Responsible. High-impact. Altruistic. Intelligent. Broad-minded . . . These are just a few of the adjectives used to describe Amberley Village resident, Mauri J. Willis in nomination letters to The Cincinnati Enquirer for this year's Woman of the Year awards.

        Those who have worked with Mrs. Willis over a volunteer career of nearly 28 years seem to agree is a super-competent woman whose goodwill knows no bounds.

        She has sat on boards for the National Council of Jewish Women, Temple Sholom and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. She has overseen the refurbishing of a West End elementary school, gone door to door campaigning for United Way and trained board members for non-profit organizations all over the city.

        Recently, she has even taken on the daunting task of overseeing area National Volunteer Week activities, encompassing hundreds of organizations throughout the region.

        “She's extraordinary. We don't know what we'd do without her,” says Don Turner, Vice President of Volunteer Resource Development at United Way. “Her willingness to serve is incredible. She's a great planner and always follows through on projects. She works hard and knows how to delegate.”

        Such praise comes from skills developed over a long line of volunteer efforts beginning in the early 70s with the National Council of Jewish Women.

        “I read about a project NCJW was doing with a toy-lending library,” Mrs. Willis says. “I thought it was great how they brought these young mothers in and talked to them about child development. The organization impressed me, so I joined.”

        She quickly emerged as a council leader, overseeing fund-raising in the NCJW resale shop, determining the group's agendas for the year and ultimately serving as its president from 1985 to 1987.

        Then, in 1989, she discovered United Way.

        “I was asked to serve on a committee for United Way's statewide conference on voluntarism because of my experience with the NCJW,” she said. “And afterwards they asked me if I'd like to train board members for non-profit groups.”

        She accepted and became involved in United Way's BoardWalk Training, a program in which volunteer consultants provide training and consultation for not-for-profit Boards of Trustees. Her firm beliefs and vast experience in the field earned her a reputation as one of United Way's most effective trainers for boards representing a broad range of interests, drug rehabilitation facilities, neighborhood coalitions, financial assistance centers and disability groups to name a few.

        She was later involved in a different kind of program that helped train and place local executives who wanted to serve on agency boards but had no previous experience. She spent a year developing a day-long program that gives the ins and outs of board policies, then spent three years conducting the class, which has placed more than 100 graduates in area agencies.

        “I discovered that I loved to teach,” Mrs. Willis said. “If anyone had asked me if that's what I wanted to do in college, I would have said no way. But it has been so rewarding . . . ”

        She now plays multiple roles at United Way, sitting on an advisory board, continuing her board training and overseeing National Volunteer Week activities.

        A couple of years back, when budget cuts threatened the presence of National Volunteer Week programming at United Way, Mrs. Willis spoke up about its importance.

        “Basically, they said do you want to be the National Volunteer Week coordinator?” Mrs. Willis said.

        Now she makes certain that volunteers at United Way agencies get the recognition they deserve. She sends out mailings to non-profit groups with ideas for celebrating their volunteers and plans an award ceremony that recognizes area standouts.

        “Voluntarism is obviously something I feel very strongly about,” she says. “I truly believe that by helping others you are actually making the world a better place to live in, which you end up benefiting from yourself.”

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Women of the Year
Danya Karram
Francie Schott Hiltz
J.J. Johnson-JioDucci
Jane Lampke Bracken
Mary Frances Williams Clauder
Mauri J. Willis
Merri Gaither Smith
Sherrie Lou Noel
Sisters Mary Ann Fuerst and Alice Marie Soete
The Rev. Dr. Cinda Gorman
Past Enquirer Women of the Year