Carrie Arblaster, Treasurer
Midwest Regional Advocacy Director Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Carrie Arblaster is the Midwest Regional Advocacy Director for Tobacco-Free Kids. Arblaster has deep experience working around Capitol Square, first serving as a Legislative Services Commission Fellow and ending her time at the Statehouse as a Caucus Finance Director.
A graduate of Milligan College and Wright State University, Arblaster was a member of the Tipp City city council from 2016 to 2019 and is a board member of Habitat for Humanity of Ohio.
Kelley Britt
Community Planner, Build America Bureau United States Department of Transportation
Kelley Britt is a Community Planner with the Build America Bureau at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Britt previously served as Business Project Manager at ms consultants, a nationally recognized engineering, architecture and planning firm. She has also previously held a number of senior positions at NOACA, the Cleveland-area MPO, and the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium.
Britt has provided extensive community service to the City of Cleveland and northeast Ohio over the years. Britt recently completed seven years of service on the City of Cleveland’s Board of Zoning Appeals, where she ended her final term as Board Chair. Britt has also previously served on the board of Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.
Britt holds a BA and a MUPDD from Cleveland State University.
Todd S. Davis, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer Hemisphere Brownfield Group, LLC & Hemisphere Brownfield Consulting, LLC
Todd S. Davis, Esq. is the Chief Executive Officer of Hemisphere Brownfield Group LLC and Hemisphere Brownfield Consulting LLC. Mr. Davis focuses his work on all aspects of redeveloping contaminated property and the environmental aspects of real estate transactions. In this role, he has actively acquired numerous sites for Hemisphere’s portfolio and provided strategic advice in hundreds of transactions, including a number of the nation’s largest and most sophisticated brownfield redevelopments.
Mr. Davis has been widely published in treatises, periodicals and newspapers. He is the principal author of an extensive 1,100-page treatise on redeveloping brownfield sites nationally, entitled Brownfields: A Comprehensive Guide to Redeveloping Contaminated Property (3rd Ed. 2010), published by the American Bar Association (ABA). He has contributed to a number of national publications on environmental law, including the Urban Land Institute’s book on brownfield redevelopment, and Implementing Institutional Controls at Brownfields and Other Contaminated Sites (2nd Ed. ABA 2012).
Luke M. Feeney
Mayor City of Chillicothe
Elected in November of 2015 and re-elected after running unopposed in 2019, Luke Feeney is serving in his second term as Mayor of the City of Chillicothe. Prior to being elected Mayor he served as the City Auditor for three years. Luke has worked to improve the City’s financial stability, emphasized excellence in the delivery of services and the quality of life in Chillicothe.
During his time in office, Luke has overseen paving programs that also add new sidewalks and bike lanes with the goal of a healthier, more walkable community.
Luke is proud to call Chillicothe home. After graduating from Ohio University he attended law school at Case Western and moved to Chillicothe to work for Southeastern Ohio Legal Services in 2006. He and his wife Stacy live in historic downtown with their son Colin (7) and daughter Marin (4).
Jeffry D. Harris
Of Counsel Bricker Graydon LLP
Jeffry Harris is a public finance attorney with Bricker Graydon LLP, a leading law firm in the midwestern United States. Harris is counsel to local governments, county land banks, private developers and nonprofit organizations. Since the onset of COVID-19, Harris has guided public sector clients in the intricacies of American Rescue Plan Act stimulus funds; he often fields calls from around the country as to whether and how ARPA funds can be deployed in various initiatives.
In previous roles, Harris variously worked as an economic developer and/or legal counsel for a private nonprofit, for local governments, and in the Ohio Department of Development. Harris holds a BA from Bowling Green State University and a MPA and JD from the Ohio State University.
Harris serves on the GOPC board in a private citizen capacity.
Keary McCarthy, Co-Vice President
Executive Director
Ohio Mayors Alliance
Keary McCarthy, Executive Director of the Ohio Mayors Alliance, previously served as Minority Chief of Staff at the Ohio House of Representatives. He previously held top policy and communications posts for the Speaker of the Ohio House, the 2008 Obama Presidential campaign in Ohio, and the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
Prior to his work in government, McCarthy served as communications director for ballot measures in 2005 on redistricting and election reform, and a successful effort in 2006 to increase Ohio’s minimum wage.
