Two Showbiz Veterans Change Their Jobs to Change the World

Founder and owner of Soupergirl. A former stand-up comedienne turned soup-maker, Polon decided to get involved in the local food movement after reading Michael Pollan’s book, the Omnivore’s Dilemma. She teamed up with her mother to bring locally inspired, nutritious, and delicious soup to the hungry citizens of Washington, DC and beyond. Polon started the company with the idea that the food system is broken and getting people to eat more responsibly is the way to fix it. They prepare soup the way it was meant to be made, from scratch and cooked slowly with fresh and seasonal ingredients.

CEO of Community Wealth Partners. She guides the organization’s strategic direction and oversees the team’s efforts to support partners in solving problems at the magnitude they exist. Amy was named to this role in April 2010, and since then has led the organization in developing and implementing a new strategy for greater impact, while achieving significant revenue growth and securing a marquee list of partners. Celep served in various consulting and management roles with Community Wealth Partners for eight years before moving into her current position. Prior to joining the organization, she worked in the nonprofit sector as a marketer and fundraiser and in the private sector where she served as a producer for a CBS affiliate’s award-winning evening news. In 2011, Celep was honored as one of The Washington Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, which recognizes the region’s brightest young business leaders. Celep is a member of the Leadership Greater Washington Class of 2012. She received her M.B.A. from Georgetown University and her B.S. from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.