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Meet the Team
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Board of Directors
Elizabeth Cohen, Co-President
Beth is the owner of Faux Elegance Interiors. She specializes in designing interior spaces & unique paint finsihes.
Carol Roe
Vice President
John Heinert
Secretary / Treasurer
Michelle Bell
Michelle Bell, MBA is a leader, educator and woman of faith. She has an MBA with distinction in Accounting and Project Management. Michelle is highly successful in inspiring excellence from others, and her extensive leadership experience spans several civic and business entities at the local, regional and national levels.
Michelle achieved Senior Manager status with the federal government, IRS, prior to retirement. She has received multiple leadership awards and recognitions including nominations for the prestigious IRS Commissioner’s Award; Manager of the Year; Director’s Choice Award; as well as well Territory of the Year recognition.
Michelle is the founder and CEO of M-PAC Cleveland. M-PAC Cleveland is a non-profit collaboration of individuals and families who are surviving a murder loss new normal and supporters. M-PAC Cleveland is vigilant in prayer and action for justice on all loss of life crimes, ending gun violence and social injustice.
M-PAC Cleveland is a leader in the effort to unite community activists to address the gun violence crisis in Cleveland. To date, over 20 individuals and organizations have connected.
Michelle models servant leadership, and when called upon, she responds, “how can I help.” Her steadfast belief that “knowledge is power” drives her passion for teaching. Currently, she is an adjunct professor at Bryant & Stratton College.
Michelle’s memberships and associations include board member Stop the Pain, Inc.; Together We Rise; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc; Delta Mu Delta, national business honor society; Moms Demand Action; and VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance).
Michelle’s perspective viewpoint, the glass is half full and her motto, do unto others as would have them do unto you, drives her life’s work.
Michelle achieved Senior Manager status with the federal government, IRS, prior to retirement. She has received multiple leadership awards and recognitions including nominations for the prestigious IRS Commissioner’s Award; Manager of the Year; Director’s Choice Award; as well as well Territory of the Year recognition.
Michelle is the founder and CEO of M-PAC Cleveland. M-PAC Cleveland is a non-profit collaboration of individuals and families who are surviving a murder loss new normal and supporters. M-PAC Cleveland is vigilant in prayer and action for justice on all loss of life crimes, ending gun violence and social injustice.
M-PAC Cleveland is a leader in the effort to unite community activists to address the gun violence crisis in Cleveland. To date, over 20 individuals and organizations have connected.
Michelle models servant leadership, and when called upon, she responds, “how can I help.” Her steadfast belief that “knowledge is power” drives her passion for teaching. Currently, she is an adjunct professor at Bryant & Stratton College.
Michelle’s memberships and associations include board member Stop the Pain, Inc.; Together We Rise; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc; Delta Mu Delta, national business honor society; Moms Demand Action; and VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance).
Michelle’s perspective viewpoint, the glass is half full and her motto, do unto others as would have them do unto you, drives her life’s work.
Alec Berezin
Alec Berezin, a native of Tiffin, Ohio, graduated from Miami University and Case Western
Reserve Law School. He has served in a variety of leadership positions in the Greater Cleveland
area - Menorah Park, Beth Aynu Synagogue, Lake County Bar Association, Adoption Network
and Ohio Innocence Project. He practiced law as a litigator for 40 years in and around
northeastern Ohio. His greatest achievement in life was convincing his wife, Marcia, of 50 years
to marry him and blessing him with two children - Josh and Rachael and two grandchildren -
Javier and Eilah.
Reserve Law School. He has served in a variety of leadership positions in the Greater Cleveland
area - Menorah Park, Beth Aynu Synagogue, Lake County Bar Association, Adoption Network
and Ohio Innocence Project. He practiced law as a litigator for 40 years in and around
northeastern Ohio. His greatest achievement in life was convincing his wife, Marcia, of 50 years
to marry him and blessing him with two children - Josh and Rachael and two grandchildren -
Javier and Eilah.
