

The 2025 Award Winners
The 2025 Award Winners
Parade Marshall
Kathy Tobian Martin
John & Agnes Burke Award
Mary Bednarz
Paul G. Caron Award
Dianne Sullivan Caron
Mary B. Troy Award
David Elia, David Stevens, & Jerry Stordeur on behalf of Springfield Putnam High School Carpentry Department.
Parade Marshall
Kathy Tobian Martin
A lifelong storyteller, dedicated community leader, and proud Irish-American, Kathy Tobin Martin has spent over three decades making an impact in western Massachusetts. She first became a trusted name as an award-winning journalist at WGGB-TV, where she pioneered health and medical reporting, delivered the first live broadcast in station history, and covered major national and international events, including presidential campaigns and Pope John Paul II’s first U.S. visit. As the region’s first female News Director, she led the newsroom for a decade before transitioning to public relations and community affairs, where she helped launch the local FOX affiliate.
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Kathy’s passion for service led her to focus on social impact, working to address homelessness as the first Development Director at Friends of the Homeless, Inc., and later combating food insecurity at The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Since 2016, she has served as a leader at Baystate Health Foundation, where she drives fundraising efforts to support one of the region’s largest healthcare systems. Her work brought her full circle when she reconnected with Rays of Hope, a breast cancer initiative she first documented as a journalist.
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Her leadership was instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she chronicled Baystate Health’s response in Voices from the Pandemic and played a vital role in keeping employees, donors, and the community connected. She spearheaded efforts to secure resources for frontline workers, coordinated meal donations, and helped facilitate the region’s vaccination campaign.
Beyond her professional achievements, Kathy’s deep-rooted Irish heritage has been a guiding force in her life. Raised with a strong appreciation for Irish culture, she has long been involved in western Massachusetts’ Irish-American community, celebrating the traditions, history, and spirit of her ancestors. She takes immense pride in serving as the Parade Marshal for the Springfield St. Patrick’s Parade, honoring both her family’s legacy and the contributions of Irish immigrants who helped shape the region.
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Kathy has been recognized with an honorary Doctor of Science in Business Administration from Nichols College and a Lifetime Achievement Award from her alma mater, Emerson College.
At her core, Kathy is most proud of her family. She is the devoted mother of three sons—Joe, Ben, and Sam—who, along with their wives, have blessed her with three cherished granddaughters. All were born at Baystate Medical Center, further deepening her connection to the health system she serves.