May 6, 2025, Movers and Makers
The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center has announced the finalists for its 2025 Upstander Awards, which honor individuals who courageously stand up for others and drive meaningful change in their communities.
The announcement was made during a ceremony at Union Terminal, the historic site where Holocaust survivors began new lives in Cincinnati and also marked the start of Cohen Family Upstander Month, a citywide celebration of courage and leadership.
In addition to naming six Upstander Community Award winners, the center will recognize several Upstander Leadership Award honorees at its annual Upstander Awards Gala on June 22.
Upstander Leadership Award honorees
Dan Meyer – Business Upstander of the Year
CEO and co-founder of Nehemiah Manufacturing, Meyer built his company on a second-chance employment model, offering jobs and support to people affected by incarceration, addiction and poverty. He also co-founded the Beacon of Hope Business Alliance, which connects thousands of returning citizens with employers.
Paula Boggs Muething – Duke Energy Illuminator Award
As Cincinnati’s city manager during the COVID-19 pandemic, Muething ensured essential services continued, and vulnerable residents received support. Now chief administrative officer and general counsel for FC Cincinnati, she oversees legal, facilities, marketing and public affairs operations, and serves on several civic boards.
Robert “Chip” Harrod – Lifetime Achievement Award
Harrod has championed racial equity and interfaith collaboration in Cincinnati for five decades. He previously led BRIDGES for a Just Community, founded the Cincinnati Festival of Faiths, and currently serves as executive director of EquaSion. He was also the founding president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
Brigid Kelly – Upstander Legacy Award
The late Brigid Kelly, a former Norwood councilmember and Ohio state representative, is recognized for her bipartisan leadership in support of working families, public education and mental health. Her mother, Martha Tepe, accepted the award on her behalf.
Kristin Shrimplin – Nonprofit Upstander of the Year
As president and CEO of Women Helping Women, Shrimplin has expanded crisis intervention, prevention programs and survivor advocacy across Southwest Ohio. A survivor herself, she is known for leading with what organizers call “radical empathy and relentless commitment to justice.”
“Each of these upstanders reflects the very best of humanity,” said Jackie Congedo, CEO of the Holocaust & Humanity Center. “They act when others are silent. They offer hope when others feel despair. And in doing so, they show us how to meet this moment with strength, compassion and purpose.”
2025 Upstander Community Award finalists
Selected from more than 200 nominations, this year’s finalists are:
- Verjine Adanalian – Senior attorney at the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, advocating for reentry and second chances
- Elizabeth Bangel-Stehlin – Founder of the Senior Advocate Action Group, tackling senior hunger through mini food pantries
- Yvonne & Eric Boltz – Hosts of inclusive gatherings and founders of an accessible farm supporting marginalized communities
- Marvin Butts – Longtime community advocate supporting families with school supply drives and meals
- Neil Cohen – Led an $11 million capital campaign to build a new YWCA domestic violence shelter
- Nancy Eigel-Miller – Founder of 1N5, working to reduce mental health stigma following the loss of her husband to suicide
- Parker Friedman – High school student and creator of “Historical Reality,” a VR-based Holocaust education tool
- Missy Griffin & Maggie Welt – Co-founders of the Love Grows Project, providing preschool education and family support
- Jermaine Hill – Forest Park fire chief, youth mentor and community event organizer
- Kimberly Huckleby – Teacher and founder of Ladies of Leadership, a mentoring program for young Black girls
- Rabbi Ari Jun – Sparked a dialogue on allyship after calling out antisemitism with compassion
- Bruce Kintner – Founder of Samaritan Car Care Clinic, providing car repairs to low-income families and job training for youth
- Mitch Morris – Founder of Save Our Youth, promoting peace and mentorship in local neighborhoods
- Jim Obergefell – Lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case for marriage equality and ongoing civil rights advocate
- John & Michelle Otten – Founders of the Brave Like Me Foundation, in memory of their son Brayden
- Juel Robinson – High school student who created IT internships and leads equity initiatives in his school district
- Curtis Shepard – Founder of D.A.A.M., promoting positive parenting and engaged fatherhood
- Abigail Smith – Young Marine and high school student who volunteers hundreds of hours and champions inclusion
- Dr. Lauren Wang – Director of the Freeman Center, which provides healthcare for adults with developmental disabilities
The six winners will be announced during the Upstander Gala at Union Terminal, where actor Jesse Eisenberg will make a special appearance. Upstander Month will feature several other community events leading up to the event:
- June 5, 6 p.m. – “Museum Mindfulness Yoga: Tapping into the Science of Well-Being”
- June 29, 8:30 a.m. – Upstander 5K Run & Walk
- June 29, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Upstander Family Museum Day at Union Terminal, featuring guest speaker Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon
