Celebrating the 2023 Inspire Awards

The Inspire Awards is the BRAINATION Foundation's signature event dedicated to honoring community leaders who have improved lives and demonstrated the power and goodness of the human spirit. Recipients are nominated and selected based on their contributions to one of the following categories: Community Leadership, Visionary Leadership, Educational Achievement, and Lifetime Achievement.

Initially founded in 2015 as the Anne Frank Inspire Awards, this event has evolved to benefit kindergarten through 12th-grade students. For 2023, the event will benefit the foster children who attend school onsite at the Legacy Ranch Inspire Academy in Gonzales, Texas.

Donate to Support a New Playground for Legacy Ranch

Event Details

Thursday, November 9, 2023

11:30 a.m.Legacy Ranch Inspire Academy
13326 N. Highway 183, Gonzales, TX 78629

2023 Award Honorees

Debbie Marshall,
Lifetime Achievement

Dr. Humberto Rivas,
Community Leadership

Krystal Mammarella,
Visionary Leadership

Past Inspire Award Honorees

2022 Award Honorees

George Gervin

George Gervin,
The Rise Above Award

Dr. Bill Gonzaba

Dr. Bill Gonzaba,
Lifetime Achievement

Susan Naylor

Susan Naylor,
Community Leadership

Mike Flores

Mike Flores,
Educational Excellence

Tiffany Jones-Smith

Tiffany Jones-Smith,
Visionary Leadership

2021 Award Honorees

Marty and Rene Wender

Marty and Rene Wender,
Lifetime Achievement

Mayor Ron Nirenberg

Mayor Ron Nirenberg,
Community Leadership

Dr. Page Smith

Dr. Page Smith,
Educational Excellence

John Quiñones

John Quiñones,
Visionary Leadership

2020 Award Honorees

Howie Nestel

Howie Nestel, Community & Civic Leadership

Carmen Tafolla

Dr. Carmen Tafolla, Educational Excellence

Rod Patti Radle

Rod and Patti Radle, Visionary Leadership

2019 Award Honorees

Harvey Najim

Harvey E. Najim, Lifetime Achievement

Vicki Carr

Vikki Carr, Community and Civic Leadership

Dr. Edwin Whitney

Dr. Edwin ‘Eli’ Whitney, Educational Excellence

Robert Rivard

Robert Rivard, Visionary Leadership

2018 Award Honorees

Henry Mary and Alice Cisneros

Henry and Mary Alice Cisneros, Lifetime Achievement

Shokare Nakpodia

Shokare Nakpodia, Community and Civic Leadership

Erika Prosper Nirenberg

Erika Prosper-Nirenberg, Educational Excellence

Graham Weston

Graham Weston, Visionary Leadership

2016 Award Honorees

Sichan Siv

Sichan Siv, Lifetime Achievement

Ann Helmke

Ann Helmke, Community and Civic Leadership

Dr Luz Cristal S Glangchai

Dr. Luz Cristal S. Glangchai, Educational Excellence

Judge Nelson and Tracy Wolff

Judge Nelson and Tracy Wolff, Visionary Leadership

2015 Award Honorees

Harry Mazal

Harry Mazal, Lifetime Achievement

Russ Bookbinder

Russ Bookbinder, Community and Civic Leadership

Peter French

Peter French, Educational Excellence

Hope Andrade

Hope Andrade, Visionary Leadership