CINspirational People
Susan Brownknight Is A Changemaker
In my shared quotes, I have talked a lot of how, to bring out the best in others, to give them wings that will raise them to their greatest potential, you need to focus on their strengths. You need to believe in them enough to be able to step back and allow them to grow through experience. You need to lead with integrity and resolve. You need to have passion for your cause.
Susan Brownknight, executive director of Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled (LADD), is one of those leaders and I am one of the fortunate ones who has been given wings while working with her.
Susan first hired me as the contracted role of director of communications and media for the 2015 Cincinnati ReelAbilities Film Festival. (Then, she was director of development and public relations for LADD, the managing organization of ReelAbilities.) I was charged with the developing and implementing a vast communication plan that would raise the relatively unknown event into a massive success that would catapult it into one of the region’s gem attractions. That campaign (with help from lots of volunteers, partners and staff) was a massive success and will always be one I look back on with huge pride.
In a recommendation afterwards, Susan said of me, “Lisa was a key reason why we were so successful, selling out the majority of our events and creating an organic “buzz” that proved invaluable.”
BUT, I have to say, I was able to achieve what I did because of the leadership for which I was working. Susan has all those leadership skills I described above and more. She believes in people and their abilities. She gives them wings. She is also a real pioneer, an organizer, an energizer and a doer.
LADD is a Cincinnati nonprofit organization that is recognized as a leader in helping adults who experience a developmental disability to live independently and reach their aspirations. They do that through housing, education and other support services to more than 500 individuals and their families.
I believe wholeheartedly in their mission. Wanting to help people see and reach for their greatest potential is our shared passion.
And, while circumstances caused me to not be able to serve in my role with the next upcoming Film Festival, I am thrilled to be back working with Susan and the team of LADD to tell the organization’s story.
Please take a few minutes and learn more about Susan, and where her inspiration for leadership comes from.
Lisa: Prior to joining LADD, your resume includes having worked at the Cincinnati Nature Center (in development and marketing) and for the Sierra Club. Why did you shift your focus into the disability field?
Susan: Really, in all of my jobs, my focus has always been on people and communities. While at the Nature Center, I really wanted to return to more direct connections. I have always felt I was called to do that. At LADD, what I do is on that same theme of giving voices to individuals and communities. There is so much work needed to be done around affordable housing, giving people a voice, and equal opportunities. LADD touches on all of the issues I have grappled with.
When you have an opportunity to work with incredible people, you have so much gratitude on a daily basis. The employees at LADD are truly exceptional people and as I have matured, I value them more. They challenge me and I hope they say I challenge them to be their best.
Lisa: You volunteered for the Homeless Coalition years back. What lessons did you learn from that experience?
Susan: There are so many people who have unbelievable tragedy in their lives who are inspired by love. I moved to Over-the-Rhine in 1997 and volunteered at Drop Inn Center. A month into volunteer time, Buddy Grey (a tireless advocate for those who are homeless) was murdered. I was thrown into the deep end. Buddy was such a force. Andy Hutzel was my boss and I took a lot of guidance from him. At such a young age himself, despite his devastating loss, all Andy cared about was supporting those around him.
I was still in college at the time. I had so much anger, fear and frustration; and I had a boss who could have gone a lot of ways but chose to focus on those who worked with him. I joined their staff in 1999 for a few years, lived in OTR for many years, and was a board member longer than that. I learned so much from that whole experience.
Lisa: You are one of the most encouraging, energizing people I have ever met. Where did that come from?
Susan: For a good portion of career, I struggled with people who are mean. They have been a source of immense confusion because I truly love people inside and out.
One of reasons is that I grew up with a group of friends from first grade who, to this day, are my great supporters. We have all remained so tight. They are incredible and they buffered me from negativity early on. We are all strong women who love and are there for each other unconditionally. It has been a process in life to realize that not everyone is that supportive and kind. I give them all credit, and blame, for me failing to understand how anyone can go to a place of fear and anger. I have developed a skill set to facilitate effectively when I do interact with people who have gone to that place.
Lisa: What are some of your goals as the new leader for LADD?
Susan: It is a cultural shift for communities to respect difference. People need to recognize that society has played a role in defining disability. Stairs disable someone in a wheelchair. A person in a wheelchair should not be defined by disability because their built environment is not for them. People on the autism spectrum process things differently. Why can’t we take advantage of the unique perspective a person brings? There is so much opportunity to focus on ability vs. disability. We are not there yet, but moving in the right direction.
