Columbus CEO’s CEO of the Year 2023: Denise Robinson Grows Alvis Inc. Into a Change Agent
Robinson has transformed the nonprofit into a sizable force in rehabilitation services, overseeing its work to support people as they build a life after prison.
2023 CEO of the Year – Large Nonprofit Winner
In her nearly four decades of dedicated service to Alvis Inc., Denise Robinson has never wavered: Everyone deserves a second chance. “And sometimes more than a second chance,” she says.
The president and CEO has been instrumental in transforming Alvis from a small nonprofit organization into a dynamic force in Ohio and beyond addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by individuals leaving the criminal justice system.
Under her guidance, Alvis evolved from a $7 million organization to a thriving $42 million entity with 500 employees, expanding its reach to 40 locations across Ohio serving 700 clients at a time. Alvis provides housing, support services, workforce development and clinical outpatient services to people building new lives outside of prison.
Since joining the organization in 1984, Robinson rose through the ranks, from manager of Alvis’ program for adults with developmental disabilities all the way to the top job, where she has served since 2005.
Through Alvis, Robinson witnessed the transformative power of rehabilitation services. She came to the field with a certain amount of trepidation. When she was in high school, her father, who was a police officer, shot and killed a teenage boy. He was quickly exonerated. The boy’s family began threatening Denise’s life in menacing letters sent to her parents, unbeknownst to her. When she learned about the ongoing danger as a first-year student at Ohio State University, a shell grew around her heart. She shared the story in remarks this year during her installation as the 108th president of the American Correctional Association, a global organization with over 20,000 members worldwide.
“My hardened heart did not want anything to do with people who broke the law,” she said in the remarks. “At that time, I would not have pursued a career in corrections for any amount of prestige or money.”
But when she was promoted to the corrections side of Alvis, “the last parts of the shell around my heart fell away as I saw the offenders we served needed treatment and rehabilitation services to change their lives,” she said. “At Alvis, I found my calling and a way to make a positive difference in the world. I have never looked back.”
Robinson played a pivotal role in the organization’s 2017 merger with Amethyst, a Columbus-based agency dedicated to supporting mothers recovering from addiction. The merger enabled the expansion of behavioral health models, offering Alvis a comprehensive approach to address the needs of mothers and their children.
When the Amethyst population faced challenges with the loss of rented apartment buildings that served its clients, Robinson collaborated with developer Brad DeHays of Connect Realty on the construction of permanent housing for Amethyst families in Linden.
Robinson’s leadership is characterized by a commitment to evidence-based programs. Her stance has led to organizational growth and has positioned Alvis as a global influencer, with invitations to share success stories worldwide.
Her advice to new CEOs is to read extensively, listen intently and develop collaborative partnerships. “Relationships, relationships, relationships,” she says.
Robinson has been skilled at building alliances that propel Alvis forward, says Keith Stevens, founder of UpRys and multiple other companies. As Alvis board president, he’s had a front-row view to her leadership style.
Robinson runs Alvis like a for-profit business, with a keen ability to see what’s around corners, he says. The board and staff have the utmost respect for her. “Any organization, especially one working in that space, faces some challenges, but Denise never wavers. She always leans into them. She’s rock solid. And the Alvis mission is deep within her,” Stevens says.
Robinson envisions a future where communities prioritize an individual’s potential over their past. She dreams of dispelling labels associated with justice-involved individuals and fostering a society that embraces everyone’s capacity for change.
“I dream of a day when people say it’s not an ex-offender, a former offender or a restored citizen. A day when we just call them people.”
About Denise Robinson
President and CEO, Alvis Inc.
In role since: 2005
Education: Bachelor’s degree in anthropology, Ohio State University
Community involvement: President, American Correctional Association; former leader of Ohio Community Corrections Association, International Corrections and Justice Association; founding member, Correctional Accreditation Association of Ohio; board member, LifeCare Alliance
Katy Smith is a freelance writer.
This story is from the CEO of the Year package in the Winter 2024 issue of Columbus CEO.