CINspirational People
CINspirational People: Lisa Graham
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!
For this profile, I am profiling someone who I admire in so many ways. I first heard about Brewhaus Dog Bones at a Cincinnati
social enterprise conference and Lisa Graham is its founder and director. When you buy the tasty dog treats (I know they are tasty, as I have tested them on several dogs), you are supporting opportunities for young adults with disabilities to gain valuable life and work skills as they are involved in every aspect of making and selling the products.
You will learn a lot more about Brewhaus Dog Bones, Lisa and Lisa’s inspiration for her organization in my interview with her below.
GTGA: What are Brewhaus Dog Bones?
Lisa: They are handcrafted, small batch, oven baked dog treats made from whole grains sourced from local Cincinnati microbreweries. Currently, Listermann Brewing Co./Triple Digit Microbrewery, Mt. Carmel Brewing Co., Rivertown Brewing Co., Bad Tom Smith Brewing, Paradise Brewing Supply, Eight Ball Brewing, Braxton Brewing, Fibonacci Brewing Co., and Old Firehouse Brewery support its mission by donating spent barley grains and product sales in taprooms/brewing supply stores.
And they are all made, marketed and distributed by students who have disabilities.
GTGA: Tell us more about how Brewhaus is helping people
Lisa: My goals with Brewhaus Dog Bones are to give young adults with disabilities opportunities that empower them in a way that they never would have otherwise experienced; and to change other people’s perceptions of people with disabilities.
Brewhaus Dog Bones is a nonprofit, social enterprise that is currently working with eight local school districts including New Richmond, Mariemont, Sycamore, Williamsburg, Princetown, Mason, Oak Hills, and Cincinnati Public Schools to teach young adults life and work skills. We do not charge the schools. We have no administrative costs so everything we make goes back into funding our programs. We are also working with the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired on an adult model that will create paid employment.
Schools create their own classroom and hands-on lessons around our product; and there are also opportunities to bring their experience out into the community. I provide the materials but students do everything from start to finish from planning/forecasting demand, making, baking, labeling and weighing bags, processing orders, attending community sales opportunities, calculating costs, and counting money.
Teachers and vocational trainers create their own lessons, and each stage has hands-on experience in math, entrepreneurship, marketing, communication and teamwork.
Natalie Graham
GTGA: Where does your inspiration for Brewhaus come from?
Lisa: My daughter, Natalie, absolutely. She loves animals and also loves to bake. Natalie has some disabilities and I have always thought, ‘Is there something I can create to open opportunities for her and others like her?’
It was two years ago when we went to San Diego and visited a brewing company where they happened to have dog treats for sale. Then I began noticing treats in other places. It seemed like a great fit for Natalie. The association with our micro breweries seemed like a valid relationship.
GTGA: Have you ever organized anything on this scale?
Lisa: I have never started a nonprofit or anything that would required this much coordination, although I have always been a creative thinker and an organizer. I have gotten a lot of help. I worked with SCORE and our local breweries have been very supportive and helpful, donating their spent grains. My graphic artist, Thommy Long of Lemon Grenade Creative, has been a great support and helped with the process as well too. (or whatever you want there)
GTGA: Tell us more about Natalie:
Lisa: Twenty one years ago, Natalie was a tiny baby (just three pounds) born at 33 weeks at Good Samaritan Hospital. In her sheepskin, I remember she would wriggle to the end and she’d hit her head and would cry and they’d put her back. She is very determined. She has very good work ethic. Natalie loves animals and especially cats so I am trying to figure out cat treat. In fact, we partly went to San Diego to visit the zoo. We go to as many zoos as we can and especially where there are pandas. As I mentioned, Natalie loves to bake and cook, and also likes school and learning. She is also very good at bowling and following directions.
Natalie has a chromosomal abnormality, which has caused her to have some developmental disabilities; however, she is doing great. She can read, write and do basic math and is very capable of managing most of her needs. She just learns at a different pace and has difficulty understanding complex things. She also has a 50% hearing loss which makes her speech sometimes difficult to understand and orthopedic issues sometimes cause her to have an unsteady gait.
What is your long term goal with Brewhaus?
Lisa: My goal is to eventually have our own freestanding “Brew Bakery” for supported employment and to continue as a vocational training site. Brewhaus hopes to create a micro industry in Cincinnati from the spent grains that will directly benefit people with disabilities.
