By KJ Philp, January 2016 Issue.

As each year comes to a close, the Echo Magazine team takes pause to reflect on the events that defined the past 12 months and the exceptional individuals who led the way.

To these individuals, Echo bestows its Leaders of the Year recognition (formerly Man and Woman of the Year).

This year, the leaders being recognized were decided, in part, by our readers. Here’s how: Because the 2015 Echo Readers’ Choice Award recipients that you voted for in the categories of “Service by a Man” and “Service by a Woman” finished the year out with such momentum, this marks the first time they’re both returning to be recognized with Echo’s highest honor.

Without further ado, we’re proud to introduce you to Katy June and Stacy Louis, Echo’s Leaders of the Year for 2015. We invite you to get to know more about these outstanding community members, their work and the causes they’re passionate about in the following pages. But first, let’s take a look back at the past 21 years of honorees who paved the way!