Dr. Cheryl Achterberg

 Cheryl Achterberg, one of today's outstanding scholars in nutritional development, is the dean of The Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology. She was appointed July 1, 2008.

A tenured professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, she was a member of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. She is one of only 13 experts who advised the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services about proper nutrition Americans need to stay healthy and fit. Their report will be issued in late 2010.

Before coming to Ohio State, Dr. Achterberg was at Iowa State University, where she was the inaugural dean of the College of Human Sciences. Prior to joining the Iowa State faculty in 2005, Dr. Achterberg was on the faculty of The Pennsylvania State University, where she rose through the professional ranks, attaining tenure in 1991 and the rank of full professor in 1996. At Penn State, she also directed the Nutrition Center from 1992 to 1996 and, in 1997, became the founding dean of the Schreyer Honors College.

The author or co-author of numerous monographs, book chapters, and articles in the field of nutrition, Dr. Achterberg has also published widely in the area of higher education and research methodology and has delivered scores of invited lectures. Her research has received significant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the March of Dimes, the National Dairy Council, the H. J. Heinz Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and Kraft-General Foods.

An award-winning teacher, she has taught nutrition at all levels of the university curriculum.

Dr. Achterberg has been an active program evaluator, both in the U.S. and abroad, and has served as a consultant to USAID/UNESCO, the National Dairy Council, and the Dairy Promotion Board of New Zealand, among others. She also has done considerable service as a member of national boards and committees of such groups as NASULGC, the Dannon Institute, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

She earned her bachelor's degree in biological sciences at California Polytechnic State University, her master's in human development at the University of Maine, and a Ph.D. in nutrition at Cornell University.

The College of Education and Human Ecology is ranked 10th among public universities and 16th among public and private institutions in the current US News & World Report graduate program guide. Approximately 200 full-time faculty members teach 3,600 undergraduates and 1,700 graduate students enrolled in six academic units. The college and its six research centers received $27 million in external funding in 2008-2009. The 350 staff members include non-tenured researchers and instructors.

Dr. Steve Allen

Dr. Steve Allen has been CEO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital since July 2006.  The hospital is nationally recognized as one of the best children’s hospitals by both U.S. News and World Report and Parent magazine.  Under Steve’s leadership, the hospital will double in size when current projects are completed in 2012 with new state of the art clinical and research facilities, all important to serving the needs of central Ohio’s children and their families.  Steve has also increased Nationwide Children’s Hospital role as an advocate for all children.  The hospital has undertaken several innovative new community partnerships including a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization program next to its main campus and new collaborations to combat childhood obesity and prematurity.

Prior to coming to Columbus, Steve was a physician, scientist, teacher and executive in the Texas Medical Center in Houston for 24 years.  He has published almost 100 articles and more than 20 book chapters on a variety of medical topics.  He is board-certified in Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and awarded an MBA.  He serves on a number of community boards, and holds the title of professor at the OSU College of Medicine.  He is married to Dr. Jamie Allen and has five children.

Robert “Bo” Chilton

Bo Chilton is the CEO of IMPACT Community Action, one of the leading human service agencies fighting poverty in Franklin County.  With a full time staff of over 130 employees and an annual operating budget of over $10 million dollars, IMPACT is on the frontline of the war on poverty and is dedicated to reducing poverty by providing hope-inspiring help and real opportunities for self–sufficiency.

Bo states that the scripture, “to those whom much is given, much is required,” serves as a guiding principle for his life.  Bo’s passion for empowering people and building our sense of community is reflected in his work as the Chair of the Franklin County Human Service Chamber, as the Program Coordinator for the African American Leadership Academy and as a Board of Directors for Learn 4 Life, Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation (COWIC), the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA), Urban Resurrection Development Corporation.

