Celebrate Women Speakers
Dream. Dare. Deliver.
Expanding Our Mindset
Allison Bolinger, Flight Director for NASA
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Allison grew up in central Ohio dreaming about flying in space. Despite eventually realizing that staying firmly planted on the ground was more her style, with her sights still set on NASA, she received her B.S. from Purdue in Aerospace Engineering in 2004. While she was working on her degree, she participated in 5 co-operative education tours at Johnson Space Center, which opened the door for full-time employment once she graduated.
In July 2004, she began working in the ExtraVehicular Activities (EVA) group where she developed spacewalk timelines, trained astronauts to perform EVAs, and then worked in Mission Control while the EVAs were being executed. In addition to supporting numerous Space Shuttle missions, she held prime assignments for the STS-114 Return to Flight Mission in 2005, STS-120 in 2007, and she was the lead EVA Officer for STS-134, the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour in 2011. She also led 3 additional EVAs during Increments 33 and 38. She was promoted to EVA Task Group Lead in 2014, a position she held for 2.5 years, before transferring to the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) in 2017. While serving as NBL Deputy Chief, Allison was in charge of running the day-to-day operations of the world-class, underwater training facility.
In June 2018, Ms. Bolinger was selected to join the ranks of Flight Director. After completing her training, she was certified as the 95th Flight Director in October 2019 and chose the call sign Athena Flight. She was the lead Flight Director for the Northrup Grumman NG-13 cargo mission in 2020, for US EVAs 67 and 68, which performed the final external Lithium Ion battery upgrades in 2020, and for the SpaceX SpX-25 cargo mission in 2022. From April through October 2021, Ms. Bolinger was the Increment 65 Lead Flight Director, a critical position in which she was responsible for the daily operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Highlights of this time period onboard the ISS include launch and docking of the Russian Nauka module, 3 EVAs installing 2 of the first new roll-out solar arrays, and activation of a new CO2 scrubbing technology demonstration capability. She is currently focusing on the upcoming Boeing Starliner missions, slated to launch 2 astronauts on a test flight in Spring 2024 and 4 astronauts for a long-duration mission in Spring 2025.
Ms. Bolinger is the recipient of the Early Career Achievement Medal, the Outstanding Leadership Medal for recognition of her work as the Increment 65 Lead Flight Director, as well as the NASA Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy award. The Silver Snoopy awards was given to her by the STS-120 astronaut crew in honor of her dedication and outstanding support of the mission.
Trivia Note: Allison Bolinger attended the Women in Technology and Science (WITS) Conference at Ohio University when she was in middle school, an event started by Dr. Jane Johnsen more than 40 years ago. We welcome Flight Chief Bolinger back to our campus!
Speakers
Cenell Boch
M.S., Founder/President C&C Wellness, Inc.
Specializes In
- Mindfulness and Leadership Development
- Executive Leadership Development
- Health, Wellness, & Personal Growth
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging Education & Strategy
Cenell brings 25+ years of experience as a leader, consultant, and expert in the field of health sciences. She completed her doctoral work on how mindfulness is a tool to reduce work-related stress and has supported executive leadership clients from all over the world (Europe and USA). Cenell utilizes a mindful leadership approach when working with clients to help them find clarity and commit to multiple action steps toward reaching their goals, dreams, visions, and desires. Her mindfulness coaching style involves the core tenants attention, intention, and attitude. By focusing (attention) on a given intention (intention) with an elevated perspective (positive attitude) clients can move more swiftly toward accomplishing goals.
Cenell has worked with C-Suite and individual contributors to help them navigate, taking responsibility with integrity and authenticity to explore their limitless possibilities. She uses humanistic theory and motivational interviewing as tools to assist leaders with connecting to their own “NorthStar guiding system within” and thereby unlocking leadership/wellness goals that might be dormant. Cenell has also facilitated diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging education and strategy for leaders, businesses, and large organizations though Mindfulness in the Workplace seminars. Furthermore, she counts it a blessing to be the wife of her loving husband Wayne, mother of two sons Daniel and Richy; and stepmom to three charismatic adult children Lindsey, William, and Samantha.
Credentials
- PhD Health Sciences (Focus Mindfulness)
- MS Exercise Physiology
- BS Sports Medicine/Athletic Training
- Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher
- Licensed Certified Athletic Trainer
- DEIB Education and Strategist
Clients that have benefited from Cenell’s authentic support include:
Amazon, Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce, Columbus Fitness Consultants, Wellness with Cenell, University of Mount Union, Healthy Life Solutions, Rejuvenation Station, YMCA of Lancaster, Fairfield County Auditor’s Office, ADAMH Board of Fairfield County, Ohio University, The Ohio State University, and Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.
