GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF THE CHESAPEAKE, INC.

Lisa Rusyniak has spent 30 years at Goodwill dedicating herself to breaking down barriers to employment. During her 14 years as president and CEO, she recognized that adult education was the greatest unmet need for Baltimore City residents and, in 2023, she launched The Excel Center, Maryland’s first tuition-free adult high school for those 21 and over. Built on a proven national Goodwill model, The Excel Center offers free childcare, transportation support, behavioral health referrals, and flexible scheduling. The results speak for themselves: 398 students enrolled, 1,125 credits earned, and 100 graduates. Trimiea Cannady, a single mother of three, left high school in 11th grade. Lacking a diploma for years, she enrolled in The Excel Center’s first class, graduated in 2024, and walked away with both a diploma and a medical front office certification. Her next chapter is just beginning.