Carey Palazzo
President

Carey Palazzo brings a diverse background in healthcare and business, with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest. She began her career at Generation II, a medical device manufacturer, where she spent 11 years advancing from receptionist to clinic manager of the Arthritis Bracing Center. After transitioning to part-time work to raise her children, Carey moved into inside sales for surgical device manufacturer InstruMed and later worked with a manufacturer’s representative for international housewares brands, collaborating remotely with hospital surgical teams and Amazon’s business development team.

In 2013, Carey relocated to the Tri-Cities, where she eventually returned her focus to healthcare. While working as a licensed health aide, she pursued and completed a degree, leading to her role as Human Resource Manager for a homecare agency. In mid-2022, Carey joined Columbia Basin Hearing Center, becoming the Practice Manager for three locations, where she continues to leverage her healthcare and management expertise to support patient care and drive practice growth.

Jennifer Sorn
Vice President

Jennifer has been a member of Powerful Connections for seven years and is the owner of Jenographics Design Solutions, a full-service website, graphic, and digital marketing agency. With over 30 years of experience in graphic design and more than 25 years in web design, she is known for delivering creative and impactful solutions.

Jennifer and her late husband, Andy, built AndPak, a packaging company, and were co-owners of Columbia Basin Ice before recently selling their shares. She now continues to lead her businesses forward, honoring the legacy they created together.

A Boise State University graduate with a degree in Advertising Design, Jennifer was a basketball scholarship athlete and former rodeo competitor. She enjoys camping, traveling, and giving back to her community, where she serves as Board Chair of the Gesa Carousel of Dreams.

Jennifer is honored to serve on the Powerful Connections board and values the opportunity to collaborate with an inspiring group of women in the community.

Lindsay Best
Secretary

Lindsay is the owner and Engagement Director of Abadan, a Business Technology and Print Solutions company based in Richland, WA. She earned her degree in Business with a specialization in Management and Leadership from Capella University. In her role at Abadan, Lindsay oversees Human Resources and Marketing while contributing to many other areas of the business, as is common for small business owners. Lindsay is passionate about serving the community, often leading sponsorships and volunteering opportunities with her team. Born in Southern California, she moved to the Tri-Cities at age five, making Washington feel like her true home state. Outside of work, Lindsay values family time with her husband and two children. She also enjoys traveling, reading, and connecting with those closest to her. As a Black Belt in Taekwondo, Lindsay prioritizes physical activity, challenging herself to advance her skills and ranking.

Sybil Young
Treasurer and Luncheon Chair

Sybil is the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Three Rivers Convention Center. She loves that her job lets her work with new people and organizations all the time, while still getting to see familiar faces through the Convention Center doors. Each day is a new adventure! Sybil graduated from WSU with a BA in Business Management & Operations and from WGU with a Masters in Business Administration. A native of the Tri-Cities, she has enjoyed watching the community grow and can’t wait to see what the future holds. Sybil is a graduate of the Powerful Connections Mentor Program (Class 4) and is proud to serve the organization as their Treasurer. As a new mom, she enjoys spending time with her son, Vince and her husband, Andrew, as well as with their bulldog pups. She also loves trivia and dabbles in beekeeping – she could tell you more than you could ever want to know about honeybees (just ask!). 

Melissa Montgomery
Social Chair

Emily Nielsen
Luncheon Speaker Chair

Emily has been a member of Powerful Connections for 7 years and can attest to the power of the group. As a Certified Nutritionist and owner of Nielsen Nutrition the community and support of PC has helped her go from a terrified solopreneur to a confident, established business owner that even has multiple employees! Having served on the board from 2019-2021 she is thrilled to be back on the board serving as the Luncheon / Speaker Chair. She looks forward to bringing in a high caliber speaker in the Spring as we launch a larger, community focused luncheon (to which our members receive a complimentary ticket) as well as a more intimate “arrows in” luncheon / retreat in the fall that is more focused on creating meaningful connections for our PC members and mentee’s.

Marisha Mirich
Programs Chair

Melissa McCoy
Membership