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Staff

Our dedicated, professional staff connects you to the power of the community foundation.


     

John T. Petures Jr.
President and CEO       
jpetures@akroncf.org
330-436-5622

Joined the staff: May 2008
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: We have a wonderful role in teaching and promoting permanent philanthropy for the good of the community.  It’s an amazing concept to give forever and provide hope for current and future generations. I’m also a firm believer that people don’t give to causes, they give to people, and I’m proud the community foundation is such a catalyst in introducing fundholders and prospective donors to inspiring nonprofit leaders in our community.
What he does: John champions the work, mission and vision of Akron Community Foundation in greater Akron and Summit County. He also leads a 16 member staff team to build lasting relationships with donors, fundholders, board members and community leaders.
What he did before: The majority of John’s 33-year professional career has been spent in the nonprofit sector. In primarily senior development roles, he has helped organizations raise nearly $900 million for the betterment of communities where he and his wife, Cindy, have lived, worked and raised their three children. John has previously worked with the United Way and the Arthritis Foundation, and studied at Penn State and Geneva College, where he earned a degree in communications and journalism.

  

De Shawn Pickett
Administrative Assistant           
dpickett@akroncf.org
330-436-5648

Joined the staff: July 2000
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: When we make grants to small organizations doing big things in our community.
What she does: De Shawn is the first face people see when they walk in the door. She is the liaison to the president and works behind the scenes to make everything in the office run smoothly. She also coordinates the community foundation’s Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award dinner every year.
What she did before: De Shawn worked in human resources for a company that produced portable tele-transaction computers.

Development and Donor Services


   

Margaret Medzie
Vice President, Development & Donor Engagement    
mmedzie@akroncf.org
330-436-5610

Joined the staff: April 2013
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: The capacity to work with individuals and families who see the strength of their donation when given through the community foundation. Every gift makes a difference.
What she does: As leader of the Development and Donor Services Department, Margaret helps charitable people and organizations give efficiently, effectively and meaningfully to their favorite causes and charities, not just today but forever. She connects them to the community foundation’s vast knowledge and nonprofit resources, introduces them to like-minded philanthropists, and – through the power of endowment – ensures their good work continues forever through a fund in their name.
What she did before: Margaret has a vast background in the nonprofit and private sectors, most recently serving as executive director of the American Red Cross Chapter of Summit and Portage Counties. She has a master’s in higher education administration from Kent State and a bachelor’s in psychology and sociology from Notre Dame College of Ohio.

  

Laura Fink
Director of Development          
lfink@akroncf.org
330-436-5611

Joined the staff: October 2011
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: The people she meets. Laura loves hearing fundholders’ stories – where they came from, what motivates them, and the positive impact giving has made on their lives.
What she does: Laura meets with potential fundholders to discover their philanthropic passions and show them how they can do great things through the community foundation. She also leads the professional advisory committee made up of wealth managers, trust officers, attorneys and accountants to create giving opportunities that are simple and accessible for fundholders. 
What she did before: Laura’s entire professional career has been in development – for both corporate and nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining the community foundation, Laura was the director of development for the Akron Symphony, where she managed all annual fund giving, corporate sponsorships, special events, and grant writing. She’s a graduate of the College of Wooster and lives in west Akron with her two teenage sons. 

  

Diane Schumaker
Donor Services Officer 
dschumaker@akroncf.org
330-436-5615

Joined the staff: August 1997
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: Seeing how the community foundation has grown in the past 15 years. I’m always impressed by our progress.
What she does: Diane manages all of the community foundation’s scholarship funds and works with local schools to administer each scholarship. She also drafts language for new fund agreements and processes the foundation's agency endowment and designated fund distributions.
What she did before: Diane worked in the City of Akron Department of Planning & Urban Development. She also worked at a financial consulting firm in Atlanta, Ga.

  

Melina Boyce
Database & Grants Administrator and Jr. System Administrator
mboyce@akroncf.org
330-436-5616

Joined the staff: September 2007
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: The people I work with. It feels like a family, and that’s a special thing to find.
What she does: Melina is responsible for processing all of the community foundation’s donor-advised grant requests and performing the due diligence required for each nonprofit organization. She also manages the community foundation’s database to ensure records are kept up-to-date with accurate information. In addition, her role as systems administrator requires her to manage the computer network and provide technical support to employees.
What she did before: Prior to joining Akron Community Foundation, Melina spent her career in the financial services sector working first as a teller for FirstMerit Bank, followed by being a branch administrator for UBS Financial Services, Inc.

  

Laurel Held
Development and Donor Services Officer
lheld@akroncf.org
330-436-5612

Joined the staff: October 2011
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: The staff and the community. Each day provides a new opportunity to work with people I respect, in an atmosphere of appreciation and kindness.
What she does: Laurel assists the Development and Donor Services department with serving current, past and prospective fundholders and donors. She strives to build relationships with fundholders and agencies to ensure accuracy in fulfilling the purpose of established funds, with a focus on building permanent philanthropy. Laurel also serves as the liaison between Akron Community Foundation and the Women’s Endowment Fund.
What she did before: In addition to owning her own fundraising software consulting business, Laurel has held a variety of positions in the development world, including annual fund director, membership manager and database manager, and in the professional theatre arena, as a performer, director, choreographer, costumer and wig designer. She has a master’s degree in English from The University of Akron.