Carri Brown
Ph.D., M.B.A., CGFM, Fairfield County Auditor
After 35+ years of leadership experience in human services, financial management, and county administration, Carri L. Brown was appointed to the position of County Auditor in October 2021. She was subsequently elected to the position in November of 2022.
She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from Ohio University and was named Outstanding Alumna of the Year in 2022. She has a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Organizational Management, and her dissertation was a correlational study on the effect of organizational citizenship behavior on job satisfaction, a topic that she has presented upon multiple times, including in international conferences for professional social workers and governmental finance officers. Carri also holds a certificate of Business Sustainability Strategy from Harvard University. She is a recognized thought leader who ensures quality, innovation, and service commitment across business and government entities.
In Fairfield County, she was the first woman to serve as Child Support Director and was honored as the State’s Director of the Year in 2005. She served as a Deputy Director for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, leading policy development within an organization of more than 2,000 employees. Under her direction, the agency received Ohio’s first-ever child support demonstration grants. Over the span of her career, she has managed grants of more than $160 million.
As the first woman to serve as County Administrator, Carri supervised county department heads of multiple government functions, including Job and Family Services, Economic and Workforce Development, Human Resources, Emergency Management, Visitation Center, Dog Adoption & Shelter, Facilities, and Utilities. She managed a county budget of more than $220 million, increasing the carry-over for the $50 M+ general fund budget. Under her leadership, the county completed five major construction projects, all on time and under budget, including a complex $34M construction project for a county jail and Sheriff’s offices. She developed the county’s first strategic plan by surveying 900 county employees, defining themes, creating transformations, gathering input from citizens, and prioritizing each strategic plan element. On two occasions, she simultaneously served as the Job and Family Services Director. She was instrumental in the creation of the county’s first workforce development center.
Fairfield County has been awarded more than 60 state and national awards for programs under her leadership, including programs for county administration, customer service, workforce development, communications, technology improvements, public safety, and civic education. She has served on multiple state and national committees for local government programs, focusing on concepts grounded in servant leadership and stakeholder theory.
In 2019, Carri was honored with the Athena Award for leadership by the Lancaster-Fairfield Chamber of Commerce. She is engaged in multiple civic groups and boards, including the Fairfield County Visitation Advisory Council, Special Improvement District Board, and Destination Downtown District Board. She is past president of United Way of Fairfield County and has served on Ohio’s Fatherhood Commission, a Multi-County Juvenile Detention Board, the Fairfield County Regional Planning Commission, Ohio University Community Council, and more.
In 2020, Carri led the County and supported the state in projects to communicate about and deal with the pandemic. She managed more than $8M of local CARES Act funds and supported multiple community groups dealing with the economic effects of the pandemic, including the county’s largest employer, a local hospital.
Carri lives in Lancaster, with her husband, Stephen (Cork), an attorney. They are blessed with two adult children (Corbin and Catherine) and four grandchildren: Ava (10), Simon (8), Mia (2), and newborn baby Ella.
Cheryl Burchard
Associate Director, Ohio Women’s Coalition
Cheryl Burchard is a veteran government relations professional with more than 30 years of experience representing companies and trade associations in Ohio state politics.
Since August 1999, Cheryl has worked as the Director of Government Relations at the Ohio Telecom Association, a statewide trade association representing more than 100 providers and suppliers that bring broadband and telecommunications services to all areas of the state. In addition to many association management duties, she is responsible for overseeing all telecommunications policy matters represented in the Ohio General Assembly and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
One of Cheryl’s biggest accomplishments is co-founding the Ohio Women’s Coalition in 2021. She has been instrumental in securing $35 million in state funding to provide low-interest loans for women owned businesses.
Prior to joining Benesch Law as an independent consultant in 2019, Cheryl also served as Director of Communications in the Ohio House of Representatives under House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, where she served as chief spokesperson for the majority caucus. In 1994, she worked as press secretary for Sen. Mike DeWine’s successful campaign for the U.S. Senate. Cheryl also served as a media relations specialist for majority members of the Ohio Senate from 1992 - 1994.
A proud Ohio University graduate, Cheryl and her husband Eric live in Hilliard, Ohio. They have three children, all of whom are current OU Bobcats.
Lynn Carden
Artist and Author
Lynn Carden is an artist whose career has spanned 60 years. After traveling the globe with the International School of America, she earned a B.A. in Fine Arts from The Ohio State University in 1964.