Kimberly Corral
Kimberly Kendall Corral has successfully and aggressively defended a wide range of criminal cases from misdemeanors to capital homicide cases. Kim represents clients at all levels of criminal justice advocacy. This includes investigation, indictment, pre-trial motions practice, trial, direct appeals, post-conviction remedies, jurisdictional appeals, habeas corpus, and wrongful conviction litigation.
Being charged and/or convicted of a crime is certainly one of the most stressful times in a client’s life. A successful outcome requires a tailored and nuanced approach for every case. Upholding a client’s constitutional and procedural rights is complex and time-consuming work. Kim believes that productive client relationships are an essential element to a winning strategy. Kim’s noteworthy track-record in the criminal defense field is built on her genuine passion and her zealous work ethic. She is not blind to the injustice that plagues our legal system but takes immense personal pride in her steadfast work to restore her clients’ rights.
As a result of Kim’s notable trial experience, she has been certified by the Supreme Court of Ohio for appointment as Death Penalty Defense Counsel. Kim is staunchly opposed to the death penalty. In a system so fraught with error there is no rational basis to arm that system with the right to kill. In addition to traditional clients, Kimberly has represented police officers, working for the Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council. In that capacity, she represents law enforcement officers investigated for or charged in criminal matters. Kim also occasionally partners with the Ohio Innocence Project to work toward the exoneration of wrongfully incarcerated Ohioans.
Kim believes that every good freedom fighter needs to fight aggressively and persistently. Those two qualities are the things people compliment her or criticize her for most- depending what side they’re on. Kim’s aggression and persistence serve her in her personal life as well. She is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a bicyclist (having ridden across the country, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean), a marathon runner, and an artist. She loves to travel and she has two young daughters who can occasionally be heard singing and shouting in the background during client phone calls.
To note a few of Kim’s recent successes; Kim worked to exonerate Ruel Sailor after he spent fifteen years incarcerated for a murder he did not commit. She was invited to speak at the Cleveland Brown’s Social Justice Summit. Kim was invited to the Oval Office to discuss a client’s pardon with the President of the United States and White House Counsel. She was honored as a Rising Star in 2019 by Super Lawyers and she recently collaborated with HBO star Michael K. Williams and a panel of criminal reform advocates to raise money and awareness about juvenile justice.
Being charged and/or convicted of a crime is certainly one of the most stressful times in a client’s life. A successful outcome requires a tailored and nuanced approach for every case. Upholding a client’s constitutional and procedural rights is complex and time-consuming work. Kim believes that productive client relationships are an essential element to a winning strategy. Kim’s noteworthy track-record in the criminal defense field is built on her genuine passion and her zealous work ethic. She is not blind to the injustice that plagues our legal system but takes immense personal pride in her steadfast work to restore her clients’ rights.
As a result of Kim’s notable trial experience, she has been certified by the Supreme Court of Ohio for appointment as Death Penalty Defense Counsel. Kim is staunchly opposed to the death penalty. In a system so fraught with error there is no rational basis to arm that system with the right to kill. In addition to traditional clients, Kimberly has represented police officers, working for the Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council. In that capacity, she represents law enforcement officers investigated for or charged in criminal matters. Kim also occasionally partners with the Ohio Innocence Project to work toward the exoneration of wrongfully incarcerated Ohioans.
Kim believes that every good freedom fighter needs to fight aggressively and persistently. Those two qualities are the things people compliment her or criticize her for most- depending what side they’re on. Kim’s aggression and persistence serve her in her personal life as well. She is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a bicyclist (having ridden across the country, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean), a marathon runner, and an artist. She loves to travel and she has two young daughters who can occasionally be heard singing and shouting in the background during client phone calls.
