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Officers

President: Melissa Radovanic
Melissa is a 1996 graduate of Westmont Hilltop High School and a 2000 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown where she earned a BA degree in Communication and an emphasis in public relations and advertising. Melissa has worked for Crown American Hotels located in Johnstown for 8 years in a variety of positions and currently as the Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing where she is responsible for the sales and marketing effort for the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center, the Holiday Inn Downtown Johnstown, and the Holiday Inn Express located in Richland Township.

Melissa first became involved in the local scholarship program when she won the Cambria County Junior Miss program in 1996. She also won the Interview and presence and composure awards that year. Melissa served as a judge for the Cambria County OYW program in 2000 prior to joining the board of directors. Melissa has been on the OYW board of directors since fall 2000 and has served in a variety of roles. Most recently she has served as the President of the Board of Directors for the past 5 years, a position that she still currently holds.

In her free time Melissa enjoys a round of golf with her husband and playing with her 3 year old son. 

Vice President: Joe Skura
Joe Skura serves as Vice President of our board of directors. He is the chairperson of the public relations committee and assists with organizing our organization’s Rock-A-Thon each February. Joe has been a member of our board since 2004. He also has served as a board member for Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Young Woman Scholarship Program. His active participation in the OYW organization stemmed from his days as the City Editor of Ebensburg’s daily newspaper, The Mountaineer-Herald, where he covered the program during his five years in that position.

A member of the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association, Joe serves as head girlsﾼ volleyball coach at Bishop Carroll High School in Ebensburg, where he leads both the junior high and varsity volleyball programs. Formerly a coach in the Penn Cambria School District, Joe’s 2007 junior high volleyball team finished at 24-0, and the varsity program- of which he was an assistant coach - finished at 18-3. He is proud of the athletes he currently coaches and all those he has had the privilege of working with in the past.

A 2000 graduate of Penn Cambria High School, Joe is a 2008 graduate of Mount Aloysius College, Cresson. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Elementary/Early Childhood Education and English Secondary Education. He is currently serving as an English teacher and Student Activities Council Advisor at Bishop Carroll High School.

Skura is a member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, and the Pennsylvania School Newspaper Association. He received a first place honor from the Pennsylvania Press Association in 2002 for his contributions to a special sports section at Mainline Newspapers. He is recognized in Cambria County as a reporter/photographer for local newspapers. Joe also served as Penn Cambria High School’s yearbook and newspaper advisor and established a highly acclaimed and recognized student service committee, known as Chain Reaction, there.

An advocate for the students and of education, Joe believes in the Outstanding Young Woman Scholarship Program’s mission to teach life skills and the accents on achievement and said he is grateful for all he has received from the individuals on the board of the OYW program and the many wonderful young women he has met throughout his years as a board member.



Treasurer: Barbara Miller
Barbara has been a Board member since October, 2001 and has served as Treasurer since July, 2003. Barb is currently employed by Richland Lodging Associates, Inc. as a controller. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Penn State, where she was a member of concert choir. Barb studied piano for twelve years. She has also studied violin, trumpet, French horn and pipe organ. Barb and her husband, Roger, reside near Shanksville, PA. They have one daughter, Brandice, who participated in the 2001 OYW program. Barb's hobbies include spending time at the beach, watching Steeler football, swimming, gardening and travel.


Secretary: Ruth Klementik
Ruth is a graduate of Penn State University with a BS degree in Home Economics Education. Ruth has attended graduate school at Penn State as well as IUP and the University of Maryland and is a member of several professional education organizations.

Ruth has taught in numerous school districts since her career as a teacher began in 1970. Most recently, Ruth has taught at Somerset Junior/Senior High School since 1993. Ruth is involved in several community organizations including the Arcadia Performing Arts Center, the First Presbyterian Church in Windber, and the Johnstown Symphony Auxiliary. Ruth has been involved with the OYW organization for 21 years and has served in several different capacities. She is current the ticket co-chairperson and the Secretary of the board.

Ruth is married to Judge David C. Klementik and has three adult daughters Kirsten, Megan and Cameron. 


Chairperson: Tammy Honkus
After earning an Associates Degree in Business Administration from Saint Francis University of Loretto in 1997, she completed her Bachelors of Science in Accounting in 2001 from the same school. Previously she was employed with Penelec for over two decades in numerous fields; she is currently employed with the world-renown Northrop Grumman Corporation in Johnstown.

