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.

Erin Moore

I began as a counseling intern at a community agency in Chardon where Jennifer Emch served as my supervisor. We aligned well both in personality and clinical/humanistic approach. Read more>>

Jennifer O’Herron

As a child my father traveled a lot for work so when he was home he was very hands on with us kids. We’d go on pontoon boats and catch turtles and frogs and release them. I just loved all animals and growing up we had everything from frogs to bunnies to dogs and cats….you name it. Read more>>

Leah Louise

I got started in makeup at 19 while living in Chicago. Honestly, I just needed a job at the time. I was walking through Water Tower Place and saw a bareMinerals boutique. Read more>>

Tom Kneeland

The Gahanna Veterans Memorial Park was the idea of several local WWII veterans who were passionate about recognizing all local Veterans of all branches on the United States Military who served in war time and peace time. The details of the idea and plan are outlined below. Read more>>

Andy & Terri Liming

Hello, my name is Andy Liming. My wife Terri and I own and operate the GR8 Vines Winery in St. Marys Ohio. In April of 2009, Terri and I started dating and a year later decided to marry and join our two families. I brought 3 boys into the mix with Terri’s son and two daughters. Read more>>

Elizabeth Bowman

The Licking County Historical Society preserves and operates four historic landmarks, two of which are located in Veteran’s Park – the Buckingham Meeting House and the Sherwood-Davidson House. The Buckingham Meeting House was built in 1835 by Daniel Duncan and later became the home of Jerome Buckingham. Read more>>

Paul Wellington

My sister and I appeared on LEGO Masters, season 4, in 2023. After filming the show, I wanted to find a way to give back to the community. In 2024, I became the local ambassador for a non-profit called Pass the Bricks, which entails collecting LEGO, making small sets, and distributing them to kids in need through schools, libraries, summer camps, and community centers. Read more>>

Heidi Thompson

Flawless Aesthetics started with a passion for helping people feel confident in their own skin while creating a patient experience that felt personal, welcoming, and results-driven. As a nurse practitioner with a background in neuroscience, labor and delivery, and gastroenterology, I saw an opportunity to combine medical knowledge with artistry to provide treatments that truly made people feel their best. Read more>>

Kelly Eichberger

I started my journey in education by teaching abroad, where I developed a deep appreciation for hands-on, child-centered learning. When I returned to the United States during COVID, I saw a real need for quality childcare, as many families were struggling to find available spots. That’s when I decided to create a home-based preschool. Read more>>

Joe Rangel

I am from a musical family which started me playing guitar early on. Became obsessed with jazz as a teenager. Graduated with a bachelors in music performance (emphasis in jazz guitar) and have been working professionally as a bandleader and sideman for over 15 years. Now primarily doing neo-soul/jazz/dream-pop type of music. Read more>>

Ayana Turner

I’m the owner of A Touch of Murphy LLC, a commercial cleaning and construction cleanup company serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. My journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t something I planned, it was something I grew into through life, responsibility, and resilience. At 20, I became a mother, and that experience shaped how I approached everything. Read more>>

Sophia DelCiappo

Growing up, I always had a camera in my hand. I was the go-to friend to bring her digital camera to any hangout and take pictures and mirror selfies constantly! This led me to working on the yearbook in high school furthering my joy and wonder in capturing moments. Read more>>

Brandy Kreider

Affinity Event Rentals didn’t start as a business—it started as a feeling. A love for celebrating people. A passion for transforming ordinary spaces into something meaningful. And a deep understanding that the moments we gather for—weddings, showers, milestones—aren’t just events… they’re memories in the making. In the beginning, it looked simple. Helping a friend set up for a party. Read more>>

Favour Ohaezu

I am Favour Ohaezu, now a lab manager at the University of Michigan. How did I get here? From a little girl drawn to health and research, to an R1 university graduate, to working in one of the top research institutions in the United States. Growing up in a small town in Lagos, Nigeria, we had no access to specialists or research to explain illnesses. Read more>>

Jennifer Harbage

Fat Hen Farmhouse is the realization of a dream started in 2010 when I decided to sell eggs to my local community. Fat Hen Farmhouse grew from a flock of 15 hens to now offer a wide variety of retail meat products and pantry items. Read more>>

Chad Robert Collofello

As a child, I knew I was artistic and pretty capable compared to other students my age. Unfortunately, I didn’t think it mattered. While I enjoyed it and there were moments of recognition that I can recall, there was no real encouragement. In fact, until my senior year in high school, I don’t remember anyone taking the time to try to teach me anything. Read more>>

