Kennedy Wins Horizon Foundation’s Transformative Leadership Award

Former Columbia Association president Padraic Kennedy is this year’s winner of The Horizon Foundation’s Richard G. McCauley Award for Transformative Leadership. He and other Horizon Foundation award winners will be honored at a breakfast on June 24 at the Hawthorn Center. Kennedy was Horizon’s second board chair, serving from 2004 to 2006.

“Pat took the board to the next level of development following its early formative period,” said Horizon president and CEO Richard Krieg. “He was involved in some key initiatives, including the Foundation’s youth asset development programs and our initial work in community emergency response.

“He brought a finely-honed understanding of the community into every discussion he had as board chair,” Krieg added. He brings wisdom and focus to everything he does, and The Horizon Foundation was no exception."

Kennedy called the award “a great honor.” McCauley, who was the first chair of Horizon’s board, “has done so much for Columbia and Howard County,” Kennedy said. “He’s been such an incredible leader. To receive an award in his name really is a great honor.”

Every year, The Horizon Foundation honors individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to community health and wellness.

Neighbor Ride, which provides affordable, reliable transportation for seniors, is one of this year’s winners of a Health Action Award. In the past year, the organization’s 245 volunteers have provided 7,200 trips to medical appointments, cultural and social gatherings, fitness and educational classes, religious services, shopping and other day-to-day activities.

AMC Columbia and the Howard County Autism Society also won a Health Action Award for their sensory-friendly films.Because autism often causes hypersensitivity to light and sound, the theater volume is turned down during sensory-friendly screenings, and the lights are left on.

The program began in 2007, when Elkridge resident Marianne Ross suggested special screenings to then Columbia AMC manager Dan Harris. More than 300 people turned out for the first show. Three years later, sensory-friendly screenings are available at 93 AMC theaters in 47 cities nationwide.

Elisa Montalvo, a Hispanic Achievement Specialist for the Howard County Public School System, is this year’s winner of Horizon’s Youth Development Award. Montalvo joined the Howard County Public School System just over thee years ago as its first Hispanic Achievement Specialist. Since then, she has launched ENCUENTROS, the school system’s Spanish-language television program for parents, and formed a Howard County Public School System Hispanic Youth Leadership Team, which builds community among Hispanic high school students, promotes academic achievement and higher education, reinforces positive ethnic identity and helps students develop leadership skills.