Staff Leadership
Sharon Sobol Jordan, President & CEO
Sharon has served in top leadership, strategy, business, and advisory roles in a wide-ranging career that has crossed sectors, disciplines, and boundaries. Before her appointment as the first woman to lead the United Way of Greater Cleveland as President & CEO, she was Founder & CEO of OpenSpace Solutions LLC where she served as a hands-on strategic partner and advisor helping transformational leaders reimagine what’s possible. As part of this array of customized services, Sharon served as Interim CEO of DigitalC, a nonprofit digital equity tech startup.
She previously served as President and Board member of Unify Labs, a nonprofit tech innovation lab with the mission of powering inclusive prosperity, after serving as Chief of Staff for Cuyahoga County where she drove key strategic initiatives including early childhood education expansion, workforce systems transformation, the first unified strategic plan, and formation of the first Innovation Office. Sharon was the first woman to serve as President & CEO of The Centers for Families and Children, one of Ohio’s oldest and largest non-profit human service corporations, which tripled in size and reach under her leadership to employ over 550 and serve more than 25,000 people each year. She was appointed to lead The Centers after serving as its Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel.
Sharon joined The Centers after an impactful public service career with the City of Cleveland as Director of Law and Special Counsel to the Mayor. She played a key role in many critical issues facing the City including the effort to keep the Cleveland Browns team, name and colors in Cleveland; protecting the community from the adverse impacts of the acquisition of Conrail by Norfolk Southern and CSX railroads; and the dispute over development of the Chagrin Highlands. Prior to that, Sharon entered the professional services field by way of the Cleveland law firm now known as Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell where she became a partner.
Sharon serves on several boards including Bruening Foundation, City Club of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic - South Pointe Hospital, Cleveland Jewish News, Cleveland Transformation Alliance, and PolicyBridge. She is a member of In Counsel with Women and the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2003. She is a Leader-in-Residence at the Cleveland State University College of Law where she co-teaches a leadership course with Dean Lee Fisher. Jordan is honored to have received various recognitions of her work, including the Smart 50 leaders in Northeast Ohio, Nortech’s Innovative Leader of the Year, EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, Crain’s Woman of Note, and YWCA Woman of Achievement awards.
She received her J.D. and M.B.A. from The Ohio State University, and her B.S. in public administration and management from Indiana University in Bloomington. Sharon is married to attorney David Wallace, a partner with Taft Stettinius & Hollister. They have three children.
Sharon Sobol Jordan
President & CEO
Ken Surratt, Chief Development and Investment Officer
Ken started his career in the private sector, but decided his passion lay in creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds to pursue their dreams. He has realized that goal at United Way, where he works to align revenue generation, community investments, and public policy to increase impact in the community.
Ken values United Way’s unique ability to harness innovation, collaboration, and evaluation to create better outcomes for Greater Clevelanders. He plays a key role in identifying potential new solutions for systemic barriers, and is skilled at bringing together diverse stakeholders around a common mission: improving lives in our community.
Chief Development and Investment Officer
Kristen Popelmayer, Chief Marketing Officer
Kristen brings extensive brand management experience from the private and healthcare sectors to her role leading United Way’s Marketing and Communications team. Passionate about using research insights to develop compelling brand platforms that convey value and purpose, Kristen has worked to improve the image and awareness of United Way of Greater Cleveland by leading a brand study, supporting Impact Institute initiatives, and producing memorable events.
Kristen is motivated by the need for solutions that can improve lives in our community, using her talent for bringing ideas to life to explain United Way’s work and inspire people to listen and take action.
Kristen Popelmayer
Chief Marketing and
Communications Officer
Toi Comer, Vice President, Resource Development
With roots in the inner city, where she received support from a strong village, Toi is motivated to help create opportunities for better tomorrows for others. She is inspired by United Way’s approach of assisting those in crisis while also collaborating on solutions to systemic barriers.
Toi brings diverse leadership experience in resource development, strategic planning, community relations, stakeholder and team management, and equity to her role at United Way. In addition to generating revenue, Toi is focused on increasing staff efficiency by building a trusting and collaborative workplace.
Toi Comer
Vice President, Resource Development
Margaret Koehler, Senior Director, Executive Administration
Margaret has worn many hats in her time at United Way, including leading marketing for Resource Development, Community Investments, and Executive Office projects and planning annual meetings. She brings her deep knowledge of Greater Cleveland and passion for giving back to others to her current role as liaison with the Board of Directors.
Margaret excels at building trusted relationships around a common cause, providing integral support to staff and Board members as they work together to fulfill United Way’s mission.