Originally from Springfield, Ohio, Bo graduated from Wright State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Education in secondary teaching.  He also earned a second Master’s degree in Higher Education from the Ohio State University.  Bo is a member of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.  His career background includes serving as a middle school and high school teacher in Springfield City Schools, Assistant Director of Career Services at Otterbein College, Academic Counselor and Technology Coordinator for the Arts and Sciences Dept. at the Ohio State University, Legislative Analyst for Columbus City Council, Director of African American Male Initiatives at the Columbus Urban League, and a veteran of the Army Reserves.

Dr. Lisa Courtice

Dr. Courtice joined The Columbus Foundation in 2003. Her responsibilities include overseeing the development and implementation of grant policies, program priorities, and areas of strategic grantmaking. Under her leadership, the community grants management team plays a unique role in convening community discussions around areas of need, and participates in community initiatives and partnerships to address these needs.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Courtice held leadership positions at Columbus School for Girls, the Childhood League Center, Center for New Directions, Clinic for Child Study and Family Therapy in Akron, Ohio and The Washington Center for Academic Internships in Washington, D.C.

Her professional activities include the Home and Health impact councils of the United Way of Central Ohio, Learn for Life Columbus Board, Columbus Kids: Ready, Set, Learn! Advisory Committee, Champion of Children Advisory Committee, Community Health Funders’ Collaborative, and the Ohio Wesleyan University and Columbus School for Girls board of trustees.

Dr. Courtice received her bachelor of arts from Syracuse University, her master of arts from West Virginia University, and her Ph.D. from the University of Akron.

Tanny Crane

Tanny Crane is President and C.E.O. of Crane Group, Columbus, Ohio.  Crane Group, a privately-held family business, is a diversified portfolio company, comprising: operating businesses, primarily serving the home building and commercial markets; real estate portfolio, investments in private equity firms, and equities / bond portfolio.

Tanny Crane joined Crane Plastics Company (manufacturing business) in 1987 as Director of Human Resources, and became Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 1993.  She became the President of Crane Plastics in 1996.  In January, 2003, she succeeded Jameson Crane to her current position.  Prior to joining Crane Plastics, she was Product Manager for Quaker Oats Company of Chicago, Illinois and National Account Manager at AT&T (Chicago).  She received her M.B.A. in marketing and finance from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management-Northwestern University and her B.S. in administrative science, with a major in marketing, from The Ohio State University.

Ms. Crane is also active through a variety of board trustee positions.  She serves as a director of Huntington Bancshares, Inc. and as a board member of OhioHealth.  She serves as Vice Chair and member of the governing committee of the Columbus Foundation, is a member of the Columbus Partnership and serves as board Chair of the Columbus City Schools Education Foundation.  She also sits on the Executive Committee of the I Know I Can board as well as an advisory board member of the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.  She is also chairing the Women’s Leadership Council of United Way.  Ms. Crane is past Board Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and past Board Chair of United Way of Central Ohio.  She also served as 1999 United Way Campaign Chair.  She is past President of the board of Action for Children.

Ms. Crane resides with her husband, John Wolff, and their two daughters, Tally and Ali, in New Albany.

Eric Fingerhut

Eric D. Fingerhut, a nationally recognized leader in education and economic development policy, is the Vice President for Education and STEM Learning at the Battelle Memorial Institute, the largest non-profit research and development organization in the world.  Fingerhut previously served as the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, as an Ohio State Senator and as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

At Battelle, Chancellor Fingerhut leads the organization’s efforts to inspire and train the next generation of America’s science and technology leaders.  Under Chancellor Fingerhut’s leadership, Battelle is helping lead the campaign for globally competitive science standards for primary and secondary schools, to increase the number of college students earning STEM degrees, and to support and connect schools and educators who are demonstrating excellence in STEM education.

As Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, the state agency responsible for leading the University System of Ohio, Fingerhut led a system consisting of fourteen universities, twenty three community colleges and dozens of career technical education and adult literacy programs serving over 600,000 students per year.  Chancellor Fingerhut was also responsible for the state’s broadband, supercomputing and on-line education and library systems, and chaired the Ohio Third Frontier Commission, one of the nation’s best funded state efforts to promote innovation and entrepreneurship through research and development partnerships between business and industry.  Chancellor Fingerhut’s 10-year Strategic Plan for Higher Education provided the state with a measurable blueprint to make higher education more efficient while expanding educational opportunities to students, and to reframe the relationship between business and higher education to create new jobs and a highly skilled, globally competitive workforce.  When he stepped down from his position, the Columbus Dispatch said that Fingerhut had “shaped and improved Ohio’s universities” and “set a high bar for those who will follow him.”

