The 2025 Norman Vincent Peale Awards
Celebrating Mental and Spiritual Health
Blanton-Peale Institute & Counseling Center is excited to host the 2025 Norman Vincent Peale Awards for Positive Thinking. This annual event serves as the primary fundraiser and celebration of our mission, raising critical funds in support of Blanton-Peale’s urgent work to provide quality mental health care and training.
We are pleased to announce honorees Chryssie Whitehead and Kirsten Wrinkle of In My Own Little Corner Productions.
Please note, we have a new midtown location this year: Second NYC, 849 Sixth Avenue (corner of 29th Street).
Questions? Email info@blantonpeale.org or call Laura Ianuzzi 646-852-9774.
About the Awards
Dr. Peale, after whom the awards are named, founded Blanton-Peale, along with Dr. Smiley Blanton. The value he placed on positive thinking is in Blanton-Peale's DNA and that's what the awards celebrate. These tumultuous times have increased the urgency of Blanton-Peale's promise to deliver affordable and accessible, holistic, and culturally-responsive mental health care to people throughout New York City. We are all recognizing the vital importance of mental health care and the Norman Vincent Peale Awards recognize individuals who exemplify the spirit of positive thinking that guided the founding of Blanton-Peale that is thriving today more than ever.
Benefit Committee
James Venetos
Elizabeth Peale Allen
Richard J. Behn
Rev. Laurie J. Ferguson, Ph.D.
John M. Griem, Jr.
Betty and David Harris
John and Jenny Kang
Julia Kang-Reeves and Charles Reeves
Mary and Casey Kemper
Dr. Judy Kramer
Colin Laughlin and Jake Taylor-Laughlin
Lauren McGill
Alice B. Owens
Cliff Peale
David (Sandy) Pearson
The Riverside Church in the City of New York
John and Eleanor Rorer
Milton J. Venetos and Rhonda Jones
Natalie Venetos
Peter Venetos and Jay Baeza
Anastasia Venetos-Wahl and Sebastian Wahl
Susan and Bob Wei
Previous Awardees Include
- Rev. Dr. Shari Brink
- James Venetos
- Lauren McGill, For transformational support of our mission
- Dr. Ashwin Vasan, NYC Health Commissioner
- Dr. Yung Duk Kim, Leader in Korean-American business & nonprofit communities in NYC
- Dr. Lisa Miller, Research scholar on spirituality in psychology
- Joe Namath, Legendary quarterback
- LinkedIn, Leader in Corporate Mindfulness
- Korean American Association of Greater New York, Leader in Korean American Advocacy
- FDNY EMS, One of the Country's Largest and Most Highly Skilled Emergency Response Units
- Keyon Dooling, Former 12-Year NBA Player
- Aetna, a CVS Health business, Leader in Corporate Mindfulness
- Ron Powers, New York Times Bestselling Author
- Eileen Fisher, Fashion Icon & Change-Maker
- Drs. William & Hwain Lee, Philanthropists
- Aiyoung Choi, Entrepreneur, Mentor & Advocate
- James Earl Jones, Actor
- Colin Powell, Politician
- Sunny Kang, Philanthropist
