Staff & Board

Staff

• Founded & grew start-up nonprofit, MVNC, through building services and collaborative community partnerships

• Served as Interim Executive Director for 2 local nonprofits, rebuilding teams, governance structure, policies and procedures, program and financial stability plans for the next permanent executive leader

• Launched several new successful community programs, securing both funding and community partnerships

• Designed and facilitated leadership development series for nonprofit professionals

• Developed value & competency-based human resource management system to guide hiring, performance management and training programs

Vice Chair

Board Member

LaVar Glover

Manager, Economic Inclusion

Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce

• Serves in the Dayton Chamber's Minority Business Partnership program.

• Provided program management for the growing Getting Ahead Program at MVCAP, a Bridges Out of Poverty initiative which in its first two years, received national attention for exceeding participation goals, exceptional community reception and effectively assisting families.

• Nationally Certified Bridges Out of Poverty Trainer and Getting Ahead Facilitator 

• Founder of Glover Youth Program, which provided residential programs of impact for some of our most vulnerable populations.

• Recipient, Mentoring Collaborative - Mentor of the Year Award (2011)

• Recipient, Canadian Football League - Heart of a Legend Award for leadership and service (2010)

• Professional athlete for 10 years

Board Member

Andrew Wonders

Assistant Professor of Sport Business Management

Cedarville University

• Serves in the School of Business at Cedarville University, teaching sport business management and management courses and leading student groups outside the classroom in business ventures

• Actively involved in the origin and operations of a local nonprofit, Maple Tree Cancer Alliance

• Led the development of Leaders+, an executive-level nonprofit leadership program with the MVNC  

• Extensive experience in sport event operations specifically through participatory and endurance events 

• A background of launching endurance events in a small business setting

• Knowledge of using events as tool for fundraising

• Helped to lead a local park redevelopment for the Cedarville Community

• Active in the local community through Xenia Rotary and Heritage Fellowship Church

Board Member

Carissa R. Blea

Vice President, Business Banking Leader

U.S. Bank

• 20+ years of banking experience

• Graduate of Leadership 21 program through West Chester Chamber Alliance

• Graduate of LEAD, internal leadership development program within US Bank

• Board Member of U.S. Bank Development Network

• Previously served as program committee member for DCCH- Center for Children and Families

• Proven leadership development skills

• Active volunteer locally for various non-profit organizations in Greater Cincinnati/Dayton market

Board Chair

Secretary

Treasurer

Darlene Nelson

Board Member

Director of Programming

Pink Ribbon Girls

• Leads programming efforts at Pink Ribbon Girls to ensure cancer patients have the supports they need.  

• Experienced in volunteer program management

• Experienced in communications through advocacy, media engagement, online presence, and public education

• Designed and managed multiple food relief programs to serve individuals in the Miami Valley through The Foodbank, Inc.

• Worked closely with local, state, and national organizations during disasters and continues to help with disaster relief efforts through Ohio Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (Ohio VOAD

Board Member

Keelie Gustin, J.D., CCAP

Chief Policy Officer

Miami Valley Community Action Partnership

• A leader in policy and advocacy efforts to support low and fixed-income households and ensure the path out of poverty is guided by direct assistance, continuing education, and empowerment.

• Committed to equitable policymaking and influence that ensures opportunities for all Americans to succeed.

• Experienced in utility law and regulations and the impact of energy poverty on the nation's most vulnerable.

• A Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP) with mastery of Community Action's vision and values, history, leadership, and continuing efforts to address the causes and conditions of poverty.

• Dedicated to the accessibility of energy efficiency and energy education for households nationwide.

• Active in the local community through participation in the League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area, the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition, and the Ohio Energy Project. 

Board Member

Dean Pulliam

Lead sherpa

The Pulliam Group, LLC

• Expertly guides Nonprofit Organizations [NPOs] to attain peak performance in Quality Governance, Operating Accountability & Financial Transparency

• Operates The Pulliam Group, LLC [a consulting firm serving nonprofits] that allows him to share learned lessons & insights, "paying-it-forward" so leaders now faced with, or working to avoid, similar challenges at nonprofit organizations can reach positive outcomes."

• Has built a career that continues to focus upon achieving nonprofit organization success

• Has served nonprofits in 5 different states and in progressively more expansive & challenging leadership duties

• Maintains a broad range of skills & expertise in nonprofit governance, compliance, management, accounting/cash-flow, fundraising and operational insights