Lisa Desatnik

I have been fortunate to have made a career out of doing what I love, which is using my communication skills to forge relationships and support of causes that are evoking positive change. I also enjoy working with civic-minded companies and organizations. I’ve earned numerous awards along the way, but my greatest satisfaction comes from knowing my work has helped touch lives in very meaningful ways. For that, I have to thank the dedicated staff and volunteers of so many charitable organizations, events, and civic minded businesses who work day in and day out to fulfill needs. These are the generous people with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working beside. I’ve created and implemented many successful cause-related campaigns and programs such as the award winning Lighthouse Vision Awards and the Collecting for Kids school supply drive. Included among my other past experience is: creating a PR campaign to change the image of newly developed Betts Longworth Historic District, for 8 years coordinating publicity and creative elements of the Inclusion Leadership Awards Event, and creating a PR campaign to help launch the Hidden Treasures CD (tribute to King Records) that resulted in a packed release party. I’ve also worked on numerous other events. Among them - the Appalachian Festival, the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati’s Buddy Walk, the YMCA Salute to Black Achievers, YMCA Character Awards, Greater Cincinnati Alzeimer’s Association Memory Walk, Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Association’s Voices of Giving Awards and more. Currently I help raise awareness about the positive contributions of the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, and also continue working with other organizations. My experience includes media relations, planning, volunteer management, copywriting, social networking, events, and coordination of marketing materials. Among the other organizations with whom I have or am currently working are: Inclusion Network, iSPACE,FreeStore/FoodBank, Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Cincinnati Arts & Technology Center, Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation, Lighthouse Youth Services, Accountability and Credibility Together, CRI mental health agency, and more. I’m a past Board member of Children’s International Summer Villages and past member of the leadership team for the local chapter of Public Relations Society of America; and get involved with other volunteer opportunities. An animal lover sharing my home with three birds, I have been studying positive behavior management for many years and enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with others. My pet interest has led me to become a pet columnist for Hyde Park Living.

Beech Acres Parenting Center Collecting Backpacks For Kids

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Beech Acres Parenting Center needs our help in ensuring children of parents in Cincinnati who are working to overcome financial challenges, will have the necessary supplies they need to begin their school year on the right track.

Last year more than 180 children served by the nonprofit agency received backpacks filled with school needs. They want to increase that number for the 2015 school year, for students of all grade levels.

They are askiBeech Acres Parenting Center collecting backpacks for Cincinnati area kidsng for donations of backpacks filled with items including pocket folders, notebooks, paper, scissors, glue sticks and crayons.

To help, please fill out the form at this link, and then drop your donation off to one of these Beech Acres locations during business hours:

Administration Building: 6881 Beechmont Ave in Anderson
Glenmore Location at 3325 Glenmore Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211
Lebanon Location at 767 Columbus Avenue Suite 2, Lebanon, Ohio 45036

For more information, you can call them at 513-233-4729 or visit www.beechacres.org.

 

 

CINspirational People: Brian Monahan

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CINspirational People is a feature of Good Things Going Around profiling diverse people of Greater Cincinnati, what inspires them, and what is inspiring about them. You can read more profiles by clicking on the link at the top of the blog. Do you know someone to suggest? Please reach out. Thanks!

Today we are featuring Brian Monahan.

CINspirational People: Brian Monahan GTGA: What is something people may not know about you?
Brian: I love to sing…but actually have been accused of being tone deaf.  I have a number of friends in bands and over the years they have indulged my passion for singing by allowing me to take the stage.  Often teeing up my “performance”  with a joke about passing a bucket to raise money for my singing lessons.

GTGA: What is one of your simple pleasures?
Brian: I love to thrift shop for furniture and electronics.

GTGA: What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Brian: My proudest accomplishment is my upcoming book Customer Delight 365.  It’s a lifetime of customer service inspirations and lessons that I have developed into a daily devotional style book.  I will be releasing in early October 2015.

GTGA: What is one of the reasons you enjoy living and working in Cincinnati?
Brian: I consider myself lucky to work in the meeting and event industry for Prestige AV & Creative Services as their National Sales Manager.  I get an insider’s view of world class events from the All Star Game to local gems like Lumenocity.  We truly have a wonderful city and I am proud to be part of how we present our fine city to the world.