Community Investment


   

John Garofalo
Vice President, Community Investment  
jgarofalo@akroncf.org
330-436-5624

Joined the staff: August 2011
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: The chance to work with such a wide and diverse cross section of the community, both internally and externally. The people on staff at Akron Community Foundation are some of the most passionate and caring people I have ever known. Also, I am always amazed by the wonderful cohesiveness of our generous donors and this entire community when it comes to collaborating and addressing critical needs.  
What he does: In partnership with the other community investment staff, John keeps a pulse on what is happening with the nonprofit community in Akron. He works with nonprofits to determine what their most pressing needs are and advises them as they create a compelling grant request. He also oversees the grant distribution process for all of the community foundation’s affiliate funds.
What he did before: John worked as a senior development officer at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, where he oversaw all third-party fundraising initiatives and secured major gift commitments. John attended Kent State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in community health education and a master’s degree in community health management and administration.

  

Emily Bean
Community Investment Officer  
ebean@akroncf.org
330-436-5626

Joined the staff: June 2010       
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: We are out-of-the-box thinkers with a passion for building our community.
What she does: Emily manages the Community Fund grantmaking process, including supplying the Distribution Committee with information needed about applicants to make quality grant-making decisions. She meets with local nonprofits to develop a high-level understanding of the needs, resources and opportunities in Summit County.
What she did before: Emily helped manage the early childhood initiative at Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority. She has a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Kent State University, where she is currently pursuing a master’s degree in the same field.

  

Chris Miller
Director, Akron Digital Media Center
Community Investment Officer  
cmiller@akroncf.org
330-436-5627

Joined the staff: June 2010
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: This is one of the most dynamic and supportive groups I’ve ever worked with, and the community generosity I get to experience every day is a bonus. I feel lucky to be part of such a diverse group.
What he does: Chris employs a new model of grassroots, neighborhood journalism, and through the support of Akron Community Foundation and the Akron-Summit County Public Library, teaches residents how to tell stories using cutting-edge digital media tools. He also works with local high schools, universities and nonprofit organizations to help them more effectively share their stories and missions using digital media.
What he did before: Chris previously worked for six years as a senior editor and web publisher for a group of national automotive trade magazines. He also spent five years as a reporter and editor for a number of local papers. Chris has a bachelor’s degree in mass media/communications from the University of Akron.

  

Kim Nott
Grants Administrator     
knott@akroncf.org
330-436-5625

Joined the staff: August 2000
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation:  Being part of an organization that has a wide reach in the community and plays an important role in supporting a variety of nonprofit organizations and their missions.
What she does: Kim administers the community foundation's seven issue-specific grant programs, as well as processes all of the quarterly grant distributions from the Community Fund. She also handles the administrative duties for the Community Investment Department.
What she did before: Kim’s experience most recently includes working as an office manager for a local music store. Previously, she resided in Phoenix, Arizona where she worked as an insurance billing specialist for a skilled nursing facility.

Marketing & Communications


   

Tina Boyes
Vice President, Marketing and Communications 
tboyes@akroncf.org
330-436-5620

Joined the staff: September 2004
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: Our unique ability to help everyday people become philanthropists. Discovering their passions is a joy, and telling their stories is a privilege.
What she does: Tina manages the community foundation’s brand and that of its 400+ funds. She is their ambassador to the media and the public. Tina is always seeking new ways to communicate the community foundation’s services to charitable individuals and organizations and does so through advertising, print publications, the website and new media.
What she did before: Tina was a public relations coordinator for a national teleservices company. In addition to promoting the firm’s nonprofit and commercial work, she cultivated relationships with media and public officials in the firm’s 10 call center cities. She is an alumna of Miami University and the University of Akron.

      

Tracy Burt
Director of Marketing       
tburt@akroncf.org 
330-436-5619

Joined the staff: March 2013
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: Knowing that we can help philanthropists do good in our community, no matter what their passion may be.
What she does: Tracy manages the community foundation’s online and social media presence.  She also helps fundholders to leverage community foundation resources to build their brand and reach in the community.
What she did before: As an account director at a local public relations and marketing agency, Tracy developed and executed integrated marketing plans for a variety of business-to-business and consumer clients. She has a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Kent State University.

  

Kristen Ashby
Communications Associate       
kashby@akroncf.org
330-436-5618

Joined the staff: March 2009
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: The incredible stories behind each of our funds. Everyone who walks in has a unique story to tell, and I love learning what inspires them to give.
What she does: Kristen writes, edits and designs the community foundation’s publications. She also updates the website, distributes press releases to the media, and works with funds to polish their printed materials. 
What she did before: Kristen worked as a copy editor for a local weekly newspaper. She has a bachelor's degree in print journalism from Bowling Green State University.

Finance


   

Steve Schloenbach
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 
sschloenbach@akroncf.org
330-436-5621

Joined the staff: June 1996
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: Even if I have a bad day, on my way home that night, I know we changed people’s lives for the better.
What he does: Steve maintains the integrity of the community foundation’s financial and accounting systems. He is always accessible to fundholders who want to discuss their statements, and he works hard to preserve the transparency of the community foundation. On a day-to-day basis, Steve reconciles our investment statements and all grant and administrative expenses. 
What he did before: Steve worked in FirstMerit Bank’s trust audit and compliance department. He has a degree in finance from the University of Akron.

  

Dennis Jansky
Controller         
djansky@akroncf.org
330-436-5623

Joined the staff: December 2008
Favorite thing about Akron Community Foundation: The help we provide to people in need through our grants, and the way we help people fulfill their own charitable goals in the community.
What he does: Dennis processes every gift that comes through the community foundation and handles all of the administrative expenses. Throughout the year, Dennis assists the community foundation’s affiliate funds with their fundraisers and events. He also manages many of our human resources responsibilities.
What he did before: Dennis worked as a controller for the Cleveland Area Board of Realtors. He has a degree in accounting from the University of Akron and is a certified public accountant.