Our Team

  • JEANINE DONALDSON

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    “I don't know if I became a social justice warrior at Oberlin College, or if that was already in me. I did grow up in a family where they didn't really talk about race relations, but they were very proud people. They made sure education was very prominent in my family. Religion was definitely prominent in my family. “

    Contact Jeanine

  • TRACY FRIERSON

    VOLUNTEER EXTRAORDINAIRE

    CONTACT TRACY
  • FINANCE

    FINANCE

    SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR

    CONTACT FINANCE

YWCA ELYRIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

  • PRESIDENT | Naji McCall, Victim’s Advocate, Elyria Law Director (Third Term)

  • VICE PRESIDENT | Cindy Westfall (First Term)

  • TREASURER | Lindsay Yost-Bott, Dale Yost Construction (Third Term)

  • RECORDING SECRETARY | Pamela Lefrict, Legal Assistant, Lorain County Prosecutor (First Term)

  • CORRESPONDENCE SECRETARY | Norma Sanchez, United Way of Lorain County (Third Term)

  • EX-OFFICIO | Jeanine Donaldson, Executive Director, YWCA Elyria

BOARD MEMBERS

  • Christa Battle, Advisor, College Now (First Term)

  • Milagros Castillo, Mercy Health Lorain (First Term)

  • Jani Eldemire, Teacher, Elyria City Schools (First Term)

  • Mary Inman-Gibbs, Finance, Elyria Police Department (First Term)

  • Amanda Davidson-Johnston, Lorain County Historical Society (First Term)

  • Erica Williams Laison, Social Worker, Catholic Charities (Third Term)

RACIAL EQUITY CENTER OF LORAIN COUNTY

Our sincere appreciation to this diverse group of leaders using their passion, insights, and connections in the community, to create real impact for Lorain County

  • WORKING GROUP

    • Jeanine Donaldson, Director Elyria YWCA and Co‐chair LCREC

    • Cindy Andrews, President and CEO Lorain County Community Foundation

    • Ryan Aroney, CEO United Way

    • Jack Bradley, Mayor City of Lorain

    • Assata Cheers, Elyria YWCA and Community Foundation

    • David Covell, CEO Lorain County Health Department

    • Denise Douglas, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Dean, Social Sciences and Human Services, LCCC

    • Anthony Gallo, CEO Lorain County Chamber

    • A.G. Miller, Bd Member Community Foundation

    • Patricia O’Brien, CEO Stocker Foundation

    • Fallon Peterson, Nord Family Foundation

    • Cecilia Render, CEO Nordson Corp. Foundation

    • Catherine Woskobnick, Director Mercy Health

    LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK

  • HEALTH CARE EQUITY & JUSTICE SUB-COMMITTEE

    • Mark Adams, CEO, Lorain County Health Department

    • Tania Boster, The Bonner Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching & Research at Oberlin College

    • Dave Covell, CEO, Lorain County Health Department (former)

    • Monica Norfus, Lorin County Community College

    • Vivian Taylor, Lorain County Public Health

    • Catherine Woskobnick, Director, Mercy Health

    LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK

  • EDUCATION SUB-COMMITTEE

    • Denise Douglas, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Dean, Social Sciences and Human Services, LCCC

    • Jill Henes, Early Childhood Educator, Hamilton Elementary School, Elyria City Schools

    • Michele Henes, Director, Children’s Learning Center, Lorain County Community College

    • Patricia O’Brien, Executive Director, The Stocker Foundation

    • Cecilia Render, Executive Director, Nordson Corporation Foundation

    LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK

  • HOUSING SUB-COMMITTEE

    • Drew Crawford, Planning and Zoning Administrator Department of Building, Housing and Planning, City of Lorain

