Meet the seven honorees shaping the future of the Harrisburg region.
The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Catalyst Awards, recognizing seven individuals and organizations whose leadership, innovation, service, and investment are making a meaningful impact across the Harrisburg region.
Each year, the Catalyst Awards celebrate the people and organizations helping move our region forward- from entrepreneurs and small businesses, to community leaders, public servants, and transformational economic development projects.
This year’s honorees represent the breadth of leadership and impact taking place throughout our region.
ATHENA Leadership Award – Linda Goldstein, posthumously
The 2026 ATHENA Leadership Award will honor the late Linda Goldstein, whose career reflected professional excellence, community service, and a deep commitment to helping women and emerging leaders reach their potential. The ATHENA Leadership Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates excellence, creativity, and initiative in their profession, provides valuable service to their community, and actively assists women in achieving their full leadership potential.
Goldstein’s career spanned economic development, banking, public service, and nonprofit leadership, including 14 years as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. During her tenure, she spearheaded nearly 400 projects representing more than $450 million in economic impact and thousands of jobs created or retained. A mentor and champion for women throughout the region, Goldstein also co-founded ATHENA PowerLink, helping women-owned businesses access the relationships, resources and guidance needed to grow.
Catalyst Award – Harristown Development Corporation
Harristown Development Corporation has been selected to receive the 2026 Catalyst Award recognizing its decades-long role in driving investment, redevelopment, and renewed vitality in downtown Harrisburg.
Founded in 1974 to help revive Harrisburg’s downtown, Harristown has been involved in many of the major redevelopment projects in the city’s core- including Strawberry Square, 333 Market Street (which is slated for conversion into a Courtyard by Marriott as part of the newly announced Downtown Harrisburg Revitalization Plan), Hilton Harrisburg, and Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. More recently, the organization has responded to changing downtown needs by converting more than 300,000 square feet of underutilized office space into nearly 300 residential units while advancing projects including Coronet Park, The Exchange, and new small-business destinations. Since receiving the Catalyst Award in 2016, Harristown and its partners have invested more than $42 million in projects throughout downtown Harrisburg.
Diversity Leader of the Year – Amanda Batista
Amanda Batista, Bilingual Community Outreach Coordinator at Reach Cyber Charter School, has been named the 2026 Diversity Leader of the Year. The award recognizes leadership that advances inclusion, expands opportunity, and strengthens connections among people and communities across the region.
Batista has built partnerships throughout Central Pennsylvania connecting families with education, healthcare, mental health resources, and community support. Her leadership extends across numerous community organizations, including Estamos Unidos de Pennsylvania, NAMI Central Pennsylvania and the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women of Central Pennsylvania. Across those roles, Batista has worked to build bridges among organizations and communities, expand access to resources, and ensure that individuals and families who have historically been underserved have a voice and a seat at the table.
Economic Impact Award – Crane Clean Energy Center
The Crane Clean Energy Center will receive the 2026 Economic Impact Award, recognizing a transformational investment expected to create jobs, strengthen Pennsylvania’s energy infrastructure, and generate significant long-term economic activity across the region.
The planned restart of the previously retired nuclear facility is expected to create approximately 3,400 direct and indirect jobs, add $16 billion to Pennsylvania’s gross domestic product, and generate more than $3 billion in state and federal tax revenue. Once operational, Crane is expected to restore approximately 835 megawatts of reliable electricity to the regional grid while supporting manufacturers, technology companies, and other businesses with growing energy needs. Constellation Energy, the company leading the project restart, has also committed more than $1 million over five years to regional workforce development and community organizations.
Entrepreneur of the Year – Justin Browning
Justin Browning, owner of JB Lovedraft’s MicroPub, Nocturnal, Sawyers, Capital City Music Hall, and Madame Rochéle’s Apothecary has been named the 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year. The award recognizes the vision, creativity, resilience, and willingness to take risks that are essential to building businesses and strengthening the regional economy.
At a time of significant transition for downtown Harrisburg, Justin Browning has continued to invest in new concepts designed to attract people and activity to the city. From the growth of JB Lovedraft’s to the openings of Capital City Music Hall and Madame Rochéle’s Apothecary, his businesses have created distinctive destinations while contributing to a growing entertainment and nightlife economy. Beyond his own ventures, Browning has become an active participant in collaborative efforts to reimagine and revitalize downtown Harrisburg.
Public Servant of the Year – State Senator Patty Kim
Pennsylvania State Senator Patty Kim has been selected as the 2026 Public Servant of the Year, recognizing her longstanding commitment to the Harrisburg region and her leadership in bringing government, business, nonprofit, and community stakeholders together to address shared challenges.
Most recently, Senator Kim has played a leading role in the collaborative effort behind Harrisburg Works for All of Us, the new downtown revitalization strategy unveiled this week by Governor Josh Shapiro and state and local leaders. Her work on the initiative builds on decades of public service- from Harrisburg City Council, to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and now the Pennsylvania Senate- and reflects the collaborative, persistent approach to leadership that has defined her service to the region.
Small Business of the Year – Perry County Generations
Perry County Generations has been named the 2026 Small Business of the Year, recognizing two decades of growth, resilience, and service to working families and employers throughout Perry County.
Founded in 2006 by mother-daughter duo Fay Henry and Diane Shope, Perry County Generations has grown from a single child care center in Landisburg, to three locations serving 140 children and approximately 100 families while employing 30 staff members. All three locations maintain Pennsylvania’s highest Keystone STARS quality designation. By providing dependable, high-quality child care in a rural community where access can be limited, Perry County Generations supports not only children and families, but also the employers that depend on working parents being able to participate in the regional workforce.
Celebrating the People Moving Our Region Forward
Over the coming weeks, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC will share more about each of this year’s honorees, their work, and the impact they are making throughout the region.
The 2026 Catalyst Awards will bring together business and community leaders from across the Harrisburg region to celebrate this year’s recipients and the leadership, collaboration, and investment that continue to move our region forward.
Join us in celebrating the 2026 Catalyst Awards recipients: Thursday, December 10, 2026 | 5:30-8:00PM | The Willows at Ashcombe Mansion
Purchase your tickets here: Catalyst Awards – Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
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ABOUT HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
For 140 years, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC has served as the region’s catalyst for economic prosperity. The organization combines business, community, and economic development services to enhance the region’s vitality and livability. The Chamber is a five-star accredited chamber through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—a distinction held by fewer than 1 percent of chambers nationwide. CREDC is the region’s toolbox for economic development. It is the only Certified Economic Development Organization (CEDO) approved by the Commonwealth’s Department of Community and Economic Development to perform economic development activities regionally using Pennsylvania’s funding programs across Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties.