In addition to his work at Battelle, Chancellor Fingerhut currently serves as a Senior Advisor to Jobs For the Future, a nonprofit organization operating in 41 states that develops education and workforce strategies for lower skilled children and adults, as a consultant on adult education to the American Council on Education, and as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Wright State University, as well as serving on numerous advisory boards to nationally recognized education and scientific organizations and businesses.

Chancellor Fingerhut’s career in elected office includes ten years in the Ohio Senate and two years in the United States House of Representatives.  Chancellor Fingerhut has also served as the Director of Economic Development Education and Entrepreneurship at Baldwin-Wallace College, as a Senior Lecturer in political science, law, and management at Case Western Reserve University, has practiced law privately and as an attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, and has worked for non-profit organizations focused on welfare-to-work programming and advocacy on health and human services issues.  In 2008, he was the recipient of the “Outstanding Public Service Award” from The Ohio State University John Glenn School of Public Affairs.

Chancellor Fingerhut earned a Bachelor of Science degree with highest honors from Northwestern University in 1981 and received a law degree from the Stanford University School of Law in 1984.

Chancellor Fingerhut resides in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, Amy and their two sons, Sam and Charlie.

Andrew Ginther

Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther was unanimously elected City Council President on January 3, 2011. A member of Council since 2007, Ginther has served as the chair of Finance & Economic Development, Public Safety and Public Utilities committees. His top priorities are job creation and economic development, and building healthy, safe and strong neighborhoods.
Ginther believes the best measure of our quality of life is the safety of our neighborhoods. Since day one, he has worked to ensure that Columbus Police Officers and Firefighters have the resources they need to protect Columbus families and businesses, championing critical crime prevention strategies, including the Columbus Police Summer Strike Force, Community Crime Patrol and Crime Stoppers. He has fought for additional funding for bulletproof vests, police vehicles, and new technology that has helped Columbus Police work smarter and harder. Ginther also sponsored legislation to provide the Columbus Division of Fire with life-saving tools, including turnout gear, thermal imaging cameras and new fire engines, medics and ladder trucks. Ginther also secured funding to purchase warning sirens to alert residents during severe weather events, and is an advocate for safety cameras in Columbus neighborhoods. He also drafted ground-breaking anti-scrap metal theft legislation that became the model for municipalities across the nation, and which provided the foundation for a new state law.

As the Finance and Economic Development Committee chair, Ginther delivered on the promise made to voters to fight for every job, while working to reform government and reduce costs to taxpayers. In 2010, Ginther helped drive an unprecedented investment in economic development that resulted in the announcement of at least 8,000 jobs new to Columbus, including a historic expansion at the Ohio State Medical Center, the proposed CODA Automotive manufacturing facility and Nationwide Insurance’s commitment to bring 1,400 jobs to downtown Columbus. In 2010, the City’s economic development efforts equated to $3.1 million in new income tax receipts, more than 3,000 jobs and $155 million in new payroll. Every $1 spent on economic development netted over $65 in private investment and over $3 of tax revenue. In addition to creating jobs, Ginther has joined the Mayor and other elected leaders in pushing for changes to how the City does business aimed at reducing costs to taxpayers. Through the collective bargaining process, the City has successfully negotiated reduced health care, workers compensation and pension expenses that will result in total savings of at least $119 million through 2019.

Moving forward, Ginther will remain focused on the City’s aggressive job creation efforts and investing in the core City services that contribute to our high quality of life, business expansion and job growth. Ginther believes that through investment in public safety and our neighborhoods, we can continue to create new employment opportunities for our residents. These new jobs will help grow our local economy, put Columbus residents to work while charting a path for future success.