On Susan’s email signature, she reminds us of one of her favorite Nelson Mandela quotes. “Vision without action is only a dream. Action without vision is merely passing time. But vision with action can change the world.”
And that is how Susan is going to get things done.
Karen And Her Dog Spread Joy
I met Karen Spradlin when I helped with some classes at a local dog training club. Karen was a volunteer also, and occasionally brought her labradoodle, Baxter. I looked forward to those Mondays early in my dog training career. I enjoyed the challenge of working with handlers who were having difficulty teaching their pets and I also 
benefitted from the positive, nurturing environment of Karen and head trainer Gloria White, CPDT-KA. Both became great friends, Gloria also becoming a mentor, whose encouragement also led to my studying for and passing he CPDT-KA certification.
A retired teacher, Karen is an instructor for Therapy Pets of Greater Cincinnati. Baxter is her second therapy dog, her first was a Rottweiler that died in 2012. He keeps her very busy as they spend many a days together brightening the spirits of those in need. I wanted to share some of her story.
Lisa: Please share how you came to have Baxter in your life.
Karen: I was deeply grieving after my other dog died, and had gone to so many shelters looking for another Rottweiler that would be a good therapy dog. I just could not find one. Two weeks after I got down on my knees and asked God to help, a friend called me to say they were taking me to get a labradoodle. He was five months old at the time and his owner was getting rid of him because his legs were too long and so she just kept him outside. He was brown because he was covered in dirt.
Lisa: Adopting him meant adopting his issues too.
Karen: It was very difficult in the beginning. Baxter was chewing everything and when I took him to a training class, he was barking and jumping and unmanageable. I was so discouraged. I told Gloria I couldn’t come back and I remember Gloria asking me if Baxter was going to be my forever dog. She asked if those behaviors are ones you want to live with, and if not, that I did not have a choice. We went to classes for a year and socialization was constant.
Lisa: Now Baxter does therapy work with you. That is quite a journey. What do you and Baxter do together?
Karen: Weekly we go to Clermont and Anderson Mercy Hospitals once a week, Batavia Elementary School on Thursdays for reading, and on Fridays to Forest Hills Care Center – a nursing home and rehabilitation center. We also visit Beckett Springs once a month in West Chester and once a month go to the Veterans Hospital downtown as well as do private presentations. It keeps us busy.
Lisa: Has there been any people who have been particularly impactful to you in your therapy work?
Karen: Yes, absolutely. As handlers, you don’t often know what the patient is thinking when you are visiting but sometimes you are fortunate to learn of how you have touched people and that makes this so special.
I remember one time when I was asked to give a presentation to the HOPE Community Center for Mental Wellness in Amelia, Ohio. One of ladies there weighed about 400 pounds. She raised her hand, and said, ‘you don’t remember me, do you?’ She told me she was in Clermont Mercy Hospital and that day, before we got there, she had told the nurse she just wanted to die. She hadn’t eaten or drank anything for three days, but Baxter and my visit made her feel good about herself. ‘You finished up by telling me this will get better and tomorrow will get better for you. After you left, you told me I had worth. I ate that day and started my pills that day,’ she shared. She told me I saved her life. I will never forget that.
Afterwards, Baxter was meeting people and there was another woman who was staring ahead into space. I brought Baxter to her and as he nudged her arm, she started petting him and said, ‘he is my sweet baby.’ Everyone stood up. When the day was over, a supervisor told me this was a really good day. They had never heard that woman’s voice before and she was at HOPE Center for three weeks.
It is those kinds of stories that make this time so special, and inspire me to continue doing this.
Lisa: You also just started a reading program at the Amelia Library.
Karen: Through Therapy Pets of Greater Cincinnati, I was asked to start a Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ) program at the Amelia Library and we are just kicking it off. Yesterday we had four dogs there. Hundreds of children have read to therapy dogs through READ. It is a great way to encourage a love of learning in kids.
Lisa: Outside of your therapy dog work, what advice do you give others on life?
Karen: Advice I give to my grandkids and every student is to make a plan and work the plan. Life is going to happen no matter what; and it can be really good or be bad. When you get in a car for a road trip, what is the first thing you do? What if you don’t have directions? If you want your life to be successful, then you have to make the plan for what you want to be. It isn’t easy but you need to do it.
Rich Walburg Is Cincinnati Proud
Today, I’d like to introduce you to Rich Walburg, who I met many years ago when he was an executive producer for 700WLW. Rich actually enjoyed a 25 year career in Cincinnati radio (also for WEBN, 97X and Q102) before stepping out of media for the role of director of communications for the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National MS Society. These days Rich is promoting our entire region as communications director for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
Let’s learn more about him.
