of introversion and extroversion, it can be wonderful to help that more introverted person connect with someone else.

And I think, again, you have to be intentional to put your technology down.

I look at my screen time sometimes, and I'm offended by my own screen time because it's easy.

And so much of my job happens behind a, you know, behind a text message and email on LinkedIn and phone calls and stuff like that.

So I think, again, you have to be really intentional about it.

But.

It's it's going to keep evolving.

>> In your optimistic for the future.

>> I am, I am I think listen, I love change probably to the point too much.

I'm always happy to pivot and try something new.

I've worked with some really awesome people over the years that have really been instrumental in helping me learn that when you have to pivot, take away what you can learn from that, but use it to your advantage.

And so I think that's what we have to the way we have to think about the use of technology in our futures.

And if I'm not doing this in ten, 15 years, I hope I'm doing something just as exciting that I can't even think about right now.

>> If I gave you a pair of skates, could you land a double lutz right now?

>> Oh, God.

>> I'll give it my best shot.

But it's been years since I've been on the ice.

>> everybody's thinking about the Olympics.

what an amazing set of stories here.

And we're wrapping the hour.

So you're going to hear the music in just a second.

But Izzy Loughlin, who is the co-chair of RYP Rochester Young Professionals is going to tell us one more time what's coming up on Friday.

What do you want people to know?

>> Yes, we have our Y2K themed gala where we'll be celebrating all four of these incredible award winners.

it is from 5 to 10 at Arbor Loft and we can't wait to see you there.

>> So information on the website where people find you on socials or website.

>> Yep.

You can find Rochester Young Professionals on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram.

>> Miranda Leo Rachel Yuhas.

Great meeting both of you.

>> Thank you.

>> So much.

Thank you for joining the conversation.

Our thanks to Jordynn Barnhart Sullivan Maggie Coleman, who joined us earlier this hour, and Izzy Loughlin come back sometime.

Nice talking to you and nice meeting you here and thanks for being with us.

>> Thank you for having us.

>> That's the story of the rebooted Rochester Young Professionals RYP from all of us at Connections.

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