Ginther, a Columbus native and proud Columbus City Schools graduate, has a long history of community service. Prior to joining Columbus City Council, he was elected to the Columbus Board of Education in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. Prior to his career in public service, Ginther earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in political science from Earlham College. While at Earlham, he studied peace and conflict resolution at the University of Ulster and Queen’s College in Northern Ireland and taught at public schools in Belfast and Derry. He also served in consecutive internships at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where he taught non-violence and dispute resolution to school children in the most dangerous parts of the city. Ginther is currently the Vice President of Community Affairs and Outreach for Children’s Hunger Alliance. He, his wife, Shannon, and his young daughter live in Clintonville.

Dr. Gene Harris

Dr. Gene T. Harris is the 19th superintendent of the Columbus City Schools (CCS). The largest Ohio district, CCS serves the needs of more than 53,000 students in 127 high schools, and over 7,700 employees. She’s a Columbus native with deep roots in the local community and direct experience with public schools as diverse as Ghana and China.

Harris holds a doctorate from OhioUniversity, earned her master’s degree from The Ohio State University, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, and an honorary doctorate from FranklinUniversity. A graduate of Linden-McKinleyHigh School, Harris was admitted to Notre Dame as an upperclassman in the first year the school accepted women. After graduating, she returned to the district to teach English and drama, moving from the classroom to a supervisor of principals and then deputy superintendent in 2000. She became superintendent in 2001.

Since 2002, CCS has invested more than $521 million in new facilities, with the work completed on time and within budget. In 2008, voters approved a combined 7.85 mill levy and 1.13 mill bond issue, generating $77 million annually in operating funds. From this bond issue, $123 million is being used to replace or renovate 10 more schools and $41 million to purchase new buses, textbooks and computers – while making $76 million in reductions to remain fiscally responsible. Other initiatives target increased parent and community engagement, and higher standards of customer service.

In 2010-2011 school year, Harris implemented several new initiatives; the opening of two gender-based middle schools, one for boys and one for girls, a new international high school and a new k-8 international studies program. These programs are in addition to the STEM focused schools district wide which uses technology, classroom lessons and industry internships to prepare students for work in the key fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. U.S. News and World Report ranked 12 of the district’s high schools among the nation’s best in their 2010 America’s Best High Schools report; one high school receiving the “silver” award designation and 11 others receiving a “Bronze” designation.

Academic Initiatives include a no cost Summer Institute to help students pass the Ohio Graduation Test; K-12 summer programming available to all students; a Virtual High School Program, which enables students earn credits online; and a Credit Recovery Program enables students to retake classes and continue to earn credits toward graduation.

Other academic gains include the creation of the CCS Higher Education Partnership (HEP) which provides a single point of contact between the district and 10 central Ohio colleges/universities to develop programs that boost student achievement, and college readiness.

Initiatives aligned under the HEP include The Seniors to Sophomores program, the AfricentricEarlyCollege at Columbus State Community College, The DeVry Advantage Academy, the Columbus Teaching Academy on The Ohio State University (OSU) campus, and the Schoenbaum Family Center located on the WeinlandPark campus. The district also partners with I Know I Can, a college access program in Columbus. The Seniors to Sophomores program allow high school students to earn one year of college credit from local institutions of higher learning. DeVry Advantage Academy started in July 2006. By June 2011 approximately 112 students attending DeVry University full-time their last two years of high school and through dual credit, earned both their high school diploma and an Associates Degree in Network Systems Administration/Web Graphic Design.

Community service awards and recognitions include the 2007 Donald and Gail Anderson Award from The Ohio State University College of Education and Ecology, 2004 Martin Luther King, Jr., Dreamer Award, Cavaliers Club Award for Outstanding Accomplishments, The Children’s Hunger Alliance Champion of Children - Educator of the Year Award, National Council of 100 Black Women-Columbus Chapter’s Personal Achievement Award, Who’s Who in Black Columbus Master Achiever in Education Award

A Columbus Rotary member, Harris serves on the Board of Trustees of OU, and Action for Children. Currently a Sunday school teacher and Trustee at the Mt.Olivet Baptist Church, she is married to Stanley Harris, Vice President of PNC Bank. Their son, Wade Thomas Harris, his wife and their sons reside in New Jersey.