Margaret Koehler
Senior Director, Executive Administration
Franco Formichelli, Senior Director, 211
Franco leads the team of 211 Navigators, helping callers sort through the complex array of available social services. A former contact center leader, he brings his expertise in forecasting and phone menus to the 211 call center.
Franco has helped forge new partnerships to expand the services offered by 211, such as with the Utility Hotline. He values the opportunity to make a difference in the community through his work and is proud to be the president of Inform Ohio, the Information and Referral organization that leads statewide 211 strategy.
Franco Formichelli
Senior Director, 211
Ruth Dobranic, Senior Director, Finance
Ruth brings decades of financial experience to her work managing United Way’s accounting. As someone who grew up in poverty, she is inspired and motivated by United Way's mission to improve lives and create community impact at scale.
Ruth knows that financial transparency and accountability are the foundation of an effective nonprofit, and she has been instrumental in updating United Way’s accounting systems to maximize their accuracy and flexibility.
Ruth Dobranic
Senior Director, Finance
Julie Wisneski, Senior Director, Development
Julie understands that collaboration is the key to making meaningful change. She saw the importance of wealth-building as a pathway out of poverty during a decade of working with low-income communities, and is committed to using her expertise in collaborative leadership to identify new economic pathways in Greater Cleveland.
Julie's passion for building trustworthy relationships is pivotal to her success in cultivating sustainable funding for United Way. She excels at leading multi-stakeholder teams in philanthropic investments that improve economic opportunities and outcomes across our region.
Julie Wisneski
Senior Director, Development
Michael Brown, Senior Director, Human Resources
Giving back to the community has always been a career focus for Michael, who came to United Way from the public sector. He takes a strategic approach that integrates people management with the organization’s strategic plan, ensuring that HR initiatives contribute to business success and sustainability. A people person, he engages staff in building a supportive internal culture and implementing policies that support their work.
Michael is continually learning from his peers through his involvement with professional HR organizations, and was named a Who’s Who in Black Cleveland recipient in 2022.
Michael Brown
Senior Director, Human Resources
Jane Furth, Senior Director, Principal & Leadership Giving
A career fundraiser, Jane brings 25 years of experience managing campaigns and soliciting major gifts to her role of stewarding leadership donors for United Way. Jane is a relationship builder who believes in helping others, and she is passionate about educating donors on how they can impact our region.
Jane knows that major gifts are key to ensuring the future of United Way, and is working to nurture current relationships, establish new connections, and implement a feasibility study to identify ways to increase our donor pool.
Jane Furth
Senior Director, Principal & Leadership Giving
Board of Directors
Board Leadership
Vanessa L. Whiting, Esq.
Board Chair
AES Management Corp.
Paul J. Dolan
Immediate Past Chair Cleveland Guardians
James A. Ratner
Vice Chair
RMS Investment Group
Andrew J. “Randy” Paine III
Treasurer and Chair, Finance
Key Institutional Bank
Sonali B. Wilson, Esq.
Secretary
Cleveland State University
Chris Adams
Chair, Marketing & Brand Strategy Committee
Park Place Technologies
Keith J. Libman
Chair, Investment Committee
Bober Markey Fedorovich & Co.
Kim Meisel Pesses
Chair, Community Investment Committee
Carnegie Companies, Inc.
Monte Repasky
Chair, Resource Development Committee
EY
Enid B. Rosenberg
Chair, Governance and Nominating Committee
Community Volunteer
Taras G. Szmagala Jr.
Chair, Public Policy
Eaton Corporation
Jeffrey D. Zimon
Chair, Human Resources Committee
Zimon LLC
Sharon Sobol Jordan
President & CEO
United Way of Greater Cleveland
Directors
Harriet Applegate
North Shore Federation of Labor AFL-CIO (retired)
Craig Arnold
Eaton Corporation
Dr. Michael A. Baston
Cuyahoga Community College
Edward J. Bell
Gries Financial Partners
Cipriano Beredo
Squire Patton Boggs
Kip T. Bollin
Thompson Hine, LLP
Maynard A. “Mike” Buck
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP (retired)
Emily Campbell
The Center for Community Solutions
Nabil Chehade, M.D.
The MetroHealth System
Kevin Clayton
Cleveland Cavaliers
Jenice Contreras
Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development
Colleen Cotter
Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Leonard DiCosimo
North Shore Federation of Labor AFL-CIO
David C. Fulton Jr.
Clearstead Advisors, LLC
Patrick Gareau
Catholic Charities
Jerome P. Grisko, Jr.
CBIZ, Inc.
Dee Bagwell Haslam
Cleveland Browns
J. David Heller
NRP Enterprises LLC
Elizabeth M. Hijar
Walter Haverfield
Stephen Hoffman
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation
Erik Janas
Cuyahoga County
Joy D. Johnson
Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc.
