Board & Leadership

Meet the People Driving Action for Children Forward

Our leadership team and board of directors keep Action for Children moving toward our goals of supporting the community and making high-quality child care and parenting programs accessible to everyone in Central Ohio.

Board of Directors

Officers

  • President – Dr. Mary Kay Irwin – Nationwide Children’s Hospital; Senior Director of School Health Services
  • President – Matthew Sharp – Grange Mutual Insurance Company; AVP, Senior Finance Officer
  • Treasurer – Jennifer Halas – Huntington National Bank; Senior Counsel, Vice President
  • Secretary – Rebecca Love – Franklin County Board of DD; Director, Early Childhood Education

Board Presidents

1972 - Present
  • 1972, Cecilia “Cee” Cullman
  • 1973–1974, James Horan
  • 1975, Shirley Rhodes
  • 1976, Elizabeth Schilling
  • 1977, Nappy Hetzler
  • 1978, Ann Hughes
  • 1979, Russell Jordan
  • 1980-1981, Betty MacIntosh
  • 1982-1983, Floradelle Pfahl
  • 1984-1985, Muriel Tice
  • 1986-1987, Donald Bender
  • 1988-1989, Lou Briggs
  • 1990-1991, Mary Lazarus
  • 1992-1993, Samuel Koon
  • 1994-1995, Judy Fountain
  • 1996-1997, Ann Pizzuti
  • 1998-2000, Adam Troy
  • 2000-2002, Tanny Crane
  • 2002-2004, Steve Johnston
  • 2004-2006, Mary Cusick
  • 2006-2008, Carole Watkins
  • 2008-2011, Rhonda Fraas
  • 2011-2014, Jeffrey Cullman
  • 2014-2015, Jane Grote Abell
  • 2015-2017, Holly Stokes
  • 2018-2019, Andrew Alderman
  • 2020-2021, Diana Westhoff
  • 2022-present, Lisa Cochran

Executive Directors

1972 - Present
  • 1972-1973, Ray McFarland
  • 1973-1976, Dorothy Reynolds
  • 1976-1980, Hannah Dillard
  • 1980-1983, Margaret Hamilton
  • 1983-2013, Diane Bennett
  • 2013-present, Eric Karolak

Members

  • Alex Anthony – Path Robotics, Director, Corporate Finance and Accounting
  • Daniel M. Bauer – The W.W. Williams Company LLC; Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary
  • Matthew (Matt) Bell – Venore Consulting; Principal
  • Karen Betancourt – Cardinal Health, VP Enterprise Logistics
  • Lynn Blashford – White Castle; Chief Marketing Officer
  • Rebecca (Becky) Ciminillo – YMCA of Central Ohio; Vice President of Youth Development
  • Lisa Cochran – PNC Bank – Vice President, Wealth Strategist
  • Joanne Goldhand – Partner – Ice Miller, LLC
  • Ann Lockett – ESC of Central Ohio, Director of Early Childhood
  • Ernest (Ernie) Sullivan – Who’s Who Publishing Company; Executive Vice President
  • Robert (Rob) White II – Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent
  • Rochelle Wilkerson – Columbus City Schools, Supervisor Division of Early Childhood Education
  • Tamar Williamson – Williamson Enterprises LLC
  • Dr. Eric J. Karolak, Ph.D. – Action for Children; CEO

Members

  • Alex Anthony – Path Robotics, Director, Corporate Finance and Accounting
  • Daniel M. Bauer – The W.W. Williams Company LLC; Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary
  • Matthew (Matt) Bell – Venore Consulting; Principal
  • Karen Betancourt – Cardinal Health, VP Enterprise Logistics
  • Lynn Blashford – White Castle; Chief Marketing Officer
  • Rebecca (Becky) Ciminillo – YMCA of Central Ohio; Vice President of Youth Development
  • Lisa Cochran – PNC Bank – Vice President, Wealth Strategist
  • Joanne Goldhand – Partner – Ice Miller, LLC
  • Ann Lockett – ESC of Central Ohio, Director of Early Childhood
  • Ernest (Ernie) Sullivan – Who’s Who Publishing Company; Executive Vice President
  • Robert (Rob) White II – Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent
  • Rochelle Wilkerson – Columbus City Schools, Supervisor Division of Early Childhood Education
  • Tamar Williamson – Williamson Enterprises LLC
  • Dr. Eric J. Karolak, Ph.D. – Action for Children; CEO

Officers

  • President – Dr. Mary Kay Irwin – Nationwide Children’s Hospital; Senior Director of School Health Services
  • President – Matthew Sharp – Grange Mutual Insurance Company; AVP, Senior Finance Officer
  • Treasurer – Jennifer Halas – Huntington National Bank; Senior Counsel, Vice President
  • Secretary – Rebecca Love – Franklin County Board of DD; Director, Early Childhood Education

Board Presidents

1972 - Present
  • 1972, Cecilia “Cee” Cullman
  • 1973–1974, James Horan
  • 1975, Shirley Rhodes
  • 1976, Elizabeth Schilling
  • 1977, Nappy Hetzler
  • 1978, Ann Hughes
  • 1979, Russell Jordan
  • 1980-1981, Betty MacIntosh
  • 1982-1983, Floradelle Pfahl
  • 1984-1985, Muriel Tice
  • 1986-1987, Donald Bender
  • 1988-1989, Lou Briggs
  • 1990-1991, Mary Lazarus
  • 1992-1993, Samuel Koon
  • 1994-1995, Judy Fountain
  • 1996-1997, Ann Pizzuti
  • 1998-2000, Adam Troy
  • 2000-2002, Tanny Crane
  • 2002-2004, Steve Johnston
  • 2004-2006, Mary Cusick
  • 2006-2008, Carole Watkins
  • 2008-2011, Rhonda Fraas
  • 2011-2014, Jeffrey Cullman
  • 2014-2015, Jane Grote Abell
  • 2015-2017, Holly Stokes
  • 2018-2019, Andrew Alderman
  • 2020-2021, Diana Westhoff
  • 2022-present, Lisa Cochran

Executive Directors

1972 - Present
  • 1972-1973, Ray McFarland
  • 1973-1976, Dorothy Reynolds
  • 1976-1980, Hannah Dillard
  • 1980-1983, Margaret Hamilton
  • 1983-2013, Diane Bennett
  • 2013-present, Eric Karolak

Reach Out Today

To learn more about the people leading our organization, reach out to us today.

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