To note a few of Kim’s recent successes; Kim worked to exonerate Ruel Sailor after he spent fifteen years incarcerated for a murder he did not commit. She was invited to speak at the Cleveland Brown’s Social Justice Summit. Kim was invited to the Oval Office to discuss a client’s pardon with the President of the United States and White House Counsel. She was honored as a Rising Star in 2019 by Super Lawyers and she recently collaborated with HBO star Michael K. Williams and a panel of criminal reform advocates to raise money and awareness about juvenile justice.
Brittanie Dial
Brittanie Dial (she/her)
Brittanie Dial has over 15 years of experience working on programming, art, community
outreach, content/creative and development teams in the non-profit sector, organizing ballot
initiatives, advocating on behalf of homeowners who fell victim to predatory lending practices,
and raising consciousness on social justice issues through community advocacy, narrative
based storytelling and research.
Most recently, Brittanie was the Chief Curator for ReIMAGINE’s opening exhibit hosted in St.
Petersburg, FL by the Warehouse Arts District Association, in partnership with The Well for Life
and The Greenbook of Tampa Bay. The artists and exhibit were featured in the following news
publications and TV:
● Bay News 9: Group uses art to help 'ReIMAGINE ' impacts of the criminal justice system
● Tampa Bay Times: ‘My art opened up doors’: St. Pete exhibit features artists impacted
by legal system
● St Pete Catalyst: New art shows debut at Second Saturday ArtWalk
● The Weekly Challenger: REIMAGINE, exhibition of artists impacted by the criminal legal
system, opens today at WADA –
Brittanie was the Chief Curator and project manager of a virtual fine art photography exhibit with
crime survivors from across the country entitled, “Survivors Speak: A Photo Journal”. This
exhibit was featured in national media publication Blavity “A Newfound Voice: Sharing The
Important Stories And Reflections Of Crime Survivors national media and can be seen at
cssj.org/photo-journal.
She currently works as the Founder and CEO of Artists Change The World and is a Marketing
and Communications Video Producer for the Alliance for Safety and Justice, a multi-state
organization that aims to replace over-incarceration with more effective public safety solutions
rooted in crime prevention, community health, rehabilitation and support for crime victims.
Focused on the largest states in the country, we partner with state leaders and advocates to
achieve safety and justice reforms through advocacy, organizing, coalition building, research
and communications.
Prior to working at the Alliance for Safety and Justice, Brittanie was the Research Analyst with
the City of Cleveland’s Office of Professional Standards, which provides civilian oversight of the
city’s police department—then under national scrutiny for a long history of excessive force and
the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. At the department, one of the things I was tasked
with was helping complainants draft their complaint narratives for the investigators and police
review board.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Kent State University, minor in Studio
Art and Masters of Art degree in Sociology with a concentration on Justice Studies and Data
Analysis from Cleveland State University.
She is deeply committed to public service and serves as an active member of Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority, Incorporated where she sits on various committees in her local chapter. She
currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Brittanie Dial has over 15 years of experience working on programming, art, community
outreach, content/creative and development teams in the non-profit sector, organizing ballot
initiatives, advocating on behalf of homeowners who fell victim to predatory lending practices,
and raising consciousness on social justice issues through community advocacy, narrative
based storytelling and research.
Most recently, Brittanie was the Chief Curator for ReIMAGINE’s opening exhibit hosted in St.
Petersburg, FL by the Warehouse Arts District Association, in partnership with The Well for Life
and The Greenbook of Tampa Bay. The artists and exhibit were featured in the following news
publications and TV:
● Bay News 9: Group uses art to help 'ReIMAGINE ' impacts of the criminal justice system
● Tampa Bay Times: ‘My art opened up doors’: St. Pete exhibit features artists impacted
by legal system
● St Pete Catalyst: New art shows debut at Second Saturday ArtWalk
● The Weekly Challenger: REIMAGINE, exhibition of artists impacted by the criminal legal
system, opens today at WADA –
Brittanie was the Chief Curator and project manager of a virtual fine art photography exhibit with
crime survivors from across the country entitled, “Survivors Speak: A Photo Journal”. This
exhibit was featured in national media publication Blavity “A Newfound Voice: Sharing The
Important Stories And Reflections Of Crime Survivors national media and can be seen at
cssj.org/photo-journal.
