2025 Tim Strachan Young Leaders Award

The Tim Strachan Young Leaders Award honors outstanding young individuals who exemplify the spirit of faith in action through compassionate leadership, dedicated community service, and a commitment to uplifting others. This annual award celebrates young people in our community who selflessly give back, support the most vulnerable, and inspire others through acts of service rooted in Catholic values. With a special focus on educational outreach, mentoring, and advocacy, recipients of this award demonstrate how young leaders can be a powerful force for good in society.

The award is named for Tim Strachan. A native of Montgomery County, MD, a product of catholic education and a man of strong faith, Tim passed away earlier this year at the age of 49. A lifelong parishioner of Holy Redeemer in Kensington, MD, Tim was a community leader throughout his life (starting as a young man) and has been recognized by many organizations in our area. He leaned on his faith during his life and especially in the face of the tragic accident he suffered between his junior and senior year of high school that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Among many other things, Tim was a motivational speaker for young people in our community talking about faith, family, perseverance, resilience, and never asking why. He was a true inspiration and remains a role model for so many throughout the area.

Katie Myers

Katie graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland in 2025 with a double degree in Psychology and Kinesiology, and a minor in Business. She has volunteered for many years for the Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County supporting the teen hangout group and annual Step Up Walk event, as well as for the Catholic Coalition for Special Education. During her years at UMD, she worked as a job coach for an adult with Down syndrome and helped plan and manage fun and inclusive events for teens with Down syndrome. Katie was also an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity, where she served as Co-Service Vice President and organized service events that added up to over 1,000 total hours of service. She also supported fellow students as an anatomy tutor. Katie was valedictorian of the class of 2021 at the Academy of the Holy Cross, and during her time there, was co-leader of a fundraising team that raised over $60,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Katie is currently studying to become a physical therapist at Northwestern University.