Meet the MyCom 2.0 Intermediary Team!
Neighborhood Leadership Institute
Since 2008, Neighborhood Leadership Institute (NLI) has been an
integral member of the MyCom initiative initially as a member of the
MyCom network, transitioning into a lead agency role for
neighborhood engagement in 2010, adding a role as the lead agency
for youth engagement in 2011, and currently continuing in those
roles as well as working directly with the evaluation and MyCom
impact strategies.
NLI began its engagement with MyCom in 2008 as a youth development and leadership training organization.
NLI provides leadership training, creates sustainable community engagement models, and offers out of school
time resources and program opportunities to individuals of Greater Cleveland’s diverse communities. We take
pride in elevating an individual’s natural leadership talent as together we share a common goal to improve
and positively impact our communities through courageous leadership, collective ownership, empowerment,
inclusion, and accountability. Our services and network empower our participants through education as we
strive to shape new ways of thinking through authentic communication, elevating individual creativity, equity
and equality. Our organization values the network building, neighborhood planning and engagement, and
emphasis on youth engagement included in the MyCom Theory of Change.
Our MyCom Intermediary Team
Collectively, our team has experience in strategic planning across a diverse sector of organizations as
evidenced by the neighborhood engagement work of NLI and the specific neighborhood development of the
MyCom neighborhoods of West Park and Slavic Village; the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Safe and
Drug Free Schools initiative; the Promise Neighborhood initiative of the Sisters of Charity Health System; and
within the MyCom initiative including development of the strategic plan draft for MyCom 2.0.
MyCom Intermediary Team at NLI: (216) 812-8708
Michael Matthews
MyCom Team Lead
Phone: (216) 812-8708
michael@neighborhoodleadership.org
Nancy Baxter
Neighborhood Engagement
(216) 812-8708 x251
nancy@neighborhoodleadership.org
Michael has been with the Neighborhood Leadership Institute (NLI) since 2006 and
was named the first Associate Director of NLI in October of 2010. Michael creates
linkages and collaborations with other community-based organizations and
agencies and assists in the preparation and maintenance of financial records for all
organizational projects, contracts, bids and special events.
Raised in Warrensville Heights, Ohio and a graduate of Shaker Heights High School,
Michael is a former varsity student athlete at the University of Miami, Florida
where he became a fraternal brother of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and was
selected as a member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and
Universities.
Michael received his B.A in English and History in 1997 and his Master of Liberal
Studies in Sociology in 2002. Michael received his Certificate in Non Profit
Management from Case Western Reserve University’s Mandel Center for Nonprofit
Organizations in 2009.
Michael is a graduate of Class 19 of Neighborhood Leadership Institute’s
Neighborhood Leadership Cleveland program, a fellow of the Treu Mart Fellowship
program at Case Western Reserve University and graduate of the LeadDiversity
program at the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio.
Michael credits his accomplishments to being a humble son, a loving Husband and
the proud father of three.
Before her recent retirement, Nancy served for seven years as Youth Development
Director for Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation, Lead Agency for the West
Park Neighborhood. In that capacity, she was also Coordinator for West Park
MyCom, helping to research and network with community groups and agencies to
offer quality classes and positive programs to youth of all ages.
Nancy grew up in and graduated from Ashtabula City Schools. She was a student
leader for two years at one of the first “extension” branches of Kent State
University (in Ashtabula) and continued her education and leadership activities on
the main campus. She graduated with honors and a BS in Education and was
honored to be selected one of twenty “outstanding seniors”.
Nancy’s 50 plus years of experience has included classroom teaching and subbing in
grades K-12, designing “phys ed” classes for a pre-school program, leading conflict
management classes at a juvenile detention facility, and serving for many years as a
professional Youth and Education Minister in churches in three states.
Her life has also been greatly enriched by family, friends, travel, music, reading, and
“the great outdoors”.
MyCom Intermediary Team at NLI: (216) 812-8708
Dr. Adriennie Hatten
Evaluation
(216) 812-8708 x252
adriennie@neighborhoodleadership.org
Dr. Hatten is a Strategic Non-profit Leader with diversified experience working
across Northeastern Ohio for over 20- years in social services, education and
government with particular expertise in quality improvement. She is a Management
Consultant and a Professor. Her strength in developing and implementing strategic
initiatives that integrate policy, practice and research to create positive societal
outcomes is an asset to the NLI Intermediary team. She serves as a Community
Initiative Consultant for the NLI team. She has proven success in the following
areas: strategic and operational planning, building collaboration, project
management, grant writing and grants management, effective leadership and
performance management.
Dr. Hatten is a native of Northeastern Ohio and a proud graduate of Shaw High
School in East Cleveland, Ohio. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Bowdoin
College in Brunswick, Maine, her Masters in Nonprofit Organizations from Case
Western Reserve University and her Doctorate Degree in Urban Education from
Cleveland State University. Dr. Hatten has worked on behalf of youth and families
at the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, Cleveland Metropolitan School
District, Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland, and Cuyahoga
County Department of Children’s Services. Dr. Hatten is excited to continue work
that she started with MyCom in 2008 because she is the proud Mom/Auntie Mom
of 4 young people who are the leaders of the future.