She currently works as the Founder and CEO of Artists Change The World and is a Marketing
and Communications Video Producer for the Alliance for Safety and Justice, a multi-state
organization that aims to replace over-incarceration with more effective public safety solutions
rooted in crime prevention, community health, rehabilitation and support for crime victims.
Focused on the largest states in the country, we partner with state leaders and advocates to
achieve safety and justice reforms through advocacy, organizing, coalition building, research
and communications.
Prior to working at the Alliance for Safety and Justice, Brittanie was the Research Analyst with
the City of Cleveland’s Office of Professional Standards, which provides civilian oversight of the
city’s police department—then under national scrutiny for a long history of excessive force and
the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. At the department, one of the things I was tasked
with was helping complainants draft their complaint narratives for the investigators and police
review board.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Kent State University, minor in Studio
Art and Masters of Art degree in Sociology with a concentration on Justice Studies and Data
Analysis from Cleveland State University.
She is deeply committed to public service and serves as an active member of Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority, Incorporated where she sits on various committees in her local chapter. She
currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Michael P. Donnelly
Justice Michael P. Donnelly is the 160th justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio. He took office in January 2019, following his statewide election in November 2018 to a full term on the Court.
Prior to joining the state Court, Justice Donnelly served as a judge on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division for 14 years. He was elected to the seat in November 2004 and re-elected in 2010 and 2016. In addition, from 2010 to 2017, he was one of five judges on Cuyahoga County’s Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Court, which oversees criminal cases involving defendants who suffer from severe mental illness or developmental disabilities.
Before serving as a member of the local judiciary, Justice Donnelly was an assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor from 1992 until 1997. He then went on to practice civil litigation for seven years, first practicing at an insurance-defense firm, and later joining a firm where he represented injured workers and other plaintiffs in asbestos litigation, personal injury lawsuits, and workers’ compensation claims.
Justice Donnelly served on the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism from 2007 to 2012 and chaired the Commission during his final year. During his tenure on the Commission on Professionalism, he helped establish the highly successful Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program, which has received national accolades. He also spent more than a decade personally mentoring new lawyers.
In 2011, Justice Donnelly was one of two Ohio judges invited to participate in a two-year program created by the National Judicial College as part of their “Innovative Leadership Skills for Leader-Manager Judges Project,” which aimed to empower future judicial leaders across the United States to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system.
Justice Donnelly has also been a faculty member of the Ohio Judicial College, teaching both attorneys and judges at numerous continuing-legal-education seminars on professionalism and issues of criminal and civil justice reform and procedural fairness.
Justice Donnelly has served as a member of both the Ohio State Board of Bar Examiners and the Ohio Jury Instruction Committee. He was appointed by the chief justice to the Ohio Supreme Court Death Penalty Task Force in 2013, and he currently serves as the Ohio Supreme Court’s liaison to the Task Force on Conviction Integrity and Post-Conviction review.
Justice Donnelly is a proud recipient of the 2015 Honorable William K. Thomas Professionalism Award from the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, the 2017 Public Service Award from the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, and the 2020 Alumni of the Year Award from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. He was inducted into Cleveland Marshall College of Law Hall of Fame in 2020.
Justice Donnelly serves on the board of the Cleveland Baseball Federation, which provides baseball and softball summer programs at no charge to children living in lower-income areas of Cleveland and East Cleveland. He also was involved with the development of the Western Reserve Fire Museum, which educates children about fire safety.
He is a graduate of Cleveland’s St. Ignatius High School and John Carroll University, and he received his Juris Doctor degree from Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio in 1992.
He and his wife, Nancy, reside in Cleveland Heights. They have two children.
