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Annual Breakfast on Nov. 12 to Celebrate Leaders Strengthening Cape Cod's Future as CCYP Marks 20 Years
November 2025 — CCYP will present our 2025 awards at our Annual Community Breakfast on Wednesday, November 12, recognizing the individuals and organizations making significant contributions to Cape Cod's workforce, economy, and community.
"As we mark 20 years of building community and connection on Cape Cod, these honorees exemplify the spirit that has sustained CCYP over the last two decades: the belief that success is measured by what we build together," said CCYP Board President Patrick Ehart. "These awards celebrate leaders who are investing in our collective future, not just through their work, but through their commitment to the next generation."
2025 Award Recipients
Community Leadership Award: Lori Meads, President and CEO, Seamen's Bank
Lori Meads exemplifies what it means to build a career -- and a legacy -- on Cape Cod. As President and CEO of Seamen's Bank, Meads has championed community investment, mentored emerging professionals, and demonstrated purpose-driven leadership. Under her guidance, Seamen's Bank has become a model for how local institutions can strengthen local communities: by investing in employee development and wellbeing, supporting small businesses, and leading the way in meaningful civic engagement.
Community Impact Award: Cape Cod Community College
Cape Cod Community College has powerfully shaped the region's workforce for decades, providing accessible education to over 15,000 individuals. The College doesn't just serve the community, they reflect it. From working parents, to career changers, to recent high school graduates, 4Cs serves as a critical pathway to opportunity. In partnership with CCYP, 4Cs relaunched the CCYP-4Cs Student Chapter this year, connecting nearly 200 students and helping to strengthen the pipeline from 4Cs classroom to Cape Cod career.
Volunteer of the Year Award: Risa Oliveira Ramos, CCYP Board Member
Risa Oliveira Ramos, founder and owner of Captain by The Bay LLC, has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to CCYP through her service as a Board member and Chair of the Back to Business Bash Committee. Through her leadership, the Bash achieved a remarkable 130% increase in sponsorships, enabling us to deliver our most dynamic event to date while deepening the partnership between CCYP and 4Cs, bringing meaningful professional opportunities directly to campus. Likewise, Ramos ushered in the first dual-language Bash, giving remarks in both English and Portuguese for the first time in the event's 19-year history. In May, Ramos was also awarded the 2025 Alumni of the Year Award from the Cape Cod Community College Educational Foundation.
Celebrating 20 Years of Building Community
The 2025 Annual Breakfast marks CCYP's 20th anniversary: two decades of connecting young professionals, strengthening Cape Cod's workforce, and creating the networks that keep talent rooted in the region.
Since its founding in 2005, CCYP has grown from a grassroots networking group to Cape Cod's largest networking and community mentoring organization, now serving over 1,200 members across our region and counting. The organization hosts over 30 events annually, including the Shape the Cape Summit (which drew a record-breaking 450 attendees in 2025), professional development workshops, mentorship programs, and signature networking events.
"Over the last two decades, we've learned what works," said CCYP Executive Director Emily Wagner. "Professionals thrive on Cape Cod when they have strong networks, meaningful mentorship, and pathways to grow personally and professionally here. As we celebrate this milestone, CCYP is both grateful and excited to be where we are. And we plan to double-down on our work in 2026: creating programs that bring our members connection and joy, building experiences that help them grow, and ensuring CCYP remains sustainable and impactful for the next 20 years."
About CCYP's Community Breakfast
CCYP's annual Community Breakfast brings together emerging and established leaders from across the region to celebrate our yearly achievements and recognize excellence in community leadership. The event serves as CCYP's annual meeting and features updates on organizational priorities and strategies. This year, we will also celebrate the launch of CCYP's Future Fund, ignited by our founding board members and early champions as well as the current CCYP Board of Directors.
Event Details
- Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2025
- Time: 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM
- Location: Wequassett Resort, Harwich
- Presenting Sponsor: Cape and Coast Bank
- Tickets: Seats are limited; RSVP required. For more information, visit ccyp.org/breakfast
About CCYP
Founded in 2005, CCYP is dedicated to fostering a vibrant and resilient Cape Cod community. CCYP creates opportunities for young professionals and emerging leaders from all industries and backgrounds to connect, engage, advance, and lead through mentorship and professional advancement programming, networking events, leadership development initiatives, and member-led regional discussions.