Ira C. Kaplan
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP
Nick Kompare
Medical Mutual of Ohio
Susan D. Krantz
Zinner & Company LLP
Steffany Larkins
Unison Risk Advisors
Cecil J. Lipscomb
United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland
Melissa Maki
Middlefield Bank
Kevin Martin
Ideastream
Mark Meder
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Calder Mellino
The Mellino Law Firm
Tomislav Mihaljevic, MD
Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Warren Morgan
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Shari Obrenski
Cleveland Teachers Union
Jeffery K. Patterson
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
Ryan M. Puente
City of Cleveland
Brian J. Richardson
Covia
Erika Rudin-Luria
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Victor Ruiz
Esperanza, Inc.
George A. Sample
Blue Streak Consultants
Jasmin Santana
Cleveland City Council
India L. Birdsong Terry
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Felton Thomas Jr.
Cleveland Public Library
Daniel Walsh
Citymark Capital
Paul L. Wellener IV
Deloitte
Lorna Wisham
First Energy
Directors
Harriet Applegate
North Shore Federation of Labor AFL-CIO (retired)
Craig Arnold
Eaton Corporation
Dr. Michael A. Baston
Cuyahoga Community College
Edward J. Bell
Gries Financial Partners
Cipriano Beredo
Squire Patton Boggs
Kip T. Bollin
Thompson Hine, LLP
Maynard A. “Mike” Buck
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP (retired)
Emily Campbell
The Center for Community Solutions
Nabil Chehade, M.D.
The MetroHealth System
Kevin Clayton
Cleveland Cavaliers
Jenice Contreras
Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development
Colleen Cotter
Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Leonard DiCosimo
North Shore Federation of Labor AFL-CIO
David C. Fulton Jr.
Clearstead Advisors, LLC
Patrick Gareau
Catholic Charities
Jerome P. Grisko, Jr.
CBIZ, Inc.
Dee Bagwell Haslam
Cleveland Browns
J. David Heller
NRP Enterprises LLC
Elizabeth M. Hijar
Walter Haverfield
Stephen Hoffman
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation
Erik Janas
Cuyahoga County
Joy D. Johnson
Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc.
Ira C. Kaplan
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP
Nick Kompare
Medical Mutual of Ohio
Susan D. Krantz
Zinner & Company LLP
Steffany Larkins
Unison Risk Advisors
Cecil J. Lipscomb
United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland
Melissa Maki
Middlefield Bank
Kevin Martin
Ideastream
Mark Meder
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Calder Mellino
The Mellino Law Firm
Tomislav Mihaljevic, MD
Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Warren Morgan
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Shari Obrenski
Cleveland Teachers Union
Jeffery K. Patterson
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
Ryan M. Puente
City of Cleveland
Brian J. Richardson
Covia
Erika Rudin-Luria
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Victor Ruiz
Esperanza, Inc.
George A. Sample
Blue Streak Consultants
Jasmin Santana
Cleveland City Council
India L. Birdsong Terry
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Felton Thomas Jr.
Cleveland Public Library
Daniel Walsh
Citymark Capital
Paul L. Wellener IV
Deloitte
Lorna Wisham
First Energy
Life Directors
Thomas W. Adler
Playhouse Square Real Estate Services
Richard J. Buoncore
MAI Capital Management
Marc S. Byrnes
Oswald Companies
Paul Clark
PNC Bank (Retired)
Alexander M. “Sandy” Cutler
Eaton Corporation (Retired)
Terrance C.Z. Egger
The Plain Dealer (Retired)
Robert W. Gillespie Jr.
KeyCorp (Retired)
Henry J. Goodman *
H. Goodman Inc.
Alex Machaskee
Alex Machaskee & Associates, L.L.C.
Morton L. Mandel *
Parkwood Corporation
Henry L. Meyer III *
KeyCorp
Sandra Pianalto
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (Retired)
Richard W. Pogue, Esq.
Jones Day
Robert S. Reitman
Riverbend Advisors
William R. Robertson
Kirkland Capital
Cheryle A. Wills-Matthews *
JALAD Group
Emeritus Directors
William E. Butler
Julien L. McCall *
* Deceased
Geauga County Advisory Board
Melissa Maki
Board Chair
Middlefield Bank
Sonya Kaser
Resource Development Chair
Maverick Environmental Equipment
Amjad Khoury
Community Impact Chair
Capol LLC
Dawn Farrell
Geauga Metropolitan Housing Authority
Cheryl Kuonen
Mentor Public Library
Nancy Santilli
ESC of the Western Reserve
Lee Schloss
Kokosing Materials, Inc.
Trey Simpson
Great Lakes Cheese Co.
Joseph Zulandt
Ten10 Designs