Prior to joining the state Court, Justice Donnelly served as a judge on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division for 14 years. He was elected to the seat in November 2004 and re-elected in 2010 and 2016. In addition, from 2010 to 2017, he was one of five judges on Cuyahoga County’s Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Court, which oversees criminal cases involving defendants who suffer from severe mental illness or developmental disabilities.
Before serving as a member of the local judiciary, Justice Donnelly was an assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor from 1992 until 1997. He then went on to practice civil litigation for seven years, first practicing at an insurance-defense firm, and later joining a firm where he represented injured workers and other plaintiffs in asbestos litigation, personal injury lawsuits, and workers’ compensation claims.
Justice Donnelly served on the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism from 2007 to 2012 and chaired the Commission during his final year. During his tenure on the Commission on Professionalism, he helped establish the highly successful Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program, which has received national accolades. He also spent more than a decade personally mentoring new lawyers.
In 2011, Justice Donnelly was one of two Ohio judges invited to participate in a two-year program created by the National Judicial College as part of their “Innovative Leadership Skills for Leader-Manager Judges Project,” which aimed to empower future judicial leaders across the United States to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system.
Justice Donnelly has also been a faculty member of the Ohio Judicial College, teaching both attorneys and judges at numerous continuing-legal-education seminars on professionalism and issues of criminal and civil justice reform and procedural fairness.
Justice Donnelly has served as a member of both the Ohio State Board of Bar Examiners and the Ohio Jury Instruction Committee. He was appointed by the chief justice to the Ohio Supreme Court Death Penalty Task Force in 2013, and he currently serves as the Ohio Supreme Court’s liaison to the Task Force on Conviction Integrity and Post-Conviction review.
Justice Donnelly is a proud recipient of the 2015 Honorable William K. Thomas Professionalism Award from the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, the 2017 Public Service Award from the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, and the 2020 Alumni of the Year Award from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. He was inducted into Cleveland Marshall College of Law Hall of Fame in 2020.
Justice Donnelly serves on the board of the Cleveland Baseball Federation, which provides baseball and softball summer programs at no charge to children living in lower-income areas of Cleveland and East Cleveland. He also was involved with the development of the Western Reserve Fire Museum, which educates children about fire safety.
He is a graduate of Cleveland’s St. Ignatius High School and John Carroll University, and he received his Juris Doctor degree from Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio in 1992.
He and his wife, Nancy, reside in Cleveland Heights. They have two children.
Dwight Milko
He is CEO & owner of RE/MAX Traditions located in Beachwood, Chagrin Falls, Chardon, Mentor, and Streetsboro. He also is COO & co-owner of MOTTO Mortgage NEO.
William O'Neill
Justice William O’Neill, born in Cleveland, Ohio, is a distinguished figure with a multifaceted background. He holds degrees in journalism, law, and nursing, and served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army, earning honors in Vietnam. O’Neill was an Assistant Attorney General for Ohio and a Judge in the 11th District Court of Appeals and also practiced as a Pediatric ER Nurse. He is a parent of four, a licensed attorney, and a dedicated Eucharistic Minister at St. Joan of Arc in Chagrin Falls.
Dennis Terez
Dennis G. Terez represents individuals through his service on the Criminal Justice Act panels for
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Ohio. He previously served as an assistant federal public defender and then as chief defender for the
Northern District of Ohio and as acting chief defender for the Southern District of Ohio. He also serves as
an adjunct faculty member at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law, and previously served as
an adjunct faculty member at the University of Michigan Law School. Prior to his federal appointments,
he was a partner with the international law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey L.L.P. (now Squire Patton
Boggs). Mr. Terez earned a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service, summa cum laude, from Georgetown
University in 1980, where he was valedictorian, and studied abroad as a Fulbright Scholar at the University
of Bonn Juristische Fakultät-Law School from 1981 to 1982. He earned his law degree from the University
of Michigan Law School, magnum cum laude, in 1985, where he was an Articles Editor of the Michigan
Yearbook of International Legal Studies. He recently earned a master of business administration degree
and a master of science in management degree with a specialization in finance from Case Western Reserve
University’s Weatherhead School of Management.
