https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_ccbc550e98b248c8b36ad01b7b550d6f~mv2.jpg Shannon Jones, CEO of Groundwork Ohio Shannon Jones is a dynamic and accomplished leader, currently serving as the CEO of Groundwork Ohio. Since her appointment in 2017, Shannon has orchestrated a remarkable transformation, turning the organization into a highly effective and respected public policy and advocacy entity. Groundwork Ohio, under her guidance, is dedicated to championing early learning and healthy development strategies for the state’s youngest children. Under Shannon’s leadership, Groundwork Ohio has become a model for movement building, with a diverse team of skilled and sought-after policy and tactical experts. Her strategic vision and extensive knowledge of Ohio’s political landscape have propelled the organization’s statewide advocacy efforts to national prominence, bringing about positive changes for Ohio’s young children and their families. Before joining Groundwork Ohio, Shannon Jones served with distinction in the Ohio General Assembly for a decade, holding key leadership posts as both a state representative and a state senator. Currently serving as a Warren County Commissioner, Shannon leverages her leadership and policy expertise in various roles, including as a member of the board of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio and as Chair of the Human Services and Education Committee for the National Association of Counties. Beyond her professional commitments, Shannon is deeply engaged in her community. She sits on the Board of Directors of Premier Health, serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Warren County Foundation, and plays a crucial role on the Executive Committee of the United Way of Warren County. As a prestigious Rodel Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Institute, she is among the select few public servants nationally to have achieved this honor. Despite her numerous accomplishments, Shannon finds the most joy in her family. Married to Russell for thirty years, they share a love for the Cincinnati Bengals and the white sand beaches of Siesta Key. Together with their two children, Jake and Anna, they form the core of what motivates and inspires Shannon’s unwavering commitment to making a positive impact in Ohio and beyond. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_8983f0c21277404a9fe41446a82662f5~mv2.jpg Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio As the President of Groundwork Ohio, Lynanne Gutierrez is at the forefront of our statewide mission, spearheading a powerful early childhood movement. As a dedicated child advocate, Lynanne oversees the development and implementation of Groundwork’s policy agenda and shapes priorities and strategies through effective communication, advocacy, research, and data analysis. A pivotal figure in Groundwork's strategic growth and transformation over the past seven years, Lynanne played a crucial role in expanding the organization's Statehouse footprint, relationships, and reputation across the state. Additionally, her efforts were instrumental in the successful transition to a standalone 501c3 in 2021. Recognized as a respected early childhood expert in Ohio and nationwide, Lynanne is frequently sought out to address diverse audiences on early childhood policy advocacy. Appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council, she has served as a member since 2019. Lynanne's professional journey includes prior roles in advocacy and private law practice focused on children and families. Before becoming a licensed attorney, she served as a Senior Legislative Aide in the Ohio Senate. A distinguished alumna of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctorate from Capital Law School, Lynanne is also a 2023 graduate of the prestigious Leadership Ohio program. Lynanne, a resident of Columbus, Ohio, shares life with her husband Anthony and their two young children. She is an avid reader and amateur quilter. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_4483a327e5d14d71ac0ce28c48fef650~mv2.jpg Dr. David James, Executive Director of Summit Education Initiative Dr. David W. James joined Summit Education Initiative as its Executive Director in January 2023. Prior to this, Dr. James served as Deputy Superintendent of Operations at Columbus City Schools after he retired from APS in 2021. His role with Columbus City Schools included oversight of the following departments, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Business Operations which includes Buildings and Grounds, Custodial Services, Capital Improvements, Food Services, Outreach, Purchasing, Warehouse and Printing, Real Estate, Shared Services, Safety and Security, and Transportation. He is best known in Akron for his 13-year stint as Superintendent of Akron Public Schools. During his tenure, Dr. James led a one-of-a-kind partnership between the City of Akron and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, through which most APS school buildings were rebuilt or substantially renovated. He also brought the College and Career Academies experiential learning model to Akron, transforming the entire educational experience for all students. Dr. James, his staff, and key community partners have also successfully worked with Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL) to have the Akron Public Schools designated as a Ford Next Generation Learning Community. A division of Ford Motor Company, Ford NGL is nationally recognized for its unique approach to learning that better prepares high school students for career success. Leadership from Dr. James also led to the partnership with the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) to create the I PROMISE School, which opened in July 2018. This educational model provides wrap-around support to at-risk students and the resources they need to stay on track to graduation. Dr. James earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, and master’s degree in public administration, both from Cleveland State University, and his Doctor of Education degree from the University of Phoenix. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_36b07f6b07604eccaf4e59d79163d45c~mv2.jpg Dr. Brad Lucas, Chief Medical Officer, Buckeye Health Plan Dr. Brad Lucas is the Chief Medical Officer at Buckeye Health Plan. He has been a part of the Centene/Buckeye family since 2005. Dr. Lucas leads all of the clinical work at the health plan with oversight of Medical Affairs, Population Health (including Equity), Quality, and Pharmacy. The physician team is responsible for authorizing care, guiding programs, and developing relationships with our providers to effectively improve the health of our members. He enjoys working with both the clinical and operations teams to improve the member and provider health care experience. Currently, the clinical team works closely with our Centene partners, other Ohio health plans, and the Ohio Department of Medicaid to develop and improve Population Health Strategy. He helped build and guide award-winning programs such as Start Smart for Your Baby®, New Leaf, an addiction-in-pregnancy program, and other preterm birth prevention programs. His expertise is critical to the development and implementation of programs that improve clinical outcomes and ensure high-quality care across all medical conditions for Buckeye members. In 2015 he was honored by March of Dimes for his work in infant mortality, prevention of premature birth, and prevention of birth defects. Dr. Lucas remains active in community outreach that impacts mothers and families in Ohio. He served as the Executive Committee Member of the Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality (OCPIM). He is active in helping Ohio leverage evidence-based models of community coordination such as Pathways Community Hubs. He is a National Advisory Council Member of the Pathways Community Hub Institute. Dr. Lucas is also a member of the Coding and Reimbursement Committee for the Society of Fetal Medicine. He graduated from Miami of Ohio with a B.S in Chemistry. He completed his OB/GYN residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Lucas obtained his MBA in Healthcare Administration at Baldwin Wallace. As a board-certified physician, he continues his clinical care at Rapid Medical Research in Cleveland. Dr. Lucas lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio with his family and two labs. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_1706f85ff854428c8e12fde047f26768~mv2.jpg Dr. Jennifer Savitski, Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Medical Director, PATH Center | Associate Professor of OB/GYN, Northeast Ohio Medical University Dr. Jennifer Savitski has spent her career serving the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Cleveland Clinic Akron General and the patients and communities served by the Akron General Health System. She completed her residency at Akron General and has been a member of Cleveland Clinic Akron General’s Medical Staff since 2005. Dr. Savitski has held many leadership roles and is currently the Chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Medical Director of CCAG’s Forensic Nursing program called the PATH Center (Providing Access to Healing). She led the team that created Akron General’s first Forensic Nursing program in response to a community need for these services. Thousands of victims of crime have been cared for by the PATH Center under Dr. Savitski’s leadership. She also established CCAG’s first Centering Pregnancy Program at the Women’s Health Center to address the disparities in outcomes for Black pregnant people and the infant mortality crisis disproportionately affecting Black infants. These efforts have resulted in her being recognized as the Northeast Ohio Women’s Network Woman of Achievement, the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence Institutional Change Maker and the recipient of the CCAG Graduate Medical Education Leadership Award. She is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Northeast Ohio Medical University, where she also served on the Obstetrics & Gynecology Council and collaborated with the OB/GYN Student Interest Group. Her memberships include Fellow in the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Association of Professors of Gynecology & Obstetrics, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Ohio State Medical Association and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Dr. Savitski proudly serves her community through involvement with the Ohio Department of Health Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Board, the Summit County Public Health Department Child, Fetal and Infant Fatality Review Board and the Haven of Rest. She previously served on the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and The City of Akron’s Social Justice and Racial Equality Task Force. She currently sits on the Executive Committee of the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce, the Executive Committee of Full Term First Birthday Greater Akron, and is the President of the Women’s Network Leadership Institute. She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Akron and medical degree from East Tennessee State University, Quillen College of Medicine. She is board-certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_09dc39cf61c74a16946749cf4611bdf0~mv2.jpg Shaleeta Smith, Director of Family Health, Summit County Public Health Shaleeta Smith is the Director, Family Health at Summit County Health Department. She is a graduate of the University of Toledo where she received her Bachelors of Science in Biology and her Master’s in Public Health, Epidemiology. In this role, she oversees the strategic advancement and operations of family, infant and minority health initiatives. Shaleeta is very active in the community and immediate past President of the Akron Urban League Young Professionals, Board of Directors for Community Support Service, and Vice- President of Students with a Goal (SWAG) and is an active member of the Lambda Phi Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Shaleeta's work has not gone unnoticed, she is a recipient of Crain’s Forty under 40, a graduate of Leadership Akron’s Signature Program: Class 38, a 2021 recipient of the Mother’s on a Mission Dr. MLK Jr. Drum Award, a 2020 recipient of the Greater Akron Chamber 30 for the future award, and a graduate of Leadership Akron’s Diversity on Board: Class 4. Shaleeta's mission in life is to cultivate communities, so that the neighborhood where someone lives does not define their success. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_04c3e8688c6a49188b3ae8abda0161ee~mv2.jpg Beth Kelley, Chief Officer of Youth Advancement, Akron Area YMCA https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_3e5a0a75e1a24d92b6b170244224cf7a~mv2.jpg Richelle Wardell, Education & Health Strategist, City of Akron Richelle Wardell, a pragmatic community leader, returned to the Akron community this year to begin her new role as Education and Health Strategist in Mayor Malik’s administration. With a track record of innovative problem-solving, strategic thinking, and systems management, Richelle has been committed to driving positive change for youth and families throughout her career. As Program Officer for early childhood and education at the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton, Richelle had the opportunity to study under Joni Close, a pioneer in the early childhood field. Prior to that, as the Director of Education at United Way of Summit County, she was pivotal in forming the agency's "Bold Goals" and shaping their initial strategies for education-related initiatives, including the early design of Family Resource Centers and I Promise School's wraparound efforts. Richelle's impact extends to the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, where she served as the Early Childhood Initiative Manager; during her tenure the agency earned national awards and recognition for its early childhood efforts. She has actively participated in various boards and community initiatives, including United Way of Greater Stark County's Impact Council, Great Start for Great Futures’ Impact Leadership Team (Stark County), Project Learn of Summit County’s Board of Directors, and The Devil Strip News Cooperative's Board of Directors. Recognized for her distinctive leadership, Richelle is a Summit County Child & Family Leadership Exchange graduate and recipient of the Greater Akron Chamber's 30 for the Future award and Women in Higher Education's Outstanding Woman Student award. She holds a Master of Applied Politics from The University of Akron and a bachelor’s from Tennessee Technological University, providing a solid foundation for her strategic and data-informed approach. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_28d3ce06efb841a48c38d33048120c6f~mv2.jpg Jo White, Owner, Circle of Life CEC Originally from Washington D.C., Jo White has established her roots in Ohio where she proudly serves as the Owner and Founder of Circle of Life Child Enrichment Center. Jo completed 4 years at the University of the District of Columbia and obtained a Child Development Associate Credential. Under Jo’s leadership, her esteemed Family Child Care program delivers exemplary educational and caregiving services to children ranging from 6 weeks to 12 years old. Jo’s robust career spans approximately 30 years in early education and childcare and began with a voluntary position at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington, D.C. Jo also held a position on the Board of Directors at the FERC Child Development Center for five years. Jo’s diverse experience in childcare includes roles at every level within center operations. At the program/center level, Jo embarked on her career as a floater at Bright Horizons in 1994, progressively advancing through various positions. Jo’s tenure with HeadStart stands out as a significant highlight, where she assumed the role of Center Director. This position entailed overseeing the launch of a new program and managing the closure of another, showcasing her adaptability and leadership in navigating complex situations within the childcare domain. All of Jo’s experiences, both personal and professional, have shaped her passion for supporting the early education field, children, and families. Jo is also a wife and mother. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_86946972772e4759ac2364aef4f94471~mv2.jpg Malory Zaun, Clinical Manager, Early Childhood Initiatives, Senior Clinical Consultant, Early Childhood, Child Guidance & Family Solutions Malory Zaun is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervision Designation in the state of Ohio. She received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counselling from The University of Akron in 2012 and, since that time, has been a member of the Child Guidance & Family Solutions’ team, which is a nonprofit Community Mental Health Organization in Summit County. Malory has held several roles throughout her time with the organization, including both direct service and treatment as a mental health therapist, as well as supervision and management of various programs. Malory has been an active scholar and employee of the Greater Akron area for nearly two decades. She is passionate about providing support and education to the community regarding early childhood, especially to parents, caregivers, and educators. Malory is an advocate for positive systems change regarding education across the cradle-to-career continuum, as well as strengthening community support of parents and caregivers of young children. Malory has been providing mental health therapy for children, teens, and adults for over a decade and specializes in early childhood, trauma, behavior, mood and anxiety, sexual behavior, and parenting concerns. Malory embraces a trauma-informed, client-centered, and developmental approach in therapy and has been honored to hold a safe space for families to heal and grow. In Malory’s current role as the Early Childhood Initiatives Manager, she oversees the agency’s Early Childhood programming and maintains collaboration with community partners. Prior to her work at Child Guidance & Family Solutions, Malory studied Psychology, Child Development, Human Development, Parent Education, and Victim Studies during her undergraduate career at the University of Akron. Malory served as an AmeriCorps team member through a program called JumpStart through the University of Akron, which worked with at-risk preschool children to better prepare them and their families for school success. Outside of her professional endeavors, Malory is dedicated to her family and values spending time with her four young children. She enjoys being outdoors and feels most at peace when in nature.

