Volunteer, board member shares her love of the arts with Cincinnati

Ellen G. van der Horst has always been a lover of the arts. As a child growing up in Philadelphia, she fell in love with the musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein, played the piano and even did some acting here and there. But by the time she graduated from high school, she was all business. Thus, she enrolled at the esteemed Wharton Business School, majoring in Economics and Marketing

After graduation, she moved to Cincinnati to take a job as a brand manager with Procter & Gamble followed by a 22-year career at PNC Financial Services, where she served as executive vice president.

But her interest in the arts never went away. As soon as she moved here, she signed on as a member of the Cincinnati Opera, and loved attending plays at our local theaters, especially the Playhouse in the Park.

It was only after she signed on as president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber in 2006 that she realized that the arts were just as important to Greater Cincinnati as they were to her. “I realized that we punched above our weight,”she said. “I came to appreciate just how important the arts sector is to attracting and retaining talent.”

After leaving the Chamber in 2014, van der Horst decided to focus on volunteering as a way to give back to the city, something she was first inspired to do while working at PNC, which encouraged volunteer work among its employees. “I learned at an early point in my career about the value, both professionally and personally, of volunteering and giving back.”

Her first arts board experience was at the Cincinnati Opera, where she had the privilege of serving as president and chair while she was still in her thirties. “I was the youngest and the first female board president,” she said.

Van der Horst’s investment in the arts is something that has earned her a sterling reputation among the local art community’s heaviest hitters.

“Ellen has put championing the arts at the forefront of her immense community commitment,” said Alecia Kintner, President & CEO of ArtsWave, where van der Horst serves as a lifetime trustee. “She has invested time, insight, business acumen and passion into the success of Cincinnati’s arts landscape. Our region is uplifted and more competitive thanks to Ellen’s leadership and vision.”

Van der Horst put those qualities to work during the past several years by helping the Playhouse in the Park, where she assumed the role as Board President in March of 2020, just as the pandemic caused the organization to cancel all of its productions leading to a 70% loss in revenue virtually overnight. According to Playhouse artistic director Blake Robison, van der Horst was key in keeping them afloat.

“Ellen stepped up to work on a daily basis with the Playhouse’s managing and artistic directors – leading us through scenario planning, focusing our belt-tightening on the most impactful areas, and always keeping our mission and values at the forefront of the conversation,” Robison wrote in van der Horst’s nomination form.

“She tapped into her extensive business experience and also had the wisdom to filter it through the needs of a non-profit. By the end of the season, we found our way to a balanced budget and a viable artistic path forward.

Aside from supporting the arts community through her leadership, van der Horst would like to help the larger community as well. As vice chair of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, she is keenly aware of a broad range of needs in the Cincinnati community, especially the lack of affordable housing, which is especially hard on children. “If they

“Ellen has put championing the arts at the forefront of her immense community commitment. She has invested time, insight, business acumen and passion into the success of Cincinnati’s arts landscape. Our region is uplifted and more competitive thanks to Ellen’s leadership and vision.”

Alecia Kintner President & CEO of ArtsWave

don’t have a decent, stable place to live, they don’t go to school and it’s just a spiral.”

And during a time in our country when social, economic and political polarization runs deep, van der Horst feels it is crucial that the arts not just survive, but thrive.

“In these times that are, at best, divisive, I think the arts play such an important role to inform, to educate and to connect people,” she said.

What inspires you to give back?

“I think it’s in my DNA to want to make a difference. And Cincinnati has allowed me to do so. Cincinnati is a great city with so much to offer but, like any community, it has many challengesaswell.Overtheyears,I’vevolunteered for a number of arts, education and social service organizations, all striving to make Cincinnati an even better place to live, work and play, and I’m pleased that, since retiring eight years ago, I’ve been able to do even more.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“The lack of affordable housing. Studies show that there is currently a deficit of 40,000 affordable housing units available to low-income households in Hamilton County. And unstable housing negatively impacts health, education and other outcomes. A number of organizations, including the

About Ellen G. van der Horst h Birthplace: Philadelphia h Current residence: Cincinnati. h Family: Husband Ray; two adults sons Benjamin and Matthew. h Education: Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. h Occupation: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (current Chair), Cincinnati Opera (Board President), ArtsWave (Lifetime Trustee), Greater Cincinnati Foundation (current Vice-Chair), Women’s Capital Club, TriVersity Construction Company (Board), Leadership Cincinnati Class 21, The Commercial Club, Wise Temple.