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Ohio. He previously served as an assistant federal public defender and then as chief defender for the
Northern District of Ohio and as acting chief defender for the Southern District of Ohio. He also serves as
an adjunct faculty member at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law, and previously served as
an adjunct faculty member at the University of Michigan Law School. Prior to his federal appointments,
he was a partner with the international law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey L.L.P. (now Squire Patton
Boggs). Mr. Terez earned a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service, summa cum laude, from Georgetown
University in 1980, where he was valedictorian, and studied abroad as a Fulbright Scholar at the University
of Bonn Juristische Fakultät-Law School from 1981 to 1982. He earned his law degree from the University
of Michigan Law School, magnum cum laude, in 1985, where he was an Articles Editor of the Michigan
Yearbook of International Legal Studies. He recently earned a master of business administration degree
and a master of science in management degree with a specialization in finance from Case Western Reserve
University’s Weatherhead School of Management.
Sharena Zayed
On the morning of March 30th 2020 Sharena’s dear son lost his life to senseless gun violence. Her son Amir Bradley was only 15 years old. She was devastated to say the least. Sharena’s strength and perseverance shined through after the tragedy as she channeled her feelings of grief and made it her mission to serve others in his memory. Preventing further violence, improving quality of life and spreading knowledge was been her mission since. Sharena began her journey of healing by helping other mothers, networking, coordinating events, program development, providing community outreach and advocacy.
She was born and raised in Cleveland Ohio where she currently resides. Sharena has worked in the health care as well as the mental health community, within various roles for the past 15 years, being a Qualified Behavior Health Specialist for the past 5 years. This experience helped her develop a strong sense of devotion to service in her community. Losing Amir gave her passion, making the work personal. Sharena appreciates the opportunity she has been given to improve our neighborhood, and to help kids like Amir live safe healthy lives in the city she loves. It’s her highest belief that art, education and civic engagement are key factors in strengthening our communities. Sharena spends most of her time socializing with friends, having fun with her surviving 2 teenage children, staying active biking, walking and having the occasional TV show binge.
She was born and raised in Cleveland Ohio where she currently resides. Sharena has worked in the health care as well as the mental health community, within various roles for the past 15 years, being a Qualified Behavior Health Specialist for the past 5 years. This experience helped her develop a strong sense of devotion to service in her community. Losing Amir gave her passion, making the work personal. Sharena appreciates the opportunity she has been given to improve our neighborhood, and to help kids like Amir live safe healthy lives in the city she loves. It’s her highest belief that art, education and civic engagement are key factors in strengthening our communities. Sharena spends most of her time socializing with friends, having fun with her surviving 2 teenage children, staying active biking, walking and having the occasional TV show binge.
Board member emeritus
Joan Brown Campbell
Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell is an ordained minister in 2 Christian denominations and the American Baptist Church. She is devoted to international peace and justice.
Stephen Thomas
Steve is the founder of Chagrin Arts and a Chagrin Falls attorney who divides his practice between negligence, business litigation, transactional business, and estate planning.
President's Club
Larry Blaustein
Larry is a retired product inventor living in Chagrin Falls.
Jeanette Grasselli Brown
She is retired Director of Corporate Research at BPAmerica. She also served/chaired on Ohio Board of Regents. She serves on the boards of Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Water Alliance, and more.
