Board of Trustees

Cathy Zbanek, President

Cathy Zbanek, a member of the Shaker Class of 1991, is the Chief Synergy Officer at Third Federal Savings and Loan, where she is responsible for fostering the internal synergy of the organization as well as customer engagement. She formerly worked in the management consulting groups at Waterstone Consulting and Price Waterhouse Coopers. She holds a B.A. in economics and psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Shaker Heights with her husband Brian and has three sons, one a 2023 Shaker graduate, and another who attends Shaker Heights High School. In addition to serving as SSF President, she serves on the board’s Governance Committee.

Jonas Ng, Vice President

Jonas Ng currently serves as the Head of Fintech Strategic Initiatives for KeyBank. In this role, he leads efforts to acquire, integrate, and scale Fintech and AI capabilities across the enterprise, helping to drive execution excellence across KeyBank’s most critical and strategic transformation projects. Jonas has served as a speaker and author on several topics, including banking transformation; digital innovation; AI, GenAI, and machine learning; fraud/IDV; loyalty/rewards marketing; organizational behavior; and DE&I strategy. He served on the Board of Directors of Minds Matter Cleveland and Junior Achievement of Central OH and serves on an Advisory Board at Case Western’s Weatherhead School of Management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University and lives with his family in the Onaway area of Shaker.

Christopher Hunter, Treasurer

Christopher Hunter is Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property, at Parker-Hannifin Corporation, where he focuses on intellectual property counseling and infringement issues, and IP transactions. He earned his B.S. in physics from Bucknell University, and a J.D. from Case Western Reserve School of Law, where he is an adjunct professor. He was a citizen’s member of the Shaker Heights Neighborhood Development Committee and Finance Committee and served on the Mayor’s Financial Task Force. Chris and his wife, Maria, a physician at University Health Services, have three children who have graduated from the Shaker schools. In addition to serving as SSF Treasurer, he serves on the board’s Finance Committee.

Barbara Nolan, Secretary

Barbara Nolan is a nonprofit leader with the National Marrow Donor Program – Be The Match Registry, where her work focuses on building health equity in the field of blood stem cell transplantation. She leads teams in the development of new DEI and BIPOC partnerships as well as multi-sector engagement. She is a 1985 graduate of the Shaker Schools, received her BA in journalism and advertising from The Ohio State University, and holds an MBA from Kent State University. Barbara is the mother of a current Shaker student and a Shaker graduate. She has remained active in the Shaker Schools community over the years, serving as a counselor with the Success Step Program in the early 1990s, assistant women’s track coach from 2009 – 2012, and is currently a member of the Community Engagement Committee of the Equity Action and Advisory Team. Barbara serves on the Foundation’s Corporate Committee.

Ramona Lowery-Ferrell, Community Engagement Liaison

Ramona Lowery-Ferrell has over 25 years of public service experience and serves as the Director of Public Works for the City of Shaker Heights. She is a 1989 graduate of Shaker Heights High School. Ramona began her career at WPC in 1996 as the first woman and first Black engineer on staff. In 2017, Ramona received the Unsung Hero Award from the NAACP in recognition of her mentorship of young engineers through NSBE Jr. (National Society of Black Engineer’s educational program). She holds a B.S. in civil engineering from Cleveland State University and a dual master’s of business administration and public administration from the University of Phoenix. Ramona is also an ACE Mentor Program board member. She is the parent of a Shaker graduate and a current Shaker student. Ramona serves on the board’s Corporate Committee.

Jennifer Lawry Adams

Jennifer Lawry Adams is a partner at Ice Miller LLP where she is a member of the healthcare practice group and the business law group. Her practice is focused on a range of disciplines, including healthcare transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and a variety of corporate law matters. She is a 1988 graduate of Shaker Heights High School. She earned her B.A. from Georgetown University and her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University. Jennifer and her husband Daniel live in the Boulevard neighborhood and have three children, two are Shaker graduates and one is currently at the high school. She serves on the board’s Finance Committee and the Shaker Schools Alumni Hall of Fame Committee.

Alison Bibb-Carson

Alison Bibb-Carson is a strategic communications and marketing professional. She currently serves as chief marketing and communications officer at College Now Greater Cleveland. A Shaker Heights graduate, who attended Shaker Schools from kindergarten, Ms. Bibb-Carson returned to the community after a successful career in the Washington, D.C. area, where she served as an external affairs officer for American Water, director of marketing and communications for the National Children’s Museum and worked as a public relations consultant, writer and editor. She has been an active volunteer in Jack and Jill of America Inc. in both Northern Virginia and Cleveland and in the Church of St. Dominic in Shaker Heights. She has served on the President’s Diversity Council at Cleveland State University and as chair of the Community Engagement Committee for the Metropolitan Council of Governments. Ms. Bibb-Carson holds a bachelor’s degree in interpersonal communication from Ohio University and studied media and public affairs in the master’s program at George Washington University. She is the mother of two Shaker students. She serves as the Foundation’s liaison with the Board of Education.

