2012 OASFAA/OCAN Conference Presenters
Ashley C. Benson - Director of TRiO Student Support Services & Ohio TRiO President, North Central State
College & Ohio TRiO
Ashley C Benson, M.Ed. is from Toledo, Ohio. She is the Project Director for TRIO Student Support
Services at North Central State College in Mansfield, OH. Before entering that position, she worked as a Program
Advisor in SSS at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) and a Program Coordinator of a TANF funded after
school program known as Kidz Club. She has a Master’s in Education Administration and Supervision from
BGSU. Ashley’s research interests include: first-generation college student graduation, diversity, institutional
change and culture.
Mark Birnbrich – Project Manager, Ohio Department of Job & Family Services
Manages multiple projects for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service’s Office of Workforce
Development and the Governor's Office of Workforce Transformation. Most notable among these is
OhioMeansJobs, the state’s premier resume and job bank, developed in partnership with Monster.com. Birnbrich
spearheaded this innovative public-private partnership, the first of its kind in the nation. He also oversaw the
launching of a mobile phone application for the site, an OhioMeansVeteranJobs section and worked with the Ohio
Board of Regents to launch an OhioMeansInternships website for students.
During Birnbrich’s 24-plus-year career with the state, he has helped guide numerous critical projects. He started in
Medicaid overseeing an overhaul of the reimbursement methodology used to pay nursing homes. Later, he guided
the implementation of Ohio’s first statewide child support system. This involved converting 88 county systems and
more than a million records into one system with collections of more than $1 billion dollars annually.
Birnbrich was chief information officer of the Ohio Department of Human Services when it merged with the Ohio
Bureau of Employment Services to become ODJFS. He oversaw all IT operations during the merger, an annual
budget of approximately $500 million and more than 1,000 employees.
Birnbrich has a bachelor’s degree in operations management from The Ohio State University.
Shawn Brown - Associate Director, Northeastern Council on Higher Education
Shawn Brown is the Associate Director of NOCHE, responsible for development, communications,
overseeing the operations of NOCHE programs and standing committees and implementing NOCHE’s new
initiative to increase college attainment, the Talent Dividend. He joined the staff in 2010. For ten years prior to
joining NOCHE, Mr. Brown held positions of increasing responsibility at Hiram College. He most recently served
as Director of College Relations where he was responsible for marketing, communications and public relations. His
higher education career began as an Admission Counselor, recruiting transfer students and high school students
from Northeast Ohio, and advanced to advising adult learners through Hiram’s Weekend College as Assistant
Dean. Mr. Brown helped Hiram reverse a long-term enrollment decline and increase the total undergraduate
headcount from fewer than 800 students to nearly 1,200 students while achieving the institution’s academic profile
and net tuition revenue goals. While at Hiram, Mr. Brown participated in the implementation of a campus-wide
enterprise resource planning system and a constituent relationship management system. With experience leading
collaborative, mission-centered and data-driven solutions, he has spoken at regional and national conferences on the
topic of integrating data, technology, staff and culture. Mr. Brown earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science
and computer systems management from Hiram College and his Master of Science in higher education from Drexel
University. He is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Education program at Northeastern University.
Ellen Cahill, Ph.D. - Educational Consultant, ESC of Central Ohio
As an Educational Consultant for the ESC of Central Ohio, Dr. Ellen Cahill facilitates the Central Ohio
High School Higher Education Alignment Consortium. Ellen also serves as a Professional Development Lead for
Battelle for Kids’ national clients in building capacity for school improvement. She is an on-line Adjunct Professor
for Concordia University Chicago and Standards Aligned Instructional Leadership in the area of Educational
Leadership. Ellen’s teaching and educational leadership experience includes thirty years in a large urban district as a
curriculum coordinator. Her passions include designing rich and rigorous learning environments to develop
student’s skills to meet the challenges of our global economy.
Rudolph Chavez - College Access Advisor, College Now Greater Cleveland
Rudolph Chavez is a College Access Advisor with College Now Greater Cleveland and Chair of ECHHO
Strategic Planning Committee.
Brandi Cooper – Granville High School
Brandi Cooper is in her tenth year as a high school counselor at Granville High School in Granville, Ohio.
She works collaboratively with her department and counselors in her district to address the following domains for
students: academic, career/college and personal/social. She earned her Masters of Science in 2003 at Villanova
University in Counseling and Human Relations, specializing in Secondary School Counseling. In addition, she
earned a Masters of Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2010 in Counseling Psychology,
specializing in Mental Health Practices in Schools.
