Leadership Memphis

TODAY’S THE DAY — AND WE’RE SOLD OUT! ✨
Today, Leadership Memphis and Volunteer Memphis welcome our community for the 2026 Leadership & Volunteer Memphis Awards Luncheon as we celebrate the extraordinary leaders, volunteers, organizations, and changemakers helping move Memphis forward.
We’re grateful to our honorees, finalists, sponsors, partners, volunteers, alumni, and every guest joining us today. Your leadership, service, and commitment to our city are what make this celebration possible.
We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 🏆💙💛
September 24, 2026 | 11 AM–1 PM
Renasant Convention Center
Tag us in your photos and moments from today!

Meet the finalists for the 2026 Volunteer Memphis Non-Profit of the Year Award! 

RISE Memphis has empowered individuals and families to build financial stability and generational wealth since 1999. Through financial counseling, savings programs and financial education, RISE has helped eliminate more than $8 million in non-mortgage debt and supported families in purchasing more than 130 homes. 

Memphis Goodwill has spent more than 100 years creating pathways to employment, education and independence for people facing barriers. Serving 24 counties across Tennessee and North Mississippi, its work includes workforce development, job training and The Excel Center Memphis, Tennessee’s only free adult high school offering a state-recognized diploma. 

YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South continues a more than 170-year legacy of strengthening youth, families and communities. In 2025 alone, the Y provided before- and after-school care to 13,800 students, delivered more than 3,000 swim and water safety lessons and reached thousands of teens through youth development programs. Since 2020, the organization has also distributed more than 14 million meals across Tennessee and Mississippi. 

Three organizations creating measurable impact across our community. 

Join us at the 2026 Leadership & Volunteer Memphis Awards on Thursday, September 24, when the Non-Profit of the Year will be announced live! 

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Meet the finalists for the 2026 Volunteer Memphis Non-Profit Leader of the Year Award! 

Rachel Haaga, Co-Founder and CEO of Restore Corps by Freed Life, has helped transform a grassroots response to human trafficking into a regional leader providing comprehensive, trauma-informed care. Restore Corps now receives approximately 200–250 survivor referrals annually while advancing survivor-centered systems of care across West Tennessee. 

David Jordan has served as President & CEO of Agape Child & Family Services since 1995. A social worker with more than 40 years of experience, David has helped grow Agape into both a major service provider and community backbone organization bringing partners together to address generational poverty and advance human flourishing. 

Cori Smith, Founder and Executive Director of Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry, transformed a grassroots diaper drive started in her garage into a trusted Mid-South resource. Today, Sweet Cheeks has distributed more than two million diapers while expanding its work to provide formula, period supplies, adult incontinence products and other essentials to families in need. 

Join us in celebrating three leaders whose work demonstrates the extraordinary impact of Memphis’ nonprofit community. 

The Non-Profit Leader of the Year will be announced live at the 2026 Leadership & Volunteer Memphis Awards on Thursday, September 24! 

Meet the finalists for the 2026 Volunteer Memphis Adult Volunteer of the Year Award! 

Warren Banner serves his Orange Mound community through Gun Down in Orange Mound, supporting neighborhood cleanups, promoting community safety and providing encouragement and prayer to families impacted by gun violence. 

Kenneth Holman has contributed more than 1,700 volunteer hours to the American Red Cross since 2022, responding to more than 100 emergencies while supporting disaster relief, home fire prevention and the training of new disaster responders across Memphis and the Mid-South. 

Chima Onwuka, Founder and President of Grind City Cares, has mobilized hundreds of volunteers and built partnerships supporting education, health and wellness, youth development and families throughout the Mid-South. 

Three volunteers. Three incredible examples of what it means to serve. 

Join us at the 2026 Leadership & Volunteer Memphis Awards on Thursday, September 24, when the Adult Volunteer of the Year will be announced live! 

Meet the finalists for the 2026 Volunteer Memphis Youth Volunteer of the Year Award! 

London Arwood began volunteering with Fayette County Animal Rescue at just seven years old. Since then, she has dedicated countless hours to caring for shelter animals, assisting with adoption events and fundraising, while also serving through food drives and Vacation Bible School. She plans to study Animal Science and pursue a career in veterinary medicine. 

Cooper Mears has contributed more than 500 volunteer hours supporting veterans, families facing food insecurity and neighborhood and park cleanups. A National Honor Society student, Cooper also shares his passion for astronomy with the public and mentors middle school students participating in Model UN. 

These young leaders remind us that there is no minimum age for making a meaningful difference. 
Join us at the 2026 Leadership & Volunteer Memphis Awards on Thursday, September 24, when the Youth Volunteer of the Year will be announced live! 

Congratulations to Eric Echols, our 2026 ChangeMaker: Education Leader of the Year! 

Born and raised in Orange Mound and a product of Memphis City Schools, Eric has dedicated more than 20 years to educating young people through the arts. Today, he continues that work as a High School Art & Photography Teacher with Memphis-Shelby County Schools at Craigmont High School. 

A graduate of LeMoyne-Owen College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Union University with a Master of Arts in Education, Eric has helped thousands of students reach their artistic potential. 

Through both teaching and his own artwork, he uses art to tell stories of heritage, resilience, nostalgia and hope for the future. 

Join us in celebrating Eric at the 2026 Leadership & Volunteer Memphis Awards on Thursday, September 24! 

Congratulations to Brent Hooks, our 2026 ChangeMaker: Business & Tech Leader of the Year! 

As Regional Vice President of Cornerstone Engineering Inc., Brent combines finance, operations and technology to help organizations and communities grow. His work has included leading multi-market expansion across the Southeast, modernizing enterprise systems and managing capital portfolios exceeding $1 billion. 

A Memphis native and Leadership Memphis graduate, Brent also serves on the Downtown Memphis Commission and the Shelby County/City of Memphis Film and TV Commission while supporting arts and youth development across the city. 

Whether strengthening organizations or investing in Memphis’ built and creative future, Brent’s leadership is focused on building capacity in both places and people.