Her work has been the subject of many one-person gallery shows, primarily in Columbus, Cincinnati and Louisville. Known for botanicals, still-life paintings, and the more recent birdand-egg series, Carden’s work is held in numerous private and corporate collections. In 2009, Carden moved from Cincinnati to Ross County to live on her family’s historic homestead. Discovery of a trove of documents, diaries, letters and artifacts compelled her to put down her brushes in order to write and illustrate The Women of Robertson.
Jane Cavarozzi
Co-Founder, Dirty Girl Coffee LLC
Jane Cavarozzi is a fierce advocate for Appalachian women. Jane moved to the Glouster area in 2009 after a successful career as an executive in the apparel industry and has utilized her vast knowledge and skills to lift up the women in Appalachian Ohio ever since. This work has manifested at the micro-level with her work in Glouster all the way to macro-level initiatives that have impacted women business owners across the whole state of Ohio.
Jane and her partner Kara Tripp started Dirty Girl Coffee (dirtygirlcoffee.com/) a small-batch coffee roasting business that has the social mission to promote women’s economic progress in Appalachia. Through their work, they have purchased and are restoring a building in downtown Glouster, have sponsored several girls’ sports teams in the area, and organize First Friday Community Gatherings from May until October. In addition to her role as a business owner, Jane also co-founded the Glouster Revitalization Organization (GRO - www.myglouster.com) and combined forces with a small group of other Glouster residents to work on projects that eliminate blight, create safe spaces, and support entrepreneurial efforts in Glouster.
In 2021, she joined the board of the Athens County Foundation to advance its mission of investing in local strategies to empower Athens County residents and build on the strengths of the region. Further, in 2021 she worked to found the Ohio Women's Coalition (ohiowomenscoalition.org/) - a diverse, non-partisan alliance of women in business, women leaders, women business owners, and men that support the mission across Ohio who are coming together to improve the economic position for all women in our state.
Deb Connell
Executive Director, The Lancaster Festival
Deb Connell is a Lancaster native and graduate of Lancaster High School and the University of Georgia regional campus in Albany, Georgia. She began her career in Nursing but had a passion for the arts that drove her to positions in the business world that revolved around artistic endeavors with an emphasis on event planning and management. She was selected as the Executive Director of the Lancaster Festival in 2018.
Deb lives in Lancaster With her Husband, Pat, a small zoo of spoiled pets, and has two grown sons, Matt and Bryan,. In her spare time - who are we kidding, she doesn’t have spare time…
Namara L. Dafney
M.A., WABC, Executive Coach, Independent Business Consultant
Namara Dafney is a professional Executive Business Coach who worked in corporate America for over 25 years. In 2022 she ventured out on her own to continue her passion to coach. She currently collaborates with leaders in non-profits and the private sector to produce organizational transformation.
Namara is the author of Habits From The Inside Out: A Holistic Perspective. This non-fiction book integrates sound coaching practices, timeless wisdom from the Bible, along with insights from St. Augustine, Aristotle, and other sage scholars to create a uniquely novel and relevant voice on habits. The book speaks about how to create good habits in your life and change or let go of unhealthy ones.
Namara has a Master of Arts in Professional Practice in Coaching from Middlesex University in London, England, where she authored her thesis on: The Impact of Coaching on Habit Development for Sustained Change. She has also written business blogs and delivers impactful presentations for businesses and educational settings. Namara is also a contributing writer to Sales Leadership: Sales Leadership Perspectives (Routledge, release date April 2024).
Namara L. Dafney is a lifelong learner and on any given day, she can be found reading an enjoyable book, autobiography is one of her favorites. Along with reading, she loves spending time with family and friends, scrapbooking, traveling, and challenging herself with new skills such as juggling.
Amy Eyman
Chief Executive Officer, Fairfield County Foundation
Amy Eyman is the Chief Executive Officer of the Fairfield County Foundation and celebrated 23 years with the Foundation in September 2022. The Foundation is a public charitable organization with a mission to build a legacy through philanthropy and stewardship for a stronger community.
The Fairfield County Foundation will celebrate 34 years of serving the community in April 2023. In her role as Chief Executive Officer, Amy manages a team of 5 incredible women and is primarily responsible for development, fundraising, marketing & communications, and community outreach.
Amy is a native of Lancaster, a graduate of Lancaster High School and a proud 1988 graduate of Ohio University, Athens.
