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.

Ana Zambrano

My photography journey began four years ago in Venezuela, before I moved to Columbus three years ago. While I built a strong foundation here working digitally, my business underwent a powerful transformation in January of this year. Read more>>

Nicole Tuttle-Robb

I think I knew from a very young age that I was going to be a storyteller in some capacity. Growing up, storytelling was just a part of my everyday life. My mom was writing her first novel, while my dad, an English and drama teacher, was bringing me along to his classes and introducing me to Shakespeare when I was 5 or 6. Read more>>

Jennifer Frank

My name is Jennifer Frank and I am the Founder of a local nonprofit called The EveryBODY Organization. We raise money for community members who can’t afford their eating disorders treatment. It can be extremely costly to receive treatment-upwards of six-figures and it is often not covered by health insurance companies/plans. Read more>>

Cecil Holston II

I am a licensed mastered social worker better known as a ‘Therapist.’ I have been in the field for 17 years and have done work with fathers, reentering individuals, families, adults, and children. I began as a social worker being influenced by my mother and grandmother. They are the reason that I decided to take on the career as a social worker. Read more>>

Kayleen Gipson

Well to begin to understand how I got to where I am today I have to give credit to my Mother and Late Grandparents. I grew up an only child in the suburbs with a very protective mother and very giving grandparents. My hair journey started at a very young age I had A LOT of hair and it was very thick. Read more>>

Logan Soland

My story started as a young kid with his dad’s VHS collection. Growing up I loved watching any & everything I could get my hands on. Music and Movies were my life, my only dream was to be an actor & musician. That dream came more to fruition in high school quitting all sports to focus on the arts my senior year. Read more>>

Coco Simone

Listen… I wish I could tell you I had this beautiful, well organized five year plan to become Comedian Coco Simone. I did not. 😂 Life was life-ing, bills were billing, motherhood was mothering, and somewhere in the middle of all that, I realized, “Wait a minute…this trauma is FUNNY!” I’ve always been the funny one. Read more>>

Hubal Al-Hirsh

At first, I started DJing with streaming services, so not mixing. Some people argue that it’s not real DJing, but I do think it’s important to know how to feel the crowd and add to the night with your track choices. I began mixing when my friend DJ Boywife asked me to DJ BRAT night in 2024. Read more>>

Haley Bogard

My journey has really been about growth, learning, and finding different ways to help people. I started in healthcare, where I developed a passion for caring for people and making them feel supported. From there, I pursued my career in esthetics and became a licensed esthetician. Read more>>

Brandon Wong

Hi, I am Brandon Wong, Founder and CEO of BW Hockey, with 10 years of experience in coaching and consulting. Read more>>

Elizabeth McIlwee

I’m Elizabeth McIlwee, founder of MRBL, a design-led brand reimagining the objects that live closest to us. Sitting at the intersection of beauty and interiors, MRBL begins with the Marble Hairbrush, an everyday object transformed through natural marble stone. The idea started with a contradiction in my own home. Read more>>

Aliya DalRae

I published my first book, ‘Sweet Vengeance,’ in 2016. Written as a form of therapy, the one book turned into a trilogy, which turned into a spin off series. Now, I have thirty published works, and I’m working hard on the next three. Unlike so many authors I talk to, I never really wanted to be a writer. Read more>>

Lauryn Lipscomb

My story has really been about learning to trust my own perspective. I’ve always been drawn to fashion, beauty, storytelling and beautiful details, but when I first started creating content, I was still figuring out what I wanted my voice to be. I started by sharing aesthetic videos, fashion, beauty, and little glimpses of my everyday life. Read more>>

Jamil Bey

My entrepreneurship story is lifelong Hustler I went from illegal hustling to Legal hustling was shot at 16 years old and confined to a wheelchair had years of trauma and struggle after maturing past the trauma to a certain degree I started selling movies and CDs back in the city and movie era I transitioned that into legal hustle after learning and studying business reading books like business law CC codes I took I was really fascinated with learning business public and private business laws commercial laws Read more>>

Dcovan Mathews

My story really started in church. I started playing drums, and pretty quickly I became interested in learning every instrument I could get my hands on. That eventually led me into songwriting and performing. At the same time, I played football throughout high school, so I grew up with both music and athletics being huge parts of my life. Read more>>

