Six Metro Richmond leaders to receive 2025 Humanitarian Awards from VCIC
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Henrico-based Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities has announced the honorees of the 63rd annual Richmond Humanitarian Awards, recognizing people whose leadership and service have made lasting impacts across the region. The awards will be presented Tuesday, Oct. 28 at the Hilton Hotel and Spa in Short Pump.
This year’s recipients represent a wide range of fields — faith, education, government, housing, community advocacy, and nonprofit leadership — and share a commitment to building a more inclusive Richmond, according to VCIC officials.
2025 honorees
• Rabbi Gary S. Creditor – Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth-El, Creditor spent four decades in the pulpit before retiring in 2014. His community leadership has spanned interfaith collaboration, living wage advocacy, and chaplaincy at Heartland Hospice. He played visible roles in memorials following both the Sept. 11 attacks and the Virginia Tech tragedy, working to foster unity during times of grief.
• Greta J. Harris – As president and CEO of the Better Housing Coalition, Harris has spearheaded more than $1 billion in sustainable residential investments nationwide, transforming modest-income communities into thriving, sustainable neighborhoods. Her expertise has been recognized nationally in testimony before Congress and in leadership positions on boards including the Markel Group and the Housing Partnership Network.
• Deborah Jewell-Sherman – The former superintendent of Richmond Public Schools (2002–2008), Jewell-Sherman is known for helping the district exceed federal and state benchmarks during difficult conditions. She went on to become the first female professor of practice at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, where she continues to shape education leaders worldwide, including through projects in South Africa and with the Qatar Education Foundation.
• Jennifer McClellan – Serving Virginians in elected office for nearly two decades, McClellan entered the U.S. House of Representatives in 2023 after long tenures in the Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate. She has passed more than 370 pieces of legislation focused on voting rights, labor protections, and community empowerment, and currently serves on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.
• Pam Mines – A parent advocate turned community leader, Mines founded the JP JumPers Foundation in 2013 to celebrate and support families with special needs. Her advocacy helped advance “JP’s Law,” improving first responder interactions with individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. Recognized through numerous awards, Mines works to amplify voices too often left unheard.
• Paula P. Pando – The fourth president of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Pando has launched initiatives to strengthen student outcomes, expand access, and position the college as an engine of growth. A two-time Aspen Presidential Fellow, she serves on national and local boards including the American Association of Community Colleges and Venture Richmond.
Since 1962, the Richmond Humanitarian Awards have honored leaders advancing equality and dignity. VCIC, founded 90 years ago as the National Conference of Christians and Jews, continues that mission today through nearly 700 annual programs serving more than 17,000 Virginians. Its initiatives support educators, students, businesses, and nonprofits in building inclusive communities.
This year’s Humanitarian Awards Dinner is supported by sponsors including Bon Secours and Wells Fargo (Humanitarian sponsors) and Altria Group, Genworth | CareScout, Hirschler, TowneBank, and Virginia Credit Union (Benefactor sponsors).