Terry Gilbert
Terry Gilbert has been in private law practice since 1973, focusing on
criminal defense and civil rights litigation. At the start of his legal career,
Gilbert represented American Indians in the aftermath of the Wounded
Knee confrontation in South Dakota, and numerous anti-war and civil
rights activists. Over the years, Gilbert has handled a variety of
government misconduct cases involving police abuse, wrongful conviction,
violations of free speech, prisoners’ rights, and victims of all forms of
discrimination. His defense of civil liberties has often put him at odds with
authorities and made him the target of op-eds and editorial cartoonists. At
the same time, he has written many op-eds himself, and used the media
to make his case for justice directly to the people. Gilbert lives with his
wife Robin in a Cleveland suburb and has two adult children: Benjamin, a
molecular biologist, and Julian, a law student.
criminal defense and civil rights litigation. At the start of his legal career,
Gilbert represented American Indians in the aftermath of the Wounded
Knee confrontation in South Dakota, and numerous anti-war and civil
rights activists. Over the years, Gilbert has handled a variety of
government misconduct cases involving police abuse, wrongful conviction,
violations of free speech, prisoners’ rights, and victims of all forms of
discrimination. His defense of civil liberties has often put him at odds with
authorities and made him the target of op-eds and editorial cartoonists. At
the same time, he has written many op-eds himself, and used the media
to make his case for justice directly to the people. Gilbert lives with his
wife Robin in a Cleveland suburb and has two adult children: Benjamin, a
molecular biologist, and Julian, a law student.
Jeffrey Grover
Jeff was a resident of the Chagrin Valley area for a number of years. His older children attended Orange Schools, and his younger children attended West Geauga Schools. While Jeff lives primarily in New York City, he still maintains close ties to the Greater Cleveland community, and is particularly pleased to renew his ties with Chagrin Arts and an Honorary Board Member.
Jeff served as a member of the Chagrin Arts Board for several years, chairing what was known as the Arts Roundtable. This coincided with his tenure as Board President of the Fairmount Center for the Arts.
Jeff was a co-owner and Executive Vice President of the National Paper and Packaging Company, which was purchased by SupplyONE in 1999. This enabled him to go into private consulting, focused on privately held business and generational change. And in particular, renewed his ability to focus on his work in the performing arts on a full-time basis.
Jeff has worked as a professional actor for over two decades, an active member of Actors Equity and SAG-AFTRA, the professional guilds representing professional actors in the theater, film, television and commercial industry. He also has produced several short films along with his partners at g2h films, focused on socially relevant issues and social change.
He has had a particular skill in producing, and often creating collaborative artistic work from the film and theatrical mediums with organizations whose focus is on a specific area of service or cause. These have included collaborations with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, HRC, Cleveland Play House, Recovery Resources, Cleveland Center for Eating Disorders, The Temple-Tifereth Israel, among many others.
Jeff has been in over 40 films, with a particular interest in areas of social justice, human rights advocacy, sexual and gender equality, racial equity, above all focused on enabling greater empathy and
Jeff served as a member of the Chagrin Arts Board for several years, chairing what was known as the Arts Roundtable. This coincided with his tenure as Board President of the Fairmount Center for the Arts.
Jeff was a co-owner and Executive Vice President of the National Paper and Packaging Company, which was purchased by SupplyONE in 1999. This enabled him to go into private consulting, focused on privately held business and generational change. And in particular, renewed his ability to focus on his work in the performing arts on a full-time basis.
Jeff has worked as a professional actor for over two decades, an active member of Actors Equity and SAG-AFTRA, the professional guilds representing professional actors in the theater, film, television and commercial industry. He also has produced several short films along with his partners at g2h films, focused on socially relevant issues and social change.
He has had a particular skill in producing, and often creating collaborative artistic work from the film and theatrical mediums with organizations whose focus is on a specific area of service or cause. These have included collaborations with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, HRC, Cleveland Play House, Recovery Resources, Cleveland Center for Eating Disorders, The Temple-Tifereth Israel, among many others.
Jeff has been in over 40 films, with a particular interest in areas of social justice, human rights advocacy, sexual and gender equality, racial equity, above all focused on enabling greater empathy and
Peter Lawson Jones
Peter Lawson Jones is an attorney, business consultant, professional actor and master of
ceremonies, dramatist and former elected official.