Amy recently completed her 15th year as a member of the Lancaster City Schools Board of Education and serves on the Executive Committee of the Central Region of Ohio School Boards Association. Amy serves as a Board member of Philanthropy Ohio; is a member of Lancaster Rotary Club; and is the Second Vice Chair on the Board of the Lancaster Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce. Amy is one of 5 women in our community that in 2022 started The Rivet Society, whose mission is to bring strong women together to foster empowerment in themselves and others. Amy and her husband John live in Lancaster and have 2 sons, Andrew and William.
Trisha Farrar
Transformational Coach & Corporate Trainer, Inner Wisdom Wellness
Trisha Farrar is a transformational and stress coach and has worked extensively in counseling and education for 30 years. She is passionate and devoted to helping others become their best selves while living happy and productive lives.
Trisha has certification in life coaching, yoga, meditation and has a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Ohio University and is a fellow of the John Glenn Leadership Program at Ohio State University. Trisha is the CEO at The Recovery Center in Lancaster, Ohio, is an Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor II.
Holly Freeling
M.F.T., A.T.R. hollytherapy.com
Holly Freeling is a solution-focused, private practice psychotherapist, based in Los Angeles, California. She is an innovative thinker and has a passion for synthesizing neuroscience as well as other scientific research and using that as a springboard for creating innovative interventions to accelerate her clients’ progress.
She has been a guest host on the Inner Vision radio show on KPFK, 90.7 FM, Pacifica Radio, the most powerful public radio signal west of the Mississippi, for over 15 years, and has also been featured on National Public Radio in the U.S. and Sweden. Holly has many areas of specialty including: working with people involved in a family owned business, peak performance, improving relationships, ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar, social anxiety, panic disorder, developmental disabilities, trauma therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and managing a creative personality—which may come in the form of an artist, musician, scientist, entrepreneur, et al., as well as helping people discover their life purpose and/or what direction to take their lives, businesses, careers and more.
Kari Gunter-Seymour
M.A., Ohio Poet Laureate
Kari Gunter-Seymour is the Poet Laureate of Ohio. Her poetry collections include Alone in the House of My Heart (Ohio University Swallow Press, 2022), winner of the "2023 Book of the Year Award" for narrative poetry from the American Book Fest and finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award; A Place So Deep Inside America It Can’t Be Seen (Sheila Na Gig Editions, 2020), winner of the 2020 Ohio Poet of the Year Award and Dirt Songs (forthcoming EastOver Press, 2024). A ninth generation Appalachian, she is the editor of I Thought I Heard A Cardinal Sing: Ohio’s Appalachian Voices, winner of the "2023 Poetry Anthology Best Book Award" from American Book Fest; funded through an Academy of American Poets Fellowship Grant and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. She is the executive director of the Women of Appalachia Project and editor of it’s anthology series, Women Speak.
Gunter-Seymour holds writing workshops for incarcerated teens and adults and women in recovery housing. She is a retired instructor in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University; the founder, curator, and host of "Spoken & Heard," a seasonal performance series featuring poets, writers, and musicians from across the country. She was selected to serve as a 2022 Dodge Poetry Festival Poet and is an artist in residence for the Writing the Land Project and a Pillars of Prosperity Fellow for the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Verse Daily, World Literature Today, and on Poem-a-Day.
S.R.D. Harris
Author, Publisher and Founder, S.R.D. Harris Books, LLC
Author S.R.D. Harris has always been a reading fanatic! Ever since she was featured in two children’s books as a young child and volunteered at her Local Library, she has dreamed of becoming a Published Author. Through hard work and determination, she achieved that dream when she wrote and published her first book, “Future Miss President.” Harris currently has 8 Children’s books published and 2 more in production. She is a graduate of Ohio State University and a Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her mission is to write and publish High-Quality, Uplifting, and Empowering Diverse Children’s Books that will inspire a love of reading in all children! She has been featured on PBS/WOSU’s Broad & High TV Show and in many publications to date.
Harris and her husband have 3 daughters, and a rescued puppy named Gracie. Their youngest daughter, Camryn, is her Co-Author and collaborates on all of her books. Her 4th Book “Gracie’s Grace,” is in partnership with CHA Animal Shelter, to benefit their mission to help homeless dogs and cats find loving homes.
When they are not reading, writing, cooking, or traveling, they enjoy volunteering and giving back. They have currently donated hundreds of their books to students all over Ohio, and Harris enthusiastically volunteers with Reading 365/The American Literacy Corporation. She believes all children can love reading if they connect with the right books for them. You can follow her on her website srdharrisbooks.com and major social media channels. Her books are sold internationally and available in local libraries and bookstores.
Amy E. Hull
M.Ed., First Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Paycor, Inc.