McCarthy has a B.A. from Wittenberg University and an M.S. in Policy Analysis from Cleveland State University.
Jacques McKee
Vice President, Corporate Sector
JPMorgan Chase
“Jacq” McKee brings 19 years of experience to his role as Vice President in the Corporate Reponsibility group at JPMorgan Chase. In his current role as Public Engagement-Market Manager, he covers a multi-state region in the Eastern Midwest with primary responsibilities in Ohio & Kentucky and southern expansion markets in Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas. Jacq connects the firm to important stakeholders and the communities they represent.
Jacq actively serves on board of Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP) in Cleveland, Ohio. Born in Columbus, Jacq is married with 3 adult children. When not working he enjoys the empty nest-urban living lifestyle exploring downtown with fur babies Hamilton and Sophie.
Tania Menesse, Secretary
CEO and President
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
Tania Menesse is the CEO and President of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, an intermediary whose mission is to foster the equitable revitalization of neighborhoods throughout Cleveland by strengthening the community development ecosystem. The organization’s first priority is to ensure that the City’s Community Development Corporations have access to the financial resources, talent, industry expertise and technical assistance they need to effectively serve their neighborhoods. CNP’s portfolio includes placemaking services for neighborhoods and economic opportunities for residents. Village Capital Corporation, a Community Development Finance Institution, and New Village Corporation, a development arm, are subsidiaries of CNP.
Menesse serves on the Boards of Destination Cleveland, Digital C, Fund for our Economic Future, Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Greater Ohio Policy Center. She also serves on the steering committee for the Cleveland Innovation Project and is a Levin College Visiting Committee. She grew up in Shaker Heights and moved back to Cleveland seventeen years ago with her family to focus her career on the revitalization of Greater Cleveland.
Rahiel Michael, Co-Vice President
Vice President of Civic Engagement The Port (Cincinnati)
Rahiel Michael joins The Port in the newly-created position of vice president of civic engagement. In this role, Rahiel is responsible for connecting The Port’s work with the needs and visions of neighborhoods and local governments, acting as a liaison for The Port to the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and state and federal agencies. She also serves as a vital connection between The Port and neighborhood residents.
Rahiel joins The Port having served in Mayor Cranley’s administration since 2017 as its director of legislative affairs, deputy chief of staff, and most recently chief of staff. Prior to joining Mayor Cranley’s administration, she worked for United States Senator Sherrod Brown as the Senator’s constituent services advocate. Before that, Rahiel worked in corporate affairs at The Kroger Company.
Rahiel holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in Arts, Philosophy, Politics and the Public from Xavier University, where she also earned a master’s degree in Private Interests and Public Good.
Aaron Murphy
Vice President of Community Development Lending Ohio Finance Capital Corporation
Mr. Murphy joined Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing in 2019 as Vice President of Community Development Lending at Ohio Finance Capital Corporation (OCFC), the lending arm of the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing. His responsibilities include providing capital towards the development of affordable housing and community revitalization projects in an effort to help strengthen neighborhoods.
Prior to joining OCCH, Mr. Murphy served for over six years at the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County (AHT) and the Community Development Collaborative of Greater Columbus (Collaborative). During his tenure, he served as both Loan Manager for AHT and Program Manager for the Collaborative. As Loan Manager, his roles included origination, underwriting, loan servicing and portfolio management. As Program Manager, he administered the capacity building grant program and provided technical assistance to Community Development Corporations. Mr. Murphy received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science (Public Administration) from the Ohio University, served as an AmeriCorps Member, and is a certified Housing Development Finance Professional through the National Development Council.
Jessica Powell
Vice President of Housing Talbert House
Jessica Powell serves as Vice President of Housing at Talbert House. Talbert House is empowering children, adults and families to live healthy, safe and productive lives. The agency's network of services focuses on prevention, assessment, treatment and reintegration. Services are provided at multiple sites throughout Southwest Ohio. Last year, Talbert House served over 21,000 clients face to face with an additional 96,000 receiving prevention and hotline services.
Powell brings to the position more than 15 years of legal experience in the areas of housing and neighborhood improvement. Prior to joining Talbert House, she served as Vice President of the Hamilton County Land Reutilization Corporation for four years. She also served as Chief Counsel at the City of Cincinnati’s Law Department, where she focused on improving neighborhood quality of life through affirmative litigation and other strategic advocacy. Before that, she served as Senior Attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, LLC. Her experience includes advocacy related to affordable housing and local and statewide legislative advocacy related to neighborhood blight.