Julio Cumba - Assistant Director of Admissions for Multicultural Recruitment, Baldwin-Wallace College
Julio Cumba is Assistant Director of Admissions for Multicultural Recruitment at Baldwin-Wallace College
and President of ECHHO.
Ben Dobner - Community Investments Program Manager, Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty
Corporation
Ben Dobner serves as a Community Investments Program Manager for Great Lakes Higher Education
Guaranty Corporation. Community Investments funds programs that provide direct services to increase the number
of disadvantaged students who start and complete a degree, certificate, or credential. Prior to starting this role he
was a financial aid trainer for Great Lakes and before that he served as a financial aid director at both a four year
private college and two year public college.
Chris Downey - Grants Manager, Educational Service Center of Central Ohio
B.S. Ed. Integrated Social Studies (2007) from Ohio University
M.P.A. Public Policy and Management (2009) from The Ohio State University
Since July 2009, Mr. Downey has served as the Grants Manager for the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio
where he assists with proposal development and the administration of the agency’s externally awarded funding.
Previously, while completing his graduate coursework at The Ohio State University’s John Glenn School of Public
Affairs, he served as an intern with the Ohio Department of Education’s Center for Curriculum and Assessment. As
part of his recent professional and educational experiences, Chris has completed research in the fields of college and
career-readiness, education funding, blended/digital learning, and student assessments.
Dr. Gloria Dunnivan – Director, Portage County College Access Program
Dr. Gloria Dunnivan earned a Ph.D. in Educational Administration, K-12 Leadership, a Master’s degree in
Curriculum and Instruction, and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Kent State University. She is the Director
of Dual Enrollment Programs at Kent State University and oversees the Portage County College Access Network.
She is the author of the internationally published book, A Vision for Their Future: Urban Youth and Their Journey
to College.
Lynn Fleming – Teacher, Butler Tech
Lynn Fleming has taught high school students for 18 years in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Ohio and is
currently teaching a successful College and Beyond course to high school students at Fairfield High School in Butler
County. Along with her teaching experience, she has worked part-time as an admissions reader at Duke University,
giving her a unique insight into the college selection process. Lynn enjoys walking her high school students through
the college admissions process and preparing them for what lies ahead.
Beth Flynn - Leadership Consultant and Trainer, The Ohio State University Leadership Center
Beth Flynn is an enthusiastic educator, facilitator, and trainer. With an emphasis on interactive learning, her
researched-based programs focus on attitude, creativity, motivation and leadership styles. Beth's programs receive
rave reviews, but the best compliment she receives is that organizations invite her back to conduct additional
trainings.As a member of the Ohio State University Leadership Center team, Beth draws upon her knowledge and
experience to help organizations improve employees' performance. Beth holds a master's degree in Community and
Human Resource Development from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and a bachelor's degree in
Business Administration from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is famous for her weekly email message, Leadership Moments, which is distributed globally to over 2,000 leaders.
John Frahlich - Counseling Department Chair at Hudson High School
John Frahlich has 25 years experience as a counselor at Hudson High School. He previously served as an
elementary counselor in Maple Heights, was a sixth grade teacher in Hudson, and a Teacher Corps Intern with the
Akron Public Schools. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Muskingum University in Sociology and Elementary
Education (‘79), Master's Degrees from Kent State University in Curriculum and Instruction (‘81) and School
Counseling (‘86). John also serves as a part-time graduate instructor for the University of Akron.
Nancy Gillespie - School Counselor, Grove City Christian School
I have been a counselor for over four years. I am convinced that I have the greatest job in the world! I love
to walk through the journey of life with students and their families not only through the everyday stuff, but also as
they navigate through the endless possibilities of college and career options. I have two children and am a busy
pastor's wife. I spend a great deal of time on soccer fields and basketball courts cheering on my kiddos! My favorite
quote is one that sums up how I want to live my life, “If you want to have lasting influence upon the world, you
must invest in people's lives; and if you want to maximize your investment, then you must invest in those lives
while they are young." George Barna
Amber Gilsdorf - Granville High School
Amber Gilsdorf is in her fifth year as a high school counselor at Granville High School in Granville, Ohio.