From February 2002, through December 2010, Jones, a graduate of Harvard College (magna
cum laude in Government) and Harvard Law School, was a member of the Board of Cuyahoga
County Commissioners, and its president for three of those years. He previously served two and
one-half terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, where he was the ranking member of the
House Finance and Appropriations Committee and second vice president of the Ohio Legislative
Black Caucus. Jones was formerly the Vice Mayor and a Councilman in the City of Shaker
Heights, Ohio.
Jones is the executive producer of Fatherhood 101 a documentary on the critical importance of
responsible fatherhood. He is a consultant in the areas of government relations, community
engagement, event planning, fundraising, market development and fatherhood programming.
Jones, a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actor’s Equity as well as an acting instructor, has
appeared in well over twenty films (A Man Called Otto, White Boy Rick, Alex Cross, The
Assassin’s Code, Starve), on network television (NBC’s Chicago Fire and ABC’s Detroit 1-8-7),
on stages throughout Northeast Ohio. He received the 2016 Indie Gathering International Film
Festival Best Ohio Supporting Actor Award for his work in How to Change the World. Jones’s
drama, The Family Line, has been successfully produced at Karamu House, Harvard University
and Ohio University. His second play, The Bloodless Jungle, has enjoyed two full productions at
Ensemble Theatre in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Land of Cleve, an arts and culture blog, ranked
the second production as one of the best in Northeast Ohio in 2017. The play has enjoyed staged
readings at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Dallas Convention Center, the
National Black Theatre Festival, Duquesne University and in Harlem. His most recent work,
The Phoenix Society, enjoyed a successful premiere at Playwrights Local in Cleveland earlier
this year. The drama was commissioned by the Life Exchange Center, a Cleveland nonprofit
that assists those in recovery from mental health and substance abuse challenges.
Jones and his spouse Lisa are the proud parents of three children: Ryan Charles, Leah Danielle
and Evan Cooke.
ceremonies, dramatist and former elected official.
From February 2002, through December 2010, Jones, a graduate of Harvard College (magna
cum laude in Government) and Harvard Law School, was a member of the Board of Cuyahoga
County Commissioners, and its president for three of those years. He previously served two and
one-half terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, where he was the ranking member of the
House Finance and Appropriations Committee and second vice president of the Ohio Legislative
Black Caucus. Jones was formerly the Vice Mayor and a Councilman in the City of Shaker
Heights, Ohio.
Jones is the executive producer of Fatherhood 101 a documentary on the critical importance of
responsible fatherhood. He is a consultant in the areas of government relations, community
engagement, event planning, fundraising, market development and fatherhood programming.
Jones, a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actor’s Equity as well as an acting instructor, has
appeared in well over twenty films (A Man Called Otto, White Boy Rick, Alex Cross, The
Assassin’s Code, Starve), on network television (NBC’s Chicago Fire and ABC’s Detroit 1-8-7),
on stages throughout Northeast Ohio. He received the 2016 Indie Gathering International Film
Festival Best Ohio Supporting Actor Award for his work in How to Change the World. Jones’s
drama, The Family Line, has been successfully produced at Karamu House, Harvard University
and Ohio University. His second play, The Bloodless Jungle, has enjoyed two full productions at
Ensemble Theatre in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Land of Cleve, an arts and culture blog, ranked
the second production as one of the best in Northeast Ohio in 2017. The play has enjoyed staged
readings at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Dallas Convention Center, the
National Black Theatre Festival, Duquesne University and in Harlem. His most recent work,
The Phoenix Society, enjoyed a successful premiere at Playwrights Local in Cleveland earlier
this year. The drama was commissioned by the Life Exchange Center, a Cleveland nonprofit
that assists those in recovery from mental health and substance abuse challenges.
Jones and his spouse Lisa are the proud parents of three children: Ryan Charles, Leah Danielle
and Evan Cooke.
Phillip A. Wenk
Philip is Co-Founder & Trustee of Wenk Foundation in Cleveland, OH.