Dr. David Harrison

David T. Harrison, Ph.D., became the fifth president of Columbus State Community College in July 2010. With more than 30,000 students, Columbus State is one of the largest and fastest-growing colleges in Ohio. Dr. Harrison oversees an 85-acre downtown campus, a campus in Delaware County that opened shortly after he became president, nine suburban learning centers, and a global, virtual campus that enrolls more online students than any college in Ohio. Columbus State offers more than 150 highly-respected associate degree and certificate programs, as well as programs to complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree.

Though Columbus State is a commuter college, with no residence halls, it has become a destination college, currently attracting students from all 88 counties in Ohio—and hundreds of students from around the world. As a result, the central Ohio economy receives more than $90 million a year due to Columbus State operations. And since about 90 percent of Columbus State graduates remain in central Ohio, they generate $944 million a year in the local economy.

During Dr. Harrison’s early months at Columbus State, he has worked to enhance the college’s partnerships and alliances with educational institutions from Columbus City Schools to The Ohio State University, community and state leaders, and business and industry.

Dr. Harrison came to Columbus State with extensive experience building successful community and education partnerships. As Vice Provost for Regional Campuses at the University of Central Florida, he forged partnerships with community colleges to create the Central Florida Higher Education Consortium and the nationally-recognized DirectConnect to UCF program, which guarantees a pathway to a bachelor’s degree for graduates of partner community colleges. Under his leadership, the program significantly increased the number of transfer students earning bachelor’s degrees. In his six years at UCF, he also developed partnerships with employers and community leaders to address workforce needs in manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, and other fields.

Prior to joining the University of Central Florida, Dr. Harrison served as Vice President of Educational Programs at Seminole State College in Sanford, Florida, and as Dean of Business Technologies at Sinclair Community College in Dayton.

Dr. Harrison is an active speaker, author, and consultant on the subjects of strategic partnerships, workforce development, and science, mathematics, and technology education.

He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership from The Ohio State University, and MBA from the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, and Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Dayton.

Dale Heydlauff

Dale E. Heydlauff is Vice President-Corporate Communications and president of the American Electric Power Foundation. His responsibilities include internal and external communications and oversight of corporate contributions and community relations.

Prior to this role, from 2005 to 2007, he was vice president - New Generation, managing the construction of new power generation plants across the AEP System and leading the development of advanced environmental technologies and controls.

He served as senior vice president - Distribution and Customer Operations from 2004 to 2005. He was responsible for AEP’s centralized distribution and customer service functions including distribution asset management, distribution dispatch and outage management, distribution engineering standards, customer information systems, meter systems and services, customer billing and credit, call centers, national customer accounts, and economic development support.

Heydlauff in 2002 was named senior vice president - Governmental & Environmental Affairs, following two years as senior vice president - Environmental Affairs and nine years as vice president - Environmental Affairs. Heydlauff served for three years as director - federal affairs in the company’s Washington office.

Prior to joining AEP, he served on the government relations staff of General Motors Corp. from 1978-1980, as a legislative assistant for former Congressman Carl D. Pursell (R-Mich.) from 1980-1982, as the deputy director of the State of Illinois Washington Office for former Gov. James R. Thompson (R-Ill.) from 1982-1984, and in private practice in the Washington law firm of Van Ness, Feldman, Sutcliffe & Curtis specializing in energy, environmental, transportation and tax issues from 1985-1988.

Heydlauff received a bachelor of science degree in political science in 1978 from EasternMichiganUniversity and completed an executive MBA program at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia in 1997. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Eastern Michigan University Foundation, KidsOhio.org, Learn4Life, Leadership Columbus and WOSU Public Media.