Amy brings authenticity to the forefront of leadership, action, and learning in the field of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Hull is a corporate leader turning DE&I strategy into actionable results. Most recently, Paycor has been named a 2023 DE&I Top Workplace for three consecutive years and received the 2023 CLIMB Award from the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Cincinnati Business Courier and Minority Business Accelerator for Corporate Partner of the Year in Goal Setting for progress in minority business partnerships. HRO Today awarded Amy the 2022 North American HR Excellence Provider Award and she was featured as the cover story of the July, 2022 issue of HR Future Magazine. The DE&I work at Paycor has caught the attention of corporate entities across America after Paycor went public in 2021 and DE&I has been fully integrated into the Environmental Social Governance Report for Paycor, Inc.
She is actively engaged in her community with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and a lifetime member of the National Association of African-American Human Resources (NAAAHR). Hull is an engaging and dynamic speaker and trainer interweaving vulnerability, relevance, educational research, corporate and educational experience, analogy, and purpose into any training or speaking engagement she encounters. Amy is a self-described, “Team Mom who works” as the proud Mom of two athletically active and academically brilliant teen boys. She is a traveler, reader and lover of music.
Paige Janson
Chief Operating Officer, Sustainable Resource Management, Engie Impact
As Chief Operating Officer, Sustainable Resource Management, Paige Janson is responsible for the success of newly combined resource data management and sustainability services organizations, positioning ENGIE Impact to serve clients on their zero carbon journeys. She oversees Global Operations teams in the United States and Europe, Sales and Client Management organizations, and Business Product, Finance and Quality & Learning.
She has been part of ENGIE for nearly 15 years, holding several positions across the organization in sales and operations. Since February of 2018 she has served as Chief Commercial Officer for ENGIE Insight, responsible for all client management, sales, and marketing efforts.
Prior to serving as Chief Commercial Officer, she steadily grew as Vice President, Sales & Client Management; Vice President, Resource Management Solutions; Senior Director, Financial Planning, Energy Analytics, and Integrated Solutions; Director, Client Financial Planning and Energy Analytics; and Manager, Client Relations.
When she’s not working, she spends time with her husband and their three kids, travels to the beach, and enjoys time in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Faith Knutsen
Director of Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Ohio University, Voinovich School
Faith Knutsen has been a professional staff member at Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service since 2008. She directs a program that serves regional social enterprises, which combine a market-based approach with a mission for social good, and capacity-building for philanthropic funders interested in impact investment. Faith lectures on entrepreneurship and venture development on the Athens campus and is a frequent guest lecturer and speaker on the region’s place-based entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Before joining the Voinovich School, Faith held a 12-year executive role at Sunpower, Inc., an Athens Ohio-based, 60-employee research and development engineering firm. Her early career in international development began with a tour as a Peace Corps volunteer in Central Africa and segued into international consulting. Faith holds degrees from Oberlin College and Ohio University. She is a Board advisor or Board member to many local nonprofits, the mother of two twenty-somethings, and is passionately interested in creative writing.
Angela Krile
President & CEO, Krile Communications
Angela Krile is president & CEO of Krile Communications, serving more than 70 clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to local community organizations. Angela started Krile Communications in 2010 after having worked on Capital Square in Columbus for 12 years with Cochran Group. In addition to owning the firm, Angela also serves as the chair of the Ohio Expo Commission and Ohio State Fair, having been appointed seven years ago by then Governor John Kasich.
She serves on numerous local boards and has been named to Business First’s 40 Under 40, been awarded the Young Professional of the year and Athena Awards from the Lancaster-Fairfield County Chamber and the Jane Johnsen Woman of Vision award from Ohio University. Her firm was named Small Business of the Year by the chamber and received the Rotary Business Ethics Award last year. Angela and her husband Greg live in Sugar Grove with their two teenage sons.
Amista Lipot
Director, External Relations and Strategic Partnerships and Executive Director, Mayors' Partnership for Progress
Ohio University
Amista Naylor Lipot has been with the Voinovich School since 2002. In addition to establishing and cultivating critical partnerships, her portfolio includes strategic communications, development, alumni relations, advocacy, and special projects. As part of their public service mission at the Voinovich School, she also serves as Executive Director for the Mayors' Partnership for Progress, a bipartisan coalition of Mayors and City Managers from nineteen southeast Ohio counties, representing nearly 138 communities. Before joining the Voinovich School, Amista managed administrators throughout Ohio for an international consulting and software company. Amista spent eight years on city council, is a JoAnn Davidson Ohio Leadership Institute graduate, and has been appointed to three state commissions by two different Ohio Governors. Amista has a Bachelors in Interpersonal Communication from The Ohio State University and a Master in Organizational Communication from Ohio University.
