Enabling the potential of people with developmental disabilities, enriching our communities
Kacey Mitchell—Receives Goldman Award
NHR’s Director of Program Services, Kacey Mitchell is the 2025 recipient of the Goldman Award! The Goldman is NHR’s highest honored conferred on staff. Kacey’s nomination read as follows:
“Kacey Mitchell has exemplified the very best of leadership, compassion, and commitment. Her influence reaches far beyond her official role, touching the lives of co-workers, individuals, and the community in ways that are both profound and lasting.
From the beginning, Kacey has led with heart. She approaches every challenge with unwavering dedication, balancing the needs of the organization with the dignity and well-being of those we serve. Her decisions are guided not by convenience, but by integrity. Always asking, “What is the right thing to do?” and following through with action.
Under her leadership, our workplace has become not just a place of employment, but a place of belonging. She sees the potential in people, nurturing growth through mentorship, encouragement, and leading by example. Kacey has a rare gift for making each person feel valued, heard, and understood, whether they are staff members, residents, or community partners.
Her vision has driven innovation, her resilience has guided us through challenges, and her compassion has brought light in moments of hardship. Time and again, she has stepped in, not because she had to, but because she genuinely cares. This consistency of character, paired with her ability to inspire trust and unity, has made her an vital foundation of our organization. The Golden Memorial Award is more than recognition, it symbolizes a legacy of excellence. Kacey Mitchell’s legacy is one of kindness, courage, and a relentless pursuit of bettering the lives of others. Her impact will be felt for generations, and this honor would serve as a lasting testament to the extraordinary leader and human being she is.
What is the Goldman Award?
The Goldman Award is the highest honor conferred by NHR. It is presented to a person within NHR in memory of Israel Goldman. Mr. Goldman was a loving husband, stalwart yet gentle advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a man loved for his active and personal interest in others, a person who taught everyone around him that a successful life is defined more by who you are than what you have done, and a participant in New Horizons’ services.
The Goldman Award honors an individual in the NHR family who has exhibited extraordinarily unselfish, principled and mission-driven behavior. Some examples are: demonstrating heroic intervention in difficult circumstances, protecting life, advancing human rights in a notable way, achieving accomplishments in the field that enhance services and supports, trail blazing worthwhile innovative services and lifestyles, and providing substantial and exceptional positive influence on the lives of others.