He resides in Upper Arlington, Ohio, with his wife, Gloria.

Janet Jackson

Janet E. Jackson is president and CEO of United Way of Central Ohio, one of the largest United Way organizations in the country.  Under her leadership, United Way is mobilizing the central Ohio community to accomplish concrete goals that address the root causes of the issues that face us, and create lasting change.  Her goal is to help people achieve the building blocks of a good life: a quality education that leads to a productive career, income that can support a family through retirement, good health and a safe place to live.

Prior to coming to United Way, Janet served six years as Columbus City Attorney and nearly 10 years as a judge on the Franklin County Municipal Court.

Her honors and awards include: Allies of Equality Award from Equality Ohio, Woman of Achievement Award from the YWCA of Columbus and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award from the Columbus Education Association. She was inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame in 2001.

Janet currently serves as vice chair of the Central Ohio Workforce Investment Board, and as vice chair of Learn4Life.  She is a board member of The Center for Family Safety and Healing, and a member of the City of Columbus 2012 Bicentennial Planning Commission.  She is working on education issues facing the near east side of Columbus as co-chair of the PACT education sub-committee.  Janet is also active in committees that help to guide the United Way movement on the national and international level.  She is also a trustee of the Hinson Family Trust.

Chad Jester

Chad Jester is vice president of Corporate Citizenship and president of the Nationwide Insurance Foundation. He was elected to this position in August 2004. In his current role, Chad has responsibility for Nationwide’s national corporate citizenship, including the company’s philanthropic, volunteer, workplace giving and education initiatives. He also leads Nationwide’s corporate responsibility efforts and associate membership programs.

Nationwide’s citizenship is central to the company’s heritage, culture and values. The Nationwide Insurance Foundation has a long history of philanthropy since its creation in 1959, contributing more than $270 million since 2000. The largest gift made to date by the Nationwide Insurance Foundation was to Columbus Children’s Hospital in the amount of $50 million. The hospital was renamed Nationwide Children’s Hospital in honor of this philanthropic gift.

Nationwide associates have been active in community involvement through their personal giving and community involvement since the company’s founding in 1926. Nationwide and its associates have again been recognized for this work by United Way Worldwide with its highest honor, the Spirit of America Award^®. Nationwide is only the third company to receive the award twice. Feeding America recognized Nationwide with the 2010 Group Volunteer Service of the Year award.

Chad joined Nationwide in 1992 and has previously served in the positions of Public Affairs Officer and Director of Community Relations. Prior to joining Nationwide, Chad was in public service with the City of Columbus in the office of the Mayor of Columbus and Columbus City Council.

Chad is actively involved with numerous business, civic, nonprofit and government organizations. These include serving on the boards of the Columbus City Schools’ Education Foundation; Columbus Zoo and Aquarium; Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence; Community Shelter Board; KidsOhio.org; Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation; Ohio Grantmakers Forum; Learning Circle Education Services; and the American Red Cross Corporate Advisory Council.

In 2010, Chad received the Central Ohio Association of Fundraising Professionals Judges’ Award. He earned the award for co-leading the Mid-Ohio Foodbank's Campaign to Sustain which resulted in the most ambitious and successful fund-raising campaign in the history of the Foodbank.

Chad earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from MiamiUniversity in Oxford, Ohio. He, his wife Debbie and their two sons reside in Columbus.

Pat Losinski

Prior to joining CML, Mr. Losinski spent five years as executive director of Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs.  He has been a library director at two other public library systems in Illinois and Ohio – he served on the state library board in each state.

Mr. Losinski holds a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin.  He is past chair of the Urban Libraries Council Board, and he serves on the Board of the Institute for Learning Innovation.

Steve Lyons

Steve Lyons is the Vice President for Community Engagement and Member Services for The Columbus Partnership.  His responsibilities include development of the political and community-sensitive strategies designed to facilitate the successful efforts of the Columbus Partnership and the Columbus2020! economic development initiatives.  In this role he will serve as one of the primary relationship managers with respect to the Partnership’s member companies including all community engagement and business development activities.  He also oversees the Partnership’s public affairs and relationships with each of the Partnership’s government relations representatives as well as locally elected officials.

