About Our Honorees

Lockton Companies, Corporate Award
Lockton Companies provides global risk management, employee benefits and retirement services to organizations. It is the world’s largest privately held, independent insurance consulting and brokerage firm. Lockton is family owned and shows great commitment to building up the communities they work in. Lockton is a steadfast supporter of CV events including the Dinner and the Golf & Tennis Classic. The incredible people at Lockton also engage in volunteer projects and meaningful mentorship programs with CV to make deeper connections with the young people we serve.
Paul Jenkel, Lifetime Impact Award
Paul Jenkel is the Chair Emeritus of CV’s Board of Directors. Elected to the Board of Directors in 1993, Mr. Jenkel has served on our board for over 30 years! In that time, he and his wife Barbara have impacted countless young people and helped guide CV to where we are today. Mr. Jenkel, now retired, was Senior Vice President at Alliance Capital Management Corp. He received his Bachelors Degree from Colgate University and his Masters Degree from New York University. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Bridge Fund of New York and formerly served on the Board of the Joffrey Ballet.
SPIDACARES, Donovan, Jordan & Nicole Mitchell, Legacy of Service Award
Blossom Woolcock-Wright, grandmother of NBA star Donovan Mitchell, was a teacher who made a major impact in the lives of children at CV. Her family continues that legacy through the work of their foundation SPIDACARES, which strives to “positively impact families and communities through the life-changing power of education and athletics.”

Learn more about Donovan, Jordan & Nicole:

Since entering the league in 2017, Donovan Mitchell has cemented himself as one of NBA’s most exciting stars. His explosive playstyle, consistency, and superhuman agility helped coin his nickname, Donovan “Spida” Mitchell. The Connecticut native was drafted to the Utah Jazz as the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft. During his time with the Jazz, Donovan set a Jazz rookie scoring record and became the first NBA rookie to have multiple 40-point games in a season since Blake Griffin in 2011. He also held the rookie record for most three points made in an NBA season, which resulted in his selection to the 2018 NBA Rising Stars game during his first year in the league. In that same year, Donovan was unanimously selected for the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Donovan undoubtedly exceeded expectations his rookie year, winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, as well as the 2018 Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award and NBPA Players’ Voice Award for Leader of the New School (Best Rookie) Award, which is determined by the players themselves. At 21 years old, Donovan was the fastest rookie in NBA history to hit 150 threes, doing so in just 63 games in 2017-2018. In 2022, Donovan was traded to Cleveland Cavaliers, and throughout the season, continued to demonstrate his elite athleticism in his first year with a new team. Donovan was selected for the first time as a starting player for the 2023 All-Star Game, making that his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance. Within a couple of months, Donovan then set a career high and record 71-point game for the Cavaliers.Donovan’s talents are not limited to basketball; his talents extend beyond the court through his various philanthropic outreach efforts and community givebacks. His foundation aims to provide more opportunities and resources to achieve a more equitable society.Since Donovan’s mother, Nicole, was a schoolteacher, education has always been of the utmost importance to entire Mitchell family. As a result, Donovan, through his foundation SPIDACARES, has focused many of his efforts on using the power of education and athletics to help uplift underprivileged communities. Over the years, SPIDACARES has helped numerous communities by providing essential donations, building basketball courts, refurbishing tech labs, offering educational scholarships and more. SPIDACARES won the NBA Care’s Community Assist Award for its offseason work in 2021. Most recently, Donovan has been named Vice President for the National Basketball Players Association’s Executive Committee where he now serves as a leader and voice for his peers across the league.

Jordan Mitchell is a rising senior at American University, where she wears number 14 for the Eagles’ Varsity Lacrosse Women’s team. When she transferred to Brewster Academy as a Sophomore in high school, Jordan excelled as a two-sport athlete, playing for both the soccer and lacrosse programs. During her last years at Brewster, Jordan impressed many Division 1 colleges and received six varsity letters before deciding to play for American University. Her lacrosse coach, Melissa Lawler, described Jordan as “incredibly athletic and a great competitor.” Jordan continued to shine at Brewster, receiving a Cum Laude honor in as a senior. During her sophomore year at American, Jordan had a breakout year, starting 18 games of the season, including playing in the 2022 Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal. That same year, Jordan also won All-Patriot League Second Team Defense and received a new career high of 19 ground balls and 16 draw controls. In the beginning of 2023, she won Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason All-League. While also dominating on the lacrosse field, Jordan soared academically by making it on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. Being only five years apart, Jordan and her brother, Donovan grew up learning and growing with and from one another. Donovan has repeatedly expressed how his mother and sister have carried and supported him throughout his career. During the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2018, Donovan spoke out about what it meant for his sister to be a part of it with him: “Growing up she’s been to so many games. She’s missed so many parties with friends… She’s done a lot, and I’m getting kind of emotional just saying all this… To have a sister that’s dedicated to doing that, to bring her out here for All-Star Weekend. I’m glad I could give this to her and have her be a part of it.” This not only demonstrates the closeness between Donovan and Jordan, but how Nicole has always moved as a unit with her two children. In her pursuit of a business career, Jordan, like her family, has continued to gracefully combine philanthropy, academics, and her elite athleticism. Described as a “staple” for her Lacrosse Team, Jordan will continue to excel in the rest of her athletic career, as well as in her pursuit as a Strategic Communications and Business Entertainment major.

Nicole Mitchell holds a BS in Business Administration from Concordia College and will receive her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Manhattanville College. After beginning her career in finance as Assistant Treasurer of the Bank of New York, Nicole joined the faculty at Greenwich Country Day School, where she taught for 13 years.

Nicole’s deep understanding of the value and importance of education has guided both her career and philanthropic work. She is the Executive Director of SPIDACARES, a foundation established by NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell to positively impact families and communities through education and athletics. SPIDACARES and the Mitchell family have touched the lives of many across the country, as well as in the Fairchester community providing computers to students in Bridgeport, building basketball courts for Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, and supporting the financial aid program at GCDS through the largest gift to date in the school’s history for scholarships and a new athletic center. Recognizing that access to safe, stable housing is a foundation for success, Nicole launched “Welcome Home by SPIDACARES” in collaboration with Inspirica in Stamford, CT, to support the effort to end homelessness.

Nicole recently joined the Board of Trustees at Greenwich Country Day School, bringing her knowledge not only as a former faculty member but also as a parent of two graduates: Jordan-Elise, GCDS Class of 2017, a junior at American University, where she plays Division I lacrosse; and Donovan, GCDS Class of 2012, an NBA player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Her current philanthropic work also extends through her role as a member of The Links, Incorporated, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she has served in numerous leadership positions for the Omicron Upsilon Omega Chapter.

Nicole’s commitment is inspired by the life of her own mother, Blossom, who moved to the United States from Panama determined to provide better opportunities for her children and grandchildren. This ethos is embodied in Donovan’s message of “Determination Over Negativity” and is at the heart of Nicole’s dedication to help others who are striving to build a better life for their family.