Erica Bock

I have one of those careers that makes perfect sense when you look backward and sounds completely unhinged when you explain it chronologically. I started as a writer. I studied English and creative writing at the University of Cincinnati, then somehow also ended up studying digital media because apparently one degree at a time was not enough for me. Read more>>

Priya Rama

I paint the images I experience inside my head during episodes of chronic migraines. I have had migraines since I was very little, and have experienced ‘color fields’ inside my head. These have varied in their scope of color, textural elements, movement and dimension. Read more>>

Stephen Walker

Hi, I’m Stephen Walker. Art and the creation of it, have been a guiding light throughout most of my life. Since I could pick up a pen, I’ve been drawing and writing music. After watching my father die in our living room at age 13, I had a great swell of sorrow. Read more>>

Ashley Law-Russell

My story has really been one of evolution, creativity, and trusting myself enough to keep growing. I’ve always had a natural eye for fashion and an instinct for putting pieces together, but I started my career on the retail side, working in retail and learning the industry from the inside out. Read more>>

Brittany Hoogenboom

I have told this story so many times in my life, and depending on the space I am in, it feels the same and different because the lens through which I observe myself shifts. I have lived many lives! Read more>>

Jen Hill

My current path began when I was a teenager. We moved to a new house and my sister and I were no longer sharing a room. That means I got to decide where everything went and how much I kept in my space. I remember feeling at peace and in control. Read more>>

Shasa LaRae

Hello, my name is Shasa LaRae. I’ve been in the medical field for over 20 years, and while I’m still currently in that field, I’ve always had a creative side and a desire to build something of my own. That’s what led me to create my lash line, focused on quality reusable strip lashes that are easy, convenient, and eye-catching. Read more>>

Rue (Mirue) Miller

Since I was very little, I was always entranced by music. My dad used to have an in-home music studio back in the day, and I remember watching him make beats or create songs. Read more>>

Chelsea McTigue

Handmade by Chelsea officially began in 2016, while I was working in higher education events and fundraising after spending time in the wedding and corporate event world. I had always loved baking and being in the kitchen, and I decided to teach myself how to decorate cookies with royal icing after admiring the work of other cookie artists. Read more>>

Kimberly Novak

Reflecting on my journey to becoming a Christian author fills my heart with gratitude. My story began during a time of healing after a personal storm. God guided me onto a purposeful path and surrounded me with people chosen to help shape me as His child. Read more>>

Aleah Thomas

My journey into esthetics wasn’t exactly planned. Before I ever thought about becoming an esthetician, I loved making my own skincare products at home. I eventually decided to go to esthetics school because I wanted to actually understand the skin behind the products I was creating. Read more>>

Jaleesa Mosby

My journey started when I was a child. I grew up sensing and seeing spirits of the dead, but at the time, I didn’t understand what I was experiencing. My mom was heavily involved in the church, so I was raised with a very specific religious belief system and, as a child, I was expected to follow it. Read more>>

Myranda Steffes

I started my business The Crayon Cauldron in March of 2025. I had recently become a stay-at-home mom and missed the connection and interaction with the outside world. I had no idea that selling personalized crayons and homemade pinatas would turn into what it has. Read more>>

Princess Ford

Creating has been a passion in my life since I was a kid. Growing up with interests in different creative projects and exploring new ways to create, I finally picked up photography in high school. I received my first camera and it immediately became my favorite hobby. I started taking photos of anything I could, eventually using my friends and family as models. Read more>>

Mimi Chicotel

Sandusky Witches Walk started in 2009 as a grassroots pub crawl. Michelle Bertschl-Herold gathered a group of friends at James A. Bertsch Jeweler, everyone put on a pointed hat, and they walked downtown. There was no budget, no committee, no plan beyond having a good night. Read more>>

Stephanie Alston

Really easy story. My daughter graduated from high school, I threw her a graduation party, I bought an inflatable booth for guests to take pictures in, and someone asked to rent it for their daughters party and from that party 2 people asked if they could rent it out, and after that I said, I’m going to start a business. Read more>>

A. Griffin

I have been writing since I was young but began dedicating my time to poetry in 2019, while I was in college studying to be a teacher. I built a small community on Instagram, finding collaborators and dedicated readers. Read more>>