Lyons was previous Director of Marketing & Sales for Jack Nicklaus’s organization with primary assignment to the Memorial Tournament where he oversaw all strategic growth and community affairs initiatives of the Tournament.  As the company’s primary strategic partnership negotiator, Lyons led the Tournament through unprecedented revenue and charitable contribution growth by securing multimillion dollar local and national sponsorships and elevating the event’s national prestige.

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Lyons graduated from Elon University in North Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications.  He attended Capital University Law School and earned his Juris Doctorate with a certificate in dispute resolution, receiving the CALI® Excellence for the Future Award of distinction in multiple classes.  Lyons has been active in several community and charity organizations.  He is married to Shannon Daku Lyons and they have three children, Isabella, Catherine & Henry and currently reside in Upper Arlington, Ohio.

Jeff Lyttle

Jeff Lyttle joined JPMorgan Chase predecessor Bank One Corporation in 1996.

As Senior Vice President of Local Media and Community Engagement, Jeff manages a national team responsible for supporting and reinforcing Chase’s local impact in the communities it serves across the United States.

He previously led the philanthropic giving across the Midwestern for the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. He remains deeply engaged with the activities of the Foundation in his current role.

Jeff has been a communications, public affairs and community development professional for nearly 30 years. His career has included five years as a television news producer with Columbus CBS-TV affiliate WBNS-TV, and five years in public affairs with Battelle Memorial Institute.

He has also been an active freelance writer and author. He has written more than 100 articles that have been published in local, regional and national magazines. The Ohio State University Press published his book, Gorillas in Our Midst: The Story of the Columbus Zoo Gorillas, in 1997.

Jeff is an active community volunteer and leader. He currently serves as a trustee on the governing boards of The Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, Community Shelter Board, The Center for Family Safety and Healing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, KidsOhio.org, and Learn4Life Columbus.

Jeff and his wife Cathy, an executive at Worthington Industries, reside in Worthington with their son, Jack.

Eric Norman

Eric Norman is the senior vice president, Human Resources for Cardinal Health, where he leads the Talent Acquisition, Benefits, Compensation, Sales Compensation & Corporate HR Business Partner teams. He also serves as the senior HR Business Partner for Public Affairs and Human Resources.

Prior to this, Norman served as the senior vice president of Sales Operations and HR Business Partner for the Office of Customer Experience. In his dual role, Norman led the sales operations support teams of Sales Training, Sales Compensation Design and Administration, Enterprise Reporting and Analytics, Sales Tools, Date Management, and Field Sales Operations.

When Integrated Provider Sales was launched in 2005, Norman served as the Human Resources Senior Business Partner where he led the HR Function and Team supporting the OCE.

In 2001, Norman joined Cardinal Health as director of Human Resources, Corporate and Pharmaceutical Distribution. In 2004, he was named vice president of Human Resources for Pharmaceutical Distribution, overseeing all aspects of human resources strategy.

Norman began his career with Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers in 1987, moving from restaurant management and human resources supervisory roles to overseeing all U.S. human resources operations activities for Tim Horton Restaurants, a company subsidiary.

Norman holds a bachelor’s degree in human resources management from the University of Texas at San Antonio. In addition, he is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and has received his Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.

Janelle Simmons

Janelle N. Simmons is Associate Vice President for Limited Brands, Inc. (NYSE: LTD)  Ms. Simmons oversees $20 million in domestic and international grant making through the Limited Brands Foundation, multi-million dollar  associate fundraising campaigns, the company’s volunteerism program, and other civic activities.

