Guide the Way
Connect, Collaborate, Catalyze:
The New Era of Mentorship
Friday, February 27, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Community Action Agency
1740 Langdon Farm Road
Keynote speaker
Dr. Shamarah J. Hutchins, known as TheMindologist, is a mentor, author, and mental wellness leader
Breakout Session Leaders
Tommie Lewis, CEO and President of Make It Plain Consulting
Michael Sickles, Back2Back Community Advocacy Manager
Rachel Dubose, CEO of Be The Light
Elissa Yancey, Executive and Creative Director of A Picture’s Worth
Breakout session | Widening Your Lens to Build Trust, Understanding and Youth Power
Dubonna Dawkins, Senior Director of HR & Risk Management at Cincinnati Youth Collaborative
Tony Aloise, Founder of Life Solutions Network and The Greater Cincinnati Mentoring Alliance/We Mentor Cincy
Dr. Brandi Neal, Ed.D, M.B.I., Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Computing and Analytics, Northern Kentucky University
Cody Saraco-Polner, Evaluation & Innovation Manager, YMCA of Greater Cincinnati
Hannah Foley, The Character Effect Specialist , Beech Acres Parenting Center
Something powerful is happening in our city week.
Mentors and mentoring organizations from across Cincinnati are coming together for We Mentor Cincy’s Annual Mentoring Summit — and the vibe isn’t competition. It’s collaboration.
In a world where nonprofits often feel like they’re fighting for the same funding, volunteers, and attention, this group is choosing a different approach. They’re sharing ideas. Swapping strategies. Learning from each other. And working toward one very clear goal: A mentor for every young person in Cincinnati who wants one.
The summit brings together mentoring organizations of all sizes to talk about what’s working, where the gaps are, and how they can support each other instead of operating in silos.
Because the reality is this: no single organization can reach every kid. But together? That’s a different story.
During the summit, We Mentor Cincy will honor a leader who exemplifies the true spirit of mentorship, with an unwavering commitment to guiding, inspiring, and supporting mentees. The 2026 Tony Aloise Mentoring Impact Award Honoree to will be presented to Elena Terán.
Terán is the Director of Impact at Revision Collective, a Cincinnati-based, employee-owned holding company and consulting collective, primarily in IT and management consulting. She has played an active role in the local B Corp and Conscious Capitalism movements, calling for business to play an active role in solving social challenges. Previously, she spent over 10 years working in the nonprofit sector both in the U.S. and in Latin America supporting access to education and career opportunities for underserved communities.
Terán turns purpose into action by getting involved in several causes. She is a Level Up Cincinnati board member and mentor to a college student pursing a degree in nursing. As a first-gen college graduate, she is uniquely positioned to guide students as they navigate higher education launch careers. She is also the Board Chair of the Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance (CORA), an organization that builds unpaved trails for hiking, biking and running, connecting people to the outdoors. Elena loves recreating in the outdoors and is a certified mountain bike coach and leads backpacking trips as an Outdoor Leader with the Sierra Club Miami Group.
Even if you didn’t sign up for the summit, you can still be part of the movement.
We Mentor Cincy exists to make it easier for everyday people to find the right mentoring opportunity. Whether you have one hour a week, want to mentor through sports, help with academics, support career exploration, or just show up consistently for a young person who needs it, there’s an organization that fits.
Instead of asking, “Which program is the best?” this collaborative is asking, “Which program is the best fit for you?”
If you’ve ever thought about mentoring, this is your sign. Cincinnati’s mentoring community isn’t competing for you. They’re collectively inviting you in.