New Richmond Transition Program staff and students:
Front Row: Shelly Glenn (teaching assistant), Sarah, Natalie, Gaylynn Robinson (teaching assistant), Lisa Martin (lead transitions teacher); Back Row: Eric, Bobbie Perry (teaching assistant), Beau, Michelie Flood (teaching assistant), Thomas.
CINspirational People: Ann Lightfoot
I have known Ann for many years and always, when I think about her, I think about her warm and inviting smile. She has such a beautiful way of making you feel welcome when you enter a room. I didn’t realize because she chooses not to focus on her challenges, that she has had her own health issues. Her strength and courage is one more reason for me to admire her.
This is my favorite photo of us together.
Please learn more about Ann below.
GTGA: What are some of your simple pleasures?
Ann: I love capturing sunrises, sunsets and nature to enjoy and share with others.
I also love to be with people I care about, as well as meeting new people. One of my favorite things to do is listen. I enjoy listening to the sounds of the country like birds chirping, raindrops, creeks trickling, owls hooting, cows mooing, trees rustling, cicada sounds, and big bull frogs croaking. (note: this paragraph was told to me awhile back)
GTGA: You are dealing with your own health issues, that you’d like to share to help others.
Ann: I grew up working hard on a farm and then joined the Army to serve my Country. I have always taken pride in being physically fit, but in the last 3 years this has been more of a challenge. It has not been discovered why, but I have had a migraine for two and half years. It never goes away, just varies in levels of pain. It has also affected my sight, making me unable to drive, along with difficulty walking. My eyes close involuntarily and hold shut for seconds at a time. When the sun is bright it’s the worse. While walking with my eyes shut I have ran into walls, doors, people, and even fell off the side of the road. But I am not giving up. Walking means moving and getting exercise to get healthier.
GTGA: You are determined to not let this get in your way of living. Tell us about what you are doing to maintain your active lifestyle.
Ann: This year starting in January I got a Fitbit and challenged myself to walk 10,000 steps everyday – no matter what. Some days I have even reached 45,000 steps. It’s amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it.
In July my company started a wellness program with Humana where there are five levels to reach. I set my goals on the highest level which is Platinum. I set short term goals of 12 week long online courses and many educational topics, set preventive appointments like mammograms, biometrics, flu shots, dental cleanings, and fitness goals like 5k walks and daily steps of 15,000 or more. On 10/08/2015 I reached Platinum.
GTGA: Talk to us about the importance of goal setting.
Ann: It is very rewarding to reach your goals. When I was in the Army, my Airfield Commander inspired me to set short and long term goals. He has passed away from a horrible diving incident, but his inspiration carries on. I still set those goals and am determined to reach them. I hopes I can be a motivator and encourager to my friends and family for them to do the same. Even if difficulties come your way. Don’t give up.
#goodthingslisa #CINspiration
CINspirational People: Tami Boehmer
Last night, heaven gained an angel. My friend and friend to many, Tami Boehmer, left this earth peacefully with her loving husband Mike 
and daughter, Chrissy, at her side.
They have been in my thoughts and prayers a lot the past few weeks. Tami had metastatic breast cancer. For so many years she had been a voice for cancer survival. Through her books, her speaking engagements and her online following she inspired and encouraged thousands – if not millions, not only those fighting her similar battle, but others who have their own personal challenges to overcome as well. The years that Tami had cancer, she had also been the embodiment for living. She and her family traveled the country and experienced what many will never do in their lifetime. They shared deep and meaningful talks about love and their innermost feelings. They practiced appreciation and determination. Mike shared with a private support group I was part of, about conversations they had at her bedside, expressing gratitude for their many blessings, making sure nothing was left unsaid.
In Tami’s memory and honor, let’s make the most of our today…smile more, be grateful more…be open to seeing the beauty around us.
Please click here to read a post written by Tami about her story.
Jerry Williams Is An Everyday Hero
Do you believe in fate? I bet that Ernie Robinson, 51, and Jerry Williams, 52, do!
A student of CPR for several years, Jerry just happened to be at the right place at the right time to save his co-workers life.
It was October 8, 2015. The fuel delivery driver for Harper Oil in Florence was working an out-of-the-norm schedule. His usual 7:00 am to 5:00 pm shift was changed – for one day. After clocking out at 10:00 am, he ran some errands and came back to work around 3:30 pm. It was the only day in his years of working for Harper Oil that Jerry’s schedule was different.