GTGA: Tell us about someone who has been an inspiration to you and why.
Brian: Recently Terry Ramstetter the CEO of Prestige AV & Creative Services passed unexpectedly.  He was a mentor, a father figure, friend and a boss.  That’s a lot of roles for someone to fill for any one person…but he filled that role for the masses.  This is what made him so special.  Always demanding your best, the best you didn’t know you had.  In his passing what I have found truly inspiring is Prestige AV & Creative Services could be struggling and in chaos, but instead I have found once again Terry demanding our best that we never knew we had, an entire company stepped up into new leadership roles on the same day.  He prepped us for that day!

CINspirational People: Santa Ono

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CINspirational People is a feature of Good Things Going Around profiling diverse people of Greater Cincinnati, what inspires them, and what is inspiring about them. You can read more profiles by clicking on the link at the top of the blog. Do you know someone to suggest? Please reach out. Thanks!

GTGA Intern Liza Hartke, a student at our city’s great University of Cincinnati, was so excited when she reached out to President Santa Ono for a CINspirational People interview – and he wrote back with such thoughtful answers…one more reason to have huge respect for him. He always makes time for U.C. students. His answers as to why he came to U.C. and what he values about it are truly heartfelt. Cincinnati is lucky to have him here!

 

GTGA Intern Liza Hartke: What was your biggest motivator for wanting to be president of the University of Cincinnati?
CINspirational People profile: University of Cincinnati President Santa OnoSanta: My selection as president of University of Cincinnati was unexpected. I had served as provost of the University for a little over two years when my predecessor Gregory Williams resigned suddenly. The Board of Trustees asked me to serve as interim president, and I of course accepted due to my love of the institution and especially for the faculty, staff and students of the University.

The search committee for the permanent president of UC asked me why I would want to serve as the 28th president. The answer was simple: that I love the ethos of the institution, it’s connectivity with the city of Cincinnati, and its mission of transforming the lives of the next generation.

I don’t think many people fully appreciate how remarkable UC is on the landscape of higher education. It is considered one of a handful of institutions that have truly innovated how college students are educated.  That innovative spirit pervades the institution.

I think a good case could be made that no other institution integrates better classroom teaching with the real world experience.

The biggest motivator for me is to build upon that tradition and to ensure that we continue to create new knowledge and transform the lives of students that matriculate at the University.

GTGA Intern Liza: What is your favorite thing about being the president?
Santa: My favorite aspect of being UC’s president is interacting with faculty, students and staff. The work that occurs on our campus on a daily basis is simply stunning. Through this work, people are living their dreams. I view my primary mission as facilitating that work and helping our faculty, staff and students realize their dreams.

GTGA Intern Liza:What makes the Cincinnati students unique?
Santa: I have had the honor and privilege of working at several fine institutions including: Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, University of London, and Emory University. There are outstanding students at each of these institutions as well as at hundreds of other colleges and universities around the world.

University of Cincinnati students are amazing in that they approach their studies and work with diligence and enthusiasm but with humility and no sense of entitlement. The quality of their work is second to none. Everywhere I go, CEOs and industry leaders sing the praises of our graduates. Indeed, a just proportionate number of industry leaders are alumni of our great university.

I honestly believe that part of the “secret sauce” of a University of Cincinnati education stems from the diversity of individuals within the institution. That prepares our students to work with very different kinds of individuals to move forward with a complicated project. That ability to communicate across disciplines and between theory and practice prepares our students well to innovate and to lead.

GTGA Intern Liza: What has been the most challenging struggle and how have you overcome it?
Santa: As is probably the response of most university presidents, the biggest challenge involves balancing a large and complex annual budget. Significant portions of that budget are not guaranteed on an annual basis. For example state and federal subsidies and enrollment can change abruptly from year-to-year.

Dealing with this challenge involves careful strategic planning and strong peripheral vision. The CEO of such an institution needs to have multiple plans to deal with various scenarios and needs to think quickly on his or her feet. You also need to surround yourself with a talented team that can help you navigate through unchartered waters.

GTGA Intern Liza: What is a motto you live by and how has it impacted you?
Santa: To whom much is given, much is expected. Luke 12:48

Universities are privileged institutions that exist for the betterment of society. University presidents must set the tone where there is an automatic expectation throughout the institution that we mobilize our resources for the betterment of the community in which we live.

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