Angela Lowden, president and founder of Art Expressions Inc., has has accepted an award from Great Nonprofits.org for being a “top rated nonprofit” based on its high number of positive online reviews. Art Expressions Inc., has served more than 7,000 children from urban, suburban and rural communities in Western Pennsylvania. Their programming focuses on building participants’ leadership, social and problem-solving skills, among others, through a variety of creative expression classes. the award will help the organization. The award “has  given us credibility as an organization and establishes the need and value of our program in schools and shelters and community organizations,” says Lowden, Spalding Circle. “It is a form of recognition from the Greater Pittsburgh community.”

Danielle Sharek, M.D, has joined Weinstein Imaging Associates on Cochran Road.
Sharek, a board certified radiologist, completed her internship and radiology residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She subsequently obtained specialty fellowship training in Women’s Imaging at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.

Some familiar Uptown Mt. Lebanon people are  recipients of the 2015 Achieva Awards of Excellence. The Achieva Awards of Excellence honor “a group of extraordinary and talented individuals, organizations and community groups who go above and beyond on behalf of people with disabilities.” Father and son dentists Roy and Matt Lanz received the award in the “Excellence in Professional Service” category for collaborating to provide extensive free dental care to a young person with intellectual challenges. One of the dentists’ patients who worked for Achieva called their attention to the need for service and later nominated them for the award, said Matt Lanz, noting that it came as  “a total surprise.”  They attended the awards reception in December at the Sheraton Station Square.  “It was amazing to see all the people who give back to the community,” Lanz says.  Also honored at the event in the “Excellence in Community Awareness” category was Rebecca Stern, founder and president of Yes You Can Dance. Operating our of Steel City Ballroom on Washington Road and with the help of many committed volunteers Yes You Can Dance has for the past four years introduced people with various disabilities to the fun and therapeutic value of dancing.

Achieva supports and empowers children and adults with disabilities and their families.

Salene Mazur Kraemer, Jonquil Place, has opened a law office at 603 Washington Road, in addition to her other office in her native town of Weirton, West Virginia.

“I considered a downtown practice also but I decided to go this route because I wanted to have a place in the community, a visible, tangible place, where people in our community could come in and see us,” says Kraemer. “I like the close-knit feel of the Mt. Lebanon business district community.”

Kraemer, who earned an MBA from West Virginia University and a law degree from Villanova, specializes in business and bankruptcy law. “The work is tremendously rewarding.” she says,  “Business lawyers are often (involved in) economic development, businesses being formed, businesses winding down. You can impact the community; you can create jobs. It’s a really rewarding type of work.”