2019 was a banner year for the Yelp community. With more passionate locals sharing love for their favorite local businesses than ever before, it’s the Yelp Elites that continue to shine when it comes to contributing the most useful, funny and cool reviews, snapping amazing photos, and discovering the best businesses in their city and beyond.
Every year, Community Managers and Community Ambassadors around the country honor their most prolific Elites at the Yelpies, an award show style event where the good feels run high. Here, we highlight a few standout award recipients honored on this special night! Read on for some words from the Community Managers and Community Ambassadors that know them best.
Debbie F, Jacksonville: Yelptime Achievement Award
To know Debbie F is to love Debbie F! Her tagline on her Yelp profile is she’s a “five star party,” and I’d argue that she’s a six star party. Debbie is an Elite who is friendly, warm, outgoing, life of the party, and just an all around fun person to be around. Debbie makes our new Elites feel like part of the Yelp Jax family. No one will ever be a stranger in Debbie’s eyes. With over 110 reviews in 2019, 640 in her five years, Debbie has made a lasting impact on our community. Yelp and Jacksonville are lucky to have someone who’s a lover of all things local. Debbie was chosen by her Yelp family for the Yelptime Achievement Award and I agree, she’s a force of love, light and positivity and deserves this great honor.
– Carla D, Yelp Jacksonville Community Manager
Jon H, Phoenix: Complimenter of the Year
Elite since 2018, Jon is a shining star in the Yelp Phoenix community. He brightens people’s lives on the daily by sending authentic compliments and spreading loads of local love. In 2019, he sent over 13,000 compliments to his fellow Yelpers. We’re so grateful for him!
– Hailey P, Yelp Phoenix Community Manager
Chad C, Lexington: Yelptime Achievement Award
The self proclaimed “Yelping OG,” Chad was one of the first to grab that shiny Lexington Yelp Elite Squad badge way back in 2013. This is his eighth year being Elite (gold Elite, woop woop). In just this past year, he has written over 100 reviews and added 596 pictures.
– Heather P, Yelp Lexington Community Ambassador
Emily S, Gainesville: Best All Around Elite
Emily is the Elite that everyone knows in Gainesville not only because she is super active on Yelp, but also for her different hair colors many different times throughout the year. Emily won Best All Around Elite by writing over 100 reviews, posting over 200 photos, and sending lots of Yelp love via compliments in 2019. Emily has been part of YES for four years and loves Yelp and the Gainesville community. She’s the type of person you just get along with! We are so grateful to have Emily S as part of the Yelp family.
– Matthew L, Yelp Gainesville Community Ambassador
Ariel W, Fort Lauderdale: Reviewer of the Year
For the second straight year Ariel W was crowned Reviewer of the Year at the Fort Lauderdale Yelpies. She had the most overall reviews on the Yelp Fort Lauderdale Elite Squad with over the 700 reviews for the year. Her detailed and informative write ups have lead yelpers to the best restaurants, parks, shops and other local businesses in South Florida and beyond!
– Blue A, Yelp Fort Lauderdale Community Manager
Annette B, Chicago Burbs: Reviewer of the Year
Annette B is a rockstar! She became an Elite a few years ago and has contributed an incredible amount in that time. This year, she won “Reviewer of the Year” in celebration of over 600 reviews just this past year! Her useful reviews provide Yelp users with elaborate details from places all over the Chicago Burbs. Cheers to you Annette!
– Nicole G, Yelp Chicago Burbs Community Manager
Charlene C, Wilmington: Yelp’s Latest and Greatest
Charlene is always the first one to try out brand new businesses in town. She brings her friends, tries all the things, takes tons of photos, and posts thorough reviews with the hottest tips on what’s good, great and worth coming back to try. Charlene has always been so consistent at being in the know and helping guide others to Hot New Businesses.
– Dani N, Yelp Wilmington Community Ambassador
Janet D, Denver: Yelptime Achievement Award
When Janet hit the Yelp scene in 2009, she made a name for herself by actively contributing detailed reviews and drool-worthy photos, while bringing her signature, infectious attitude to Yelp events. Anyone who knows her knows she can light up a room in a second. She’s been an asset to the Denver Yelp community for over ten years and makes everyone around her feel like a million bucks. We cannot image the Elite Squad without her!
– Matt C, Yelp Denver Community Manager
Albert K, El Paso: Yelptime Achievement Award
Albert K is the perfect example of who an Elite should be. He’s an active Yelper online and offline. He’s been a frequent attendee of Yelp events over the years. He’s always friendly and kind to others at events and online. He became the first Elite in El Paso back in 2012. Way to go, Albert K!