Greater Cincinnati Foundation, on whose board I sit, are working to address this issue, but our entire community needs to come together to do more, more quickly.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“I grew up in a very caring family, which I think created the foundation for my volunteerism. And several of my mentors early in my career encouraged me to get involved in issues and organizations I cared about. Doing so helped me to grow both professionally and personally.

1968: Mary Ambrosius, Dodie Baker, Katherine Brown, Virginia Coffey, Treva

Cromwell, Dorothy Dolbey, Dr. Vera C.

Edwards, Gretta Hastings Grant, Nancy

McIntosh, Beverly Anderson Page.

1969: Vivian J. Beamon, Jean Domer, Ann Isaacs, Lou Klingelhoffer, Marge

Molony, Jane Kirchner O’Toole, Dr. Elizabeth Overhulse, Jeannine Schmid, Ger- aldine Thornton, Joyce VanWye.

1970: Dr. Doris Twitchell Allen, Jeanette Conyers, Peggy Geier, Olive Holmes, Edythe Hyde, Dr. Eileen M. O’Ferrell, Viola Phillips, Beverly Richardson, Ruth

Stone, Ila M. Turpeau.

1971: Marian Beck, Gladys Callender, Jo

Garber, Dr. Harriet Beecher Howes, Irene Kinkead, Catherine May, Dr. Louise

W. Rauh, Esther Roache, Alice Catherine

Rogers, Mabel V. Smith.

1972: Dr. Jane M. Dotson, Dr. Rena Ga- zaway, Isabel Guy, Beverly Kiley, Esther

Kuhn, Martha Martin, Virginia Perin, Marian

Spencer, Thelma Stutz, Anna Ware.

1973: Ruth Barry, Suzanne Harris, Martha Leeds, Annie Laurie Magorian, Mary Elizabeth Marcum, Jane McGregor, Elizabeth Pitts, Patricia Rahe, Elsie Rusch, Beatrice Scheele.

1974: Ruth Keefe, Mary Keiser, Opal Miller, Alice Pfeifer, Barbara Robinson, Agnes S. Seasongood, Cornelia Slater, Pat Sommerkamp, Nancy Storch, Roberta Wooten.

1975: Dorothy Bailey, Mattie Kinney, Mary Margaret Long, JoAnn Orr, Peggy Pauly, Sister Mary Louise Rogers, Zell Schulman, Marian B. Swisshelm, Betty

Tucker-Zavon, Dottie Wood.

1976: Avis W. Cullen, Ruth Dalrymple, Evelyn Davis, Kathie Fairbanks, Lucille Green, Florence Kaufman, Sister Margaret Anne Molitor, Dorothy A. O’Hara, Peg Schmidt, Bobbie Sterne.

1977: Dr. Eula Bingham, Patricia Corbett, Karen Everett, Captain Anne Kirby, Mary Ann Menke, Kathryn Pettengill, Frances Jones Poetker, Joyce Salinger, Georgia Silliman, Clarise White.

1978: Hannah Hume Baird, Charlee Blaine, Mamie Ray Duff, Jane Earley, Georgia Krider, Dr. Beatrice Lampkin, Loretta Manggrum, Bettye Torrey Oldham, Virginia Ruehlmann, Mary Schloss.

1979: Dr. Carol M. Brownscheidle, Dr.

Cornelia M. Dettmer, Helen Hennegan

Diehl, Helen Levine, Caryl Miller, Grace Bochenek Moore, Dorothy Stolzenbach

Payne, Joan Portman, Emily Taylor Spicer, Jeanne Marie Stophlet.

