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.

Contact Us Our Mission

Senior Leadership

"Pass the Mic" Interviews with our Leadership Team

Visit our blog to learn more about each Leadership Team Member!

Board of Directors

Officers

  • President – Dr. Mary Kay Irwin – Nationwide Children’s Hospital; Senior Director of School Health Services
  • Vice President – Matthew Sharp – Guy Carpenter; SVP, Sr. Actuary
  • Treasurer – Jennifer Halas – Huntington National Bank; Senior Counsel, Vice President
  • Secretary – Rebecca Love – Franklin County Board of DD; Director, Early Childhood Education (Retired)

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
  • 2022-2024, Lisa Cochran
  • 2024-present, Mary Kay Irwin

Executive Directors

1972 - Present
  • 1972-1973, Ray McFarland
  • 1973-1976, Dorothy Reynolds
  • 1976-1980, Hannah Dillard
  • 1980-1983, Margaret Hamilton
  • 1983-2013, Diane Bennett
  • 2013-2024, Eric Karolak
  • 2024-present, Ann Lockett (Interim CEO)

Members

  • Alex Anthony – GBQ Partners, LLC; Director of Innovation
  • Matthew (Matt) Bell – Venore Consulting; Principal
  • Lynn Blashford – White Castle; Chief Marketing Officer
  • Joyce Chen, Ph.D. – The Ohio State University; Professor, Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
  • 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
  • Holly Stokes – Wealth Director of Banking; Huntington National Bank
  • Ernest (Ernie) Sullivan – Who’s Who Publishing Company; Executive Vice President
  • Robert (Rob) White II – Liberty Mutual Insurance; Business Information Security Officer
  • Rochelle Wilkerson – Columbus City Schools; Supervisor Division of Early Childhood Education
  • Tamar Williamson – Williamson Enterprises LLC
  • Ann Lockett – Action for Children; Interim CEO

Members

  • Alex Anthony – GBQ Partners, LLC; Director of Innovation
  • Matthew (Matt) Bell – Venore Consulting; Principal
  • Lynn Blashford – White Castle; Chief Marketing Officer
  • Joyce Chen, Ph.D. – The Ohio State University; Professor, Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
  • 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
  • Holly Stokes – Wealth Director of Banking; Huntington National Bank
  • Ernest (Ernie) Sullivan – Who’s Who Publishing Company; Executive Vice President
  • Robert (Rob) White II – Liberty Mutual Insurance; Business Information Security Officer
  • Rochelle Wilkerson – Columbus City Schools; Supervisor Division of Early Childhood Education
  • Tamar Williamson – Williamson Enterprises LLC
  • Ann Lockett – Action for Children; Interim CEO

Officers

  • President – Dr. Mary Kay Irwin – Nationwide Children’s Hospital; Senior Director of School Health Services
  • Vice President – Matthew Sharp – Guy Carpenter; SVP, Sr. Actuary
  • Treasurer – Jennifer Halas – Huntington National Bank; Senior Counsel, Vice President
  • Secretary – Rebecca Love – Franklin County Board of DD; Director, Early Childhood Education (Retired)

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
  • 2022-2024, Lisa Cochran
  • 2024-present, Mary Kay Irwin

Executive Directors

1972 - Present
  • 1972-1973, Ray McFarland
  • 1973-1976, Dorothy Reynolds
  • 1976-1980, Hannah Dillard
  • 1980-1983, Margaret Hamilton
  • 1983-2013, Diane Bennett
  • 2013-2024, Eric Karolak
  • 2024-present, Ann Lockett (Interim CEO)

Reach Out Today

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

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