Ja’Nitta Marbury

My journey began in 2004 with what I can only describe as a leap of faith. I took a risk and signed a six-month lease, making a promise to myself: if I could help even one person during those six months, I would continue pursuing this calling. That decision became the foundation for what is now Marbury & Associates. Read more>>

Young Scratt

Ohio. Music started as a way for me to speak on real life, the pressure, the pain, the wins, fatherhood, loyalty, and everything that helped shape me. I knew early that I wanted to do more than just make songs. I wanted to build something that could create opportunities for myself and other talented artists around me. That vision became Dreams 2 Reality Entertainment. Read more>>

Rachel Kerwood

I’ve been interested in photography since I was 14 years old. I went on a trip to New York City and use my metallic blue Sony point-and-shoot to take photos of everything I found interesting. I was hooked. Fast forward to 2019, I was 23 and wanting to make photography a career. Read more>>

Claire Dupuis

Before moving to the United States in July 2012, Claire graduated from the French University of Sorbonne Nouvelle with a Bachelor’s in French Modern Literature and languages. While at University, she studied under Cécile Ladjali, a well-known French author of more than 30 books published by Actes Sud. Cécile then inspired Claire to begin her writing journey and work in the publishing industry. Read more>>

Mayank Gandhi

My name is Mayank Gandhi, and I am a licensed clinical psychologist, a board certified behavior analyst, and a DJ. Here’s my story: I attended college at the University of Georgia where both my DJ career and psychology career began. Read more>>

Fanchon Page

My pageant journey started two decades ago. I competed for the Miss Black Ohio pageant and placed 5th. I learned a lot from that experience and worked the following year on my talent, fundraising and vocals. I went on to win the state title and then became a delegate winner for the Miss Black America system. Read more>>

Dylan McNulty

When I was a kid I loved listening to music like Memphis May Fire, Crown The Empire, Blessthefall, very metalcore bands. It’s what my brother used to listen to. Eventually I got a guitar and an Line 6 Pod UX2, which came with a program called ‘Pod Farm’ that allowed me to virtually amplify my guitar. That really was the start. Read more>>

Raed Esmail

I was born and raised in the Youngstown area, and a lot of who I am today goes back to my childhood and my family. My mom was a huge influence on me. She taught me the importance of family, kindness, hard work and creativity. She was also the person who would hand me the camera at family functions when I was a kid. Read more>>

Tara Vargo

I’ve been a hairstylist since 2001, and even early in my career, I knew I wanted to create something of my own. I’ve always loved the creative side of the industry, but I was equally interested in the business behind it. Read more>>

Susan Sutton

I became a mom just before my 16th birthday. Like a lot of young moms, I did not have a clear plan for my future. I was trying to grow up while raising a child, and I learned pretty quickly how difficult it can be to get ahead when you have limited resources and support. Read more>>

Sarah Sudrovic

I was originally going to school for dental hygiene, but I quickly realized I was following the “safe” path instead of my passion. After graduating in 2005, I left YSU and enrolled at the Casal Aveda Institute to become a hairstylist, and I never looked back. After working in different salons, I knew I wanted to build something of my own. Read more>>

Nikki Camacho Speck

My media production company actually had its start in the classroom, specifically an infant one. I was an early childhood educator for seven years and part of my duties included taking photos throughout the day to send to parents. Read more>>

Hailey Springer

My journey into fitness has been a combination of education, experience, trial and error, and constantly learning how to become better at what I do. I earned my B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland, and after graduating, I moved from Maryland to Inglewood, California, where I began my career as a personal trainer at Iconix Fitness. Read more>>

Sara Skotzke

I first discovered my love for sports photography during college while interning for the University of Akron’s Sports Marketing Department. Though I paused my photography career after graduation to launch my business, Sara’s Genealogy Research, a unique request from a genealogy client brought me right back to the sidelines. Read more>>

Jennifer Holland

Eleven years ago, Building Heights® formally known as, Building Rox, began as a committee of the Roxboro Elementary School PTA. The mission was to raise funds to help fifth-grade students attend a local summer camp called the University Circle Sampler Camp. After supporting more than 20 students, our vision grew into creating accessible programming for students throughout the Heights, and we became Building Heights®. Read more>>

Kayla Holdgreve

I grew up in northwest Ohio (Lima). I was always interested in the arts and knew I wanted to pursue a creative field but wasn’t sure what that was or could look like. Read more>>