And, on that day, when Jerry was talking to his supervisor, an employee burst into the room asking if anyone knows CPR. The three men dashed down the hall into the boss’ office where Ernie was unconscious and slumped over a couch. Ernie was gasping for air. He did not have a pulse.
“There was shock on everyone’s faces,” Jerry told me. “I just kept thinking, ‘he can die.’ That helped me do what I didn’t think I could do.”
Meanwhile, an employee called 911. “With the new training, it stresses those compressions are the most important thing so I just went as fast as I could for as long as I could. They told me it was about six to eight minutes,” Jerry explained. “Ernie wasn’t breathing, and then just before the ambulance got there, everyone began chanting and he started to breath.”
Company Chairman and President Stephen Harper told the Kentucky Enquirer, “I am extremely grateful for the heroic action taken by Jerry as he immediately took control of the situation, applying his knowledge and training and saving the life of Ernie. We are proud to have him as part of the Harper Oil Products team and he has inspired us to follow in his footsteps and make CPR training available to everyone in the company.”
Jerry told me when we talked that he hadn’t seen Ernie since the incident but he is really glad fate stepped in the way on October 8. “I’m glad I was able to help. I was real anxious a few days afterward but it really makes me appreciate life,” he told me. “I didn’t think I’d ever need my CPR training and now I am so glad I have it. If I didn’t know CPR, Ernie probably wouldn’t be alive today”
And about fate? “I am thinking God put me on that schedule October 8 just for Ernie. The very next day I went back to my usual schedule.”
On appreciating life, what are some of Jerry’s simple pleasures? “I love watching my grandchildren play, riding my motorcycle, and looking at the sky,” he said.
CINspirational People: Erin Davoran
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!
One of my summer interns, Liza Hartke, caught up with Seton High School graduate, Erin Davoran 
. Please learn more about Erin below.
GTGA Liza: What is a motto you live by and why or how has it impact you?
Erin: I often have to remind myself that Intention ≠ Action. There’s so much I always plan on doing, writing, attending, etc. but I have a lot of trouble executing my ideas through to the finish. It’s kind of like the saying “a verbal agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.” I am constantly making and breaking “verbal agreements” with myself. I have to work really hard to be more tenacious about things I want to accomplish.
GTGA Liza: What is a recent accomplishment that you are proud of? Tell us about it!
Erin: This summer I interned through the Dow Jones News Fund in Corpus Christi, Texas. I copy edited at the Journal Media Group’s central desk, which probably doesn’t mean anything to non-journalism people. Basically I edited articles for facts, grammar and clarity for seven newspapers owned by JMG (which was just bought by Gannett, which owns the Cincinnati Enquirer). I trained for 10 days in Austin and then worked nights and weekends in Corpus Christi for 9 weeks.
I was really proud of myself for seizing the opportunity away from home and doing work I was proud of. For example, during the Women’s World Cup, there was a teaser to the Finals between the U.S. and Japan on the cover of one newspaper that said “Ladies’ Night.” I felt this phrase, while aiming to be clever, was a very subtly sexist microaggression that demeaned the accomplishments of the soccer players like some bar special where soccer stars drink free. I checked with my boss who agreed. I changed the banner to “Final Fight.” To a lot of people, that might seem trivial, or that there was nothing wrong with the original wording, but to me, I was always aiming to produce the best news with consciousness.
Sure, there were times during the nights I would be exhausted or exasperated. Sure, there were articles that I hated editing or writing headlines for. But most of the time, I loved being part of the process. I was a cog in the news-making wheel, mostly invisible, as copy editors usually are, but also hardworking and extremely grateful.
I hope this accomplishment influences and fuels my future endeavors, whatever they may be.
GTGA Liza: What are some things you miss the most about Cincinnati?
Erin: Skyline, Graeter’s, Montgomery Inn, and LaRosa’s.
I’m kidding. Sort of.
Of all summers, I can’t believe this was the one I missed. As much as I enjoyed my time in Texas and appreciated my internship, there were definitely times I wanted to be in Cincinnati – especially for the Bunbury Festival (The Avett Brothers are my favorite band) and All Star Week. I used to want to get out of Cincinnati as soon as I could, and then this summer I wanted to get back just as quickly. It’s becoming such a cool, thriving town. The passion Cincinnatians have for the city is finally justified.
