2025 Honorees

Listed annually among Hollywood’s top dealmakers by entertainment industry publications such as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, Darrell Miller has been a trusted advisor behind the growth of celebrity and business brands in entertainment and media for over two decades. The Founding Chair of Fox Rothschild’s Entertainment & Sports Law Department, Darrell works with his creative clients — working actors, writer/showrunners, directors, producers and executives — to leverage their success into more success, ensuring each project leads seamlessly to greater and broader opportunities. He is known throughout the industry for negotiating innovative, career-expanding deals in the motion picture, television, music, theater and multimedia sectors and beyond.

A former singer, Darrell understands the creative talent he represents. He has forged longstanding relationships with studio executives and creative personnel, and represents A-level artists. Some of Darrell’s recent deals include: Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Oscar-winning role in “The Holdovers,” comedian Taylor Tomlinson’s role as late-night talk show host of “After Midnight” and several Netflix comedy specials, and Oscar-winner Angela Bassett’s starring roles in the TV hit series “9-1-1” and the thriller series, “Zero Day.” He has negotiated Chris “Ludacris” Bridges’ roles in the blockbuster “Fast & Furious” franchise, including the upcoming “Fast X: Part 2,” his 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, and numerous major endorsements deals.

An advocate for the cause of diversity in the entertainment industry, Darrell has an extraordinary track record of helping to create and build upon sustainable business opportunities among diverse creators, Fortune 100 corporate brands, traditional studios, networks and the new players in town — streaming platforms. He is on the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and serves as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee at The Music Center in Los Angeles. Having earned his juris doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center, he is a member of the American Bar Association’ Forum on Entertainment and Sports Industries, the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Grammy Recording Academy and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, as well as the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association’s Hall of Fame. In addition to his entertainment industry recognition, Darrell has been named a “Sports & Entertainment Law Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal and listed among the “Top 100 Lawyers in California” by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Phil Collins is Founder and CEO of private equity investment firm Orchard Holdings Group and has served as Chairman or a Director of several privately held companies. Prior to founding Orchard Holdings Group, he was a Managing Director at a New York- and Menlo Park, Calif.-based private equity firm, and he earned an MBA with distinction from the Harvard Business School.  

Phil has been one of UC’s greatest champions and volunteer leaders since his graduation, particularly in the 15 years he and his wife and fellow Bearcat, Lela, have lived in Cincinnati after Phil’s work had previously taken the family to Boston, New York and Silicon Valley. He was a UC trustee for nine years, including two years as UC Board Chair in 2023 and 2024, a period which saw UC complete the $2.19 billion Next, Now campaign, celebrate a record $699 million in external research funding, welcome its largest-ever first-year class while setting a record for enrollment at more than 53,000 students, and officially join the Big 12 Conference. Phil was also a member of the boards of the UC Foundation and UC Health, and a past recipient of the UC Foundation’s Chairman’s Award and the Lindner College of Business’ Distinguished Service Award. Along with Bob and Kim Dobbs, Phil and Lela were co-chairs of UC’s Bicentennial Commission.   

The Collins’ wide-ranging philanthropy to their alma mater includes establishing the Phil and Lela Collins Family Fund for Lindner Honors-PLUS students, as well as additional support for the Lindner College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences, The Portman Center for Policy Solutions Endowment Fund, and UC Athletics.     

His extraordinary service to UC is an extension of his leadership as an undergraduate, when he was Student Body President, became a member of Sigma Sigma Men’s Honorary, and delivered the 1989 student commencement address as he graduated summa cum laude. Phil started his career as a student working as an assistant and financial analyst for legendary Cincinnati business and community leader, and American Financial Group founder Carl H. Lindner, Jr., for whom the college is named.     

In an impressive career spanning over two decades, Cincinnati native Diana Maria Riva has distinguished herself through many dozens of memorable roles in television, film and theater. Perhaps best known for playing Detective Ana Perez alongside Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini in Netflix’s hit series Dead to Me, she earned a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, received an Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television (Comedy), and was nominated for a Hollywood Creative Alliance Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Discovered by ABC Studios and cast as a series regular in the comedy Common Law, Diana’s unique style and talent soon catapulted her into roles on the ABC/Steven Bochco series Philly. Subsequently, Diana’s work has been steady and varied, appearing in major roles in series on HBO Max (The Gordita Chronicles), Netflix (Glamorous), NBC (Sunnyside and Telenovela), CBS (Man with a Plan), FX (Saint George and The Bridge), and Fox (The Good Guys), among many others. Her film work has included appearances in Disney’s McFarland USA, Love and Mercy, and Noelle; as well as 17 Again, What Women Want, Employee of the Month, Chasing Papi, and The Third Wheel. She has worked opposite such stars as Kevin Costner, Eva Longoria, Matt LeBlanc, Shirley MacLaine, America Ferrera, John Cusack and Kim Cattrall.