She works collaboratively with her department and counselors in her district to address the following domains for
students: academic, career/college and personal/social. She earned her Masters of Arts in 2008 at The Ohio State
University in Counselor Education, specializing in School Counseling
Holly Graham - Director, Get On Track! College Access and Career Readiness Center
Holly Graham is the current director of Get On Track! - a college access and readiness program at
Lakewood Local Schools. The program focuses on educating parents and students on the importance of higher
education as well as helping them navigate the system - whether that be a technical, two or the traditional 4 year
degree programs. As a volunteer, Holly brings a different perspective to the program with a BS and MS in
Mechanical Engineering. She has worked at Boeing Defense and Space Group, NASA Ames Research Center (who
paid for her masters degree!) and currently at HART Technologies. She is a mother of three and a proud first
generation college graduate.
Joel Gulko - Senior Educational Manager, K12 Services, Midwest Regional Office, The College Board
Joel Gulko joined the College Board in 2010 as a Senior Education Manager for the Midwest region. He is
responsible for providing support to K12 schools throughout the states of Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and West
Virginia. Joel comes to the College Board with extensive expertise and experience in instructional program
development, implementation and evaluation. Joel is passionate about providing opportunities for all students to
ensure they are prepared for post secondary education and opportunities. Joel’s emphasis on promoting
underrepresented populations is rooted in his urban teaching and administrative experiences. He served as
Coordinator of Advanced Studies for Cleveland Heights High School, Supervisor of Gifted Education for Lorain
City Schools and Supervisor of Gifted Education for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Additionally, Joel
has served as President for the Greater Cleveland Coordinators of the Gifted. Gulko also has 10 years of classroom
experience as a professional teacher for gifted elementary and junior-high students. Joel’s dedication to education
has been recognized by his peers with awards, nominations and requests for speaking engagements. He is a leader
among leaders, a mentor to new professionals and a respected colleague. Joel holds an Ed.S (Education Specialist
Degree) in School Administration and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Gifted Education,
both from Cleveland State University. He also holds a Bachelors of Science in Education from Baldwin-Wallace
College.
E. MorraLee Keller - Director of Outreach and Member Service for the Ohio College Access Network (OCAN)
and Director of Technical Assistance for the National College Access Network (NCAN)
E. MorraLee Keller is currently serving as the MorraLee has a bachelor’s degree in Education and a
master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, both from The Ohio State University. In her capacity with
OCAN, she provides support to member programs as well as provides all necessary outreach services to current
OCAN member programs and other educational associations. At NCAN, she provides assistance to college access
programs around the country that wish to begin or enhance the type of programming offered to students and
parents. Ms. Keller was previously the College Relations and Program Director at I KNOW I CAN, the college
access program for Columbus City Schools in Ohio. A former financial aid coordinator at The Ohio State
University, Ms. Keller has extensive experience in student financial aid. She is involved in professional
organizations such as the Ohio Association of College Admissions Counselors and the Ohio Association of Student
Financial Aid Administrators. Ms. Keller has been a member of the OASFAA Outreach Committee for 29 years
and is currently in her fifth year as College Goal Sunday Co-Chair. Ms. Keller is also a Past President of NCAN.
In addition, Ms. Keller has served on a variety of advisory councils for organizations such as the Ohio Board of
Regents, United Way, Otterbein College, NT4CM and the Columbus Public Schools Early College Steering
Committee.
Valerie Kieffer - School Counselor, Lakewood High School
Valerie has a MA in School Counseling from the University of Dayton. She has worked at Lakewood High
School a total of 12 years. LHS was her first teaching position where she taught biology and chemistry. She left
Lakewood and worked in San Diego County for two years prior to returning to Lakewood in 2006.
Linda Knicely - Director of Training and Partnerships, Ohio College Access Network
Linda Knicely has spent her entire career supporting and advocating for Ohio students and families, first as
a teacher, and then, for 27 years, as a school counselor. During that time, she implemented and directed a districtwide service learning program and participated in or led a number of school, district, and community led reform
efforts. Upon retirement, she coordinated a federally-funded statewide initiative on behalf of partner organizations
OACAC, OSCA (the Ohio School Counselor Association), OASFAA (the Ohio Association of Student Financial
Aid Administrators) and OCAN (the Ohio College Access Network) to enhance and expand college admission
training for school counselors and college access professionals with particular focus on those with limited experience
or those who serve under-represented student populations , including those in urban and rural/Appalachian
districts. She currently serves as the Director of Training and Partnerships for the Ohio College Access Network in
Columbus, OH.
Sarah Lopienski - Director of Professional Learning, Battelle For Kids
Sarah Lopienski, Director of Professional Learning at Battelle for Kids, has been working with school
counselors across the state of Ohio focused on college and career readiness. She has years of experience as an
elementary and high school counselor as well as a university career counselor with a primary focus on career
development and counseling.
