The Change-Makers: stories that inspire

The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.

Jake Thomas

I grew up in a small town in southern Ohio. I’ve been an entrepreneur for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I sold crafts I made to adults at my church and my art projects to my siblings — at a family discount, of course. I’ve always been fascinated by creating something valuable and finding ways to share it with others. Read more>>

Chazz Hawks

I’m Chazz, a self-taught fashion designer and the founder of House of Chazzly. My journey began from a need to see more representation in the fashion industry, especially for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and those from diverse backgrounds. I’ve always believed fashion should be for everyone, which is why my collections showcase people of all shapes, sizes, and genders. Read more>>

sean casey

I was a dancer before I was anything else. I started when I was three years old, and the studio quickly became my second home. The open floors, the mirrors, the music moving through my body before I even understood what embodiment meant. At my dance school there was a teacher that choreographed many of our pieces. Read more>>

Tara Myers

Studio Muse began as a small salon suite in Strongsville with my business partner and I. In 2016, after outgrowing that space, we invested in an 8-chair salon in Brecksville. Formerly Salon Jovan, the space came with a handful of stylists and existing equipment. We gave ourselves one year to completely revamp and renew it. Read more>>

Jennifer Rudolph

My background is in education, I have an M.Ed. from Ohio State, and I taught math at both Upper Arlington High School and Columbus State. I enjoy working with teenagers, and getting to know them and what makes them special. Read more>>

Diane Steiger

My background is in education, I have an M.Ed. from Ohio State, and I taught math at both Upper Arlington High School and Columbus State. I enjoy working with teenagers, and getting to know them and what makes them special. Read more>>

Erin Huber

I started my first nonprofit organization when I was 16 years old, called Covering Cleveland. I was driving around at night in downtown Cleveland with my friends going to a concert, and I saw someone my age making their bed on the sidewalk during a blizzard. I had a blanket in my car, so I decided to pull over and help. Read more>>

Eliana Valerio

I’m Eliana Valerio — a mother, former educator, strategist, and founder of two mission-driven brands: The Mama Playbook and The Virtual Female Co. My journey didn’t begin in a boardroom — it began in motherhood. I became a mom very young, and that season shaped everything. Navigating pregnancy, postpartum, growth, loss, and reinvention forced me to mature quickly and build resilience early. Read more>>

Sylvia Austin

Here,s a little bit about my story. I I was born and raised in Columbus,Ohio. I always had dreams of being influential, but I did not know how to become what I saw. I have been through a lot of ups in downs. But through it all my faith and trust in God helped me get to where I am today. Read more>>

Alexandrina Webb

I started my journey in healthcare working behind the scenes — learning the systems, the billing structures, the regulations, and most importantly, the gaps. I saw how many providers, especially small home health and community-based agencies, were passionate about serving patients but overwhelmed by the complexity of credentialing, compliance, and revenue cycle management. Read more>>

Michael Homan

My journey with Sit Means Sit began as a customer after encountering Paul Pollock and his trainers at the RV Show at the IX Center. At first, I was skeptical they could help his two challenging dogs: Dozer, a rescued Basset mix who showed aggression toward strangers, and Penny, an extremely energetic chocolate Lab puppy. Read more>>

Nicholas Bungart

My interest in photography began just before my senior year of high school, at a time when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to pursue after graduation. As I explored different possibilities, I found myself increasingly drawn to photography—a passion that felt both personal and familiar. Read more>>

Lisa Andrews

My interest in nutrition and health started when I was young. My father had diabetes, and my mother struggled with her weight most of her life. After 5 children, who wouldn’t? I felt like I was always around someone who was on a diet. My mom was also a good cook, so food was central to my life. Read more>>

Brenda Brown

Helping grieving people is my passion. That sounds weird to many people. However, years ago, when death loss grief entered my own life, I struggled to find others who could help or understand. I felt so isolated. So I started working in the field of grief (hospice and, later, as director of grief services). I discovered an endless wealth of information and resources. Read more>>

Detra (Dee) Hester

I grew up in the church, but for many years I didn’t fully understand who I was in Christ. I knew the language of faith, but I hadn’t yet embraced my identity or the power that comes with being positioned as a child of God. As I matured spiritually, I began discovering my spiritual gifts — encouragement, teaching, and administration. Read more>>

Jodi Brandstetter

I’ve spent over 25 years in Human Resources and Talent, beginning my career as a Recruiter and eventually serving as Director of Talent Acquisition for a Fortune 500 company. Throughout that journey, I developed an understanding of how strategic hiring and strong HR foundations directly impact business performance. Read more>>

Brian Murphy

Like many great success stories, I found this industry by mistake. But in all seriousness, I fell into this industry and could really see a vision in my mind of building something meaningful. I approached the work with the long term always in mind: continually learn, reinvent, build long enduring relationships, and always look for a better way to do things. Read more>>

Emily Wojniak-Heselton

I began my career as a mental health counselor and quickly knew I loved the work. I always felt it was a sacred responsibility to sit alongside people as they shared their stories – helping them make sense of their experiences and supporting them during seasons of growth and change. Read more>>

Joanie Calem

I have been a working musician since 1983. I started off teaching piano and slowly expanded into performing family shows. Over the years I have taught in both schools and private lessons, and performed for all ages. I currently lead monthly sing along sessions at Supportive Housing centers, at Rehab centers, and at senior centers. Read more>>

Dean Cinquemani

The Community for Better Living began its life around 2010. The idea that sparked it was really twofold, first, as a pastor, I had been challenged by a mentor to create something so meaningful in its community that the locals around would really miss it if it ever closed, perhaps even fight to keep it open. The second inspiration was really about operation. Read more>>

Sam Maniar

When I was in high school, I read a book about the mind-body connection in running. From that moment forward, I was hooked and became fascinated with the mental side of performance in sports, business, and life. Read more>>

Rachel Gentner

My journey really began with a life-changing moment. I was diagnosed with melanoma, and that experience forced me to slow down and reevaluate everything. I decided to focus on healing — physically, emotionally, and spiritually — and that process opened the door to a much deeper relationship with myself. At the same time, I was navigating life as a divorced mother of two. Read more>>

Julie Slater

Meadow City Native Plant Nursery was founded by a group of friends who love nature. The three of us – Julie, Alyssa, and Dave – met at OSU’s School of Environment and Natural Resources. Learning about the richness and biodiversity of Ohio’s wild habitats made us realize how much was missing from the lawn-dominated landscapes where we live. Read more>>

Abbey Osborne

When I was 15 years old, I saw a help wanted ad on the laundromat bulletin board. The position was providing companion care for an 85 year old man in my neighborhood. I spent the last year of his life with him, and my time with him was my first experience with caregiving and dementia. I have loved this type of work ever since! Read more>>

Vernon Williams

I am one year into my role as the Resource Developer at Shoes 4 The Shoeless (S4TS). I first came across the organization as a volunteer a few years ago, and I was tremendously moved by seeing how a simple act of kindness can spark a change in a community. Read more>>

Christine Boesch

Teaching Kindergarten at the time, I noticed something I couldn’t ignore – more and more basic needs were going unmet. How could I expect the little girl in my class to run at recess in shoes two sizes too big? How could I ask a student to focus on subtraction while his stomach ached with hunger? Read more>>

Leslie Pristas

After serving almost 10 years in the Air Force, I moved with my family back to Ohio in 2018. My husband Tim and I have three young sons, and we knew we wanted to raise them in Ohio closer to extended family. Read more>>

Amy Bessette

I’ve always had a deep love for animals — even as a little girl, I was the one rescuing strays, volunteering to pet-sit, and choosing animals over just about anything else. That passion followed me all through school and led me to attend Miami Valley CTC, where I studied pre-vet tech. Read more>>

Som Baraily

We started our business in 2022. Before that, I used to run a restaurant in Tallmadge Circle. Once COVID hit, my restaurant business declined, and we decided to sell it. After a year, I planned to start a bigger business. I partnered with my brother Janga, and we bought the Italian Center in Akron, Ohio. Read more>>

Matt Wenning

Matt Wenning started Wenning Strength by applying high-level strength training to real-world performance problems. What began as coaching powerlifters and athletes quickly evolved into a system focused on durability, work capacity, and injury reduction—not just chasing PRs. As his reputation grew, that approach translated naturally to the military, where performance under load, fatigue resistance, and resilience mattered more than gym numbers. Read more>>

Mckenna Marino

I began my journey at 17 when I enrolled in cosmetology school in Florence, KY. I went in with the intention to learn and do hair, but quickly learned it was not for me! Fast forward to 2021, I began working at a local waxing chain to try something new. There, I fell in love with waxing! Read more>>

Sharece Miller-Curry

I’ve always known I wanted to build something that blended strategy, protection, and creativity, but I just didn’t know at first what that would look like. I began my career as an attorney focused on helping people navigate some of the most stressful seasons of their lives, from misdemeanor criminal matters, evictions, personal injury, and business formation. Read more>>

Crystal Thomas

I’ve been in the beauty industry since 2005, and what started as a passion quickly turned into a lifelong career. Over the years, I’ve grown alongside the industry constantly learning, evolving, and refining my craft. In 2014, I officially stepped out on my own and launched what was then known as Styles by Crystal. Read more>>

Alex Martin

I went to Bowling Green State University and graduated with a degree in finance. It was 2009 and the economy wasn’t doing too great so I was struggling to find a job out of college. My sister recently opened a bakery in 2008 and needed help so I started working for her until I found something in my field. Read more>>

Ashley Short

Salsa’s Legacy Rescue was founded in June 2025 by a young woman whose heart has always belonged to animals. Growing up, her natural connection with creatures great and small earned her the nickname “Ellie May.” One of her first rescues? A tiny, orphaned baby possum she cleaned it up and safely delivered it to a wildlife center. Read more>>

LYDIA RANDALL

While I was in college getting my undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Women’s Studies I worked in hospitality. I worked at a coffeehouse that was a third space and that is what inspired me to create my own. Lydia’s on Garfield, formerly Lydia’s on Ludlow. Read more>>

Tom Gerberich

My wife and I started attending H2O Church in 2019. We fell in love with the culture at H2O and the desire to see more people come to know Jesus, especially the students on the campus of Bowling Green State University. After spending a year attending the church, I joined the staff team in the fall of 2020. Read more>>