Kevin L. Clayton

Kevin L. Clayton is Executive Vice President, Chief Impact and Equity Officer for Rock Entertainment Group and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is responsible for developing and leading the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategic plan for the Cavs, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland Charge, Cleveland Monsters and Cavs Legion Gaming Club. He also oversees the Cavs Community Relations team and the Cavaliers Community Foundation. Clayton previously held senior-level DEI positions at Russell Athletic/Spalding, Bon Secours Mercy Health, United States Tennis Association and the American Cancer Society, as well as was managing partner of JumpBall LLC, an entity he founded in 2012. He is the Chair of the Greater Cleveland Urban League, and a Board Member at United Way of Greater Cleveland, Community Health Charities (CHC) and the Cleveland City Club. Kevin is a 1977 graduate of Shaker Heights High School.

Nicol Coxon

Nicol Coxon is a CPA at Glengary Advisory Services. She is an active community member, having served as a Co-President of both PTO Council and Boulevard Elementary PTO, and as a member of the advisory committees during the District’s strategic planning and facilities planning processes. She has held board and leadership roles in several nonprofit organizations including Shaker Youth Soccer Association and New One Shaker. She is a CPA, holds a BA in Accountancy from Miami University, and has experience in audit, mergers and acquisitions, and as a CFO. She is the parent of a current Shaker student and two recent graduates. Nicol serves on the Foundation’s Grants Distribution and Finance Committees.

Melissa Federman

Melissa Federman is a public health professional and serves as the Director of the Office of Opioid Safety with The MetroHealth System. Her background includes health policy and philanthropy with The Center for Community Solutions and AIDS Funding Collaborative. Melissa is a founding member of the Board of Directors of The Healthy Lakewood Foundation and she chairs the Governance Committee. She formerly served on the Board of Directors of Funders Concerned About AIDS. She earned her B.A. from Colby College and her M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She trained at the Maryland Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before moving back to Ohio with her husband, Todd, a 1992 Shaker Heights High School graduate. Melissa and Todd have three children, currently attending the Shaker Heights High School, Middle School, and Onaway Elementary School.

Mark Freeman

Dr. Mark Freeman served as superintendent of the Shaker Heights City School District from 1988 until his retirement in 2013. He joined the faculty in 1967 and held a number of senior administrative positions over three decades. He holds a Ph.D. in education with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction from Kent State University. Mark is a founding governing board member of the National Minority Student Achievement Network. Mark is the father of three Shaker graduates. He and his wife, Gina Beim, live in Shaker Heights. As one of the charter members of the Shaker Schools Foundation, Mark is a life member of the Foundation.

David Glasner

Dr. David Glasner is superintendent of the Shaker Heights City School District. He previously served as interim principal of Shaker Heights High School and executive director of curriculum and instruction for the District. Prior to coming to Shaker Heights, David served as principal of the Urban Assembly Academy of Government and Law, a public high school in New York. He was also a high school social studies teacher with the New York City Department of Education. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. in history from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in social studies education from Teachers College, Columbia University, as well as administrative certification from the College of Saint Rose. He earned his doctorate in Urban Education at Cleveland State University. David and his wife, Elana, who teaches middle school math, live in Shaker Heights with their three children.

Aaron Kinney

Aaron Kinney, a member of the Shaker Class of 2009, serves as a Senior Development Finance Analyst in the Department of Development, specializing in business attraction and retention while shaping effective solutions for impactful growth at Cuyahoga County. He earned his Master’s of Business Administration and Management from Lake Erie College and his B.S. in Marketing from Virginia State University. Aaron is an active member of the greater Cleveland community. Serving as a volunteer youth golf coach at the First Tee of Cleveland and on the MAC Scholars Alumni Steering Committee, advocating for productive experiences for current students. Aaron and his wife are proud parents of a Ludlow Early Learning Center PreK student. He serves on the board’s Hall of Fame Committee.

Carla Macklin

Carla Macklin, a 1996 Shaker Heights High School graduate, is a Cleveland-based entrepreneur and innovation leader with a background in manufacturing and technology ventures. She is the co-founder of CrabLine Robotics, a Case Western Reserve University spinout developing advanced underwater robotic systems. In addition, she is on the Board of Directors of the 100-year-old Cleveland Vibrator Company, a family-held manufacturing firm. Previously, she co-founded and operated an automated PPE manufacturing startup launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. Carla holds an Honors Degree in Geosciences from Williams College and is an engaged member of the Shaker Heights community, where she lives with her husband and two daughters—soon to be the third generation in her family to graduate from the Shaker Schools.