In 2023, Diana co-founded LATINAS ACTING UP, a platform for SAG-AFTRA members active in all manners of support of their fellow Latinas working in film and television, but who currently represent less than 4% of the roles seen on screen. The group’s mission to grow the visibility and representation of Latinas in the entertainment industry through mentorship, resources and community. The group has become an undeniable force and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Hip Latina, Deadline, Remezcla, The Hollywood Reporter, Latina and Vogue among others. A year ago, she received the Latino Spirit Award from the California Latino Legislative Caucus for Achievement in Advocacy & Entertainment. Diana, who received the College-Conservatory of Music Distinguished Alumni Award in 2021, continues to be involved with her college and CCM graduates following in her footsteps, acting as a mentor to many who come to Los Angeles to make it in the business. 

Nick Ernest is Chief Architect for Thales North America where he leads an Artificial Intelligence center focused on deploying AI solutions for mission/safety-critical applications primarily within the aerospace and defense domain. In 2018, Nick sold the AI company he started, Psibernetix Inc., to Thales Group, a Paris-based, 85,000-person global technology leader. The Thales team he now leads in Cincinnati conducts research on various AI applications such as tactical mission planning for helicopters and high-altitude gliders. He convinced Thales to create a Cincinnati office given the city’s and UC’s growing involvement in the area of AI that relies upon “Fuzzy Logic”; the field offers significant safety and ethics benefits applications in the aerospace defense industry where Thales is a top player. 

Nick had led Psibernetix to explore new frontiers in the burgeoning AI space. Notably, the company developed a system, dubbed Alpha, for Beyond Visual Range air-to-air combat within simulation environments. Able to analyze and adapt to non-static surroundings, Psibernetix’s autonomous, fuzzy logic-based, AI-driven drone was defeating human fighter pilots in simulated aerial combat in testing at the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, prompting Alpha to be called “superhuman.” Nick considers that successful demonstration of Alpha in June 2016 to be his breakthrough moment — not only because of the performance his system exhibited, but also because his Psibernetix team was able to mathematically guarantee that it would always adhere to defined requirements without the slightest possibility of ever behaving against specification. 

Nick credits his professor and mentor, Dr. Kelly Cohen, and UC overall, with unlocking more potential within him than he ever knew existed. While an undergraduate, Nick co-oped at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base at both the Landing Gear Test Facility and Air Force Research Labs (AFRL). During his master’s studies, he was a National Science Foundation STEP Fellow providing outreach and teaching at Cincinnati high schools. For his PhD, he received a Dayton Area Graduate Studies Institute Fellowship at AFRL. 

Immensely proud of his UC roots and how his university has continued to fuel his success, Nick has so far hired four College of Engineering and Applied Science graduates into Thales’ growing Cincinnati operation. Thales and UC have signed a collaborative MOU, and the ongoing relationship figures to further elevate the reputations of both the company and UC as global leaders in the domain of safe, trustworthy and ethical AI. 

Thais is Manager of the Hearing Loss Prevention Program of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and a founding member of the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Audiology and Cochrane Work. A mentor and collaborator with researchers around the world, she has contributed to international occupational safety and health policies through a body of pioneering research. Beyond her scholarly work over several decades, Thais is proud of her more recent commitment to communicate and promote her hard-won knowledge through new media in order to effectively reach people in different ways and to greater effect, so that access to information could prevent or reduce suffering from those who experience environmental or occupational risks and subsequent noise-induced hearing loss. In this way, she has become known for helping to bridge the gap between scientific research and the general public.  

As president and CEO of Uptown Consortium, Inc. from 2009 to 2024, Beth Robinson played an essential role in advancing the development of Cincinnati’s fastest-growing employment center, directing more than $250 million in real estate and economic development projects that collectively led to more than $2 billion in public and private investment. She also secured and managed over $190 million in New Markets Tax Credits to create jobs; provide access to health and affordable food, community facilities and healthcare centers; and other impactful projects in underserved communities. The changes in the Uptown area during her tenure have been described as a “renaissance.” Beth cites her opportunity as a UC student to intern with a member of Cincinnati City Council as the springboard to her nearly 30-year career in the economic development field. She is now an associate with Colliers Cincinnati, the city’s largest commercial real estate brokerage firm. 