Migdalia McClendon - Assistant Director, Diversity Recruitment & Admissions, Youngstown State University
Migdalia McClendon is Assistant Director, Diversity Recruitment and Admissions at Youngstown State
University and Vice President of ECHHO.
Merchel Menefield - Admission Counselor, Otterbein University
Merchel Menefield has worked at in higher education admission, recruitment, and enrollment since 1990.
Her experiences have included positions at both public and private institutions. She currently works at Otterbein
University as the Associate Director of Admission/Director of Multicultural Enrollment.
Malia Miller - Guidance Director, Green High School
Malia K. Miller M.A., NBCT
I currently coordinate and provide student services at Green High School including * individual and group counseling
* academic, college, and career advisin
* administration and interpretation of standardized tests
* coordination of registration and scheduling
* referrals to support services as needed
* revision and delivery of guidance curriculum through the
Nation Model
* coordination of dual enrollment and PSEO program
Work
Green High School Guidance Director - 1995 to present
Malone University Adj. Professor in Counseling Education 2005-08
English Instructor Plain Local and Sandy Valley Local
Education
Bachelor of Science English Education - BGSU
Master of Arts in Human Dev. and Counseling - Walsh University
30 hours post graduate coursework in counseling related topics
Credentials
Licensed Professional Counselor with the Ohio Dept. of Educ.
National Board Certified in School Counseling with NBPTS
Matt Moore - Senior Associate Director and Vice President for Training, Miami University and OASFAA
Matt has been working in the Office of Student Financial Assistance at Miami for just over 8 years. Matt is
an active member of the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (OASFAA) and serves as their
current Vice President for Training.
Joseph Murray – Director, Academic Advising and Retention, Miami University Hamilton Campus
He has been the Director of Academic Advising and Retention at Miami University’s Hamilton Campus
since 1992. He has helped to develop and refine the Appreciative Advising Inventory and has been part of a
national taskforce aimed at advancing the concept of Appreciative Advising. Most recently, he served on the faculty
for the 2010 national conference on Academic Advising Strategies to Increase Persistence and for the 2011and 2012
Appreciative Advising Institutes.
He has been a driving force behind Ohio Reach, a state and national effort to increase access and retention to higher
education for Ohio’s Foster Care Alumni. He has served as the Co-Chair of the First-Generation College Student
Interest Group for the National Academic Advising Association from 2007 until 2012.
Pam Noeth - Collaborative Learning Leader, Ohio Appalachia Collaborative, Battelle for Kids
Dr. Pam Noeth, Collaborative Learning Leader has been working with the Ohio Appalachia Collaborative
at Battelle for Kids to assist Appalachia districts in its mission to strengthen and leverage educator effectiveness to
accelerate college- and career-readiness for every student and ensure that they have access to future opportunities
that enhance their quality of life.
Valerie Raines - Executive Director, Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland
Valerie Raines is executive director of the Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland. The Compact,
led by Cleveland’s Mayor, involves leaders of government, schools, foundations, higher education, nonprofits,
corporations, and civic organizations. The Compact advances readiness, access, and graduation rates for Cleveland
students using a common agenda and shared measurement. Valerie was previously vice president of corporate
philanthropy for KeyBank, implementing charitable contributions focused on education and arts and culture.
Earlier, she was program director for capacity building grants at United Way of Greater Cleveland. Prior to that,
she was vice president at the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation where she administered grantmaking
programs including family foundations and donor-advised funds. Valerie began her career as a college admission
and financial aid professional at Laurel School, Oberlin College, and Connecticut College. She helped students to
access higher education, successfully transition from high school to college, and achieve a college degree.
Kaci Roach - Student Intern, Northeastern Ohio Council on Higher Education
Kaci Roach is a graduate student intern at NOCHE and has been a project manager on the
OhioMeansSuccess project. Kaci is a graduate of The Ohio State University and is currently seeking her master’s
degree in urban and public policy at Cleveland State University.
Traci Robinson – Teacher, Butler Tech
Traci is a Family & Consumer sciences teacher from Butler Tech. She has dedicated the past 6 years of her
teaching experience to helping students reach their academic goals through college preparation. Traci has worked
closely with counselors teaching state approved courses to help students plan for the future. She enjoys curriculum
work and is interested in increasing student performance and helping students reach their maximum potential.
