Board of Trustees

Carter Strang, President

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). As an attorney, he created two award-winning initiatives to increase diversity in the legal profession. 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 president, he serves on the board’s Governance Committee.

Cathy Zbanek, Vice 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 of whom currently attends Shaker Heights High School. In addition to serving as SSF Vice President, she serves on the board’s Governance Committee.

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.

Ramona Lowery-Ferrell, Secretary

Ramona Lowery-Ferrell has 24 years of public service experience and currently serves as commissioner of the City of Cleveland’s water pollution control (sewer) department. 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 “Cleveland Hometown Heroes, Poverty to Power” Black History award for her community leadership. 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 and her husband are the parents 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 Ulmer & Berne LLP where she is a co-group leader of the health care practice 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, one a Shaker graduate and two that are currently in Shaker Schools. She serves on the board’s Finance Committee and on the Shaker Schools Alumni Hall of Fame Committee.

Eileen Anderson

Eileen Anderson is an anesthesiologist and earned her medical degree from Louisville School of Medicine. She also holds a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Case Western Reserve University and holds a B.A. in zoology from Miami University. She volunteers in the Shaker schools and for a number of community organizations and is also an active member of the League of Women Voters. She and her husband Chad are the parents of three children and are long-time residents of the Mercer area. Their daughter is a member of the Shaker class of 2016. She serves on the board’s Development Committee.

Michael Bowen

Michael Bowen is a partner at Calfee Halter & Griswold LLP, specializing in business litigation and government relations. He earned his law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and his B.A. in history and political science from Miami University of Ohio. He is a 2005 graduate of Shaker Heights High School. Michael is an active member of the greater Cleveland community, serving on the board of directors for Engage! Cleveland, the Urban League of Greater Cleveland, the President’s Council Foundation, and the Emerging Leaders Committee of the Union Club of Greater Cleveland. Michael’s wife Sarah is also a Shaker graduate. He serves on the board’s Corporate Engagement Committee.

Kevin L. Clayton

Kevin L. Clayton is Senior Vice President, Head of Social Impact and Equity for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. He is responsible for developing and leading the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategic plan for Rock Entertainment Group, which includes 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 currently 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 Senior Manager and Transaction Diligence Lead at Sax Capital Advisors. She has been an active PTO member, having served as a Co-President of both PTO Council and Boulevard Elementary and as a member of the advisory committees during both 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 holds a BA in Accountancy from Miami University and is a former CPA. She is the parent of two Shaker students and a recent graduate. Nicol serves on the Foundation’s Grants Distribution and Finance Committees.

Mity Fowler

Mity Fowler is an active volunteer in Shaker Schools, including serving as PTO president for Woodbury and Shaker Middle School, with Shaker Sports Boosters, and as Co-Chair of A Night for the Red & White for two years. She also serves on the Board of the Cleveland Institute of Art, Women’s Council at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and is Co-President of the Cleveland Art Association (cARTa). She is a docent with the Cleveland Museum of Art with particular training in the IB curriculum. Her professional background included 10 years at Quad/Graphics, one of the largest commercial printers in the world. She has her BA in Art History from Skidmore College. She is the parent of three Shaker graduates. Her husband, Jef Fowler, serves as the Key Bank Representative for the Shaker Schools Foundation. Mity serves on the Foundation’s Development Committee.

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.

Jeffrey Isaacs

Jeffrey Isaacs is head of U.S. operations for a Japanese maker of specialty art hanging systems in museums such as the Frick Collection, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the National Gallery of Art, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. He and his wife, Anne Borchert, have three sons, all graduates of Shaker Heights Schools. Jeff is a graduate of Vassar College and earned a graduate degree in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago. Before moving to Shaker, he and his family lived in Japan for five years, where he was an assistant professor at Yokohama City University, doing research and translation. He has been an active PTO volunteer for more than a decade, serving in a variety of leadership roles. Jeff served as vice president of the Shaker Board of Education in 2017 and as the president in 2018 -19. He serves as the Foundation’s liaison with the Board of Education.

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 at 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 Corporate Engagement Committee.

Jay Morgan

Jay Morgan, a member of the Shaker Class of 1987, is a partner with StepStone Group where he manages customized portfolios. He formerly worked for Courtland Partners and the Hartland Company. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Denison University, and an MBA in Finance from Case Western Reserve and furthered his education at the University of Chicago with Qualitative Analytics classes. Jay lives in Shaker Heights with his wife, Sarah, and their two sons who are both graduates from Shaker Heights High School. He serves on the board’s Finance Committee

Jonas Ng

Jonas Ng currently serves as COO for Laurel Road, KeyBank’s fast-growing Fintech subsidiary. In this role, he leads operational excellence in customer acquisition, onboarding, credit and underwriting, risk management, quality control, and sales/servicing. Jonas has served as a speaker and author on a variety of topics, including banking transformation, organizational behavior, digital innovation, fraud, loyalty/rewards marketing, A/I and machine learning, and DE&I strategy. He serves on the boards of Minds Matter Cleveland and the Shaker Schools Foundation, serves as a CollegeNow mentor, and has served on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of Central OH. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University and lives with his family in the Onaway area of Shaker.

Barbara Nolan

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.

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 now a third-generation Shaker student. 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 Development Committee.

Tricia Stevenson

Tricia Stevenson is the Director of Leadership Development at the Nonprofit Consulting Center 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 is the parent of two Shaker graduates and one current Shaker student. She serves on the board’s Grants Distribution Committee.

Stasia Vavruska

Stasia Vavruska is the Executive Vice President, General Counsel for Resource International, a multi-disciplinary engineering and construction management firm. She earned her BA from Case Western Reserve University, her J.D. from George Washington University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Cleveland State University. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Shaker Heights and are the parents of two daughters who are both Shaker graduates. Stasia was an active PTO volunteer, serving as co-president of the Boulevard School PTO and as corporate sponsorship chair for A Night for the Red & White. Stasia 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.