NFL Announces 2025 Inspire Change Changemakers

The NFL and its clubs today announced the 2025 Inspire Change Changemakers, recognizing individuals who have distinguished themselves through their commitment to social justice in their communities. To see the full list of Changemakers, view the link here.

Now entering its fourth year, the award honors community leaders nominated by clubs for driving meaningful impact across the four pillars of Inspire Change: education, economic advancement, police-community relations, and criminal justice reform. Each honoree will be recognized during the league’s annual Inspire Change Weeks in Weeks 15 and 16 and will receive a $10,000 donation from the NFL Foundation directed to a nonprofit organization of their choosing.

Starting today through December 22, Inspire Change Weeks will showcase the NFL’s ongoing commitment to breaking down barriers to opportunity, spotlighting impactful stories from individuals and organizations nationwide. Since 2017, the NFL family has contributed more than $460 million to empower more than 700 local non-profits, 2,300 player and Legend matching grants, and more than 50 national grant partners in support of Inspire Change’s mission of creating positive change.

This year’s Changemakers include:

●      Dawn Wallace   –   nominated by the Arizona Cardinals for her work advancing civic engagement and youth leadership development with the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation. As Director, Wallace oversees programs that empower Arizonans to participate fully in civic life, from youth leadership initiatives to immersive fellowships for experienced community leaders. Her decades of public service include advising governors and managing statewide educational policy initiatives, with a core emphasis on equity, access, and education.

●      Chad Houser  –   nominated by the Atlanta Falcons for his work creating pathways for economic advancement and criminal justice reform with Café Momentum. As Founder, Houser helps provide justice-involved youth, ages 15 – 19, with culinary industry skills and a strong support system through award-winning restaurants and training programs.

●      Joni Holifield  –   nominated by the Baltimore Ravens for her work elevating youth potential through mentorship and economic empowerment with HeartSmiles. HeartSmiles provides youth in Baltimore with internships, career development, and leadership seminars, helping them build their network and find success within their local community. As Founder, Holifield prides herself on the ’earn-while-you-learn’ model, which has provided youth participants with over $1 million in wages since 2015.

●      Mark Laurrie  –   nominated by the Buffalo Bills for his work championing educational equity and student well-being with the Niagara Falls City School District. As Superintendent, Laurrie spearheaded the expansion of Say Yes Buffalo to Niagara Falls, providing crucial tuition assistance and support services for students. He also established the Niagara Falls Student Champion Team, which trains students on mental health and trauma first aid.

●      Michael DeVaul  –   nominated by the Carolina Panthers for his efforts in promoting community building, diversity, and inclusion through the YMCA. Within his 40-year career, he has held several titles, including Executive Director of the University City YMCA in Charlotte, NC, and Senior Vice President of Organizational Advancement of YMCA of Greater Charlotte. As Chief Responsibility Officer of YMCA of Greater Charlotte, DeVaul established the YMCA’s Young Men Thriving initiative, which has been adopted on a national scale in nearly 40 markets.

●      Matt DeMateo  –   nominated by the Chicago Bears for his work driving community safety through restorative justice and violence prevention with New Life Centers and New Life Community Church. As Chief Executive Director and Pastor, DeMateo and his team address violence prevention and food security needs with programs like the Pan de Vida Food Pantry, while building long-term pathways for safety and opportunity.

●      Rickell Howard Smith  –   nominated by the Cincinnati Bengals for her work advancing social justice and championing women’s rights with the YWCA Greater Cincinnati. As President & CEO, Smith spearheaded the development of a new trauma-informed shelter for domestic violence survivors, expanding its capacity from 67 to over 100 individuals. Throughout her career as a civil rights attorney, she has fought against housing discrimination while serving on the boards of the Hamilton County Human Services Chamber, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio, Lighthouse Community School, and the Women’s Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

●      Henry Pettiegrew  –   nominated by the Cleveland Browns for his work spearheading significant academic gains and championing initiatives that address systemic barriers to opportunity in East Cleveland City Schools. As CEO and Superintendent, Pettiegrew improved graduation rates, attendance rates, and proficiency scores, while implementing innovative instructional strategies that close achievement gaps. Under his leadership, the district surged 62 spots in Ohio’s rankings in just one year and has now reached a 3-star rating on Ohio’s State Report Card ranking, meeting state standards for the first time in district history.

●      Lisa Rose  –   nominated by the Dallas Cowboys for her work empowering women and children to break cycles of abuse and poverty with The Gatehouse at Grapevine. Rose founded The Gatehouse, a 61-acre supportive living community providing long-term, comprehensive support including housing, childcare, counseling, and career development. The Gatehouse offers a dignified, long-term path to permanent self-sufficiency for women and children, empowering over 800 individuals in the last decade.