1980: Anna Cortright, Helen H. Fix, Elizabeth D. Goldsmith, Joyce Holmes, Marlene Holwadel, Jane Jansak, Evelyn M. Kalb, Pheatter McConnell, Jean Rothenberg, Carol Weihl.

1981: Gwendolyn Carol Braddock, Sister Mary Jerome Buchert, Marienne Fields, Susanne Ernst Geier, Virginia K. Griffin, Dr. Emily R. Hess, Cathryn Hilker, Mary Middleton, Dr. Sonya Oppenheimer, Carol Nan Wheat.

1982: Linda Bates-Parker, Lois Broerman, Donna Carman, Barbara Condo, Barbara Fitch, Judi Gerding, Katherine Hanna, Sister Jean Patrice Harrington, Irma Lazarus, June Taylor.

1983: Sharry Addison, Patricia G. Brown, Almas Davidson, Pegge Garfield, Helen Hinckley, Minette Hoffheimer, Nancy Kayes, Dr. Kathleen Spellman McLaurin, Katherine Terwort, Ruth Vogelpohl.

1984: Louise Dunn, Clare A. Easton, Charlotte Hullinger, Ann Mootz, Margaret L. Peyton, Marge Schott, Sister Marianne Van Vurst, Ruth Westheimer, Virginia Wiltse, Betty Zimmer.

1985: Joan Benton, Helen K. Berry, Maxine Jo Browne, Theresa Fleming, Betty Hinson, Anne Hitson, Deborah Kendrick, Jean Leach, Barbara Rabkin, Grace Raines.

1986: Sarah E. Christensen, Betty Daniels, Jane Dumbadze, Melissa E. Lanier, Lorena M. O’Donnell, Allene W. Reed, Margaret B. Rost, Alice Skirtz, Hope Taft, Phyllis Weston.

1987: Mary Kay Allison, Frances Cohen, Susan L. Pfau, Sue Richard, Mamie Earl Sells, Eleanor Strauss, Maureen R. Sullivan, Betty White, Helen D. Williams, Cathy Cleeland Wolff.

1988: Phyllis Breen, Mary Brown, Ann V. Bullock, Jacqueline P. Butler, Evelyn B. Dixon, Sue Doan, Mona Kerstine, Dr. Bonnie Patterson, Yvonne C. Robertson, Linda J. Smith.

1989: Nancy Brown Bauer, Lois Brown Dale, Dianne Dunkelman, Theresa C. Henderson, Harriet Janszen, Alvina Montgomery, Carolyn Finn Saeks, Sister Mary Jacinta Shay, Mary E. Simons, Jacqueline Nulsen Thompson.

1990: Nancy Janes Boothe, Helen Francis Brigham, Celia May Brumm, Shirley Colbert, Carol Levy Davidow, Althea Day-Engstrand, Bernadine Kessinger, Minor LeBlond, Cleaster Mims, Sandra Sommer.

1991: Michelle Budzek, Jayne Byrnes, Anne Dorsey, Sandra Driggins-Smith, Joni Herschede, Pat Kayden, Joan Linder, Myrtis H. Powell, Janet Block Rosen, Jane Ruxton.

1992: Jane Crosset Anderegg, Ceil Dorger, Sister Rose Ann Fleming, Carolyn Ford-Griffith, Jane Haas Friedman, Mary Jane Miller, Mary Ellen Slauson, Betty Ann Smiddy, Hannah Thomas, Georgine Wolohan.

1993: Sheila J. Adams, Rosa Blackwell, Dabby Blatt, Louise Atkins Head, Odessa Walker Hooker, Madeleine Lame, Jane Loomis, Rosemary Schlachter, Marcia Spaeth, Christine U. Stubbins.

1994: Mary Anne Brennan, Ethel Clemons Buckner, Sister Barbara Busch, Nancy Heffner Donovan, Joanie Lotts, Hilda Marshall McIntire, Marjorie Hiatt Motch, Alice Sparks, Suzanne Teller, Anne M. Zaring.