Moira Reed

About 15 years ago I had what you’d call a mystical experience. I went to a woman for energy healing and my life pretty much changed. I was awakened to the fact that we are truly all one and are all connected. As I was lying on her table – I felt as if I was morphing into everything around me. Read more>>

Randy Rogers

I am the executive director of the Green Lawn Cemetery Association, a private, non-profit cemetery in Columbus. I was recruited as a trustee in 2011 as a frequent bird watcher and nature enthusiast – a position created when the cemetery was designated an Audubon Ohio Important Bird Area. Read more>>

Brandon Couch

My story didn’t start in a place most people would expect for someone doing this kind of work today. I’m a U.S. Air Force veteran, and on the outside, there were seasons of my life that looked stable—even successful. But internally, I was battling addiction, unresolved trauma, and a growing sense of emptiness that I didn’t know how to face. Read more>>

Todd Duvall

I started life in Western Toledo, in the Oak Openings region of NW Ohio, and in that location grew a deep love for our natural environment and the way are waters and watersheds are fundamental to the health of those wild areas around us. Read more>>

Marvin Butts

I got started in 1988 as a bodygaurd to Soul Trains Don Cornelius. That prompted me to then get in to the Chauffeured transportation and Auto Detailing industries. I then used my business platforms to raise money from my clients across the businesses to start the Butts Family Foundation a 501(c)3 to give back and educate struggling families across Cincinnati’s 52 neighborhoods Read more>>

Heidi Reardon

I’ve been a photographer for over 35 years, and what started as a creative passion slowly grew into something much more meaningful. Early on, I was drawn to capturing people in a way that felt real—images that weren’t just taken, but experienced. Over time, that became the foundation of my business. The name Noah Blue Photography carries a deeper meaning for me. Read more>>

django kroner

When I was 19 I moved to the gorge for the rock climbing. I was working for a timber frame cabin builder and living on his land. I asked if I could build a treehouse to live in and he said yes. Read more>>

Trey Daring

Eichholtz & Daring PETS, a pet-only cremation facility, officially opened in Bellefontaine in 2020 to provide quality, professional, one-at-a-time cremation services for all pets. This initiative arose organically due to the community demand over several years. We are proud to be the first and only on-site pet cremation service in our area. Read more>>

Kenneth Redd

So I started off as a Professional Rap Artist in the 90s under the stage name Coach Chronic. From there I entered the merch business which turned in to a full clothing line. Read more>>

Julia Mason

I didn’t start Enthusiasm Lab with a perfectly mapped-out business plan — I started it by following a feeling. For over 17 years, I’ve been supporting women in different capacities: first through the beauty industry and marketing, then branding and websites, and eventually stepping fully into the work I do today. Read more>>

Cody McClung

My story started with my own transformation. Before I ever became a personal trainer, I was the person who needed help. At my heaviest, I was over 300 pounds and felt disconnected from the man I knew I was capable of becoming. I had to learn how to rebuild my health from the ground up. Read more>>

Audrey Reichert Haleigh Noffsinger

Photography started as a passion for both of us long before Abide Creative Studio became a reality. We both fell in love with capturing genuine moments and telling stories through photographs—whether it was families, seniors, weddings, or the small in-between moments that often mean the most. Read more>>

Gina Maccarone

My path to cosmetic surgery wasn’t linear, but in hindsight, it makes perfect sense. I started my career in general surgery and spent over a decade in high-acuity settings, including surgical critical care. That experience built a strong foundation in discipline, precision, and patient safety, but over time, I realized I was craving a more creative and patient-centered form of medicine. Read more>>

Cecil Harris

My business begin about 15 years ago my youngest daughter Olivia Harris aka (Judy) was 2 years old. My oldest daughter Monica Harris aka (Peaches) was 9 years old she said “Dad I know what Olivia wants for her birthday” 🎂. I said “what ?” She said a bounce house. Read more>>

Maria Podolan

I have been an Occupational Therapist specializing in feeding therapy for over 15 years. I started specializing with complex infants and toddlers admitted to the hospital for feeding tubes, all the way to helping babies eat better in the NICU so that they could go home. I earned my lactation credentials over 10 years ago to better assist my families who were breastfeeding. Read more>>

Darrick Beekman

In 2012 my partner and I decided we would like to open a wine bar which allowed people to chill, relax, catch up with friends, dates, family gatherings, etc with a wine selection from different areas of the world.. Unwind Wine Bar opened in December 2012. We like to call it an upscale wine bar without the upscale attitude or price. Read more>>