Cindy Hilsheimer
Within the first few minutes of speaking with managing principal of BeecherHill Cindy Hilsheimer, we are astounded by her accomplishments. She has served on the boards of The Ohio State University Foundation, Pelotonia, James Cancer Hospital Foundation, COSI, Columbus Symphony Orchestra and more.
“I’m not amazing,” she insists immediately.
Her humility proves the opposite.
Hilsheimer moved to New Albany in 2000, motivated to find a space to continue hosting community events, professional gatherings and board functions.
“We wanted to host in a larger, more organized way,” she says. “We wanted a home where we could open our doors to the community.”
The first board she ever joined was the Ohio History Connection. Back then, a client of her husband asked her to join, and although she was new to the position, she soon realized this kind of service was infectious.
“I engaged and enjoyed the relationships with some very seasoned volunteers and learned a great deal from them,” she says. “I cannot imagine my life without volunteerism.”
Hilsheimer has, not surprisingly, been honored with many service awards such as the OSU John B. Gerlach Sr. Outstanding Development Volunteer Award, the YWCA Women of Achievement Award and more. While many people would bask in accomplishments and perk up at the word “award,” Hilsheimer prefers to stay out of the spotlight.
“I usually hide from being recognized for service,” she admits. “However, others say the benefits are that you become a role model and people emulate you, inspiring more volunteers to give back.”
Hilsheimer says she would spend all her time volunteering if she could, but when she isn’t doing so, she’s enjoying time with her family. She has a similarly philanthropic husband, Larry, three grown children and a grandchild.
“Our kids are really special,” she says. “They sacrifice time with me and are understanding so I can spend time volunteering. I’m so grateful they embrace that I do this.”
Her children emulate her acts of service, carrying her kindness through the generations.
“I see them caring about people; all three volunteer,” she says. “It’s just caring about people – even if it’s just one person at a time.”
Linda Brown
SHELLEE FISHER
Sometimes it’s about being in the right place at the right time.
Linda Brown was recruited by Huntington Bank to move from New York City to Columbus. So, she left her city, where she sat on the Children’s Aid Society for five years, and moved into New Albany.
“It’s just so warm and welcoming,” she says. “It has those classic white picket fences and is such a good, friendly community.”
Immediately upon moving in, the first thing people began asking her was, “Do you have any interest in being on boards?” Having board experience in New York, she jumped on the opportunity and filled a conveniently open spot with the Jazz Arts Group of Columbus.
“I’m passionate about the arts whether it’s music or dance – and I love jazz,” Brown says. “It was a great introduction to the community and board leadership in Columbus.”
Since then, she’s been busy in the community giving her time, passion and efforts to making the city better. Brown served on the boards of Children’s Hunger Alliance, served as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and is a member of the Columbus Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.
Brown has been on the board of Goodwill Columbus since 2017 and says this position holds a special place in her heart.
“This is more personal,” she says. “I have a niece and nephew that are challenged, and oftentimes I think of the challenges and barriers they went through growing up.”
She spoke with Margie Pizzuti, president and CEO of Goodwill Columbus, and felt connected with Pizzuti’s vision for the future of the organization.
“She saw a shift in Columbus, wanting to help people with disabilities to get out into the community and into their own independent homes,” Brown says. “We want to help, but we also want people to have the power to take care of themselves.”
Driven people like Brown can sometimes make performing such acts of service look easy, but for many people, it can be easy to make the excuse, “I don’t have time.”
“I think people make time to do the things they really want to do,” Brown says. “You just have to carve out time – little increments can even add up and you can make a difference.”
When you have a passion, you find time. It’s why she also finds time to read, go to jazz concerts with her husband and take spa trips with her friends.
Her positive attitude about putting good out into the world stems from her mother, who was an educator in Cleveland for years. Brown says she gave back to the children and community, and so her mom’s example became her foundation.
Her favorite quote, one she holds close, is from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Everyone can be great, because anybody can serve.”
Sarah Underhill
403403
Moving to New Albany 16 years ago was a pretty easy decision for Sarah Underhill, whose dad was a zoning lawyer who helped create the community.
Underhill and Diane Herman have been full-time volunteers for New Albany-Plain Local Schools since 2016, but their passion recently took a new direction. After working with the Well-Being Initiative, an opportunity arose to create a similar nonprofit that would promote mental health education and resources in the community.
“We saw a need for something and filled it,” Underhill says. “The schools had great programs and resources, but we needed something community-based outside the school.”
The Well-Being Connection’s website will launch this year and will promote mental health resources and programs that are available in New Albany. The nonprofit’s goal is to inform community members of the help that is available, and to bring more support groups, education and events into the community.
Underhill went through her own battle of improving her mental health, and thus is able to provide honest, personal insight on how important it is to take care of yourself.
“After I bettered my mental health, I realized how unhappy and depressed I was,” she says. “Looking back, I was like, ‘I felt terrible,’ because you don’t even know how bad it is until you feel better.”
Being part of this movement that promotes well-being has, in turn, cultivated Underhill’s own happiness.
“Helping others has been huge for my mental health,” she says. “People are coming to me and saying, ‘I can’t explain how helpful this is.’ It’s amazing to hear the impact I’ve had on these people’s lives.”
Recently, Underhill has taken on new goals in her personal life. She’s cut out alcohol, trying new things in the community like yoga and meditation, and is bettering herself in preparation for the launch of the new nonprofit.
“I want to be my best for this,” Underhill says. “As this has grown, I’ve healed. It’s been remarkable.”
Mallory Arnold is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