1995: Laura Brunner, Anna Campbell, Fran Carlisle, Gloria Giannestras, Darlene Green Kamine, Ellie Lazarus, Dolores J. Lindsay, Carolyn F. McCoy, Alice Rogers Uhl, Miriam West.

1996: Janet H. Ach, Elaine S. Boynton, Rosemary Kelly Conrad, Colenthia H. Hunter, Lynn Marmer, Leslie Bennett McNeill, Beverly Fitzpatrick Mussari, Francie Garber Pepper, Janet B. Reid, Carol B. Striker.

1997: Juanita M. Adams, Dr. Rebecca Bechhold, Shannon Carter, Susan S. Friedlander, Barbara Gould, Sarah Blanken Kahmann, Margaret Richards, Susan Tew, Judith Van Ginkel, Kathy Wade.

1998: Sondra Thomas Britton, Dr. Evelyn V. Hess-Howett, Marie C. Huenefeld, Betsy LaMacchia, Melody Sawyer Richardson, Carole Tyler Rigaud, Barbara S. Rosenberg, JoAnn Schwartz, Sister Mary Stanton, Lynn Stern.

1999: Mary Lu Aft, Naomi Pleasant Barkley, Marja Wade Barrett, Patricia Beggs, Barbara Harshman, Annie Ruth Napier, Christine Neyer, Norma Petersen, Dianne M. Rosenberg, Lois Rosenthal.

2000: Jane Lampke Bracken, Mary Frances Williams Clauder, Sister Mary Ann Fuerst, Cinda Gorman, Francie Schott Hiltz, J.J. Johnson-JioDucci, Danya Karram, Sherrie Lou Noel, Merri Gaither Smith, Sister Alice Marie Soete, Mauri J. Willis.

2001: Shakila T. Ahmad, Sister Julia Mary Deiters, Kim Morris Heiman, Betti Joan Hinton, Sherie Ann Marek, Anzola McMullen, Liane Phillips, Phyllis Browning Reed, Mary Margaret Rochford, Sally Southard.

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2002: Trudi Fullen, Judith H. Gibbons, Nancy Condon Gurney, Patricia Irwin, Nancy J. Minson, Rochelle Morton, Cynthia Sheakley Muhlhauser, Susan Schiller, Marion H. Thompson, Ginger War- ner.

2003: Nancy Barone, Nancy Schellhous

Conner, Diane Dewbrey, Karen Bennett

Hoeb, Lillian H. Jones, Katherine W.

Lawrence, Sister Ann Rene McConn, Penny Kereiakes Pomeranz, Phyllis Shapiro Sewell, Reba St. Clair.

2004: Patricia Fox Alderson, Eileen W.

Barrett, Sister Mary Jo Gasdorf, Lucinda

Templeman Heekin, Barbara H. Howard, Charlotte R. Otto, Penny Pensak, Phyllis

Layton Perry, Aurelia Candie Simmons, Gloria Nelson Turnbow.

2005: Cathy Crain, Alva Jean Crawford, Mary E. Ivers, Arlene Katz, Sara J. Kieffner, Leslie Siegel Kreines, Laurie

Nippert Leonard, Digi France Schueler, Sister Francis Marie Thrailkill, Gwendolyn Joan Wilder.

2006: Eleanor N. Berghausen, Cynthia

O. Booth, Trish Bryan, Mary Ellen Cody, Judy S. Dalambakis, Madeleine Gordon, Tamara Harkavy, Suzanne Priestle Miele, Gwen L.

Robinson-Benning, Rachel Votruba.

2007: Holly Bankemper Collinsworth, Amelia Crutcher, Beth Guttman, Carrie

K. Hayden, Suzanne Kathman, Ruthann

Sammarco, Marcella G. Trice, Yvonne

Gray Washington, DeeDee West, Judith

Wimberg.

