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2025 Annual Banquet Highlights

November 2025

WET’s 2025 Annual Banquet brought together a full house of community members, partners, and supporters for an evening of connection and celebration at Salisbury University’s Guerrieri Academic Commons. The night was highlighted by a captivating keynote presentation from Dr. Judith Stribling, whose insights and imagery left a lasting impression on the room. We are so grateful to everyone who made this event possible – from sponsors and silent auction donors to the volunteers and team who brought the event to life.

If you’ve been to a WET banquet before, you know that one of the most anticipated moments each year is the presentation of WET’s environmental awards, which recognize exceptional leadership in stewardship and advocacy across our community. This year, we were honored to celebrate the outstanding contributions of the following recipients:

John Groutt Environmental Stewardship Award

Doug Stephens (above left, with presenter Kate Patton) has dedicated more than a decade to conservation leadership through service on local and state natural resource committees, as well as on the boards of multiple regional watershed organizations. A longtime supporter of community-based conservation and an accomplished Chesapeake Bay photographer and author, Doug continues to inspire stewardship through both his volunteer service and his contributions to local nonprofits.

Mike Pretl Environmental Advocacy Award

Since 2018, Elise Trelegan (above right, with presenter Alyssa Hastings) has led NOAA’s Chesapeake B-WET program and helped guide regional environmental education priorities through the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Education Workgroup. Locally, she co-founded the Youth Environmental Action program and has chaired Salisbury’s Sustainability Advisory Committee for five years, advancing major initiatives such as the city’s single-use plastic bag ban.

Green Business Award

US Wind is recognized for its strong commitment to advancing Maryland’s clean energy future, including the development of an offshore wind lease area capable of powering roughly a quarter of the state’s homes. With the creation of Sparrows Point Steel and a new Operations & Maintenance Facility on the Lower Shore, US Wind is also bringing long-term green manufacturing and job opportunities to Maryland. See more in our official statement. This award was received on behalf of US Wind by Dave Wilson (above left) and Renee Cooper (above right) and presented by John Groutt (above center).

Student Environmental Leadership Award

A senior at James M. Bennett High School, Sarah Yamakawa (above left, with presenter Aurelio Giannitti) has led impactful community projects through Youth Environmental Action, including tree plantings, pollinator habitats, and a forthcoming meadow in partnership with Wicomico Public Library. She is also an award-winning young researcher and speaker whose work in horticulture and food resilience has earned national recognition, including selection as a Borlaug Scholar.

Volunteer of the Year Award

This year’s Volunteer of the Year Award honors the dedicated Banquet Planning Committee, whose hard work over two decades has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support WET’s mission. The committee – Lewis Kadushin, Sharon Clark, Becky Emery, and Adrienne Kadushin (front row), Charlie Stegman, Michele Hughes, Carolyn Stegman, and Erin Stubbs (back row), and Kathie Wright (not pictured) – continues to make WET’s most important annual event a success!

WET extends congratulations to all of the award winners and a heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this evening such a success. As Board President Carol Dunahoo shared in her remarks, WET has many exciting initiatives on the horizon for 2026 and we look forward to sharing those developments with you in the months ahead.