– Lisa A, Yelp El Paso Community Ambassador
Jordan B, Hampton Roads, CoVA: Yelptime Achievement Award
Jordan B is a six-year Yelp Elite Squad veteran whose reviews are not only well-crafted and thorough, but also sure to leave you with a smile on your face by the end. Boasting top event attendance, countless Elites and their guests have had the chance to experience his bold and lively spirit—one you are sure to remember. He finds the go-to spots locally and in each place he has travelled, sharing his experiences with honesty and undeniable humor. His natural ability to capture and express his love for the community through photos and reviews alike has made him a recognizable personality. His commitment to positivity is evident through his interactions on and off Yelp, and he is a friend to all. We are beyond excited to present the 2019 Yelptime Achievement Award to Jordan B.
– Anne F, Yelp Hampton Roads, CoVA Community Manager
Terry H, NC Triangle: Funniest Elite
It’s no surprise the one and only Terry H was voted Funniest Elite by the Triangle Yelp community. If you ever get seated next to Terry at an Elite Event, you know you are in for a fun evening. From wearing the Yelp bike seat cover as a shower cap (and convincing others to do the same), having an entire event sing happy birthday to you when it isn’t actually your birthday, to captivating the entire event staff and attendees with his wild stories — it’s no surprise he scored this win. Terry is truly one of a kind. Cheers to you Terry for winning funniest Yelper, we will raise an old fashioned in your Yelpy honor!
– Holly K, Yelp NC Triangle Community Manager
James R, Utah County: Reviewer of the Year
James R not only wrote the most reviews last year, but he is constantly supporting small businesses, especially local. He always informs others of community events and attends them on his own time. He is always showing local love on and off Yelp. I am grateful for such a genuine and outgoing member of our Utah community and our Elite Squad.
– Shay D, Yelp Utah County Community Ambassador
Dan C, Miami: Yelptime Achievement Award
From the days of Yelp Broward-Palm Beach to Yelp Miami, Dan C has been rocking Yelp pride since 2012. If you’ve been to events in the last eight years, there is a good chance you’ve been greeted by Dan C with a hug and a smile. Oh, it’s your first event? If Dan finds this out, he will for sure parade you around to both veterans and newbies alike because creating connection is one of the things he does best! Dan exemplifies what it means to be Elite not only with his activity on the site (penning 167 reviews and posting 247 photos in 2019), but also by the great friendships he has built off the site.
– Diandra L, Yelp Miami Community Manager
Val W, Birmingham: Yelper of the Year
After winning our Rookie of the Year award last year, Val continued her Elite campaign strong in 2019. The award this year was very much based on contributions, but Val is more than just reviews and photos. She is a huge advocate for the Yelp Elite Squad online and off. You can usually find Val at most Yelp events and talking about the Elite Squad wherever she goes.
– Will B, Yelp Birmingham Community Manager
Nadine C, Honolulu: Reviewer of the Year, Photographer of the Year & Yelptime Achievement Award
Aunty Nadine, as we lovingly like to call her, is a role model Elite in every possible way. In 2019 Nadine was Honolulu’s top reviewer with 548 reviews written, as well as our top photographer with 7762 photos contributed. In addition to those two awards, she also received a Yelptime Achievement award for contributing over 2787 lifetime reviews, 38,000 lifetime photos and sending over 73,000 lifetime compliments. Aunty Nadine often takes new Yelpers under her wing and is the heart of Yelp in Honolulu because she sets a shining example for others of what it means to give and share with aloha.
– Emi H, Yelp Honolulu Community Manager
Chelsi B, Kalamazoo: Reviewer of the Year
Chelsi is an enthusiastic, eclectic supporter of all manner of local businesses. Regularly the first-to-review everything from board game shops to the amenities at a local rest area, she’s in the know about everything going on in our neck of the woods. A queen of compliments, a photographer extraordinaire, a top tipster… If it’s on Yelp, Chelsi’s on top of it. We love seeing her online and as a joyous participant in our Official Yelp Events.
– Beth C, Yelp Kalamazoo Community Ambassador
Dawn K, Tucson: Yelptime Achievement Award
Known for her mad photography contributions (over 10,000 photos) and snapping selfies with every chef in town, Dawn K is one of our community’s biggest cheerleaders. When she’s not attending Yelp events or hosting UYEs, she’s supporting local happenings and is often the first to check out a new business. She even connects with other Community Managers and Elites when she travels. Dawn K represents what it means to Elite: She literally spreads the Yelp love everywhere she goes, both online and off.
– Isabella J, Yelp Tucson Community Manager
A big congrats to all of the 2019 nominees and award winners! We can’t wait to see what this new year has in store.
