Welcome to the Dream Makers Celebration: Forging the Future Together – Bright Futures Blooming!
Tonight, we celebrate the recipients of the Outstanding Student Awards. These graduating seniors are leaders whose resilience, determination, and vision exemplify CYC’s core values.
We also proudly honor our Hall of Fame Inductees, Mr. Chuck Ackerman and Dr. Eugene Blalock Jr. for their lasting impact and commitment to empowering young people.
Together, let’s continue building a future where every CYC student has the opportunity to succeed.
Agenda
5:30 p.m.
Evening begins with cocktails and dinner by the bite
7:00 p.m.
Bright Futures Blooming program starts
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Roots and Bloom Conversation
CYC in Full Bloom
Hall of Fame Inductions
Bids and Blossoms: Live Auction
Outstanding Student Recognition
Cultivating Bright Futures: Paddle Raise
Closing Remarks
Dessert is served
9:00 p.m.
Celebration Concludes
Hall of Fame
Outstanding Students
Live Auction
Live Auction
Our four live auction packages are an unique opportunity to make a difference! Get your bidder cards ready and raise them high during tonight’s exciting live auction with professional auctioneer, Susan Johnson.
Auction Packages
Sponsors
Gold
Silver
39Forward
AMEND
Amy Thompson & Ben VanSant
Bahl & Gaynor
BHDP Architecture
Bricker Graydon Wyatt
Cincinnati State and Community College
The Gade Family
Fifth Third Bank
Paychex
PNC Bank
Western & Southern Financial Group
Bronze
A-List Transportation
BSI Engineering
Coworth Financial Services
Duke Energy
Grant Ally
Hamilton County Sheriff's Department
Interact for Health
ITA Audio Visual Solutions
The Kroger Company
Magnified Giving
Mellott & Mellott
Metro
Netherland Rubber Company
Neals Design Remodel
Northpoint Development
Promark
Skanska USA Building Inc.
The Kleingers Group
Terrex Development and Construction
USI Insurance Services LLC
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!
$5,000
Be a Dream Maker and help empower more amazing students just like Logan, LaSandra, Sanyia and Jacob.
$2,500
Provides life-changing support for our mentoring and educational services.
$1,000
Expands horizons for students to experience field trips to a college campus or potential employer.
$500
Provides one-on-one advising sessions for students to determine their career interests.
$250
Covers transportation needs for students to connect to post-secondary opportunities
$100
Provide nourishing meals for program participants.
Thanks for being a Dream Maker!
Staff and Board
CYC Staff
Christina Black
JCG Senior Program Manager
Lamont Bohannon
Next Level Pathways Senior Manager
Neil Choudhury
HS Career Specialist
Donial Curry
Development Manager
Michael Davis
HS Career Specialist
Dubonna Dawkins
Sr. Director of HR & Risks Management
Rondale Dixon
Next Level Pathways Advisor
Anita Felton
JCG Program Coordinator
William Greene
HS Career Specialist
Recua Gunn
HS Career Specialist
Genard Hassell
MS Career Specialist
Malik Jackson
HS Career Specialist
Cheri Jordan
We Mentor Cincy Program Manager
Jimmie Lake
Chief Operating Officer
Cameron Lane
Saturday Hoops Program Manager
Kamari Larkin
HS Career Specialist
Christopher Lipscombe
IT Manager
Keniah McCants
Next Level Pathways Advisor
Gregory Myles II
HS Career Specialist
Marie Nicks
Director of Mentoring & Partnerships
Stephanie Parker
MS Career Specialist Team Lead- Career Association
Victoria Perkins
HS Career Specialist
Seth Petersen
Youth Experiences Manager
Azaria Pittman-Carter
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Tamara Richardson
HS Career Specialist
Marie Rusincovitch
Chief Advancement Officer
Kimberly Schmahl
Resource Coordinator
Patti Shepard
Executive Assistant to President/CEO
Carmen Sneed
Next Level Pathways Advisor
William Taylor
Career Exploration Manager
Amy Thompson
President/CEO
Tia Wallace
HS Career Specialist
Kanece Williams
Volunteer Services Coordinator
Greg Williams
Resource Coordinator
Reggie Williams
MS Career Specialist
James Williams II
HS Career Specialist Team Lead- Training
Amber Woody
WIOA Compliance & Data Manager
CYC Board
CHAIR
Tom Marth
GTM Advisor
Cloverleaf
CHAIR ELECT
Pam Webb
Principal
Integral Ops
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
Paychex
Terence Daniels
Senior eCommerce Relationship Manager
Worldpay
Joe DelVecchio
Senior Vice President
Relationship Manager
PNC Bank
Ashleigh DuBois
Outreach Manager
Skanska USA
Debbie Gingrich
Chief Program Officer
Best Point Education and Behavioral Health
DeJuan Gossett
VP/Employee Benefits Consultant
USI Insurance
Jesse Grissom
Retired
Kao USA inc.
