Honorees
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient
Courtney Burns
Courtney Burns was born in 1996, the daughter of Jennifer and Steven and younger sister of Ryan and Keith. She was born deaf but not diagnosed as such until the age of two, which is considered late. Her first cochlear implant failed, but three surgeries and two cochlear implants later, she finally gained the ability to hear and began her journey at Ohio Valley Voices. She graduated from OVV in 2005 at the age of seven and went on to attend St. Aloysius Grade School, where she played every sport she could, and Seton High School, where she played softball and served as a student ambassador.
Upon graduating from Seton, Courtney entered Northern Kentucky University, where she majored in Exercise Science. She earned her undergraduate degree in the spring of 2019, and that very same fall entered NKU’s master's program in Exercise Science. She is on track to graduate in the spring of 2021 and hopes to work in cardiac rehabilitation to help patients with heart conditions.
OVV is so proud of Courtney for her extraordinary accomplishments. Through her intelligence, her impressive work ethic, and, most of all, her selfless commitment to serving others, she embodies the spirit of OVV.
Raise Your Voice Award Recipient
Laurie Wilson
Laurie grew up in Washington Court House, Ohio, and studied fashion merchandising at Auburn University before transferring to Ohio State University. Upon graduating from college, she worked in fashion design at Shillito’s, The Limited, and McAlpin’s. In the early 80s, Laurie began producing fashion shows and hosted a weekly segment covering fashion trends for a CBS News affiliate. In the 90s, she began her long-running affiliation with the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program—first as a panelist and organizer for DAAP’s yearly student fashion show and later as an adjunct professor. In 1998, she founded her own fashion consulting business.
Laurie was introduced to Ohio Valley Voices five years ago through a friend of an OVV board member and has spearheaded the annual spring fashion show ever since. Laurie says that when she first walked through the halls of OVV and saw and heard the kids, she knew in her heart she could not accept money in exchange for her efforts. She considers her countless hours of hard work a sacrifice for the children of OVV and the students at DAAP. She is so passionate about both programs.
Laurie and her husband Michael have been married for 31 years and together have two children, Dane and Skye. In a fashion career spanning over 40 years, she has been featured on the cover of Working Mother magazine and has brushed shoulders with famous designers like Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Oscar de la Renta.
Ohio Valley Voices is incredibly grateful for all that Laurie has done for its program and children. Through her dedication, hard work, and talent, she has helped raise an astounding $250,000.
