ATHENA Finalist: Gelie Akhenblit, NetworkingPhoenix.com

It’s not hard to find Valley business people trying to make connections: you can usually spot them near Gelie Akhenblit or on her innovative website, NetworkingPhoenix.com. The three-year-old site brings professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs together using a constantly updated calendar of more than 600 monthly local events.

“Before, the Internet was all about globalization; now it’s all about keeping things hyper-local,” Akhenblit says. “People want to do business with people in their communities. We help them meet face-to-face.”

NetworkingPhoenix.com has more than 16,000 local members, while its personable, approachable founder also attracts a crowd. Twenty-two years after she and her family escaped religious persecution in the former Soviet Union, Akhenblit has become a business mentor, an advocate for young adults and a passionate supporter of women entrepreneurs. Though she’s just 30, she has a wealth of experience to pass on and is always in demand as a speaker and sounding board.

“Age doesn’t matter if you can connect with people,” says Akhenblit. “If I can share my experiences with someone and that will help them get where they’re going on their journey, I’m always happy to do it.”