Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana Honors LG&E’s Lauren Shemwell as 2026 Big of the Year at Third Annual Big Breakfast

Press Release: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana

Annual event raises funds to connect more youth with trusted adult mentors

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana (BBBSKY) recognized Lauren Shemwell as its 2026 Big of the Year during the nonprofit's Third Annual Big Breakfast on Thursday, November 12, at The Vista at Origin Park in Clarksville, Indiana. This recognition honors an outstanding volunteer mentor, known as a Big, who has gone above and beyond for their mentee, or Little, and for advancing the nonprofit's mission.

The Big Breakfast brought together over 300 Bigs, Littles, business leaders, and community supporters to celebrate the impact of mentorship, raising more than $55,000, meeting their $50,000 matching gift, for a total of $105,000 to support BBBSKY's mentoring programs. 

“Lauren represents everything we hope to see in a Big: consistency, compassion, and a genuine interest in helping young people reach their full potential," said Gary Friedman, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. “For over 10 years, she's been a steady presence in Ja’Mia’s life. She’s an incredible advocate for our mission, and we’re proud to recognize her as our 2026 Big of the Year.”

Shemwell has been matched with her Little, Ja’Mia, since May 2016, when Ja’Mia was just eight years old. Over the past decade, Shemwell has been a consistent source of support and encouragement as Ja’Mia navigated childhood and adolescence. Today, Ja’Mia is attending college at Indiana University Southeast to pursue a career as a child life specialist, marking an exciting milestone in their mentoring relationship.

In addition to her mentoring relationship, Shemwell serves as Lead of Internal Communications at LG&E and KU Energy LLC and has been a dedicated advocate for BBBSKY throughout her more than 20-year career at the company. She regularly helps secure additional funding for the nonprofit through the LG&E and KU Foundation's Dollars for Doers program and actively helps BBBSKY with new resources and opportunities to expand its impact.

Shemwell was selected from mentors nominated across BBBSKY’s programs. Nominees were evaluated on their positive impact on their Little, consistency, involvement with the organization, and ability to help their Little navigate challenges. BBBSKY staff reviewed anonymized nominations and voted to select the honoree.

“I couldn’t ask for anything better in a Little than Ja’Mia,” said Shemwell. “Watching her growth has made me really proud, and this recognition truly reflects our match and our connection. Thank you to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana for this honor and for matching Ja’Mia and me.”

The Big of the Year announcement was among the highlights of the Third Annual Big Breakfast, which allowed attendees to sit alongside Bigs and Littles and hear firsthand how mentoring relationships are changing lives throughout Kentuckiana.

The event supports BBBSKY's ongoing efforts to recruit more Bigs and expand access to mentoring programs. Among the Littles served by BBBSKY last year, 98% graduated high school on time, 90% reported stable or improved mental health, and 100% avoided involvement with the juvenile justice system.

“Every young person deserves someone who believes in them and shows up for them,” continued Friedman. "Lauren and Ja’Mia’s relationship is a powerful example of what can happen when that support continues over time. With more than 500 young people still waiting for a mentor, we hope their story inspires more people to get involved.”

Emceed by Angie Fenton, Extol Media CEO and host of WLKY’s “This Is Southern Indiana” weekly show, the event was organized by 2026 Big Breakfast Chairs John Launius and Kelley Troutman.

Community members interested in becoming a Big or supporting BBBSKY can learn more at www.bbbsky.org.