Welcome to the Dream Makers Celebration: Forging the Future Together – Bright Futures Blooming!
We are thrilled to gather once again at this special venue for an inspiring evening dedicated to the power of possibility and the community that helps our students thrive.
Tonight, we celebrate the recipients of the Outstanding Student Scholarship rising leaders whose resilience, determination, and vision remind us that bright futures truly are blooming. We also proudly honor our Hall of Fame Inductees, Dr. Eugene Blalock Jr. and Mr. Chuck Ackerman for their lasting impact and commitment to empowering young people.
Together, let’s continue forging pathways, nurturing potential, and building a future where every CYC student has the opportunity to succeed.
Agenda
5:30 p.m.
Registration Opens
6:00 p.m.
Dinner-by-the-bite, cocktails and student performances
7:00 p.m.
Bright Futures Blooming Program starts
Welcome with Special Student Performers
Hall of Fame Induction
Dream Makers Honoree Recognition
Live Auction
Outstanding Student Recognition
Paddle Raise
Call to Action
8:00 p.m.
Party Continues
8:45 p.m.
Online Auction and Raffle Closes
9:00 p.m.
Party Concludes
Hall of Fame
Outstanding Students
Live Auction
Live Auction
We’re thrilled to announce our exciting four live auction packages, each one is a unique opportunity to make a difference for CYC! Get your bidder cards ready and raise them high during tonight’s exciting live auction with professional auctioneer, Susan Johnson.
Auction Packages
Sponsors
Diamond
Platinum
Gold
Lauren and Tom Shafer
Silver
Ellie and Ed Reiser
Bronze
Jesse Turner
Tonight's Impact
Your Impact Tonight: Dream Makers in Action
Your impact tonight at Dream Makers matters to so many young people and programs at CYC. Your generous donations will support programs and resources for over 4,000 young people this school year alone. Thank you for your support at any level during tonight’s exciting paddle raise.
Thanks for being a Dream Maker
- $2,500 will change outcomes for FOUR young people by providing life-changing support of CYC’s mentoring programs.
- $1,000 empowers a field trip to a college campus for an entire classroom of CYC students.
- $500 provides nourishing meals to CYC programs for over 100 young people.
- $250 empowers career success by providing hands-on field trips to Greater Cincinnati area employers.
- $100 helps prepare mentors by covering the cost of 7 mentor background checks.
Staff and Board
CYC Staff
Christina Black
JCG Senior Program Manager, Central Office
Lamont Bohannon
Next Level Pathways Senior Manager, N. College Hill HS
Neil Choudhury
Workforce Engagement Manager, N. College Hill HS
Donial Curry
Development Director, Central Office
Michael Davis
High School Career Specialist, Shroder MS
Mushay Davis
Data & Program Services Coordinator, Central Office
Dubonna Dawkins
Sr. Director of HR & Risk Management, Central Office
Rondale Dixon
Next Level Pathways Advisor, N. College Hill HS
Anita Felton
JCG Program Coordinator, Central Office
William Greene
High School Career Specialist, Oyler HS
Recua Gunn
High School Career Specialist, Aiken HS
Genard Hassell
Middle School Career Specialist, Shroder MS
Malik Jackson
High School Career Specialist, Western Hills HS
Cheri Jordan
Campus Success Coach, Mt. Healthy HS
Jimmie Lake
Chief Program Officer, Central Office
Cameron Lane
Saturday Hoops Program Manager, Central Office
Kamari Larkin
High School Career Specialist, Hughes HS
Christopher Lipscombe
IT Manager, Central Office
Keniah McCants
Next Level Pathways Advisor, Mt. Healthy HS
Gregory Myles II
High School Career Specialist, Taft HS
Marie Nicks
Director of Mentoring & Partnerships, Central Office
Stephanie Parker
Middle School Career Specialist Team Lead – Career Association, Central Office
Victoria Perkins
High School Career Specialist, Western Hills HS
Seth Petersen
Youth Experiences Manager, Central Office
Azaria Pittman-Carter
Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Central Office
Tamara Richardson
High School Career Specialist, Dater HS
Marie Rusincovitch
Chief Advancement Officer, Central Office
Kimberly Schmahl
Resource Coordinator, Gamble Montessori HS
Patti Shepard
Executive Assistant to President/CEO, Central Office
Carmen Sneed
Next Level Pathways Advisor, N. College Hill HS
William Taylor
Career Exploration Manager, Central Office
Amy Thompson
President/CEO, Central Office
Tia Wallace
High School Career Specialist, Woodward Career Tech. HS
Greg Williams
Resource Coordinator, Woodward Career Tech. HS
Kanece Williams
Volunteer Services Coordinator, Central Office
James Williams II
High School Career Specialist Team Lead – Training, Winton Woods HS
Reggie Williams
Middle School Career Specialist, Western Hills HS
