“I love raising money. It’s a thrill for me,” says Gwyneth Gaul. “It’s exciting to be able to match individuals who are philanthropic to needs in our community. The more I can do, the more our community benefits.” Other passions include soccer (she used to play competitively and coach), jazz (launched Monday-night performances at AVA Bar & Lounge in East Liberty), kids (mentors a 12-year-old girl), volunteering (she’s on the boards of the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center and The Sprout Fund) and the region itself. “Pittsburgh is my heart, and I want to make an impact in my community,” she says.

Coach, mentor and adviser. David Hoffmann seems to attract people who need his guidance. A devoted family man, his wife and three kids come first. He’s coached more than 100 youth baseball games in the past two years. And he volunteers at Christ United Methodist in Bethel Park, where he serves on ministry, events and fundraising committees. Professionally, Hoffmann guides others to manage finances as a top-ranked Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) at the Pittsburgh-based firm D.B. Root & Co. “It’s been a difficult period for investors over the past decade, and so it’s important for people to have professional advice in this investing climate,” he says.

Patients get the best care when their nurses, social workers, physicians, other practitioners, caregivers and communities work together. Accomplishing that requires great communication and smart use of resources. It’s a giant puzzle that Charleeda Redman is piecing together as she directs care-management efforts at UPMC. She and her colleagues are driving health care reform by lowering costs and increasing quality of care for patients. “We are at the table making key decisions that will impact the manner in which care is delivered locally, regionally and nationally,” Redman says.

State Rep. Matt Smith, a Democrat, serves constituents in Mount Lebanon, Scott, Bethel Park, Rosslyn Farms and Thornburg. In Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives, he’s been instrumental in passing legislation (whether or not his party supported it) on topics such as spurring green building, reforming state government and spending, increasing funding for pre-K-12 education and encouraging life science and biotech startups. “I am willing to take on the status quo and fight to promote policies and governance that will enable our region and commonwealth to achieve the great potential that exists,” he says.