Seven Naperville notables brought their dancing shoes to The Matrix Club Thursday night for Dancing with the Celebrities.
Each ‘celebrity’ teamed up with a local dance pro to create a routine with the goal of wowing the judges and crowd while raising money for the Career & Networking Center.
Who were the contestants?
The competitors were:
- Jepharya Badie, Owner, Mpower Strength
- Devin Cobb, Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Pilot Associations/Talent Strategy, United Airlines
- Colin Dalough, System Program Director, Government Affairs, Endeavor Health
- Amy Miller, AVP, Practice Development Manager, Synchrony
- Diana Torres Hawken, Founder, Board Member, ALMAS
- Dennise Vaughn, President, Homewatch Caregivers
- Randy Wolf, Chairman, Turning Pointe Autism Foundation and Owner, Dan Wolf Automotive Group
Barbie and Ken dance away with the awards
The night’s big winners came all the way from Barbie World. Mpower Strength’s Jepharya Badie and Arthur Murray Dance Centers’ James Dutton took home both the Audience Award and Judges Award.
“I am beyond excited, I have no words, this is not what I expected,” said Badie. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an amazing cause. And so this is just some icing on the cake.”
The pair’s Barbie-inspired routine featured high-energy moves, plenty of props, and some help from Badie’s family.
“I don’t know who that guy was that you were embracing at the end… that’s your other Ken!” said Dutton.
This year marked the 14th annual Dancing with the Celebrities fundraiser for the Career & Networking Center. The Naperville nonprofit helps underemployed or unemployed people find fulfilling jobs.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
