Hannah Allman Kennedy is a freelance writer who works with small businesses and other writers in our area. She was born in Pittsburgh, but was raised in Oil City when her family moved here in 1994.

Hannah attended Clarion University for a year, then transferred to Geneva College where she received her bachelor’s degree in writing. Currently, she is halfway through a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing with an emphasis in fiction from Carlow University in Pittsburgh. Hannah enjoys traveling and has had the opportunity to spend time in Dublin, Ireland, through her master’s program.

Growing her freelance writing and editing business is something Hannah is focused on right now, and she loves helping people achieve their goals through her writing. “My ultimate goal as a writer is to write stories that connect the past and present, exploring characters like the people I grew up knowing in places like the one I grew up in,” she said. “This area has a lot of stories, and I’ve always wanted to help tell them.” In the near future, Hannah would like to publish a few manuscripts that she has been working on.

When she’s not writing and building her business, Hannah enjoys reading, knitting, painting, spending time with her husband Alex, being outside (especially at Oil Creek State Park), and doing yoga. She also loves scoping out unique restaurants, two of her favorites being The Blue Canoe in Titusville and Bella Cucina in Franklin.

Building connections and working with other community members has been a favorite part of Hannah’s involvement in our area. “I love the feeling that we’re coming together to build something great,” she said, and we look forward to working more with her through FLEX!

As Communications Specialist at Child Development Centers (CDC), Inc., Saxon Daugherty, spends his work days communicating about opportunities for child care in our region, while he also prepares for the arrival of his first child very soon.

Saxon grew up in Venango County and graduated from Cranberry High School in 2011. He then studied at Edinboro University, where he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Studies and was named the “Most Outstanding Graduating Senior in Journalism/Public Relations.”

After graduation, Saxon began working for the The Derrick. & The News-Herald, where he was fortunate to interview Governor Tom Wolf and cover the Little League World Series when Seth Apel of Knox threw out the first pitch to celebrate his recovery from an arm injury in a woodcutting accident.

In July of 2017, Saxon took his current position with CDC, and appreciates the impact the company is making. “The teachers and staff are helping to lay a solid educational foundation for the next generation of workers that will benefit the area for years to come,” he said.

Sports are a passion of Saxon’s and his dream is to work in the sports sector. “I have always envisioned myself as a play-by-play announcer that can share exciting moments with fans watching or listening from home,” he said. “Although my early career has not placed me there yet, I am determined to use my communications experiences to eventually reach that milestone.”

However, Saxon’s career plans might take a back seat as he and his wife, Carly, are expecting their first child in December and raising a family will take priority over any career goals moving forward.

Saxon’s free-time also revolves around sports—his first “true love” when growing up. When he’s not watching games, he’s reading about his favorite teams or discussing the industry’s biggest stories with friends. He also enjoys playing video games and checking out local eateries—Trails to Ales Brewery being his current favorite spot.

As a Venango County native, Saxon is happy to have settled down here. “My entire professional career has been spent in Venango County and it is evident that that there are intelligent and kind people everywhere who work together to make this area a great place to live,” he told us.

We are excited to see growth in Saxon’s career and family, and we’re glad to have him here in Venango County.

These articles were published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) November 2018 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter. Find more young professional profiles here.