Meet the Crew: Mimi Huang and Shawn Steurer, volunteers/donors

We were thrilled to honor volunteers and donors Mimi Huang and Shawn Steurer with this year's Vanguard Award. Presented annually during Summits & Horizons, the award is Adventure Crew's highest distinction, given to a member (or members) of our community who exemplifies our mission and values.

"Mimi and Shawn care as much about the outdoors as they do improving access to it," said Miriam Wise, Adventure Crew's director of support and engagement. "I'm impressed by their enthusiasm for rock climbing (they built a climbing wall in their garage!) and moved by how generously they share their skills with our teens. This combination of passion and purpose is what makes them outstanding volunteers and invaluable members of Adventure Crew."

The couple came to the Crew through a serendipitous Google search that led them to start volunteering with us when they moved to Cincinnati four years ago.

"I love being outdoors and believe that the outdoors should be available to all and acknowledge that that has not always been the case across history," Mimi said. "So AC's tagline of 'Outdoors for All' really resonated with me. Also, being outside and doing outdoor activities is such a great training ground for learning how to deal with challenges in life -- I've seen that in my life and in others' lives. I love that AC promotes that and really sticks to it: All of the adventures are free to students and there is a real commitment to investing in and growing these students while they are here."

"Adventure Crew is a great way to get involved in the community, get outside and support students in outdoor activities!" Shawn said.

It turned out to be a great fit for them both.

"I enjoy hanging out with the students, hearing about what life as a young person is like these days," Mimi said. "I also value the conversations and relationships with the volunteers. I've learned a lot about Cincinnati (the history, the best hiking spots, city happenings) and other outdoors pursuits (biking, sailing), and enjoy meeting like-minded, outdoors enthusiasts."

"One of my favorite memories is a hiking adventure on a cold November Saturday where there was a massive campfire blazing for roasting hot dogs and s’mores," Shawn said. "It was so hot that we all had to bend down low to get close enough to cook the hot dogs!"

Mimi traces her love of the outdoors to her childhood in Colorado. "I was surrounded by beautiful mountains, and my family did a lot of road trips to National Parks out west. I got into rock climbing in college, and that has really been my passion. It's fun because it takes you places outdoors that you would never think -- there are rocks everywhere!"

Shawn also spent his youth in the outdoors, albeit in a much different setting -- the west suburbs of Chicago. "Growing up, I enjoyed being outside, whether it was playing golf outside, riding my bike in the neighborhood, or going on family vacations on a houseboat in Tennessee."

They met through the climbing club in college. "We fell in love while climbing at the Red River Gorge!" Mimi said.

These days, they live in South Loveland/Milford. Mimi works as a toxicologist at a drug development company. "We help companies submit their drugs to the FDA for approval. I make sure they have evaluated the new drugs thoroughly before clinical trials."

Shawn started off as an electrical engineer at a medical device company in Michigan and now works at Johnson and Johnson on the marketing side.

When they aren't working or climbing, Mimi likes to knit, craft, bake and play board games with friends. Shawn has been "enjoying learning more about the topography of the Red River Gorge, such as analyzing satellite data to see where there may be tall cliffs for climbing."

Thanks for being part of our Crew, Mimi and Shawn! Congratulations on your well-deserved honor.