Since 2000, Tammy has volunteered on the Outstanding Young Women Executive Board in numerous capacities helping young woman succeed in their lives. She currently resides in Somerset County with her husband, Ron, son, Justin, as well as two dogs, Nico and Scrappy and her two cats, Furla and Crazy Bear. Her interests include anything that is creatively challenging and adventurous, including yoga, snowmobiling, bowling, golf, gardening, dancing, exercising, and traveling. She especially enjoys being with people with a positive and up-beat attitude


Board Members:

Debbie Allison
Debbie is a graduate of Shippensburg University where she earned a B.S. degree in Elementary Education. She taught fourth grade at Richland Elementary School for 33 years. Debbie retired from teaching at the end of the 2006-2007 school year. Debbie and her husband, Bruce, have a grown son and daughter. Debbie is presently involved in the travel industry by organizing escorted tours and cruises. In addition to OYW, she keeps busy with several other community projects. She enjoys relaxing with a book, and has recently joined a book club.

Olivia Bragdon
Olivia Bragdon is currently the Communications Coordinator at the Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She is a 2005 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a focus on public relations and marketing. Olivia currently sits on the board of directors for the Young Professionals of the Alleghenies and is a social committee chair for the organization. She is currently attending the John B. Gunter Community Leadership Initiative. Olivia was also a contestant in the 1998 Outstanding Young Woman competition. She resides in Richland Township with her husband Patrick and two cats.

Ed Denner
Ed is currently the Business Manager in the North Star School District. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials where he is the Chairperson. Ed is also a Legislative Committee Member of the Statewide Health Care Committee and the Act 1 Property Tax Relief Task Force. Ed is also a member of the Mid State Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials where he is the Secretary/Treasurer and has also served as President and Vice President.

Ed received his Bachelor's Degree from Saint Francis University and is currently enrolled in the School Business Master's Degree Program at Wilkes University. Ed is a member of the Somerset Anglican Fellowship Church and is married to his wife Paulette and has two daughters, Carley and Marissa, and family dog, Maggie.

Ed has been a member of OYW Board since February 2007. Ed also enjoys traveling, gardening, singing, spending time with his family and volunteering for high school musical productions.


Sharon Honkus
Sharon Honkus, owner/operator of Celestial Brides in Downtown Johnstown, has served on the board of directors of the Cambria/Somerset OYW programs for over 10 years. During that time, she served as co-chairman of the program for 4 years as well as assisting on many other committees including sponsorship, social, and program. Sharon enjoys working with the board and especially enjoys mentoring the young ladies that come through our program.


Barb Korhut
Barb earned her BS and MEd from IUP. Barb has worked for 36 years in Public Education. Nine of her years were spent as the high school counselor at Conemaugh Township Area H S and the remaining 27 years as the high school counselor at Windber Area High School. Barb retired at the end of last school year from Windber Area.  Barb’s association with the scholarship program began in 1973 as a member of the Scholastic Achievement panel. She was the Scholastic Achievement Chariperson/Coordinator from 1974 until 2001. Barb has also served as an active board member since 1987 and was the board President from 1990 until 1998.


Jan Perehinec
Jan resides in Cresson, Pennsylvania with her husband Joe. They are the proud parents of four children; three daughters and a son. She is a first grade teacher for Penn Cambria School District. Her involvement with OYW began in the audience as each of her three daughters competed in the program. Jan has served on the board for the past six years; the last three years serving as co-chairman. She loves working with each finalist because it gives her the opportunity to touch the future!


Diana Walko Price
Diana has a special tie to the OYW organization in that she was a contestant in 1974 Jr. Miss and her daughter Natalie was the Cambria County OYW for 2002. She is a registered Nurse at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center. She graduated from Conemaugh School of Nursing and the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science, Nursing. Her volunteer activities are with various organizations in Westmont High School. (i.e. Vice President of Football Boosters, JV Westmont Hockey Business Manager, Chairperson-Baccalaureate Committee) She is the Chairperson of the Red Cross Blood Drives at Memorial Medical Center. She is a widow with three children, Nathan 25 yrs, Natalie 23 yrs and Daniel 16 yrs.


John Suchta


Barb Zuchelli
Barb has worked for Allegany College of Maryland for the past seventeen years where she currently serves as Associate Dean of Pennsylvania Campuses. She served as an OYW Scholastic Judge in 2002. She is a first year board member and Chairperson of the Scholastic Committee. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown with a B.A. in Communications, she also received her M.Ed. from Frostburg State University. Barb is currently enrolled in the Administration and Leadership Doctoral Program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Boswell Area Jaycees, Somerset Rotary, and is an active member of her community. Barb resides in Jennerstown with her husband Mike and two children Olivia and Andrew.