ArtsQuest 2025 Linny Award Recipients
Thomas M. Riddle, CPA, CFP®, Bethlehem
Lifetime Achievement Award
Tom has more than 40 years of financial experience including serving as Bank Examiner for the US Treasury Department, Senior Accountant at KPMG, Corporate Controller of Johnson March Corporation, VP Finance of Hospital Central Services and as founder of Valley National Financial Advisors (1985).
When Tom started Valley National Financial Advisors in the mid-1980shis mission was to build a one-stop business to handle as many of his clients’ financial issues and give them advice in as many areas as possible, including questions on inflation, how to purchase a car, questions on inheritance and more. Today, with the processes and people in place for the long term, Tom’s time has shifted away from administrating and toward maintaining close contact with his clients.
“I really, really like what I’m doing, and I don’t have any plans to retire,” he says. Tom is a selfproclaimed “City of Bethlehem Fan,” and he believes strongly in keeping his company’s roots firmly planted here in the Lehigh Valley. Tom first came to the area from Western Pennsylvania to play football for Lafayette College. After graduating, Tom went on to earn an MBA from Lehigh University and shortly after received the highest score in the state of Pennsylvania on his CPA exam.
Professional Certifications
Tom’s professional certifications include: Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), MBA – Lehigh University, Bethlehem PA, BA – Mathematics & Economics, Lafayette College, Easton, PA, Investment Adviser Representative Valley National Advisers, Inc. and a Registered Representative Valley National Investments, Inc.
Affiliations / Awards
- Member, Financial Planning Association
- Past Board Member, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites
- Past Board Member & Chair, ArtsQuest Foundation
- Past Board Member, Minsi Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America
- Past President, NE Pennsylvania Society of Certified Financial Planners
- Alexander E. Loeb Gold Medal award, 1977
- 2020 LVB ICON Honoree
Chuck Stehly, Bethlehem
Philanthropy in the Arts Award
R. Charles “Chuck” Stehly founded C-Link in November 2015 with longtime friend Bill Lentz. Chuck serves as Director of Business Development for Premier Environments and is former President of Stehly Woodcrafts and SignCorp.
A Lehigh Valley native, Chuck graduated from Easton High School, Northampton Community College and Muhlenberg College.
Chuck currently sits on the board of Directors for the Keystone Savings Foundation, serves as Vice President for the Wildlife Leadership Academy and is a trustee of Northampton Community College. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Priority One and is a member of the Lehigh Valley Advisory Board of Fidelity Bank.
His past board service includes: Keystone Savings Bank, Keystone Nazareth Bank and Trust, Chairman of the Board at State Theater of Easton, Chairman of VIA of the Lehigh Valley, President of First Night Bethlehem and President Bethlehem Sr. Citizens Council. Other board service includes Bethlehem Musikfest Association, Bethlehem Area Jaycees, Northampton Community College Foundation, American Cancer Society, Community Action Committee of Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, Bethlehem YMCA, Northeast Ministries and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Wesley Church.
Chuck also served on the Board of Advisors for the Children’s Home of Easton and KidsPeace. In addition to his board appointments, Chuck was selected to the inaugural class of Leadership Bethlehem, now Leadership Lehigh Valley, and was honored in 1985 with Bethlehem’s Distinguished Service Award. In 1994, he received Northampton Community College’s Alumnus of the Year Award and the Northampton Community College Distinguished Service Award in 2003.
In 2012, he was the recipient of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation’s Most Valuable Player Award. Also in 2012, he received the Community Fabric Award from Northampton Community College. In 2017, Chuck was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of Northampton Community College as part of their 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Chuck and his wife, Wendy, have two children and two grandchildren and reside in Bethlehem Township.
PPL Foundation, Lehigh Valley
Business Supporter of the Arts Award
The PPL Foundation empowers communities by supporting student success from cradle to career and promoting the development of vibrant and sustainable communities. PPL gives back to its communities and neighbors in powerful ways by continually seeking new ways to invest their time and resources in our communities. It’s simply how they do business, and it’s their way of keeping a promise to build a brighter tomorrow.
Through strategic partnerships, the PPL Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that are engaged in innovative and groundbreaking work to create vibrant, sustainable communities and support children’s success from cradle to career in both Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
In 2024, the PPL Foundation contributed more than $6.5 million to support over 400 nonprofit organizations, advancing their mission to foster student success, promote inclusion and build sustainable communities. From providing scholarships and school supplies to supporting public safety and environmental initiatives, their investments are rooted in the belief that every individual deserves the chance to thrive.
Mallory Zondag, Schenectady, NY
Visual Artist of the Year Award
Mallory Zondag is a mixed-media fiber artist and artist educator. Her experience with textiles while in art school led her to create both independent and community sculpture through a variety of fiber art mediums. She explores deeply personal and connective universal stories through the meditative, hands-on practices of wet felting, weaving, sculpting and stitching, seeking to bring the ephemeral into physical being. The growth and decay of the natural world, the duality of discomfort and attraction we feel towards it and humanity’s place within this dichotomy informs her dimensional textures and sculptural pieces.
Mallory’s work has been exhibited at The Banana Factory, Bethlehem, PA; The Allentown Art Museum, PA: The International Biennial of Textile Art Scythia, Ukraine; View Arts and Culture Center, Old Forge, NY; Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley, CA; Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; Towson University, MD; Ceres Gallery, NYC, NY; Main Street Studio, Ballston Lake, NY; Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ; El Museo Del Barrio, NYC, NY; The Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC, NY: Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA; and Moravian University, Bethlehem, PA. She has been an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park, The Allentown Art Museum and The Wassaic Project, Wassaic, NY.
Mallory shares her passion for handmade one-of-a-kind textiles through various educational programs and residencies. Many of these programs involve a collaborative element where the entire school works together on a single project. These programs bring an exciting, hands-on artistic experience to the students as well as emphasizing community and collaboration through art. As a resident artist in over twenty schools and community organizations, she has led her Fiber Living Wall program where handfelted wool living walls are collaboratively created with students of all ages and abilities. The final sculpture finds a permanent home within the school or community space.
Mallory has been the recipient of three NY Statewide Capital Regrants for Independent Artists and Community Arts and a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for Creative Excellence and Support in Pennsylvania. Her work is held in private collections, The Whitney Museum of American Art, Acadia National Park and The Allentown Art Museum. She studied Fashion Design at Pratt Institute (BFA 2016).
Matt Pfeiffer, Hellertown
Performing Artist of the Year Award
Matt was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he’s worked professionally for 25 years. He’s also a proud resident of the Lehigh Valley, where he has worked with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival for 26 seasons. He’s acted in and/or directed over 50 productions with the Festival and directed 10 Will Power educational tours reaching thousands of students throughout Pennsylvania. Additional credits include Arden Theatre, People’s Light & Theatre, Lantern Theatre, Interact, 1812 Productions, Delaware Theatre Co, Theatre Horizon, Walnut St Theatre, Bristol Riverside, Orlando Shakespeare, The Gulfshore Playhouse, Villanova University, Philadelphia Theatre Co. and Desales University among others.
Matt is a 13-time Barrymore nominee and winner for best Director for The Whale and The Invisible Hand both with Theatre Exile. Matt is also well known for his portrayal of Philly legend Ray Didinger in the play Tommy and Me. He is a proud DeSales University graduate (‘99) and a recipient of the F. Otto Haas Award.
Todd Croslis, Allentown
Student Art Scholarship Award
Todd Croslis is a recent graduate of the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts and will be attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama. An aspiring multi-hyphenate, he has tried his hand at acting, directing, stage managing, producing, designing and teaching.
Tom has had the opportunity to do so in abundance at the Civic Theatre of Allentown and his alma mater. Among a wide range of credits, some favorites on and off the stage include: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Sound of Music, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Laramie Project, A Little Night Music, Blood at the Root, The SpongeBob Musical, Indecent, Rent, Falsettos, Fun Home and Billy Elliot.
Recently, he workshopped and originated roles in Ladies, How Dare You! and The Oscars: A Conversation Among Friends.
Todd is passionate about the intersection of activism and art, with a deep interest in bold new work that pushes the boundaries. His goal is to create and uplift work that does just that.
MaryJo Rosania Harvie, Easton
Arts Educator of the Year Award
Dr. MaryJo Rosania Harvie is an artist, educator and advocate whose career in art education spans K–12 classrooms, higher education and community-based programs. Her career in art education started with teaching high school art for seventeen years, focusing on sustaining an inclusive, student-centered classroom that fostered creativity, confidence and connection.
In 2005, MaryJo earned an MFA in studio art from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her work in the classroom led to leadership roles, including Visual and Performing Arts Supervisor in the North Hunterdon-Voorhees School District and Chief of Artistic Programs and Events and Co-Principal at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts.
In 2022, MaryJo earned an EdD in Transformational Teaching and Learning from Kutztown University and is currently Assistant Professor of Art and Director of Art Education at Moravian University. She has taught learners across the lifespan, from young children to adults. MaryJo is an ArtsQuest teaching artist and a rostered teaching artist with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. She serves on the ArtsQuest Visual Arts Board and the Education and Gallery Committees.
MaryJo’s current research includes creating community in the classroom through the arts and the impact of arts experiences on wellness. She shares her work locally and nationally through writing and conference presentations. She is a member of the Fred Rogers’ Institute Educators’ Neighborhood, a global community of educators committed to inclusive and caring systems inspired by Rogers’ legacy. She serves on the board of the Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA) as the Website and Communications Chair.
