October 28, 2024
Cincinnati Enquirer article written by Sharon Coolidge
Jeanette Altenau was just being herself in 2002 when as co-chair of the Cincinnati Arts Association's Lion King gala at the Aronoff Center she dreamed bigger than the usual attendees.
This was in the wake of the 2001 unrest in the city so she included city children in the event, who so many times had walked by the Aronoff Center, but never been to see a show.
The event was a success.
WKRC Channel 12's General Manager Chris Sehring, her co-chair, was so impressed that he hired Altenau as the channel's community relations director, a job he created just for her.
From there Altenau went to TriHealth, where Altenau has turned the job of director of community relations and government affairs into a role where she partners with countless nonprofit organizations throughout the region.
"TriHealth understands there is more to a healthy community than health care," Altenau said. "They understand a deep-rooted commitment to the community starts with health care, but it doesn't end there."
Over the last 12 years while in that job Altenau has worked on behalf of the arts, feeding people who are hungry, civic organizations that provide after-school sports and so many more. She's helped those groups raise so many millions of dollars she's lost count, not that she was ever really counting anyway. It's all about making the community better, she said.
For Altenau, a highlight of her career was serving as a national trustee for the NAACP and serving as vice chair of NAACP Image Awards. There she found a mentor in Julian Bonds, a civil rights activist, Georgia politician and chairman of the national NAACP from 1998 to 2010. Altenau left that role when Bonds did.
"Imagine being a 40-year-old white, single mom from Delhi Township serving as a trustee for the most important civil rights organization in history. I learned more than you could possibly ever read in history books. All that I learned there came back to benefit our community. I am so proud of that chapter of my life."
Her one piece of advice? Say yes. She said yes to TriHealth. She says yes when charities ask her to get involved.
"You never regret helping," Altenau said.
Her favorite yes? Saying she would chair the Men Wear Pink of Greater Cincinnati Campaign in 2016. She was supposed to do it for a year until they found a man to coordinate the volunteers, the model in place all over the country for the initiative led by the American Cancer Society.
She's still there and by the end of this year's campaign, the group will have netted more than $2 million. That group helped nominate Altenau for the award.
Altenau is quick to credit everyone else. But those who work with her credit her.
"Jeanette is a force unlike anyone else I have ever met," said Roderick Justice, artistic director at Children's Theatre of Cincinnati. "The goodness that emanates from a seemingly bottomless heart for so many nonprofits around this city is incredible. There is no one else like Jeanette."
That's exactly what the Men Wear Pink ambassadors think.
"If Jeanette's involved, you know it will be well run and fun," said Jay Koch, a Men Wear Pink ambassador and director of development for OrthoCincy.
"She gives everyone else a platform to do good work," added David Fulcher, a Men Wear Pink ambassador and former Cincinnati's Bengals safety. "None of this would happen without her."
The ambassadors all love Altenau.
At a recent event raising money for the Men Wear Pink campaign and for the Cincinnati Friars Club, another charity dear to Altenau's heart, the ambassadors climbed on stage and sang her a song. Their pick: Jimmy Buffett's "Fins," a nod to Altenau's favorite place after Cincinnati, Key West, and features the line, "You're the only girl in town."
About the honoree
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio.
Current residence: Delhi Township.
Family: Two adult daughters, a son-in-law and two grandchildren.
Occupation: Director, Community Relations and Government Affairs, TriHealth.
What she says
What inspires you to give back?
"My daughters and now, my grandchildren. I love this city − what we are and what we have the potential to be in the future. Every child should have any opportunity they dream of, and raising two daughters who are living their own dreams fuels my commitment daily to do anything possible to ensure all children in our community have the same opportunity."
What need in the community would you like to see addressed?
"Food insecurity. There’s no excuse for this city to be leading family food insecurity rankings nationally every single year. We can − and should − do better."
Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?
"I’ve been blessed with amazing mentors – national leaders like Julian Bond (a civil rights activist, Georgia politician and Chairman of the national NAACP from 1998 to 2010) and local leaders like Bob Edwards (Founder of the Freestore Foodbank's Rubber Duck Regatta) – who carved a space for me to be a part of new challenges and successes. I learned the power of one person making a difference for people they love and new friends they haven’t yet met."
Congratulations and keep doing what God has put you here to do!
Posted by: Kelly Jackson on November 04, 2024
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Congratulations and keep doing what God has put you here to do!
Posted by: Kelly Jackson on November 04, 2024
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Congratulations. You inspire me to do better!
Posted by: Darla Daniel on October 30, 2024
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Congratulations Jeanette!
Posted by: Cindy Crump on October 30, 2024
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Posted by: Angie Fellner on October 30, 2024
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