2008: Brynne Coletti, P. Jeane Goings, Cathy Youtsey Halloran, Marty Roberts

Humes, Jacqueline Mervis Mack, Alber- ta A. Marsh, Sue Radabaugh, Sister Fran

A. Repka, Marianne R. Rowe, Vivian

Stern Schwab, Linda Smith Berry.

2009: Suzanne Costandi, Marian Cum- mins, Yvonne L. Edmonds-West, Crystal

Faulkner, Suzette Adouth Fisher, Cheryl

Hill, Beth Tu Hoffman, Rochelle S. Jef- fries

Johnson, Sister Janet Linz, Ronna K.

Willis.

2010: Kathy Beechem, Iva M. Brown, Princess Davis, Ellen M. Flannery, Bar- bara Hahn, Julie Weiss Kantor, Jo Ann

Knock, Betty Maupin Pogue, Shabana

Shakir-Ahmed, Sara M. Vance Waddell.

2011: Charlin D. Briggs, Joyce Elkus, Charlene M. Erler, Susan Abernethy

Frank, Lydia Johnson Morgan, Sheila

Munafo-Kanoza, Margaret W. Namie, Nina Paul, Gwendolyn Ivory Robinson,

Priscilla Batsche Ungers.

2012: Jennie Rosenthal Berliant, Elaine Bruening, Ruby Crawford-Hemphill, Cindy Armstrong Foster, Etta Hoeh, Louise S. Hughes, Marjorie H. Rauh, Sister Judy Tensing, Lynda A. Thomas, Shelby Wood.

2013: Pauline Banks Baumann, Barbara Bushman, Karen K. Cassidy, Jan Armstrong Cobb, April D. Davidow, Mary M. Gimpel, Joellen W. Grady, Marlene R. Johnson, Jane Portman, Sister Bonnie Steinlage.

2014: Brooke Desserich, Kelley J. Downing, Sherri Friedman, Kathryne Gardette, Sister Paula González, Mimi Hart, Sheila Hill, Linda Neenan, Kathy Rambo, Millicent “Millie” Swaine.

2015: Afreen Asif, Debbie Brant, Patti Hogan, Crystal Kendrick, Paula Kollstedt, Anne McGraw, Sharon Mitchell, Julia Poston, Rosann Sharon, Charlotte Wethington.

2017*: Karen Bankston, Suzanne Adrian DeYoung, Sister Sally Duffy, Mimi Mosher Dyer, Sandy Kaltman, Pam Kravetz, Susan Lee Landis, Jo Martin, Zeinab Schwen, Lauren Hannan Shafer.

2018: Kelly Dolan, Nancy Eigel-Miller, Maureen France, Judith Harmony, Tillie Hidalgo Lima, Chandra Mathews-Smith, Maria Ahmed Munir, Alandes Powell, Mary Burke Rivers, Mary Welsh Schlueter.

2019: Deborah Allsop, Sheila Carroll, Karen D’Agostino, Kelly Kolar-Eyman, Bari Sandler Lansberg, Phyllis McCallum, Cheryl Popp, Gayle Ann Rece, Rhonda Sheakley, Patricia Mann Smitson.

2020: Shelley Jefferson Hamler, Delores Hargrove-Young, Evelyn B. Laux, Helen O’Neal, Heather Stein Russell, Dr. Samina Sohail, Shawnteé Stallworth Schramm, Stephanie Swain, Teresa Tanner, Michele Young.

2021: Iris Simpson Bush, Ariella “Ari” Cohen, Deborah Hayes, Nirvani Head, Linda R. Holthaus, Carolyn L. Mazloomi, Candace McGraw, Ellen Muse-Lindeman, Stacy Sims, Belinda Tubbs-Wallace.

2022: Claudia Abercrumbie, Heather Britt, Kathy DeLaura, Nancy Grayson, Susan Hare, Edna Keown, Bonnie Perrino, Liza Smitherman, Jen Stein and Ellen van der Horst.

*In 2017, the awards shifted from spring, honoring the previous year’s honorees, to the fall, so the year listed shifted to be the current year.