Elizabeth Paige Love
VP Software Engineer, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Paige has made it her mission to develop diverse technology talent, doing so in the community and at JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPMC). Paige is currently the Engineering Experience Lead for Operations Technology in Consumer & Community Banking organization, supporting 2300 engineers. Here she is responsible for establishing software engineering guidelines and promoting modern engineering practices that help teams become more effective with software delivery.
Paige is a Cleveland native and proud Ohio University Alum, graduating from the Russ College of Engineering in 2016. Paige credits her interest in engineering to an Ohio University Females in Engineering camp for High School students. Directly after college, Paige joined JPMC as a software engineer.
As a female engineer, and with firsthand knowledge of the enormous impact community has on youth development, her priority was and has been empowering and uplifting a diverse work force. This priority resulted in Paige founding the Break Through Program in her first year at JPMC. Break Through focuses on helping middle school girls see themselves in STEM professions. It also aims to show students how their passions can become technology careers. The program accomplishes this by introducing the students to diverse women working in technology and having the women share their journey in STEM. To date, the program has impacted more than 2500 middle school girls across central Ohio. The program continues to expand outward, engaging and empowering the next generation of females in STEM.
Previously, Paige won the Columbus Tech Power Players D&I Impact Award and sat on The Metro School’s Business Advisory Committee. She is also the JPMorgan Chase Columbus Technology Center External Engagement Lead.
Andora Marshall
M.A., Business Analyst, American Electric Power
Andora Marshall has over 30 years of utility/energy experience with two Fortune 500 companies with Cyber Security, Information Technology, Finance, Accounting, Rates & Regulatory, and Customer & Distribution Operations with a strong project and change management background. She is a PROSCI Certified Change Management Professional.
Andora’s enjoys giving back to the community and serves as an appointed committee chair of City of Pickerington’s Planning & Zoning Commission, President of the Windmiller Ponds Home Owner’s Association Board Trustee, and is the Chair of the Ohio Chapter Women’s International Network of Professionals (WiNUP),. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, real estate investing and an avid walker who participates in 5k, 10k 15k, and ½ marathons.
Rachel McCoy
Operations Coordinator, Bottoms Up Diaper Bank
Rachel McCoy is a vibrant advocate for the advancement of women. She plays a lead role in one of the fastest growing nonprofit organizations in central Ohio (Bottoms Up Diaper Bank) where she coordinates the activity of a team of volunteers to deliver diapers to families in need to nearly 80 community organizations in 20 counties in Ohio.
Previously she held the role of Community Connections Coordinator for Fairfield DD where she supported community members to consider the accessibility of their organizations and events. Independence, Collaboration and Inclusion are at the foundation for Rachel’s beliefs.
Additionally, Rachel is involved as a volunteer for Friends of Lancaster Parks, SOCIL, Victory Hill Food Pantry, Lancaster Kiwanis, United Way, Lancaster High School Key Club, and Kiwanis Builders Club. She is also volunteer leader of the Connexion West Mentor Academy. In each of these roles, Rachel is well known for her tenacious encouragement of those she oversees.
Rachel is a 1999 graduate of Ohio University and is the recipient of many awards, most recently The Ohio University Women of Vision Award.
Delainey McIlwain
Community Relations Coordinator, Park National Bank
Delainey joined Park in April of 2014 and serves as the strategic partner for all community-related outreach in Fairfield, Hocking, Athens, and part of Franklin counties. On top of her Community Relations responsibilities, Delainey is also part of Parks Internal Communications team where she manages the internal intranet, works on employee engagement opportunities as well as with different internal departments to provide strategic communication.
Delainey has a passion for serving others and supports this passion through her volunteer work in her community. She currently serves as the President of Friends of the Lancaster Parks and Recreation, Treasurer of Destination Downtown Lancaster, co-chair for Women’s Giving Circle, Advisory Committee Member for Ohio University Lancaster Women’s Leadership Summit and is part of Young Professionals of Fairfield County. In 2023 she received the Young Professional of the Year Award by the Lancaster-Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce as well as the Emerging Athena Award by the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce. Delainey is also a graduate of Ohio University Lancaster, obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Communication degree in 2015.
Delainey currently resides in Lancaster with her husband Brody and fur baby Moose.