    • Fallon Peterson, Program Officer the Nord Family Foundation

    • Max Upton, Director of Building, Housing, Planning City of Lorain

    LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK

  • ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUB-COMMITTEE

    • Cynthia Andrews, President and CEO Lorain County Community Foundation

    • Ryan Aroney, CEO United Way

    • Keith Brown, LCCC

    • Alexis Clark‐Amison, Elyria YWCA

    • Tony Gallo, CEO Lorain County Chamber of Commerce

    • Eboni A. Johnson, Oberlin City Council

    • Mike Longo, Director Lorain County Workforce Development Agency

    • Sharon Pearson, Manager Lorain County Mobility, United Way of Greater Lorain County

    • Regan Phillips, MHARS Board

    • Kyle Rose, V.P. Avient Corporation

    LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK

  • CRIMINAL JUSTICE/COMMUNITY POLICING SUB-COMMITTEE

    • Cynthia Andrews, President and CEO Community Foundation of Lorain County

    • Miyah Byers (CFLC) Fellow Community Engagement

    • Denise Douglas, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Dean, Social Sciences and Human Services, LCCC

    • A.G. Miller ( CFLC) Chair Community Engagement

    • Ryan Warfield, Chief of Police, Oberlin Police Department

    • Tim Williams, City of Elyria

    LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK

  • COMMUNITY HISTORY SUB-COMMITTEE

    • Tania Boster, Director, Bonner Center

    • Miyah Byers, (CFLC) Fellow Community Engagement

    • Denise Douglas, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Dean, Social Sciences and Human Services, LCCC

    • Carol Lasser, Historian Retired, Oberlin College

    • Geoff Pingree, Cinema Dept., Oberlin College

    LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK

  • COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS

    • Richard Bosley, Chief, Avon Police

    • Sue Bowers, Community Foundation of Lorain County, Board Chairperson

    • Rey Carrion, Community Foundation of Lorain County, Governance Chair

    • Assata Cheers, Former Community Foundation of Lorain County Community Engagement Fellow

    • Kevin Donovan, Community Foundation of Lorain County, Vice Chairperson

    • Mike Failing, Captain, Lorain Police

    • Inez James, MHARS Board Representative

    • Brittany Lovett, Community Foundation of Lorain County, Marketing and Communications Officer

    • Jim McCann, Chief, Lorain Police

    • Jake Morris, Sgt., Lorain Police

    • Geoff Pingree, Oberlin College Cinema Dept

    • Dan Reinhardt, former Lt., Lorain Police

    • Mike Shebak, Community Foundation of Lorain County, Investment Chair

    • Linda Styer, Community Foundation of Lorain County, Senior Program Officer

  • TOUCHPOINTS

    • Racial Equity Institute, Charlotte N.C.

    • Evelyn Burnette, ThirdSpace,

    • Randall McShepard, Policy Bridge,

    • Lisa McDuffie, Toledo Black Agenda

    • YWCA OF NW Ohio

    • Pittsburgh YWCA Racial Equity Dept.

    • YWCA Racial Equity Center of Charleston S.C.

    • Linda Slocum and Ray English, Oberlin City Council

    • Brian Fredricks, Ret. Fdn Director

    • Kevin Boyce, Pres. Franklin County Commissioners

    • Shannon Hardin, Pres. Columbus City Council

    • Diane Simmons, Elyria City Council

    • Michael Doud, CEO MHARS Board

    • Dan Haight, Elyria Rotary

    • Tim Williams, Lorain Bd. Of Education

    • Quentin McCovey, President & CEO Paradigm Investments

    • Deloris Baker, Director of Outreach Lo. Co Urban League

    • Victor Leandry, Executive Director El Centro De Servicios Sociales

    • Mark Ballard, Executive Director WNZN Urban Radio

    • Darnell Davis, Outreach Director Boy Scouts USA

    • Farah Emeka, Oberlin Bd. Of Education

    • Frank Whitfield, Mayor City of Elyria (former)

    • Claudia Jones, President Oberlin Unit NAACP

    • Brenda Davis, Elyria City Council

    • Diane Simmons, Elyria City Council

    • Andrew Lipian, Elyria City Council

    • Deborah Cocco, League of Women Voters Oberlin

    • Pamela Carter, Lorain City Council

    • JoAnn Moon, Lorain City Council