MaryJo is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in social work at Moravian University with a goal to further expand the inclusive and transformative potential of the arts in our education and community systems. She believes deeply that art is more than a single subject but rather a powerful bridge that connects disciplines, generations and lived experiences.
Jake Supreme, Bethlehem
Emerging Artist of the Year Award
Jake Supreme is a visionary artist, executive and cultural builder redefining what’s possible for independent music in the Lehigh Valley. Raised in Pittsburgh with roots in Baltimore and Harrisburg, Jake’s creative journey began behind a drum kit and evolved into a full-fledged mission: to fuse hip-hop, soul and storytelling into experiences that uplift, inspire and move people.
He discovered his calling at Kutztown University, where a fateful roommate pairing with vocalist Exodus led to the formation of Manifest! HB, a hip-hop soul duo that started winning talent shows and energizing campus crowds. Their creative chemistry blossomed into Abstract Music Empire Entertainment, the label and creative house they now co-lead as co-CEOs.
Since its founding, Abstract has made waves by breaking down barriers for hip-hop in traditionally underserved spaces. Under Jake’s leadership, the team has produced music videos featured on MTV, VH1 and BET Jams, booked stages at Bethlehem’s Musikfest (2021, 2022, 2024), and in 2025, Manifest! HB will open for Grammy-winning superstar Nelly.
Jake Supreme’s solo work is equally impactful. As an artist, he’s known for balancing raw lyricism with intention, creating music that hits hard but still radiates hope. His commitment to positive, meaningful expression has helped shift perceptions of hip-hop in the region, proving that family-friendly events and culturally rich performances can co-exist.
But the vision doesn’t stop at the mic. Jake is building long-term infrastructure for emerging creatives across the Valley. Through Abstract Music Empire, he’s launching a “WeWork for artists,” a hub for photo and video production, writing, recording, workshops and brand-building support. The goal is to equip the next generation of talent with the tools, knowledge and confidence to own their art and thrive independently.
Whether he’s performing as Jake Supreme, developing artists behind the scenes, or creating safe, empowering spaces for creatives to grow, his message remains the same: articulate your dream and never give up. Receiving the 2025 Linny Award for Emerging Artist of the Year is more than a milestone—it’s fuel for the next chapter of impact.
Jada Amirah Lewis, Bethlehem
Volunteer of the Year Award
Jada Amirah Lewis is a passionate youth advocate, hydroponic gardener and rising leader in sustainable agriculture and social justice. Her story is distinguished by early inspiration, impactful community work and ambitious academic goals.
Born and raised in Allentown, Jada spent part of her childhood in New York City before returning to Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. Her journey into sustainable farming began when, at just seven years old, she was introduced to hydroponic gardening at her charter elementary school. That spark ignited a lifelong passion that led to the creation of her initiative, Amirah’s Hope Hydroponic Garden, aimed at addressing food insecurity while empowering young people.
By age 16, Jada had already gained considerable recognition. Amirah’s Hope Organization launched in 2009 in the Lehigh Valley following the inspiration of a photo of Jada and Barack Obama on the cover of the Morning Call. Her organization has expanded into Charlotte NC, Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown and surrounding communities. In 2025, it became a Northeast UNICEF USA recognized organization and club. Her vision resonates beyond Pennsylvania, with leaders in Sierra Leone and the United Nations have taken note of her work.
Jada’s ability to blend science, community organizing and youth empowerment has made her a sought-after youth speaker, including engagements at the Nurture Nature Center in Easton., various community conferences and local universities. In addition to her gardening initiative, Jada is an award-winning volunteer and civic leader. She received the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2019 and a lifetime achievement in 2020 in recognition of her “exemplary leadership in acts of service.”
Jada’s diverse service activities, spanning education, social justice and environmental stewardship underscore her commitment to making a difference.
Jada is also blazing a bold academic path. At age 16, she’s already enrolled at Northampton Community College with a 4.0 GPA, where she’s pursuing a psychology degree, setting her sights on a future career as an FBI forensic profiler.
Her academic ambition blends her interest in the human mind with a broader mission to effect systemic change.
Jada’s leadership style is both dynamic and inclusive. She mentors peers, collaborates with diverse community groups and emphasizes science-based, youth-centered initiatives. Through Amirah’s Hope, she offers educational workshops on hydroponic systems, nutrition and social responsibility. These efforts not only address local food justice issues but also inspire a new generation to take action.
Her Lehigh Valley initiative’s expansion is strategic; panning Easton, Bethlehem and Allentown and creating a regional network of youth-powered sustainable agriculture. Internationally, she’s begun dialogues with leaders in Sierra Leone and the United Nations, a true testament to her growing influence.
Despite her rapid rise, Jada remains grounded. She balances her academic life with community organizing and volunteerism, supported by family, educators and mentors who believe in her vision. Her story is one of youthful idealism shaped into practical, powerful action, a reminder that meaningful change often begins at the grassroots.
Follow Jada on Instagram @AmirahsHopeOrg