Victor Ruiz - Executive Director, Esperanza
Victor A. Ruiz is the Executive Director of Esperanza, Inc. Esperanza is Northeast Ohio’s only
organization solely dedicated to the educational needs of the Hispanic community. He is a graduate of the
Cleveland School System, has a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Baldwin Wallace College and a Master’s Degree
in School Counseling from Cleveland State University. He serves on several boards and committees, including the
Hispanic Roundtable and the Cuyahoga Community College. He is a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of
2012, recipient of Kaleidoscopes’ Forty under Forty among Hispanics, and a fellow at the Center for Progressive
Leadership. He is married with three children.
Tom Rutan - Associate Director, Ohio Department of Education
Tom Rutan is an Associate Director in the Office of Curriculum and Assessment at the Ohio Department of
Education. He serves as the point person for Financial Literacy for the agency and Credit Flexibility. Tom also
serves as State Commissioner for the Interstate Compact for Educational Opportunities for Military Children where
he advocates for the children of military personnel when they are deployed to action. He also serves as liaison for
ODE to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors. Before coming to the Ohio Department of
Education in January of 2006, Tom was President of Junior Achievement of Central Ohio for six years following a
three year stint as Executive Director of the Ohio Business Week Foundation. He retired as principal of Grove City
High School in 1996 after thirteen years in that role during which time he was selected as Ohio’s Principal of the
Year (1991) and elected as President of the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Board of Control (1992).
Maria Sanchez - Coordinator, Academic Studies, The Ohio State University
Maria Sanchez is Coordinator of Academic Studies at The Ohio State University and member of ECHHO.
Daniel K. Schneider - Academic Director or Educational Talent Search/Upward Bound, University of
Cincinnati Clermont College
Daniel K. Schneider grew up on a farm in west central Ohio and was the first person in his family to attend
college. He graduated from Wittenberg University and received a Master of Science in Teaching from Drake
University, a Master of Arts from Ohio State University and a graduate certificate in teaching English as a second
language adults/international from the University of Cincinnati. Mr. Schneider served in the U.S. Army in
Vietnam, taught American history as a teaching associate at Ohio State University and worked as a Radio Shack
manager. He worked fifteen years for Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates, a school-to-work program for high school
students. Since January 1999, he has been the Academic Director of TRIO Educational Talent Search and TRIO
Upward Bound at the University of Cincinnati Clermont College. Mr. Schneider has served as President and as
chair of a number of committees for Ohio TRiO, the Ohio professional association for TRIO program personnel. In
2002, he received the Ohio TRiO James Rankin Award “in recognition and appreciation of continued dedication,
services and commitment to minority and disadvantaged students in the State of Ohio.” In 2010, Mr. Schneider
received the Ohio TRiO Dr. Joseph D. Lewis Trailblazer Award “in recognition and appreciation for continued
contributions to the foundation and success of the goals and objectives of Ohio TRiO.” In 2005, he was recognized
as a distinguished graduate of Anna High School by the Anna Education Foundation. Mr. Schneider sings with the
Martin Luther King Coalition Chorale in Cincinnati. He volunteers as an ESL teacher at Santa Maria Community
Services in Cincinnati and enjoys hiking and bicycling.
Janet Schultz - Director, Early Awareness, A Call to College
Prior to joining A Call to College in January 2008, Janet Schultz worked in higher education for nearly two
and a half decades: six years as the Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Yale University and seventeen years in
the Denison University Admissions Office. In addition to directing the PEAK Program, she also oversees grant
writing for the organization. Janet holds two degrees in German; a Bachelor of Arts from the University of
Chicago, and a Master of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Rich Seils - Coordinator of University Partnerships, Educational Service Center of Central Ohio
Dr. Seils joined the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio in 2006. Since joining the ESCCO, his
work has focused on expanding dual enrollment partnerships in Central Ohio and creating linkages and structures
spanning secondary and higher education affording more students pathways to college and career success.
Dr. Michael Snider - Project Coordinator, Ohio Association of Community Colleges
Mike Snider has served as a faculty member, chairperson, dean, vice president and provost at Columbus
State Community College. During his 14 years as provost the college expanded its enrollment from 14,000 to
23,000 students. Mike has been involved with various accreditation agencies including discipline specific to serving
as a site visitor for the Higher Learning Commission of North Central Association. During his career he has served
on numerous professional and community boards. Since Mike’s retirement in 2006 he has served as a consultant for
Columbus State, the Ohio Board of Regents, projects for various community colleges, YouthBuild USA, and the
Ohio Association for Community Colleges.