●      Dr. Malcinia "Nina" Toombs Conley  –   nominated by the Denver Broncos for her work advancing educational equity and next-generation leadership serving Colorado’s youth. Dr. Conley serves as an education specialist and advocate, mentoring hundreds of youth through education programs and college and career counseling at the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club. She led the RISE youth leadership program focused on racial equity and cultural competence and helped pilot the Pathways2Teaching program in Montbello High School to boost the number of teachers of color.

●     Angela Reyes  –   nominated by the Detroit Lions for her work driving community development with the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation (DHDC). As Founder, she has offered adult education classes, mental health resources, housing counseling, financial literacy courses, advocacy groups, entrepreneurship support, youth development programs, parenting resources, and community violence intervention programs. Reyes’ philosophy treats youth not as ’at-risk’ but as ’at-promise,’ and many of DHDC’s current staff are former program participants or individuals whose lives she directly influenced.

●      Tony Pichler  –   nominated by the Green Bay Packers for his work providing essential services and support to those experiencing homelessness with Whatsoever You Do Inc. As co-founder, Pichler helps provide food and shelter to the homeless and offers transportation/bicycles to help individuals get to jobs. He also spearheaded the creation of The Giving Garden, which donates fresh vegetables to low and no-income neighbors in need, and is the Executive Director of Envision Greater Green Bay.

●      Jenifer Jarriel  –   nominated by the Houston Texans for her work strengthening family well-being and reforming the child welfare system with DePelchin Children’s Center. As President & CEO, Jarriel oversees prevention, foster care, adoption, and mental health support for some of Texas’s most vulnerable populations. Under her leadership, the Center became the lead agency for Community-Based Care in Region 6, ensuring thousands of children and families receive high-quality, stable care.

●      Chanel Parker  –   nominated by the Indianapolis Colts for her work improving the quality of life for at-risk detained youth with the Marion Superior Court Youth Services Center. As Quality of Life Coordinator, Parker cultivates a robust network of community volunteers, including educators, athletes, artists, clergy, and ex-offenders, to provide impactful programming for detained residents.

●      Ronnie King  –   nominated by the Jacksonville Jaguars for his work transforming grassroots education through technology and innovation with the MyVillage Project. As Founder, Ronnie established the world’s largest community knowledge repository, empowering students and nonprofit leaders by seamlessly integrating local insights with state-of-the-art technology. Through initiatives like "Coding in Color" King has successfully trained over 500 students for careers in AI, app development, and video game design, all while forging essential connections with grassroots nonprofit networks.

●      Jeff Shafer  –   nominated by the Kansas City Chiefs for his work driving educational equity and community empowerment with City Year Kansas City. As Executive Director, Shafer leads a passionate team focused on equipping public school students with the academic and social-emotional support they need for success. Under his guidance, City Year KC played a vital role in helping Kansas City Public Schools regain accreditation in 2022.

●      Robert Strawder  –   nominated by the Las Vegas Raiders for his work bridging divides through mentorship and police-community relations with the Donna Street Community Center Inc. and Hip-Hop Entrepreneurship Program Academy. Through the Donna Street Community Center, Strawder provides technology access and resources for low-income families. As Founder of Hip-Hop Entrepreneurship Program Academy, he blends music, business, and critical-thinking skills to inspire students and foster mutual understanding with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

●      Steve Delgado and Shirley Torres  –   nominated by the Los Angeles Chargers for their work advancing social justice and transformation with Homeboy Industries. As Co-Chief Executive Officers, Delgado and Torres provide hope, job training, and mental health support to formerly gang-involved or incarcerated individuals. Torres, with over 20 years at the organization, and Delgado, who joined in 2019, lead with a shared commitment to fostering kinship and human connection to support reentry.

●      Aurianna Tuttle  –   nominated by the Los Angeles Rams for her work providing community resource stability for youth with ROC Era. As Founder and Executive Director, Tuttle creates safe spaces where young people, especially Black and brown youth, can discover their voices and recognize their value. She also provides crucial financial support, offering grants to families for healthcare and eviction prevention, and supporting hundreds of families impacted by the Altadena fires.                  

●     Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh  –   nominated by the Miami Dolphins for her work championing economic empowerment and dismantling systemic barriers with the Urban League of Broward County. As President and CEO, Dr. Smith-Baugh has launched impactful initiatives, including the Village at Oakland Park, which is poised to be the county’s largest mixed-income affordable housing project. She also created a Community Development Financial Institution that funds underserved entrepreneurs, building on her nearly three decades of dedicated social justice work.

●      Ebbony and Raymond Jackson  –   nominated by the Minnesota Vikings for their work offering educational scholarships and community outreach with The Khyree Jackson Foundation. The Jacksons established the foundation to honor their late son, former Vikings cornerback Khyree Jackson, who passed away tragically. The organization supports children and families in underserved communities through football camps, scholarships (including the Khyree Jackson Memorial Scholarship and Black Student Athlete Summit Scholarship), and community outreach like ’Khyree’s Locker of Hope’ for donated sports equipment.