Chris is the principal and founder of Howse Solutions, an information technology
consulting firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. Howse Solutions works with major
retailers, medical/legal professionals, nonprofits and small businesses. Howse
Solutions provides technology planning, computer maintenance, server/network
administration, website design and employee training.
Chris Howse
Technology
(440) 318-4720
chris@neighborhoodleadership.org
Chris and his team have provided technical support for various non-profit human
service organizations. Chris possesses an in-depth understanding of emerging
technologies, risk assessment, and system analysis and design. He has over 25 years
of experience in implementing activities that provide innovative technology and
customer support solutions. Chris has managed project teams, Customer Service
teams and Help Desk technicians. Chris attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
He is a graduate of NLI’s Neighborhood Leadership Cleveland program, Class
25. Chris is married with 4 children and has coached track, basketball and baseball
teams.
MyCom Intermediary Team at NLI: (216) 812-8708
Emily Miller Cook
Neighborhood Engagement
(216) 812-8708 x254
Emily@neighborhoodleadership.org
Emily Miller Cook has over ten years of experience in community development and
relationship/partnership building. She finds joy in helping build community
partnerships and identifying partner strengths that can be leveraged in
collaborative projects to bring about positive change. Emily received her BA in
Peace, Justice & Conflict Studies from Goshen College and a Master’s of Positive
Organizational Development and Change Management from Case Western Reserve
University's Weatherhead School of Management. For nine years her work was
focused on community health and youth development in Cleveland's Broadway
Slavic Village neighborhood. Emily served as the project manager for the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation Active Living by Design and Healthy Eating by Design
grants before becoming the MyCom Program Director & School Liaison at Slavic
Village Development. The emphasis in both positions was on building collaborative
relationships and utilizing partner strengths to achieve programmatic goals and
strengthen collective impact to bring about change.
As a former Project Manager at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Ms.
Morgan has experience for accomplishing academic, behavioral and school climate
objectives by assisting Principals with the selection of appropriate interventions
through data driven research and school report card information.
Kasey Morgan
School & Community Based
Organizations Engagement
(216) 288-3365
Kasey@neighborhoodleadership.org
Her work included a focus on generating revenues for specialized projects by
leveraging and engaging external stakeholders and partners. Ms. Morgan also has
consulted for Executive Minds Consulting Group, an organization committed to
engaging with educational systems, community based organizations, nonprofit
entities and business sectors who implement programming, strategic plans and/or
collaborations and partnerships designed to increase positive engagement,
interdisciplinary communication, closing achievement gaps and community
mobilization by focusing on the incorporation meaningful of change at every level
of an organization.
EMC utilizes research-based strategies and best practices with proven records of
success for all professional training opportunities as well as youth and community based programming.
MyCom Intermediary Team at NLI: (216) 812-8708
Allison Motz has over 16 years of leadership experience in developing
public/private partnerships that create solutions to community economic and social
challenges. She is a life-long Cleveland resident.
Allison Motz
Marketing, Fund Development, &
Strategy
(216) 548-2014
allison@neighborhoodleadership.org
She is the former Director of Workforce Development for the City of Cleveland,
where she oversaw the disbursement of over $18 million in federal workforce
development grant money, which included the activity of the city's Employment
Connection offices. In June 2009, she opened her own consulting firm and has
continued her leadership by assisting community organizations to strengthen their
bottom-line, ensuring economic stability for diverse populations. In this capacity,
she and her team have provided consultative services for numerous organizations
in the areas of marketing, fund development, strategy, program design, curriculum
design and development, and executive management.
She has worked actively with MyCom since 2010 as a consultant to the Cleveland
Foundation.
In June 2005, Ms. Motz graduated from the Cleveland Bridge Builders program,
which provides collaborative civic education and networking for the city’s most
promising leaders, and obtained her Master’s degree in Public Administration from
Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs in Spring 2009. In
December 2011, she authored a children’s book entitled Where is my Dee-Chee?,
highlighting Cleveland landmarks and points of interest.
Kathleen Wildman helps non-profit organizations secure grant funding so that they
serve their communities and fulfill their missions. Her strengths include identifying
grant opportunities, writing compelling proposals, and managing the grant
application process.
Kathleen Wildman
Fund Development
(440) 667-0131
kwildman@outlook.com
Ms. Wildman previously worked in a variety of capacities at Hard Hatted Women, a
non-profit that assists low-income women and girls enter and succeed in nontraditional careers (e.g. construction, energy, manufacturing). During this time, she
helped the organization forge a partnership with YWCA Warren and open HHW’s
first office outside of Cuyahoga County. Ms. Wildman also coordinated the
statewide Women in Ohio Road and Rail Construction Consortium, an effort by
HHW, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and more than 20 registered
apprenticeship programs around the state to increase the number of women
entering construction careers.
Additional experience includes government affairs assistance for G2G Consulting,
executive assistant for Mental Health Services, Inc., and staff assistant for U.S.
Senator Ted Kennedy’s labor policy office. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in
History from Smith College.
MyCom Intermediary Team at NLI: (216) 812-8708