Ms. Simmons has nearly 20 years of experience in leading efforts to shape and implement initiatives that enhance corporate strategy and significantly benefit communities.  She has held leadership positions with The Ohio State University, Cleveland Municipal School District, and the United Way of Central Ohio.  Ms. Simmons began her professional career with Limited Brands in 1993 as a college intern.  She rejoined Limited Brands in 2007 as Manager of Corporate Giving, where she was responsible for the company’s fundraising campaigns benefiting Komen for the Cure, the United Way, and the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University.  Ms. Simmons was promoted to Director of Community Relations and Philanthropy in 2008 and to Associate Vice President in 2011.

Ms. Simmons is active in her community. She currently serves on the non-profit boards of I Know I Can, YWCA Columbus, the African-American Leadership Academy and Learn4Life Columbus.  Ms. Simmons is an active member of Calibr, an affiliate of the Executive Leadership Council, The Links, an international women’s’ service organization, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Ms. Simmons earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University and holds a certificate in business management from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.  Ms. Simmons’ honors include Columbus Business First Forty Under 40, Columbus CEO Magazine – Executive Women Rising to the Top, The Network Journal’s 40 Under Forty Award, and Who’s Who in Black Columbus –Interesting Personality.

Limited Brands, through Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Bath & Body Works, La Senza and Henri Bendel, is an international company.  The company operates 2,631 specialty stores in the United States and its brands are sold in more than 700 company-operated and franchised additional locations world-wide. 

Anthony Trotman

ANTHONY TROTMAN is Director of the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services, the largest agency in the county, with a budget of more than $70.6 million and approximately 630 employees. The Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services serves approximately 24,000 low-income individuals receiving cash assistance, 130,000 individuals receiving food assistance, 184,000 enrolled in Medicaid and 12,000 dependent on child care subsidies, and contracts for approximately $16.2 million in early childhood development, youth, adult, Refugee, family stability and senior and disabled services.

Prior to becoming Director at Franklin County, Mr. Trotman was Chief of Staff for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), a $19 billion agency with nearly 4,000 employees. As Chief of Staff, Trotman oversaw Legal services, Information Technology, Contracts, Workforce Development, Unemployment Compensation, Local Operations, Family Stability, Child Support, Ohio Children’s Trust Fund and Children Services program areas.

Mr. Trotman previously was Assistant Director at Franklin County, and he also has been both Assistant Bureau Chief and Assistant Chief Policy and Operations Officer for the ODJFS Office of Ohio Health Plans. While at the Office of Ohio Health Plans, he coordinated policy development and operational activities for all Medicaid program areas. He also served as project director of the Benefits Eligibility Network, a $110 million Web-based enterprise architecture project for the Food Assistance, Child Care, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Refugee Assistance programs.

Before joining the state, Mr. Trotman was Client Services Director for the Core Management, LLC. and Integrated Provider Network, Inc., where he orchestrated the successful start-up and profitable operation of a management services organization for Ohio Health’s family practice, internal medicine and specialty practices. He directed the operational and financial efforts of 10 Ohio Health practices, including 41 physicians and 115 support staff. He also served as Director of Network Operations for 16 family, internal medicine and pediatric practices in North Carolina. From 1986 to 1997, Trotman served his country as an Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Air Force at airbases in Nebraska and Alaska.

Mr. Trotman currently serves on the boards of Community Research Partners, the Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation, Franklin County Family and Children’s First Council, Columbus Kids Advisory Council, Community Shelter Board - Rebuilding Lives Funder Collaborative, Learn4Life Columbus, Ohio Job and Family Services Metro Directors Group, and the National Association of Counties Labor & Employment Steering Committee. He also has served on the United Way of Central Ohio Employment Vision Council, the Central Ohio Transit Authority Mobility Board, and the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund. Trotman has served as the board president of the Livingston Avenue Collaborative for Community Development in Columbus and was director of the Omega Scholarship Foundation in Columbus. He has served on the board of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Nebraska, and was also a Boy Scouts of America scoutmaster.

Mr. Trotman has a bachelor’s degree in management from Bellevue University in Nebraska, a master’s degree in health services administration from Central Michigan University, and a project management ncertificate from Boston University. Mr. Trotman is happily married to Elizabeth Trotman and has one daughter, Camille.