Robbin Hoopes
Provost
Cincinnati State
David Johnson
President & COO
BHDP Architecture
Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney
Vice Mayor
City Council
Alicia Bond Lewis
Associate General Counsel – Health Equity
Children’s Hospital
Kevin Lindsey
Regional Director, HR
Kroger
Patrick Longo
President & CEO
Alloy Development Company
Terry McManus
Director
Fifth Third Private Bank
Amanda Penick
Partner
Bricker Graydon
Laura Phillips
President and Partner
Vehr Communications
Travis Schraffenberger
Western & Southern
VP, Marketing Support & Execution
Erica Shaw
P&G
Product Supply Director
Hammad Siddiqi
VP Community Impact Mgr
Fifth Third Bank
Brittany Speed
COO & CFO
Beech Acres
Jesse Turner
Retired Senior Director of Supply Chain
Kroger Company
CYC Advisory Board
John Pepper
Retired Chairman and CEO
Procter and Gamble
Jim Sowar
Partner
Deloitte and Touche
Kent Wellington
Partner
Bricker Graydon
Jack Geiger
Founder
Eñe LLC
YP Board
Kabrella Clark, President
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
Taylor Young, Vice President
Crayons to Computers
Calvin Davis, Secretary
Cincinnati Art Museum
Wesley Alspaugh
Bahl & Gaynor
Josh Blankenship
AMEND Consulting
Austin Brown
Deloitte
Vanessa Carey
Ignite Philanthropy
Abby Cira
Home City Ice
Michael (Deuces) Cunningham
Film/Music Creator & Musician
Armand Etienne
Jordan Finley
First Stop Health
Natalie Hesford
Foxx Construction
Andrew Jacob
Colliers International
Will Lampkin
E.W. Scripps
Paige Messmer
OneDigital
Jake McGinty
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati
Kelsey Tippett
University of Cincinnati
Sam Veeneman
TQL
CYC Programs
Mentoring
Matches caring adults with students, focused on academic and post-secondary success. Options include one-on-one mentoring, co-mentoring, group mentoring.
- REACH 1:1 Mentoring: Focused on matching 7th -12th grade.
- Group Mentoring: PNC Scholars, P&G Business Leaders of Tomorrow, UC Med Mentors and more.
- Saturday Hoops: Recreational and life-skills group mentoring program.
Work Readiness
(Jobs for Cincinnati’s Graduates)
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
College and Career Success
(Next Level Pathways/Formerly GEAR UP)
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.
- ACT/SAT test prep support
- Financial aid (FAFSA), college application support, scholarships and grants
- College visits and college application support
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.
In-Kind Donations
The American Sign Museum
Amy Thompson
Arthur’s
Atelier Du Vin
Augusta Distillery
Bee Haven
E. Keith & Theresa Blessinger
BMW Cincinnati and Cincinnati Mini
Broadway Across America
Cincinnati Arts Assoc.
Cincinnati Observatory Center
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
City North
Clare & Tony Blankemeyer
Dave and Buster’s
Donna Mayerson
Duke Energy
Eric Langevin
FC Cincinnati
Greyhound Restaurant
Jenny Berg
Jessie Turner
Karen Keuper
Kathy Thornton
Katie & Jack Contri
Laureen McCorkle
Laura Menge
Marie Rusincovitch
Mark Zlatic
Mary Jo Blankemeyer
Meghan Simonson
Music and Event Management, Inc.
Seth & Hailey Petersen
Prime Cincinnati
Reds Hall of Fame
Rhinegeist Brewery
Skyline Chili
Ted Karras & The Cincy Hat Foundation
The First Bite Experience
Totality Sculpt
USI Insurance Services
Village Junction
Woodhouse Spa