Honoring the 2025 Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Heroes

The Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award honors the spirit of a leader who believed in service, compassion and the power of stepping back to renew one’s purpose. It is given to those who show extraordinary commitment to caring for others while navigating the complex realities of community mental health.

A legacy of leadership and renewal

“The Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award is about honoring the leaders who give so much of themselves,” says Andrea Cole, president and CEO of the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation. “We want to create the space for them to rest, to reflect and to return to their work with renewed energy. Their commitment fuels hope across our region.”

This year’s four honorees reflect the depth, diversity and creativity of mental health work in our community. Though they serve different populations and lead very different organizations, their shared focus is unmistakable. Each is building a more connected, compassionate and culturally responsive mental health system. Their stories illustrate how hope, healing and dignity take shape in real lives every day.

Four leaders, one shared commitment

Judson Center president and CEO Lenora Hardy-Foster has spent her career showing what whole-person care can make possible. Under her leadership, Judson Center expanded its integrated care model, connecting primary care, behavioral health and substance use treatment so families can access coordinated support in one place. Her journey from Southwest Solutions to Judson reflects decades of purposeful leadership rooted in faith, gratitude and service to families across southeast Michigan.

For Kalimah Johnson, founder and executive director of the SASHA Center, healing begins with culture, community and truth telling. A poet and clinical social worker, she has reshaped sexual assault support for Black women and girls by weaving literary arts and culturally specific practices into trauma-informed care. Her work has become a nationally recognized model for helping survivors reclaim voice, identity and joy.

Vincent Tilford, president and CEO of Hannan Center, champions dignity and visibility for older adults. He views aging as a social justice issue and works to reduce isolation while expanding opportunities for creative expression, community connection and mental well-being. Through his leadership, Hannan Center helps older adults stay engaged, build friendships and feel recognized as vital members of the community.

At MiSide Health, executive director James Ebaugh leads with a deep belief in coordinated care and the power of hope. His early work in street outreach and crisis response taught him how trauma, housing instability and mental health intersect in people’s lives. Today, he helps guide a behavioral health system designed to meet people where they are and surround them with stability and support. His leadership reflects a simple but profound truth: everyone deserves someone who will hold hope for them until they’re able to hold it themselves.

Strengthening systems through heart and vision

Together, these four leaders represent the many ways mental health heroes show up in southeast Michigan: through integrated clinical services, culturally rooted healing, creative aging programs and the coordination of housing and behavioral health supports. Each honoree works within systems that are often stretched, yet they continue to innovate, collaborate and advocate for those they serve.

“Our Mental Health Heroes are leaders who transform not only organizations, but lives,” says Cole. “Their work lifts up families, strengthens communities and moves the entire mental health system forward. We are proud to honor their impact and their vision.”

Honoring impact, inspiring the future

The Flinn Foundation is honored to recognize these four leaders in 2025. Their steadfast commitment, creativity and belief in the potential of every person exemplify the values Leonard W. Smith held dear. As they take time to reflect and renew, the Foundation celebrates not only what they have accomplished, but the possibility of all that lies ahead.

Learn more about the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award and the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation.