Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EY US Unveils Kirsten Brecht Baker of Jeenie as an
Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 Mid-Atlantic Award Finalist
Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates ambitious entrepreneurs who are shaping the future
Washington D.C., April 24 – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced the finalists for the prestigious Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Mid-Atlantic Award. Now in its 40th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities. The program honors bold entrepreneurs whose innovations shape the future and pave the way for a thriving economy and a hopeful tomorrow. The Mid-Atlantic program celebrates entrepreneurs from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.
An independent panel of judges selected Kirsten Brecht Baker as one of only 36 finalists for their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, and lasting impact in building long-term value.
"At Jeenie, we’re here to disrupt with purpose, building a future that is multilingual, inclusive, and ensures more equitable access to quality services, like healthcare, for everyone." -Kirsten Brecht Baker
About Kirsten & Jeenie
Kirsten Brecht Baker is the Co-Founder & CEO of Jeenie, a groundbreaking multilingual and multicultural communication platform that eliminates language discordance for greater health and social equity. With over 15 years of experience building technology-driven companies, Kirsten has dedicated her career to solving real-world problems through innovative solutions.
Under her leadership, Jeenie has been named Fast Company’s 10 Most Innovative Companies, Inc. Magazine’s Best in Business, The Stevie Awards Healthcare Company of the Year, and DCA Live’s Red Hot Companies. Jeenie was also recently featured in Forbes: "The ‘Techquity’ Imperative in Healthcare".
Kirsten herself was recently named TITAN’s 2024 Female Entrepreneur of the Year and to both Forbes’ 2024 50 over 50 Innovators and Inc. Magazine’s 2024 Top 250 Female Founders lists, Baker is widely recognized as a tech innovator and industry leader. She has also been a member of Fast Co’s Impact Council and currently serves as a member of the senate-appointed Interpreting SAFE-AI Task Force.
"Being named a finalist by EY is a tremendous honor. This recognition is truly a reflection of the incredible team, mission, and momentum behind Jeenie. And we’re just getting started. But Innovation is about more than creating new tools- it's the courage to take on old systems with modern solutions, to close access gaps, and to ensure our evolving technology serves everyone, especially our most vulnerable. That’s what Jeenie is all about."-Kirsten Brecht Baker
About the EY Award
EY's Entrepreneur Of The Year Award honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company; transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory; and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.
Regional award winners will be announced on June 18 during a special celebration in Washington, DC, and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. The winners will then be considered by the National Judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies.
- Since 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has celebrated ambitious visionaries
- The awards are hosted in 60 countries around the world
- The US program consists of 17 regional programs
- The overall National winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.
About EY
EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets. Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.
EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.
Want to know more?
See the EY press release.