Download our roadshow factsheet (https://5880718d-c320-42e3-a037-25fa66c0bbc0.usrfiles.com/ugd/d114b9_1cf92661cf0845769d13e1a15cae5ca6.pdf)to learn more about our policy process. Use county-specific data to help with your advocacy outreach. • Summit County Factsheet(https://d114b999-71e8-45e2-be5a-0aaa99997a3b.usrfiles.com/ugd/d114b9_2be7a8eb4bb24ac4b4484915e1c1b738.pdf) Request another county-specific data source by contacting us. (mailto:bthomas@groundworkohio.org)

Engage with us online! We want to hear from you. Use #GOListeningTour when tweeting during the day. Sample post: 🚗 [Take a photo/selfie at the event] I’m with @GroundworkOhio on their 2024 Roadshow Listening Tour in Akron, Ohio. Child care is essential to Ohio’s working families, so we’re ready to make our #BIGVOICE heard by the state’s policymakers. #GOListeningTour #Akron #SummitCounty Follow us online: @GroundworkOhio https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_9945f0671b7b4c6fa90a0451a89d74c4~mv2.png https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_e7fb5d0592734a82b1122342ffe296b8~mv2.png https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_c7568771e59649e8afc15899fac65526~mv2.png https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_9b699899a110461496cc67aab6aab999~mv2.png https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_d906f29871034a62887ed846523d0abd~mv2.png https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d114b9_dc47d91f0fda42b88476662b679f89ca~mv2.png Download our social media toolkit for easy posting. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1stwB9s8B6sMdpGbauI0cBh16oSG5ors-_TtzOGz6ZJ0/edit?usp=sharing)

10:00 am: Registration Take part in our data engagement activity before the formal program begins. 10:30 am: Welcome and Introductions Shannon Jones, CEO, Groundwork Ohio Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio 10:55 am: Panel 1 Our panel will be moderated by Dr. David James, Executive Director of Summit Education Initiative, and will include: • Dr. Brad Lucas, Chief Medical Officer, Buckeye Health Plan • Dr. Jennifer Savitski, Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Medical Director, PATH Center | Associate Professor of OB/GYN, Northeast Ohio Medical University • Shaleeta Smith, Director of Family Health, Summit County Public Health 11:40 am: Panel 2 Our panel will be moderated by Dr. David James, Executive Director of Summit Education Initiative, and will include: • Beth Kelley, Akron Area YMCA • Richelle Wardell, Education & Health Strategist, City of Akron • Jo White, Owner, Circle of Life CEC • Malory Zaun, Clinical Manager, Early Childhood Initiatives, Senior Clinical Consultant, Early Childhood, Child Guidance & Family Solutions 12:15 pm: Lunch and Table Discussion 12:45 pm: Conclusion and Wrap-Up

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We want to hear from you. Policymakers need to hear about your expertise and challenges. Help inform early childhood policy and take our brief survey today.(https://secure.everyaction.com/FdIy59v9lUG4QJDU7FbilA2)

Akron-Summit County Public Library 60 S. High Street Akron, OH 44326 Library Parking You can pick up a pre-printed ticket with a QR code that can be scanned at the garage’s exit point / payment machine. This QR code will reduce the price for parking by one hour. Library visitors must also keep their original parking ticket and present that upon paying / exiting the garage as well. Both tickets are needed at garage checkout. Another close parking option is High/Marketing Deck, 40 S. High Street. Parking is $1 for 0-30 minutes and $7 for a day. More parking options are available here.(https://ctycms.com/oh-akron/docs/2023-dap-parking-map-web.pdf?nvep=&hmac=&emci=60051bea-e119-ef11-86d0-6045bdd9e096&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&ceid=)