As an involved UC Blue Ash student, Algeria successfully leveraged her opportunities to connect with people and resources on the Uptown campus, which helped lead her toward a career in governmental affairs and advocacy. After finishing graduate work at Michigan State University, her career has spanned influential roles including Director of Public Policy at the National Association of Social Workers – Michigan Chapter, where she championed initiatives to better address mental health crises and support jail diversion programs for those struggling with mental health or substance use issues; and Health and Equity Policy Advisor to Michigan’s governor, where she expanded reproductive healthcare access for 2 million Michiganders and addressed critical behavioral health workforce needs. Algeria is currently Deputy Director of Juvenile Justice Reform at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. 

The retired CEO of biometrics company Cross Match Technologies, Jim gained a reputation for turning around troubled businesses and successfully launching new products. His experience includes strategic consultation to some of the world’s largest corporations as they began new ventures, and leading a division of a London-based global conglomerate. He is equally well known for his ongoing commitment to his alma mater’s success, with his philanthropy supporting UC Athletics, the Lindner Business Honors Program, and the Grau Center for Professional Selling in his home college. A veteran of a dozen corporate, charitable and civic boards, Jim is a member of the Keating Society that advises the Lindner College of Business dean on strategic and mission-centric issues.  

Angie has steadily advanced her career, leveraging UC Clermont at every stage—first earning a certificate, then an associate degree in Business Management Technology, and later a bachelor’s degree in Applied Administration. Currently serving as a Senior Program Operations Manager at GE Aerospace, she previously spent 13 years at Kaleidoscope Innovation and Product Design in Cincinnati, where she held the role of Chief of Staff. She is a proud graduate of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s WE Lead Cincinnati program. With over 16 years of experience in operations, Angie applies her analytical skills and expertise to foster a strong company culture, improve efficiency, and drive organizations toward operational excellence.

In following up her CCM master’s degree in arts administration and nonprofit management with earning a law degree at University of Wisconsin, Patrice embarked on a career that has seen her serve in key roles on the staff of a U.S. Congresswoman, become Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus, work in the Obama Administration at the General Services Administration, and lead a financial service practice. Currently she is Chief of Policy and Legislative Affairs with the NAACP, leading advocacy for the organization’s 2.9 million members, which has continued her commitment to uplift underserved communities. She is also a board member of the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement, N Street Village (housing and recovery services for women experiencing homelessness), and Fort Dupont Ice Arena (provides free and low-cost skating programs for Washington D.C. youth).

The founder, owner and principal of the architectural firm that bears his name, John Senhauser, FAIA, started his own practice in 1979. Over the decades since, his firm has been honored by architects and builders with more than 80 design awards. He was named a Fellow of The American Institute of Architects (FAIA) in 1995, received AIA Ohio’s Gold Medal Firm Award four years later, and their AIA Ohio Gold Medal in 2009. Nationally known for his client-focused and environmentally responsive approach to design, John’s organization includes individual and multi-family homes as well as commercial and cultural projects. Driven by a strong commitment to preservation, he dedicated 27 years to serving his community as a Board member and later as Chair of the City of Cincinnati’s Historic Conservation Board, in addition to being a member of the Society for the Preservation of Music Hall. He is a former adjunct professor of design at DAAP, a regular volunteer for the School of Architecture and Interior Design critiques, and currently a member of Cincinnati’s Urban Design Review Board and UC’s Design Review Committee.

Currently in her sixth year as superintendent of Norwood City Schools which was founded in 1828, Mary Ronan proudly served as superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools from 2008 to 2017. Her career in education, covering more than 40 years as a teacher and administrator, has been marked by a spirit of collaboration and ability to build productive partnerships in her work with business executives, politicians, non-profits, community organizations, health departments and hospitals, benefactors, and children and families. Mary has also been instrumental in the modernization of facilities in the districts she has led, to provide 21st century learning environments for students as well as expanding the range of options available to students who bring a variety of interests, circumstances and learning preferences.  