Jennifer Seifert
Ph.D., Executive Director – Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program & New Leaf Justice Enterprises
Jennifer Seifert, Ph.D.(she/her/hers) is the Executive Director of the Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program (SAOP) and New Leaf Justice Enterprises. Jennifer’s personal activism and professional work have centered on making the systems and institutions that we interact with everyday fair and just for us all, particularly those within marginalized communities in Appalachia.
Descended from a long line of hill women in Central Appalachia/Scotland, she was born and raised in Fairfield County, Ohio, and obtained her undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from Ohio University-Lancaster. She went on to earn a Master of Arts in Communication Studies and Graduate Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from West Virginia University and a doctorate in Communication Studies from Ohio University specializing in persuasion and sexuality studies.
In addition to her role at SAOP, she serves as Board Treasurer for Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence and is a former board member of the Nelsonville Presbyterian Farm and Southeast Ohio Independent News. When she is not working to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, she enjoys spending time with her partner and four children, reading, and mountain biking.
Christy Shriner
Certified Jay Shetty Mindset Coach, Inner Wisdom Wellness
Christy Shriner is a trainer, energy healer, life coach and published author. Her teachings are devoted to helping others relieve stress from their lives and find inner peace. Christy earned an Associates Degree in Applied Science from Shawnee State College and a Bachelor’s degree in Brennan Healing Science from the Barbara Brennan School of Healing in Florida. She is certified in Meditation through Chopra.
She has published two books, a children’s book, “Jacob and his Angels” and a book on her year abroad titled “Taking a Year Off.”
Christine M. Simmons
Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Fairfield County
Christine M. Simmons brings experience and a profound commitment to community service to her new role as CEO of United Way of Fairfield County. With 26 years in the local banking industry, Christine has cultivated strong ties within her community, making her a respected leader and advocate for positive change. Her personal journey of giving back is deeply rooted in her passion for supporting others, driving her to play pivotal roles in various nonprofit organizations throughout Fairfield County.
A graduate of Ohio University, Christine’s dedication to community service is evident in her involvement in Rotary, Kiwanis, Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, and numerous other nonprofit organizations. She is a founding member of the Rivet Society, co-chair of the Lancaster Festival Fair Day and is a former President of the United Way of Fairfield County Board of Trustees, as well as a former secretary of the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees. Christine resides in Lancaster, Ohio with her husband Scott, cherishing moments spent with their son Landon, son Morgan and daughter-in-law Rachel. In her spare time, she enjoys thrift store shopping and indulging in the joy of listening to live music.
Madison Voinovich
Board President, Leaders of Today Central Ohio
Madison is the board president of the nonprofit Leaders of Today Central Ohio. The primary goals of the organization are to teach leadership skills to young people (ages 14- 25) and empower them to lead by providing funding and mentors to support their community enhancement leadership initiatives. Leaders of Today has developed a leadership curriculum that encourages young people to explore their leadership values (i.e., why leadership is important to them and what kind of leader they truly want to be) and teaches skills for enacting these values.
Madison is a senior at The Ohio State University studying Psychology with minors in Human Nutrition and Substance Misuse and Addiction. At tOSU she is the Undergraduate Lab Lead of Klatt Lab, a research lab with a mindfulness focus, based in the tOSU Wexner Medical Center for Integrative Health. She is also trained in Progressive Muscle Relaxation Therapy and administers weekly sessions to lung cancer patients. Additionally, she is conducting an honors thesis exploring how associations between diet quality and mental health in advanced cancer patients are moderated by biomarkers.
Carrie Woody
Deputy Safety Director, Fairfield County
Carrie Woody truly believes that variety is the spice of life and has held this mantra throughout her professional career. Her resume includes everything from a professional cheerleader, campaign manager, public transit director, group exercise instructor, and CEO! She enjoys learning, meeting new people, and building relationships. She loves being challenged and she works well under pressure. She has a passion for her community and helping others. Her only life goal is to leave a better world for my children.
Jacqueline Yahn
Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Patton College of Education, Ohio University
Dr. Jacqueline Yahn is an Associate Professor of Teacher Education at Ohio University where she teaches Regional Higher Education students across five campuses. She directs the OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship in partnership with Building Bridges to Careers. The fellowship is one of five programs nationwide that was awarded Catalyst Initiative funding for 2023-24 by the Rural Schools Collaborative.
Yahn’s research and service work focuses on: (1) the impact rural industries (e.g. resource extraction, farming, manufacturing) have on school funding and community capitals, (2) societal issues relevant to rural schools and communities, and (3) the theory and practice of community and career connected learning (CCCL) in rural schools. She is currently a fellow in the Institute for Measurement Methodology in Rural STEM Education (IMMERSE) at the University of South Carolina, serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Appalachian Studies, and is a Whippoorwill Award committee member. She and her husband Chris are the proud parents of Liam and live in the Upper Ohio Valley in the foothills of Wheeling West Virginia with three generations of their families.