●      Shaheer Mustafa  –   nominated by the New England Patriots for his work transforming the child welfare system and promoting positive outcomes for families with HopeWell, Inc. As President and CEO, Mustafa oversees services that create positive, measurable outcomes for children and families, including comprehensive foster care and education support. He previously served as Director for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, where he focused on improving permanency for children and reducing disproportionality in the foster care system.

●      Mary Ambrose  –   nominated by the New Orleans Saints for her work driving equitable representation through community advocacy and strategic funding with United Way of Southeast Louisiana. As Chief Equity & Impact Officer, Ambrose drives change through engagement, research, funding, and advocacy across all Inspire Change pillars in the Greater New Orleans region. She led the Impact 59 Super Bowl grants initiative, meticulously championing nonprofits and ensuring equitable representation of all communities in a major project for the region and the NFL. Ambrose has served the United Way Southeast Louisiana for over 25 years.

●      Nadine Wright-Arbubakrr  –   nominated by the New York Giants for her work building an inclusive future for families impacted by autism with Nassan’s Place. As Founder, Wright-Arbubakrr provides affordable educational and recreational programs, support services, and free Individualized Education Plan support to families in underserved communities. Married to NFL Legend Hasson Arbubakrr, Wright-Arbubakrr founded Nassan’s Place after their son was diagnosed with autism. She promotes economic advancement by offering financial literacy courses and hiring autism parents and adults with autism to work events, helping families find long-term stability.

●      Meghan Leonard  –   nominated by the New York Jets for her work fostering inclusion and building a unified community through sports with Special Olympics New Jersey and Bloomfield High School. Leonard is the Coordinator and Head Coach of Unified Sports at Bloomfield High School and a member of the Essex County Special Olympic Committee. She has been instrumental in fundraising to expand Unified Sports, increasing its reach with more Bloomfield High School students.

●      Emmanuel Clark  –   nominated by the Philadelphia Eagles for his work driving grassroots impact and youth development with the What I Wish I Knew Foundation. As Founder, Clark is a well-connected community organizer known for localized outreach, addressing community needs from backpack giveaways to in-school programs focused on conflict resolution.

●      Tim Smith  –   nominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers for his work strengthening the community through academic programs and a holistic approach with Center of Life. As Founder and Pastor, Smith established Center of Life to holistically support the people of Hazelwood with rich academic out-of-school programs and experiences in music and arts.

●      Kristopher Scott  –   nominated by the San Francisco 49ers for his work dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline for Bay Area youth with Fresh Lifelines for Youth. As Managing Director, Scott amplifies the voices of young people, ensuring they are seen, heard, and valued. His work empowers both youth and probation officers, and actively collaborates with city and state officials to advocate for meaningful policy change in the criminal justice system.

●      Linda Thompson-Black  –   nominated by the Seattle Seahawks for her work advancing educational equity and access to higher education with the United Negro College Fund Pacific Northwest Area. As Development Director, Thompson-Black leads initiatives that empower students to pursue higher education through scholarships, institutional support, and leadership development. She began her career in public service with the City of Seattle Parks Department, where, under Mayor Norm Rice, she helped lead the first-ever Seattle Education Summit. Previously, as Director of Field Operations of Communities In Schools, she expanded the organization’s reach from 500,000 to over 2 million students nationwide.

●      Jamal Jefferson  –   nominated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his work providing a safe, uplifting environment for the next generation of youth leaders with the Jackson Heights NFL YET Center. As Site Supervisor, she oversees all operations and orchestrates after-school and summer programming to offer a secure space for children and teens from East Tampa. He has been intentional about cultivating programming, such as music classes and a multimedia center, providing local youth with opportunities they might not otherwise have access to.

●      Melvin Cole  –   nominated by the Tennessee Titans for his work providing second chances and purpose for at-risk young males with P.U.R.E. Academy. Cole launched P.U.R.E. (Progressing Under Restraints and Extremes) Academy, a school dedicated to helping at-risk young males find community, academic success, and a positive path forward. Motivated by his own experience with the criminal justice system, he partners with the state, city, and various leaders to shape the minds of young males and give back to his Memphis community.

●      Reverend Gary Hill  –   nominated by the Washington Commanders for his work providing holistic community support and critical services to vulnerable youth with Exodus Treatment Center Inc. As Founder & Executive Director, Reverend Hill offers robust programming and support in Wards 7 and 8, ranging from teen anger management and youth substance abuse services to summer camps and mentoring. A 40-year native Washingtonian, he serves as a Commissioner for the Deputy Mayor of Education and as an advisor to the 7th District DC police station, building trust and knowledge of the core community issues.

For more information about Inspire Change, visit nfl.com/InspireChange.