After earning an exclusive fellowship from the Belgian American Educational Foundation in 1980 that allowed him to study at a U.S. university, Jan used his opportunity at UC as a springboard for a successful, 40-year career in the industrial software field. His passion for the field began during his doctoral studies while also working at Structural Dynamics Research Corp., a computer-aided engineering startup with ties to UC faculty. After earning his PhD in 1984, he joined LMS International in Belgium as CTO, driving LMS’ development into a global leader in Test and Simulation software. Following LMS’s acquisition by Siemens in 2012, he became CEO of Siemens Industry Software NV and Global VP for Siemens’ Simulation and Test Business Segment, where he led the creation and growth of the Simcenter software portfolio into a main pillar of the Siemens Industry Software Xcelerator’s Digital Twin strategy. In 2020 he was honored for his contributions as Siemens Global Top Innovator. Following retirement in 2021, he advises and invests in innovative businesses while serving as a Director in multiple companies.

David is Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Pacaso, which facilitates the co-ownership and use of luxury vacation homes, with a portfolio of over $1 billion in residential real estate and more than 1,500 owners/customers. In his role, he navigates a range of interrelated elements — legal, governance, transactional, capital markets, intellectual property, litigation, regulatory, and policy. For more than a decade, David has also provided structured instruction and informal mentorship to entrepreneurs at the Harvard Innovation Labs and through Techstars, where he is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence with its Silicon Valley program. He also teaches courses at the University of Michigan Law School, is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Miami University, and is the author of “Seed Deals: How to Grow from Startup to Venture Capital.”

A renowned pediatrician in Northern Kentucky for over 40 years and a loyal volunteer and supporter of the UC College of Medicine, Joan is an active member of her college’s Alumni Executive Council as the class representative for 1976 and has served as board chair. She and Dr. Jim Bob Plunkett annually host dinner for a group of incoming medical students during orientation week in their home. She recently started the Class of 1976 Scholarship to support medical students and will encourage classmates to support the new fund so that it may reach endowment level for their 50th reunion in 2026. Joan has been both vice president and secretary/treasurer of the Cincinnati Pediatric Society, and a member of the American Association of Pediatricians, the American Medical Association, and Kentucky Pediatric Society. She received the Cincinnati Children’s Outstanding Community Physician Award in 2010. She also participates in the Lindner College of Business’ Warren Bennis Leadership Institute as a volunteer and benefactor, and is a past member of the UC Alumni Association Board.  

With over two decades of experience in nursing, healthcare operations and business management, Nick followed graduation from UC with service in the U.S. Army, including a deployment with the 10th Combat Support Hospital to Bosnia. Later, he took on civilian roles in nursing and healthcare, including one for a large hospital-based nonprofit where his process improvements significantly enhanced quality metrics. He subsequently founded a medical coding company that ultimately saw tremendous growth. Today as a seasoned entrepreneur and leader in his field, Nick is actively involved in multiple startups, including The Learnery, which focuses on creating accessible, engaging, tech-driven learning environments for professionals on a global basis. He also invests in and mentors healthcare startups and consults with foreign governments to improve their healthcare systems.  

Having built a long career and sterling reputation in his field, mostly at the University of Arizona where he is a Professor Emeritus, Glenn’s primary body of research focused on the biotransformation of xenobiotics and on chemical-induced liver and ovarian injury. He authored over 250 research publications and was co-editor-in-chief of the 13-volume Comprehensive Toxicology. He was head of the departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Arizona for 29 years. He was also the founding director of both the Center for Toxicology and the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center. Glenn was president of the Society of Toxicology and editor of its journal, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Academy of Toxicological Sciences, and has been a technical advisor to the World Health Organization’s Expert Committee on Food Additives and a member of the Expert Panel of the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials.

Bob is renowned in Greater Cincinnati as the founder of Bob Roncker’s Running Spot, which he owned and operated with his wife, Mary Ann, from 1981 to 2014. The former Bearcat track and cross country runner provided equipment and knowledge to his loyal customers, as well as a hub for their activity. That included the formation of training groups to help them prepare for races; the collegial environment Bob created also led to the groups to become “mini-communities,” which provided his runners with greater fulfillment from their running passion. During his final year prior to his retirement, Bob assisted almost 1,700 runners and walkers for the various events associated with Cincinnati’s Flying Pig Marathon. He was inducted into the Running Specialty Hall of Fame in 2007; the following year his national trade group named Bob Roncker’s Running Spot the premier running specialty shop in the country.