Hope Yin
Speaker, PCC, Award-winning Executive in Tech and Executive/Leadership Coach, Founder & Owner of Blueprint Coaching
Hope Yin is a professional Speaker, award-winning Technology Executive and Coach, member of NSA and NSA Ohio, PCC, and Executive Coach. Hope is the Founder and Owner of Blueprint Coaching. She has served as a Technology Executive in 2 Fortune 150 companies. Hope is a Technology All-Star awardee by the Women of Color in STEM Conference. She has spoken at some of the largest conferences in the world. Hope’s life purpose is to reduce gender inequality in technology. Hope is an active community leader and board member of several non-profit organizations.
Peter Zafirides
MD, President and Medical Director, Central Ohio Behavioral Medicine, Inc.
Dr. Zafirides is a partner, co-founder, and President of Central Ohio Behavioral Medicine. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Medicine. Dr. Zafirides completed his psychiatry residency at OSU Hospitals Department of Psychiatry. During his residency, he received awards in both clinical and teaching excellence. Dr. Zafirides also served as chief resident in his final year. Dr. Zafirides and his partners formed Central Ohio Behavioral Medicine in 1997
As a board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Zafirides has extensive experience in the evaluation and medical management of depression, anxiety disorders, ADHD, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. His specific area of interest within psychiatry is the mind-body role of emotions and physical illness, especially chronic pain. Dr. Zafirides has been published in this area of psychiatry, lecturing both nationally and internationally on this topic.
With an existential orientation to psychotherapy, Dr. Zafirides has been influenced by the work of Irvin Yalom, Viktor Frankl, and Rollo May.
Dr. Zafirides is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and the Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Association. He is a member of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association (PPDA). He serves as an advisory board member for the National Institute of Whole Health. He is also a guest lecturer of psychopharmacology to graduate students in the OSU Counselor Education Program. Dr. Zafirides has received the Best Doctors In America recognition multiple times since 2005. He has also been recognized nationally with multiple Patients’ Choice Awards and Compassionate Doctor Awards since 2008.
Lillian Zarzar
Founder, The Zarzar Group
Lillian Zarzar has been identified as a CEO leader and a Gypsy entertainer. From the front of the room, she is an effective leader, challenging you to seek the talents within you and apply the powerful tools she teaches. Audiences warm to her easy manner as she delights them with her openhearted humor. Whether with an audience of one in coaching, or 101 in her seminars, they are inspired.
She is the founder of The Zarzar Group, a Columbus, OH, based international business devoted to helping you gain more confidence and assertion, greater clarity and focus. Through her coaching you experience profound change in your self-mastery.
She is the author of Apple-osophy: Slices of Apple-Inspired Wisdom and a contributing author to four anthology publications. Through the simplicity of the apple metaphor, sheshares her message – to break through to the core of who you are and discover your truth. Her high energy and thought-provoking presentations inspire you to plant and cultivate yourown seeds of awareness as you tap into a new way of “thinking beyond by going within.”
She graduated from Ohio University with a BSJ in Journalism, and from Bowling Green State University, she obtained her MA in Speech Communication.
Currently she is an Adjunct Faculty at Ohio University Lancaster in the department of Communication Studies. Her courses include Public Speaking, Interviewing, Small Group Communication, and Argumentation & Advocacy. She also teaches Oral Communication at Columbus State Community College.
From her travels to the Great Pyramids of Egypt to her climb of the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, she carries in her heart the star that shines from the platform.
Joy Zhao
MD, PhD, PCC, 2X Fortune 100 Tech Executive, Owner and founder of Finding Joy Coaching
Dr. Joy Zhao, an MD, Ph.D., and PCC-certified executive coach, draws on her extensive experience as a business executive for two Fortune 100 companies to inspire and guide professionals toward optimal performance and positive trajectories. Her ICF certification reflects her commitment to going beyond traditional coaching, offering clients a transformative journey to unlock their latent potential and achieve the success they aspire to.
Driven by a profound calling, Joy specializes in building creative empowerment solutions that reveal individuals' hidden superpowers. During challenging times, she reached over 7,000 people through webinars, panels, and coaching, imparting energy leadership techniques to manage stress, boost productivity, and elevate careers. Dr. Joy Zhao's mission is a beacon of empowerment, showcasing the untapped greatness within each person and encouraging them to embrace their unique strengths on the path to extraordinary success.