Christine Medvedev

Christine Medvedev is a Registered Architect, LEED Accredited Professional, and the founder of Christine Medvedev Design, an architecture practice focusing on residential work, small commercial projects, and sustainability consulting. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, Christine worked for Gensler, where she led projects from inception through completion as Project Architect and Project Manager, and led her studio’s sustainability consulting practice. She subsequently earned a Certificate for Leadership for Women in STEM from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Christine believes giving back to her community is essential and participates in the SHHS A.C.E. program, the Stormwater & Greenspace Sustainability Committee, the Facilities Advisory Committee, and the US Green Building Council. She is also a Trustee on the Boards of LAND Studio and The Neff Foundation. Christine is on the Foundation’s Corporate Committee.

Cliff Mendelsohn

Clifford Mendelsohn is a partner in the trial department at Tucker Ellis LLP. He earned a B.B.A. from Emory University and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. Cliff is a 1994 graduate of Shaker Heights High School and parent of two sons. His wife Hannah has volunteered in many capacities with the Mercer PTO and Shaker Band Boosters, and his mother (Linda Mendelsohn) spent many years working at Mercer, Onaway, Woodbury, and the Administration Building. Cliff and his family live in the Mercer neighborhood. He was a member of the Foundation’s Advisory Committee in 2017-2018 and now serves on the board’s Development Committee.

Jonathan Roe

Jonathan Roe has nearly two decades of experience in credit analysis and portfolio management and currently leads a team of commercial portfolio managers at KeyBank. He has a B.A. in Philosophy from Miami University and an MBA with a focus on finance and banking from Case Western Reserve’s Weatherhead School of Management. Jonathan previously served as a board member, Chair of the Finance Committee, and Treasurer of Community Housing Solutions. He has two young sons, one who currently attends Onaway Elementary School and one who will soon attend Onaway. Jonathan serves on the board’s Finance Committee.

Phillip Rowland-Seymour

Phillip Rowland-Seymour is the Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. His career has included research, evaluation, and philanthropy. He is a 1993 graduate of Shaker Heights High School and a second-generation alum. He is a member of the Shaker Schools’ Equity Taskforce and volunteers for several health organizations in Cleveland. He also serves on the Board of Directors and is the DEI Committee Chair for APOLLO’S FIRE Baroque Orchestra. Phillip and his wife, Anastasia, an internist on faculty at CWRU’s medical school, have two children, one of whom is a Shaker graduate. Phillip is the chair of our Grants Distribution Committee.

Scott Shelfer

Scott Shelfer is Chairman of Mika Metal Fabricating Company and Chairman of Generational Fittings LLC. He formerly served as President and Managing Partner of Exacta Land Surveyors LLC where he continues to serve on their Board of Directors. He received a B.S. in Finance from Florida State University and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Business. He currently serves as Treasurer of the Shaker Heights Football League and on the board of the Shaker Youth Hockey Association. He has also served as Fundraising Chair and Co-President of the Shaker Heights Sports Boosters, Treasurer of the Boulevard PTO, and as a board member and Treasurer of Shaker Heights Country Club. He coaches the Raider Youth Lacrosse program, and has helped coach the Shaker Youth Baseball League and Shaker Youth Soccer League. He and his wife Carrie started the Level the Playing Field Fund managed by Shaker Schools Foundation, in an effort to eliminate economic and social barriers to participation in Shaker youth sports. Their three children attend or have attended Shaker schools. Scott serves on the Foundation’s Corporate Committee.

Tricia Stevenson

Tricia Stevenson is the Director of Leadership Development at Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU). Prior to this position she worked in Human Resources & Training and Development. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Villanova University and an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Business at Case Western Reserve University. She has been an active volunteer and PTO member, having served as Treasurer of Fernway, Woodbury, and the Middle School. Tricia is the parent of three Shaker graduates. She serves as the Chair of the Governance Committee and is a member of the Grants Distribution Committee.

Carter Strang

Carter Strang is a Cleveland State University College of Law Leader-in-Residence and a retired Tucker Ellis LLP founding partner. He is a past president of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA), the CMBA Foundation, and the Federal Bar Association (Northern Ohio Chapter). A former Shaker Heights High School teacher and coach, he received the Jennings Scholar Award for outstanding teaching. He created the Shaker Schools Foundation’s Fred Heinlen Fund, which helps support Shaker Baseball. He served as a citizen member of two Shaker City Council committees and is the past president of the Shaker Youth Hockey Association. He holds B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from Kent State University and a J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Carter is married to Deedra Siegel Strang, a retired Mercer Elementary School speech pathologist, and their five sons are Shaker graduates. In addition to serving as SSF past president, he serves on the board’s Governance Committee.

Brittany Webb

Brittany Webb is a Gifted Intervention Specialist for the District. She is a 2002 Shaker Heights High School graduate and a parent of three boys. Brittany earned her bachelor’s degree in middle childhood education from John Carroll University and her master´s degree in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in gifted and talented education from Cleveland State University. Brittany spearheaded the Woodbury Rising Stars Enrichment Program designed specifically to increase minority enrollment in advanced mathematics courses within the District by strengthening the mathematical foundation of minority students throughout the school year. She serves on the board’s Grants Distribution and Alumni Committees.