2022 Honorees
Dr. C. Keith Melvin
Lifetime Achievement in STEM
This year’s honoree for the Lifetime Achievement in STEM Award in Dr. C. Keith Melvin. Dr. Melvin has practiced clinical medicine for over 40 years. He is currently the Attending Physician for the Graduate Medical Education Program of Jewish Hospital where he teaches intern and resident physicians.
Dr. Judson Haynes, III
Applied Scientist of the Year
This year’s Applied Scientist of the Year is Dr. Judson Haynes, III. Dr. Haynes is a R&D Director at P&G and is a proud graduate of Hampton University and Louisiana State University. He resides in Cincinnati with his wife, Nutritionist Dr. Sheila Haynes, and together are dedicated parent of two teenagers.
Mrs. Candice Matthews Brackeen
Community Advocate of the Year
Candice Matthews Brackeen is a dynamic economic development organization founder/CEO and venture capital investor. Through her leadership at Lightship Foundation and Lightship Capital, Candice has guided hundreds of growth stage tech startups to more than one hundred fifty million dollars in funding.
Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio
Community Organization of the Year
The mission of the Urban League is to transform generations by promoting personal empowerment and economic self-sufficiency. The Urban League has served the region’s underserved populations since 1948. The Urban League reaches thousands of families through their Workforce Development Training, Youth and Financial Services, and community partnerships.
Turner Construction
Corporation of the Year
This year’s Corporation of the Year is Turner. Turner is the largest General Contractor in the country, completing $12 billion of construction on 1,500 projects each year. We have been building in the Greater Cincinnati region since 1903, starting with the construction of the Ingalls Building -- the world's first reinforced concrete skyscraper. Turner has been widely recognized for their Minority Supplier Development programming.
Deidre Simpson
Educator of the Year (K-6)
This year’s Educator of the Year (grades K-6) is Deidre Simpson. Ms. Simpson is now teaching her 30th year with the Cincinnati Public Schools. She teaches science to 5th and 6th grade students at Evanston Academy, where she has also been a lead teacher for the past fifteen years. She has been a robotics coach for the past ten years and has earned close to fifty trophies and awards.
Dr, Jeffrey Johnson
Educator of the Year (7-12)
This year’s Educator of the Year for grades 7-12 is Dr. Jeffrey Johnson. Dr. Johnson is an experienced Geometry teacher at Mount Notre Dame High School. Dr. Johnson previously was an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati and the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Biomedical, Chemical, and EnvironmentalEngineering programs.
Pamela Williams-Dyle
Engineer of the Year
This year’s Engineer of the Year is Mrs. Pamela Williams-Dyle. Pamela is a Senior Director, Upstream Process & Engineering, Global Personal Health Care for Procter and Gamble. She has more than 25 years experience bringing engineering solutions to our everyday lives.
Melvin Gravely, II
Entrepreneur of the Year
This year’s Entrepreneur of the Year is Mr. Melvin Gravely. Melvin J. Gravely, II is the CEO and Chairman of the Board of TriVersity Construction Company, a Cincinnati, Ohio based commercial construction company. TriVersity specializes in providing construction services to large complex organizations with ongoing construction needs.
Dr. Cedrick Kwuimy
Faculty Member of the Year
This year’s Faculty Member of the Year is Dr. Cedrick Kwuimy. Dr. Kwuimy is a Assistant Professor of Engineering Education in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati. Cedrick is driven by the vision that excellence is his students’ destiny.
Evan Brooks
Graduate Student of the Year
This year’s Graduate Student of the Year is Evan Brooks. Evan is a PhD candidate in Molecular and Developmental Biology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. His research focuses on understanding how the development of the lower jaw skeleton is disrupted in a rare disease called Oral-facial-digital syndrome.
Dr. Kent Robinson
Healthcare Professional of the Year
This year’s Healthcare Professional of the Year is Dr. Kent Robinson.. Kent Robinson, MD, is a board certified Internal Medicine Physician. He is currently a staff physician employed by Mercy Health. His Practice integrates the specialty of Internal Medicine with nutritional and preventive approaches to health and wellness:
Danielle Anderson
Rising Star of the Year
This year’s Rising Star of the Year is Mrs. Danielle Anderson. Danielle is the Senior Environmental Health and Safety Manager at GE Aviation’s Additive Technology Center where she has responsibility for advancing site Environmental Health and Safety programs
Eku Williams
Technologist of the Year
This year’s Technologist of the Year is Mr. Eku Williams. Eku is a Partner and Senior Manager of Vulnerability & IT Audit with CyberSure. He is responsible for conducting information technology (IT) vulnerability assessments and IT security specific audits while assisting organizations to mitigate risks in their environment.
Anya Brown
Wesleigh White Memorial Scholar
Anya Brown is a student at Hughes STEM High School in the Cincinnati Public School district. . She plans to pursue a career in nursing upon graduation.
2021 Honorees
LifeTime Achievement in STEM - Dr. Cheryll Dunn
Applied Scientist of the Year - Mrs. Cathy Bailey
Community Advocate of the Year - Mrs. Deboah Allsop
Community Organization of the Year - NAACP-ACTSO
Corporation of the Year - GE
Educator of the Year (K-6) - Mrs. Carmen DeLoach
Educator of the Year (7-12) - Mr. Erick Allen
Engineer of the Year -Mr. Howard Elliott
Entrepreneur of the Year - Mr. Robert Richardson, Jr.
Faculty Member of the Year - Dr. James Mack
Graduate Student of the Year - Dr. Corinne Foley
Healthcare Professional of the Year - Dr. O’dell Owens
Rising Star of the Year - Mrs. Racquel Redwood
Technologist of the Year - Mrs. Josette Riep
Wesleigh White Memorial Scholar - Miss Kaylaa Betts
2020 Honorees
LifeTime Achievement in STEM - Dr. Alvin Crawford
Applied Scientist of the Year - Mr. Jesse Hipps, Sr.
Community Advocate of the Year - Rev. Dr. Jonathan Brown
Community Organization of the Year - Cincinnati Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Incorporated
Corporation of the Year - Messer
Educator of the Year (K-6) - Mr. Gregory Cannon
Educator of the Year (7-12) - Mrs. Caroline Robb
Engineer of the Year - Lisa Rowell
Entrepreneur of the Year - John Moore
Faculty Member of the Year - Dr. Mary Stroud
Graduate Student of the Year - Dr. Camille Sullivan
Healthcare Professional of the Year - Mrs. Felicia Beckham
Rising Star of the Year - Mr. Jimmy Stringer
Technologist of the Year - Mr. Darold Fletcher
Wesleigh White Memorial Scholar - Miss Cari’a Thacker
2019 Honorees
LifeTime Achievement in STEM - Mr. J. Phillip Holloman
Applied Scientist of the Year - Dr. Rolanda Wilkerson
Community Advocate of the Year - Rev. Damon Lynch, III
Community Organization of the Year - Queen City (OH) Chapter of the Links, Inc.
Corporation of the Year - Procter and Gamble
Educator of the Year (K-6) - Ms. Morgan Chapman
Educator of the Year (7-12) - Dr. Lameesa Muhammad
Engineer of the Year - Gloria Samuel
Entrepreneur of the Year - Renee Seward
Faculty Member of the Year - Dr. LaSharon Mosley
Graduate Student of the Year - Melvin Ikwubuo
Healthcare Professional of the Year - Dr. Christopher Lewis
Rising Star of the Year - Dr. DeVonna Gatlin
Technologist of the Year - Karen Lipscomb
Wesleigh White Memorial Scholar - Nan Yebuah