Powell earned her juris doctorate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. She was nominated by City of Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley to the FC Cincinnati Community Coalition. She also serves on the Hamilton County Foreclosure Policy Group, Vacant Properties Task Force and the City of Cincinnati’s Community Development Advisory Board.
James “Jaime” Sisto, Esq.
Chief Legal Officer Schuerger Law Group
James “Jaime” Sisto is a noted results-driven lawyer, business executive, and government leader. Jaime held leadership positions in the Voinovich and Taft administrations and has been appointed by successive Secretaries of Commerce since 1990 to the District Export Councils for both the northern and southern districts in Ohio. He has experience working with environmentally contaminated properties and his current practice includes commercial and corporate law, debt recovery, governmental contracting, international transactions and asset management.
Bronlynn Thurman
Program Officer
The Cleveland Foundation
Bronlynn Thurman is a program officer at the Cleveland Foundation. In her role, she works to advance the foundation’s strategic priorities through the review and assessment of grant inquiries across a broad range of issue areas, including arts and culture, the environment, physical and mental health, and education. Prior to joining the Foundation, Bronlynn worked as a program officer at GAR Foundation focusing on equitable community development and arts in education.
An Akron native, Bronlynn has devoted her career to the nonprofit sector and joined GAR in 2016. Prior to joining GAR full-time, she worked at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Currently, she serves on several area boards and committees, including the board of Akron200; Akron Civic Commons core team; City of Akron Bicentennial Commission; City of Akron Planning Commission; Elevate Greater Akron’s core team and strategy groups, and the Fund For Our Economic Future board as a non-voting member.
Bronlynn received a Bachelor’s in Advertising and her Master’s in Information Architecture and Knowledge Management - User Experience Design from Kent State University.
In her free time, Bronlynn co-runs Black Women Explore, a local outdoor recreation group for women and femme-identifying folks of color, and the Coffee and Cocktails Book Club. She’s an avid hiker and long distance cyclist.
Jim Ullman
Mayor Village of Beverly
Mayor Ullman has served as mayor of Beverly since 2016 and has been the village's Assistant Fire Chief since 2003. Before joining village council, Mayor Ullman worked for American Electric Power for 45 years. Mayor Ullman is passionate about creating a vibrant village where residents can work, live, and learn. Recently, Mayor Ullman helped secure over $1 million through the Appalachian Community Grant program for a marina and multi-use trail within the village.
D.J. Valentine, President
Vice President - State CRA Mortgage Sales Manager
The Huntington National Bank
D.J. Valentine has worked for Huntington National Bank as the State CRA Home Lending Sales Manager since 2012. He has been with Huntington for more than 20 years, working in a variety of areas, starting first as a personal banker before becoming a banking officer manager and then a retail district manager. As State CRA Home Lending Sales Manager, Valentine works with communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, to meet the needs of borrowers in all segments.
Valentine is a member of the Central Ohio Community Land Trust Steering Committee, and the Huntington Bank African American Business Resource Group Steering Committee. He has previously served as a board member for Leadership Westerville and Leadership Worthington and was a member of the board of the Westerville Chamber of Commerce from 2002-2008.
Valentine is a graduate of Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio and resides in Columbus.
Julie Walcoff
Senior Planner
Toole Design Group, LLC
Julie Walcoff is a senior planner with Toole Design’s Columbus office. She has nearly three decades of experience in the transportation sector, focusing primarily on active transportation policy, planning, and program development. Prior to joining Toole Design, Julie managed Ohio’s Safe Routes to School and Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs for the Ohio Department of Transportation, leading the development and update of the school travel planning (STP) process, the creation of the collaborative Large District STP process, and the Ohio Active Transportation Academy, which offers complimentary training opportunities for local communities. Her work on policy, planning, design guidance, and resources for practitioners helped transform active transportation in communities across Ohio. Julie is also a trainer with the National Center for SRTS and was recognized as the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals’ Public Sector Professional of the Year in 2017.
Outside of work you will find Julie walking or cycling around Columbus and every city she visits with her little dog, Roxy.