Flinn Foundation’s Andrea Cole Recognized With Shining Light Award

In a luncheon ceremony at Ford Field on October 15, 2024, Andrea Cole was recognized for her longstanding commitment to improving the availability of evidence-based mental health services for those who live in southeast Michigan. 

Cole was honored for her work as President and CEO of The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, receiving the Eleanor Josaitis “Unsung Hero” Award for her work in the mental health space. 

“I feel honored to receive this award,” Cole says.

The Unsung Hero Award recognizes individuals who work outside the limelight to encourage collaboration among groups for the well-being and betterment of southeast Michigan — and is one of the Shining Light Awards that recognizes the importance of regional cooperation. 

Personifying the power of collaboration

The Shining Light Awards’ focus on connection and collaboration is appropriate because it describes Cole’s work with the Flinn Foundation — and how she came to be nominated for the award. 

When he was considering nominating Cole, Jack Kresnak, a former Detroit Free Press journalist and current Flinn Foundation Board Trustee, drew on considerable background gained during his 10-year Urban Health Initiative fellowship designed to study systems change to benefit child welfare and juvenile justice. He learned how influential public-private partnership can be in improving outcomes for kids — and recognized the importance of collaboration.

“Since joining the Flinn Foundation as a trustee in 2013, I watched Andrea Cole work tirelessly and quietly behind the scenes to get the major actors addressing the needs of people with mental health conditions to work together to improve the lives of thousands of people and their families,” Kresnak says. 

“I grew to admire Andrea’s tenacity, good-humor and knowledge to bring people together to make Michigan a leader in meeting the needs of those people. The TRAILS program which Andrea spearheaded is just one of the many improvements in the behavioral health systems in our state,” he adds.

Recognized and admired for her work behind the scenes

In his professional career, Kresnak was impacted by the friendship and mentorship of Eleanor Josaitis, for whom the “Unsung Hero” Award was named. When the awards launched in 2007,  Kresnak says he began thinking of people he could nominate. 

“Andrea was on the top of my list, but I waited a few years before nominating her and soliciting letters of support from board members and others who worked with her,” he says.

The light that shines on Cole’s work lifts the mission of the Flinn Foundation because it helps reduce stigma related to mental health, making it easier for people to get help and live successful lives, Kresnak says. 

“Because of Andrea, the Flinn Foundation is now known as the go-to entity to guide organizations into collaborations to make long-lasting change,” he says. “We are a small Foundation and, as I said in my nominating letter, Flinn is ‘punching above its weight’ due to Andrea’s leadership.”

In addition to her work at the Flinn Foundation, Cole also serves as Board Chair of TRAILS, Board Treasurer of Grantmakers in Health, Board Treasurer of Mindful Philanthropy and as Co-Chair with the Michigan Justice Fund.