The American Cancer Society is proud to announce that Megan Palestro has been named to the 2025 Fundraising Volunteer of the Year Honor Roll, part of the P2P Impact Awards presented through the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum (P2PForum).
At just 22 years old, Megan represents the very best of volunteer leadership in peer-to-peer fundraising. Since beginning her journey with the American Cancer Society, she has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to mission, community, and innovation—leading and inspiring others at the local, state, and national levels.
Megan’s impact began locally with the Relay For Life of Albany (NY) and expanded to include Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Lights of Hope, and campus-based fundraising efforts across multiple communities. While attending Siena College, she served on the Event Leadership Team, helping execute Relay For Life events and launching new initiatives that brought together multiple colleges and new audiences to support the mission.
Nationally, Megan has played a key leadership role on the National Campus & Youth Engagement Team (NCYET) since 2022. After serving as Relay For Life Chair, she was selected as National Co-Lead, helping guide strategy for collegiate and youth fundraising nationwide. Her leadership has driven measurable growth, including thousands of new participants, increased fundraising through Fall Challenges, and expanded volunteer engagement through new teamstructures and accountability measures.
In addition to her fundraising leadership, Megan has been a strong advocate, serving as an ACT Lead in New York and representing young leaders at national conferences and advocacy events. Through every role, she brings a thoughtful, collaborative, and mission-driven approach that inspires others to step forward and lead.
Reflecting on the honor, Megan shared, “This organization has had an immense impact on my life, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of something so meaningful.”
Megan’s inclusion on the 2025 Fundraising Volunteer of the Year Honor Roll highlights the powerful role young leaders play in shaping the future of peer-to-peer fundraising. We are proud to celebrate her impact and excited to see what she accomplishes next as we work together to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.