InCommunity has announced Brenda Gates as the 2025 Direct Support Professional (DSP) of the Year, recognizing her dedication, compassion, and commitment to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Gates journey in caregiving began in 1986 when she worked as a housekeeper in a nursing home. Inspired by her natural ability to connect with and care for others, she earned Certified Nursing Assistant certification and transitioned into hands-on support...

John Hope Bryant's vision of creating a whole new approach to community uplift, rooted in economic empowerment, combating financial illiteracy, restoring dignity, offering redemption, and addressing the critical issues facing corporations and financial institutions today, has driven his world-renowned organization Operation HOPE since its inception. His life work has been to help realize equity of opportunity for all; to equip people in underserved communities with the financial tools and...

Portia Jackson Preston, PHD, is the founder and CEO of Empowered to Exhale, where she works with individuals and organizations to create a culture of sustainable wellness and performance. As an associate professor of public health at California State University, Fullerton, she focuses on inclusive approaches to wellness and creates innovative programming to support students, faculty, and staff. Portia holds a BA in cultural and social anthropology from Stanford...