I read the Enquirer and watched everyone’s Snapchat stories all summer, and whether this was true or my homesickness was conflating the feeling, Cincinnati was/is the place to be right now.
Besides the renaissance of sorts the city is experiencing, I really missed my family and friends, as cheesy as that is to say. I hate that I missed weddings and family reunions. I go to school three hours away and my best friends are scattered in different cities for most of the year. I love that summers in college have been like 3-month reunions for us. Especially since we all graduate this school year, this summer was kind of one last guarantee we’d be together. Moving several states away kind of spoiled that guarantee.
GTGA Liza: What’s next for you?
Erin: I’m about halfway through my fall semester of senior year at Ohio University in Athens. It’s crazy. I have a lot going on, so I really have to keep senioritis at bay. However, I’m not in any hurry to leave OU, so maybe, just maybe, it won’t hit me until I’m way closer to graduation. Next, I have a whole list of jobs I want to apply for. It’s both terrifying and exciting actually, probably because the rejection hasn’t come yet.
I hope to graduate on time in April with a Bachelor of Science in journalism, a media arts and studies minor in screenwriting and digital storytelling, and a certificate in diversity studies. That will only happen if I remember the whole intention/action thing.
After that, hopefully my ensuing job search will be successful and I find somewhere to work and live – whether that be in Cincinnati, another U.S. location, or even going abroad. I was homesick this summer but I also am restless to see brand new places, too.
GTGA Liza: What advice would you give to students that are nervous about moving to another city?
Erin: I’m not sure I’m the best to be giving that advice because I knew my move had an end date. I knew I’d return home soon enough and I got to go back to Athens right after that.
As for a more permanent move, ask me again in about seven months when I maybe have a job away from home. I hope I would have the advice of just being open to whatever experience you’re granted, and if you are lucky enough to have the support and love from your family and friends, know that you always have a place to call home.
GTGA: Tell us about someone who has been a positive influence in your life.
Erin: I’m so easy to influence – in a good way, I hope! The people who influence me really stick out when I think back to decisions I’ve made that have altered my life in big ways.
I remember my aunt being the first person to suggest I look into OU’s journalism program. Then, when I started considering OU, I went to two family friends, both OU students, now alumni, to get their input. Two years later I was in a massive ‘Bobcat Family’ picture at their wedding.
When I was considering my internship offer last fall, I went to my professor/academic adviser who was so excited for me that she calmed my apprehension and made me excited about the opportunity as well.
Months later, when I was so sad to be leaving and not really wanting to move, my friends and parents encouraged me that, though they’d miss me, it was a good thing and a great opportunity.
So I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by many positive influences who’ve helped me at so many times in my life and continue to do so.
I didn’t mention my sister in the above scenarios, but she is definitely a positive influence for me as well, just in general whenever I need her. She lives in Illinois and teaches second grade. I’ve visited her class and seen how great she is with the rowdiest seven year olds I’ve ever seen. I could never do what she does but she does it so well, it’s inspiring.
GTGA Liza: What is your biggest motivator?
Erin: People. Awesome people around me – family, friends, roommates, professors, classmates – push me and help me turn intention into action. I have goals and dreams and all that which I probably wouldn’t get to without people who care about me keeping me focused and motivated. These are also often the same people who sometimes convince me eat popcorn and brownies and watch How To Get Away with Murder instead of studying or going to the gym, but for the most part, they keep me on track.
GTGA Liza: Any other information or quotes you would like for us to feature in your post.
Erin: I guess just a note that if I sounded pretentious (I know I sounded cheesy) in any of these responses, I did not mean to be. Though in this case, intention may not be in control of the result (aka “It’s not up to you if you’re an asshole or not. That’s up to everybody else” – Louis C.K.) Y’know, I’m still trying to find confidence in my abilities and myself, and recognize when I have succeeded. I’m trying to let myself be confident because if I’m paralyzed by self doubt, my intentions will never come to fruit. And that would be my own fault (see, cheesy).
Alright, enough self reflection. Other information? Anyone in the media field who’s hiring, let me know? Haha!
GTGA Liza: What have you learned about yourself this past summer?
Erin: I learned how to be an adult. Well, maybe not a full-fledged adult, but perhaps a pseudo-grownup. I was in a different city and state hundreds of miles from home with no one I knew. In my first big-girl job, I had to tackle responsibility and learn how to use a coffee maker. I had to manage money and take care of myself. Luckily, I learned that I could do it.