Lisa: In your role with the Chamber, you see a lot of greatness going on in our region. What are some reasons for you of why you are proud of Cincinnati USA?
Rich: As a lifelong resident of Greater Cincinnati, I’ve always been proud of my hometown. The modern renaissance we’re experiencing is reinforcement that our region is a great place to work, live and play. The Cincinnati area is blessed with tremendous arts and culture, great parks and museums, professional sports teams, world-class colleges, incredible dining, a low cost-of-living and most importantly, Cincinnatians – whether they be new or native. A lot of regional organizations, with great leadership, are collaborating to further grow Cincinnati’s vibrancy and prosperity.
Lisa: What is an accomplishment of which you are really proud, and why?
Rich: Since the age of five, I wanted to be on the radio. Because she thought I’d never find a job, my senior high guidance counselor insisted I choose a career other than broadcasting. A few years after high school, I graduated CCM with a bachelor of fine arts in broadcasting and enjoyed 25 years in the field at WEBN, 97X, Q102 and most notably, 700WLW. I left every one of those jobs on my terms and with good relationships intact. That’s something of which I’m very proud.
Lisa: Tell us about an act of kindness you have done, witnessed or been the recipient of and how that made you feel.
Rich: An impromptu team-building exercise happened during my time at the National MS Society. We discovered a brood of ducklings had fallen into a parking lot storm drain. Their mother, next to the grate, was quacking and pacing.
Most every member of the staff was, in business clothes, on the asphalt working to rescue those babies, and we were successful. Fairly new to the job, I felt good to be part of the team and even better to see mama duck waddle away with family behind.
Lisa: Tell us about an activity that you really enjoy.
Rich: I treasure most the time I get with my wife, Cindy. She is a realtor with Comey & Shepherd and I have a crazy commute, so our schedules don’t always jive. Cindy is kind, always finding the best in individuals. No matter what we do together, it’s a nice time.
Lisa: What is one of your life lessons?
Rich: My parents, who encouraged my dreams, gave me, what I consider to be, a strong work ethic. Go to work every day. Do whatever is asked of you – and more. Don’t quit a job until you have another one.
While I was working at Q102, musician John Mellencamp visited the radio station. He, too, shared some “life lessons”, but they can’t be repeated – ever.
Michele Carey Makes Impact
Today I want to introduce a woman who I have known for many years. Michele Carey is like a breath of fresh air when she enters a room with her brilliant smile that touches my heart in a deep place. Her career choices have found her in positions that have the power to impact lives and communities in positive ways. I know that in the opportunities I have had to work with her – or be in the same room with her – that she has had a magical way of uplifting and inspiring me. We had lunch the other day. As she spoke of her job at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and her new side venture, selling jewelry for good causes, passion swept over her face. This is a woman who finds so much self satisfaction in her impact. I am glad to have Michele in my part of the world.
Please learn more about her below.
Lisa: Please tell us more about you.
Michele: I’m not from Cincinnati, but it’s my home after 20 years living here, raising a family, and getting to know so many wonderful people in our community. I came to The University of Cincinnati for graduate school, briefly moved to Chicago for my husband’s work, and returned when we were expecting our first child.
I live in Mt. Lookout with my husband and two children and I work at The Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF). I help professional advisors introduce their charitably minded clients to GCF. I have the best job. Every day, I work with big hearted people who have even bigger dreams for our community.
After 11 years, I just ended my service as a Trustee for The Cincinnati Association for the Blind. Last year, I joined the board of Cincinnati Public Radio —a dream volunteer job since I’m a total public radio geek! I serve as President of the Estate Planning Council of Northern Kentucky and an Advisory board member to YMCA Camp Ernst.
Lisa: There is a quote that I love that talks about how the world needs more people to follow their passions. You have such a sparkle in your eye when you talk about what you do professionally. Talk to us about that and why that puts a sparkle in your eye.
Michele: Thanks, Lisa! I heard that if you love your work, you never work a day in your life. That’s the secret to my sparkle! Working at The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, I love hearing our donors’ stories, discovering what matters to them, and learning how they’d like to change the world. My joy is connecting them with the people, organizations, and ideas that help them accomplish their charitable vision.
It’s perfect for me. I’ve always been a natural connector, even in my personal life; once I know that someone is interested in something, my mind clicks into “matchmaking mode.” I’ll think of a person with a similar interest, a topic I heard on WVXU, perhaps a book I read, or an organization that is doing work that aligns with their interest. For better or worse, it’s a compulsion, much to the embarrassment of my teenage children when we are running weekend errands and I start talking with people!
