Black leaders among honorees at Evansville’s Celebration of Leadership

Educator NaShyra Dilworth among honorees as 31st annual event highlights grassroots impact across Evansville

NaShyra Dilworth has long been committed to the kind of work that doesn’t always come with recognition: showing up each day at Evans School to support students, addressing behavioral challenges, and creating space for young people to grow. Each day, she walks into moments that many will step away from.

As a Student Success Mentor for the YMCA-an initiative of the Evansville Promise Neighborhood, Dilworth works with students in kindergarten through sixth grade, helping them navigate behavioral challenges and return to the classroom ready to learn. Whether it’s sitting with a child during a break to help them regulate or staying in the classroom to support teachers managing disruptions, her role focuses on stability, trust, and consistency. “I’ve always been drawn to the kids people call ‘bad,’” Dilworth said. “But they’re the ones who need somebody the most.”

On March 18, that work was brought to the forefront. Dilworth received the Individual Achievement Award in Education at the 31st annual Celebration of Leadership Awards, held at the Old National Events Plaza. Hosted by Leadership Everyone, the event honors individuals and organizations making meaningful contributions across the Evansville region. For Dilworth, the recognition was both unexpected and affirming. “I don’t really like being in the spotlight,” she said. “But it feels good to know the work matters and that people see it.”

Her path into youth development wasn’t linear. For a decade she worked at Fifth Third Bank and part-time at the YMCA assisting with activities and transportation for the Diamond Program. Encouraged by TJ Summers, she applied for the Student Success position, stepping into youth development full-time.  More recently, she has taken on additional responsibility at Evans in the school’s after-school program following the departure of its previous coordinator.

Much of her work involves understanding the root causes behind student behavior. Many of the children she supports, she said, are seeking attention and stability, often coming from households facing economic strain, large family dynamics, or limited parental presence. “They just want someone to listen,” she said.

That approach has made her a valuable presence not only for students, but for teachers as well. In classrooms where behavioral disruptions can derail instruction, Dilworth’s support helps create space for learning to continue. “The need is definitely there,” she said. “And it’s growing. The behaviors are more complex than when we were growing up.” Her work with youth extends beyond the school day. She is also actively involved in her church’s youth programs. Still, much of the work Dilworth does happens quietly; something reflected in the broader purpose of the Leadership Everyone awards.

Founded in 1976, Leadership Everyone has spent decades building civic leadership and community engagement. Its annual awards ceremony, now in its 31st year, recognizes individuals whose impact often goes unseen. “Anyone in the community can submit a nomination,” said Elizabeth Maurer, Director of Operations. “That helps amplify grassroots and unrecognized work happening across the community.” Nominations are reviewed by a selection committee of Leadership Everyone alumni, who score candidates and select winners with the highest score in their category.

In this year’s celebration, several Black leaders and nominees were recognized across categories. In the Community and Neighborhood category, nominees included Cynthia Chester and Leonard Collins, Eliza Kumapley, Cherri Johnson, Jasmine Mouncil, and Eric Tillman. Johnson was also named the Individual Division Award winner. In the Health and Social Services category, Larissa Madison and Collette Smith were recognized for their work supporting vulnerable populations. Additional honors included the Willie Effie Thomas Diversity Award, presented to Bedford Collab, Flavor Lab, and Community Action Program Evansville (CAPE), highlighting collaborative efforts to advance inclusion and equity in the region.

After shifting to a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has returned to in-person gatherings for the third consecutive year, with organizers hoping to continue growing attendance. This year also introduced a new Veterans Award, sponsored by Woods & Woods. For Maurer, the longevity of the event reflects a shared community value. “Funders see the importance of creating space for the community to celebrate one another,” she said.

That spirit of recognition is embodied by leaders like Dilworth. Those that show up faithfully, every day, doing the work not for acknowledgment, but for impact. Even so, she admits, being seen matters. “It means a lot,” she said. “Because this work is hard. And it’s important that these kids, and the people supporting them, aren’t overlooked.”

2026 CELEBRATION OF LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS

Lifetime Achievement Awards
Leonard Collins*
Joel Hopper*
Lynn Kyle
(*posthumous)

Special Awards
Spirit Award — Mustang Adoption Academy & Mustangs of Service Veterans Program
Leader in Technology — AstraZeneca STEM in the Community
Sportsmanship Award — Christine Leraris
Sara B. Davies Award — Eliza Kumapley
Shirley James Greening the Community Award — New Harmony Native Trees and Shrubs
Nancy Sieben Koehler Sustainability Award — Kyle L. Parker Memorial Scholarship Board
Sam Featherstone Youth Award — Gibson County CEO
Winternheimer/LaMar Public Service Award — E3 Initiative
Willie Effie Thomas Diversity Award — Bedford Collab; Flavor Lab
Darrell Ragland Community Collaboration Award — Tom Moore
Trusteeship Award — Book Buddies
Epic Award — Granted House of Hope
Bryce Jordan Servant Leader Award — Dr. Austin Maxheimer
Susan Kelley Jordan Leader in Courage Award — Chris Pugh
Latinx Award — Mexican Mobile Consulate
Visionary Award — SAFER (Society for Advancement of Fatality Elimination on Roads)
Inspiration Award — Susan Harp
Healthy Communities Award — Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
Woods & Woods Veterans Award — ECHO Housing & Community Development; Savannah Whicker
Rev. Kevin Fleming Justice Award — Matthew 25 AIDS Services, Inc.
Outstanding Innovation Award — Danny Barr
Regional Impact Award — Dr. Dan Diehl

Division Awards
Individual — Cherri Johnson
Project/Program — Children’s Center for Dance Education, The Children’s Nutcracker Sensory-Friendly Performance
Business/Organization — Easterseals Rehabilitation Center

Individual Achievement
Arts & Culture — Carol Dallinger
Community & Neighborhood — Gloria Schwartz-Mazo
Education — NaShyra Dilworth
Government, Public Service & Environment — Emily Earhart
Health & Social Services — Lisa Myer

Project/Program Achievement
Arts & Culture — UE Dance Company, Silver Aces
Community & Neighborhood — AstraZeneca Vitalize
Education — Junior Achievement JobSpark
Government, Public Service & Environment — EVPL Historical Programming
Health & Social Services — Karen’s Wig Shop by Chemo Buddies

Business/Organization Achievement
Arts & Culture — Bosse Instrumental Boosters, Inc.
Community & Neighborhood — Community Action Program of Evansville (CAPE)
Education — SABIC/MVHS Internship Program
Government, Public Service & Environment — Retired Veteran Memorial Club
Health & Social Services — Southwest Indiana Recovery & Empowerment (SWIRE)