Jeff Stahlman - College Counselor, New Albany High School
Jeff has spent the last 14 years at New Albany High School as College Counselor and was a School
Counselor at Gahanna Lincoln HS prior to that. He has been on numerous college admission advisory boards,
Fastweb's advisory board, former secretary, delegate, and Membership Chair of OACAC. Jeff was selected as an
honoree for Counselors That Change Lives by Colleges That Change Lives.
Dr. Gregory Stewart – Stewart & Associates USA, LLC
Dr. Gregory Stewart has twenty-eight years of experience assisting traditional age students and adult
learners in access to higher education at a broad spectrum of higher education institutions. He has served as a
faculty member teaching in social work, human services and higher education administration. He is a Licensed
Social Worker (LSW) and National Certified Counselor (NCC).
Rabekah D. Stewart - Director of TRiO Upward Bound, The Ohio State University
Rabekah D. Stewart, M.A. is from Jefferson City, Missouri where she attended Lincoln University. Prior to
her work in TRiO, she worked as an English teacher. Her involvement with TRiO programs began at the University
of Kansas, as an educational advisor for the APEX GEAR UP Program; then moving into a role as academic
coordinator for Wittenberg University Upward Bound Program in Springfield, Ohio. Rabekah is currently serving
as the Upward Bound Program Director at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She holds a master’s
degree in higher education administration and urban leadership from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and is
currently completing a PhD in higher education at Walden University. Rabekah’s research interests are in the
organizational management amongst faculty and staff within higher education, including a special focus on
intergenerational relationships and collaboration to increase effective student service and improve staff morale.
Hideo Tsichida - Director of Articulation & Transfer Policy, The Ohio Board of Regents
Mr. Tsuchida, Director of Articulation and Transfer Policy with the Ohio Articulation and Transfer
Network (OATN), has been with OATN/OBOR since October 2009 and in higher education profession for the last
10 years. He has extensive experience in admissions counseling and academic advising for transfer students, as well
as transfer policies, use of degree audits reporting systems and u. select in articulating course equivalencies,
articulation agreements, military credits, and Ohio’s credit transfer initiatives. He worked in offices of
undergraduate admissions, assistant vice president for articulation and transfer, and registrar at Wright State
University in Dayton before arriving to OATN/OBOR. He holds a master’s degree in Student Personnel
Administration and a bachelor’s degree in English Secondary Education from State University of New York College
at Buffalo.
Sarah R. Wallace - President, A Call to College Governing Board, A Call to College
Sarah R. Wallace, a DePauw University (’76) graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree, holds a M.B.A. from
Indiana University, and is the Chairman of the Board of First Federal Savings and Loan Association in Newark,
Ohio. She has been associated with First Federal since 1980 and served as the President and CEO from 1983
through 1999 when she was elected Chair of the Board.
Marie Ward, PhD - Assistant Superintendent of Client Services, Educational Service Center of Central Ohio
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan
BS in Psychology/Biology (1988) and a MS in Clinical Behavioral Psychology (1990) from Eastern
Michigan University
Ph.D. in Education (1994) from The Ohio State University (Emphasis in Special Education and Applied
Behavior Analysis)
Dr. Ward has over 25 years’ experience working with individuals’ preschool through adulthood with special needs
in school, hospital, rehabilitation, and group home settings. Prior to returning to Central Ohio in 1999 to become
the Director of Alternative Education Programming at the Delaware-Union Educational Service Center she spent
five years as the Director of Disability Services and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She
worked in various leadership capacities with the Delaware-Union Educational Service Center from 1999 until
January of 2009 when as the Acting Superintendent she led DUESC through its merger with the Educational
Service Center of Franklin County to form the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio. Currently she serves as
an Assistant Superintendent of the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, holds a seat on the OSU College of
Education and Human Ecology Alumni Board, and has been appointed a member of the American Association of
School Administrators Children, Equity and Excellence advisory committee.
A dozen publications, over 50 state, national and international presentations, and more than 20 million in grant
funding secured. Her interest areas include: college and career success, educational equity, alternative learning
options for students, at-risk youth, school improvement, family and civic engagement, and school-community
partnership development.
* Beyond work I have 2 boys (Ages 19 and 15) which provides first hand insight regarding the current state of
education.
Gary Williams - Director of Precollege Outreach Programs, Washington State Community College
Gary currently serves as Director of Outreach Programs at Washington State Community College, Upward
Bound College Prep Academy, Connect to Success AmeriCorps College Guides, and the Southeast Tech Prep
Regional Center. He is a former guidance counselor and teacher and is in his 45th year in education.