Lisa: You also sell jewelry with sales benefiting local causes. Tell us more about it and why that is important to you.
Michele: This February, my daughter and wanted to raise money for Camp Ernst’s scholarship program. Our goal was to raise enough money to send a child to camp for a week.
We love jewelry, and began making it to sell. VERY quickly we realized that while fun, its not our strength, and certainly was not going to get a child to camp any time soon! I discovered a a company in New York that designs a line of high quality, affordable jewelry that is absolutely gorgeous—much like what I wished I could make! We started doing in person “Pop-Ups” selling this jewelry. By early Spring, we raised enough money to send a child a to Camp Ernst for a week! We’ve also supported Children, Inc., All Things Kubuki, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and The Women’s Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation among others. We are currently raising funds for The League of Women Voters.
Our motto is “Be Sparkly and Do Good”. We’ve given away more than $2,000 from our Pop-Ups and online boutique sales since February.
It’s not just about nonprofits—helping individuals accomplish their dreams is important, too! For example, we are supporting the Leurck Family’s dream to make a documentary, “Drew Gets It”, about their son who has a special gift for touching people’s lives. Their dream is to premier this documentary at the Real Abilities Film Festival and they are raising money through Go Fund Me.
In addition, we’ve had the joy of helping two fabulous young women on the road to Miss America. We’ve sponsored and provided jewelry for Miss Northern Kentucky, Abbie Gibson, and also jeweled the newly crowned Miss Ohio, Alice Magato. We can’t wait to see Alice compete for Miss America on September 11th (wearing jewelry from our boutique!) and hopefully see Abbie there, too!
We’re having a great time and its truly good karma all around. Non-profits raise money, people have fun, and I love the that my daughter is learning entrepreneurial skills. My friends and co-workers have been incredibly supportive, which is a gift, too. For me, I get to wear my display samples at work and play. Anyone who knows me will agree that wearing the jewelry is my reward!
Note: you can learn more about Michele’s jewelry sales here. If you’d like to host an pop up event (online or in person) to benefit a non-profit, you can contact Michele at michelecarey@me.com
Lisa: Tell us about someone who has been a role model to you.
Michele: I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Susan Friedlander for many years now, and I consider her a friend and role model. What she has done for our community takes my breath away. Sue is fearless when it comes to garnering support for a community need. A true leader, she is always the first to give (and generously!). Her compassion runs deep and she is intellectually engaged. Watching her, I see someone who gives with her heart and equally her mind, which I admire. I’ve said to her, “Sue, when I grow up I want to be just like you!.” We laugh because I’m pretty grown already up at my age! But, it’s true—I can only aspire to be like her! Also true is that she will will be terribly embarrassed that said these things about her!
Lisa: What are three things that are on your bucket list?
Michele:
- living to see my children grow up to be healthy, happy, and financially secure adults.
- renewing my marriage vows in Hawaii with my husband of 23 years, Matt Carey.
- looking back on my life, and knowing that I was a small part of something exceptionally great for our community.
Lisa: Is there something coming up that you are looking forward to?
Michele: I’m looking forward to helping Cincinnati Public Radio (CPR) do a July fundraiser in partnership with Everything But The House (EBTH). At the end of July we will be collecting items from people in the community (value of $200+) to be auctioned online by EBTH in August. Stay tuned to 91.7 (WVXU) or 90.9 (WGUC) to learn more about how to donate and bid! I am co-chairing this first time fundraiser with Morgan Rigaud and Amanda Matusak, and we hope it will become an annual event!
Also, Sue Friedlander and I are co-chairing a “No-Go” Gala to benefit The Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. (CABVI). As ladies who appreciate fuzzy slippers, we’re excited that it’s a virtual event that takes place online. John Morris Russell has agreed to “Not” be our Emcee for the event. We hope that people will be excited to support CABVI without having to get dressed up for a gala. It’s a beautiful concept that my clever friend, Kathy Gottshlich, suggested for CABVI. You don’t have to go anywhere, and no rubber chickens will be harmed in the serving of the “non” dinner. Priceless!
#GoodThingsCincy
Congratulations to Pete Rose!
It was so great to see the Cincinnati Reds honor Pete Rose this past weekend with his induction into the Reds Hall of Fame and retiring his #14. “It is our salute to that person whose impact transcends their lifetime and spares any future player the impossible task of living up to a legacy too large to fill,” Reds CEO Bob Castellini said during the ceremony.