Amber Woody
High School Career Specialist, Woodward Career Tech. HS
CYC Board
CHAIR
Tom Marth
GTM Advisor
Cloverleaf
CHAIR ELECT
Pam Webb
Principal
Integral Ops
PAST CHAIR
Michelle Hershey
Managing Director
Deloitte Tax LLP
TREASURER
Kevin Gade
Chief Operating Officer
Bahl & Gaynor Investment Counsel
SECRETARY
Ellie J. Reiser
Senior Sales Vice President
Comey and Shepherd Realtors
Ryan Bergstrom
Chief Product Officer
Paycor
Terence Daniels
Senior eCommerce Relationship Manager
Worldpay
Joe DelVecchio
Senior Vice President
Relationship Manager
PNC Bank
Ashleigh DuBois
Outreach Manager
Skanska USA
Monica Foxx
Chief Operating Officer
FX Facility Group
Debbie Gingrich
Chief Program Officer
Best Point Education and Behavioral Health
DeJuan Gossett
VP/Employee Benefits Consultant
USI Insurance
Robin Hoopes
Provost
Cincinnati State
Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney
Vice Mayor
City Council
Patrick Longo
President & CEO
Alloy Development Company
Terry McManus
Director
Fifth Third Private Bank
Moses Ogbonnaya
NA Fabric Care Innovation VP
Procter & Gamble
Amanda Penick
Partner
Graydon Law
Laura Phillips
President and Partner
Vehr Communications
Hammad Siddiqi
VP Community Impact Mgr
Fifth Third Bank
Marcus Thompson
Director of Corporate Development
Triversity Construction
Rob Thornton
Area Director – Financial Services
Temporal
Jesse Turner
Senior Director, Southwest Regional Supply Chain
The Kroger Company
YP Board
BOARD PRESIDENT
Jake McGinty
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati
BOARD VICE-PRESIDENT
Kabrella Clark
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
PAST PRESIDENT
Autumn Richards
Mariemont Schools
Austin Brown
Macy’s
Calvin Davis
Cincinnati Art Museum
Armand Etienne
Peoples Bank
Sharon Ford
Helen Wells Agency
Mike Huber
Dinsmore
Andrew Jacob
Colliers
Tre James
Lanxess
Lucien Kidd
Procter and Gamble
Will Lampkin
Scripps
Adam Reynolds CPA, CEPA
Thrive CFO
Kelsey Tippett
University of Cincinnati
Taylor Young
Crayons to Computers
John Simmons
Fifth Third Bank
STAFF LIAISON
Azaria Pittman-Carter
Cincinnati Youth Collaborative
CYC Programs
Mentoring
Matches caring adults with students (grades 2-16) to help them attend school regularly, improve their self-esteem and interpersonal relationships, and encourage post-secondary employment. Options include one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, worksite mentoring, and college mentoring.
One-to-one Mentoring: Matches caring adult mentors with students on a one-to-one basis; grades 2-12 and students within their first two years of college. Program offerings include PNC Scholars, P&G Business Leaders of Tomorrow, Girls Clubs, UC Med Mentors, Saturday Hoops, and One-to-One mentoring.
College and Career Success
Beginning in middle school, CYC provides comprehensive career and college guidance to partner schools. Programs supply individualized support and mentoring to ensure graduation and a successful post-secondary education transition. CYC AmeriCorps College Guides and GEAR UP Ohio Advisors provide:
- ACT/SAT test prep support
- Financial aid (FAFSA), college application support, scholarships and grants
- College visits and college application support
- Career exploration and planning
- 12-month follow-up services to support the transition from high school
Resource Coordination
CYC Resource Coordinators support local school districts in implementing the Community Learning Center (CLC), a nationally recognized model of engaging school and community stakeholders to align resources to impact student success and promote vibrant communities.
Work Readiness
The CYC Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates (JCG) Program is a nationally accredited year-round in-school program that prepares students for post-secondary career pursuits through career awareness, exploration, guidance, and placement. Specific focus areas include:
- Classroom experiences for both middle- and high school students via a 1-credit hour class
- Leadership and self-development via the JCG Career Association, the Career Development Conference
- Summer work experiences for high school seniors that builds employability skills and career learning through on-site experiences
- 12-month follow-up services to support the transition after high school
In-Kind Donations
The American Sign Museum
Adam Reynolds
Bengals
Bouchard’s
Brown Bear Bakery
Cafe Alma
Cam Taylor Britt
Contrast Studios
Fran DiBattista
Hotel Celare
Jackson Kaiser
Katherine Nero
Kevin Gade
Kings Island
Manitou Candle Co.
Marie Rusincovitch
Mrs. Eileene Douthard-Harris
Paolo’s Modern Jewelry
Pata Roja
Reds Hall of Fame
University of Cincinnati
Tonya Bolton
Victoria Savage
Yelton’s Fine Jeweler’s