CCWA Welcomes New Finance Director Jason Staviscak and Bids Farewell to Long-time Finance Director Doug Firman

The Cleveland Council on World Affairs (CCWA) is delighted to welcome Jason Staviscak as its new Finance Director. CCWA’s long-time and beloved Finance Director, Doug Firman, will be retiring on December 31, 2024.  Jason Staviscak assumed his role on December 1 to allow for a transition in the role.

“The role of the Finance Director is a key position in ensuring the success and the sustainability of our organization. Doug has served CCWA with impeccable attention to detail, dedication, and kindness, and we are most grateful for his twelve years at CCWA. He has been a wonderful colleague. At the same time, the CCWA Board and I are excited to welcome Jason to our team, and I look forward to the skills and talents he will bring to CCWA,” says Carina Van Vliet, CCWA’s Chief Executive Officer.

Jason Staviscak joins CCWA with decades of finance and accounting experience.  Most recently, Jason served as the CFO of Cloudco Entertainment, entertainment studio home of the Care Bears and other children’s intellectual property. Prior to that, he worked at American Greetings and at E&Y in various finance and accounting roles.

Jason looks forward to joining the team at CCWA: “I look forward to directly contributing to CCWA’s mission of promoting an increased understanding of world cultures and their unique perspectives, while becoming part of a team that is passionate about the mission of CCWA,” Jason reflects. “As I have gotten to know the various team and board members associated with CCWA, it is apparent that this is a group of extremely dedicated individuals - what an honor to become a part of this team devoted to making a positive impact on our community and the world.”

Doug Firman will be retiring from CCWA after 12 years of managing its finances and supporting operations. He joined CCWA in 2012 to run CCWA’s finance and accounting functions and supporter HR and various other operations. In addition to working at CCWA, Doug has been teaching aspiring finance professionals as an accounting professor at various area colleges. He looks forward to dedicating more time to teaching upon his retirement from CCWA. He also looks forward to traveling with his wife Pam and connecting with friends.

“My favorite thing about working at CCWA has been seeing amazing colleagues trying to make the world a better place, one person at a time. The dedication and energy the staff puts forth on a daily basis is inspiring,” reflects Doug on his twelve years at CCWA.

The mission of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs is to inspire engagement in international affairs and world cultures through education, citizen diplomacy, and public dialogue. CCWA’s programs include speaker forums, global education programs varying from student programs to professional development, and international exchanges. For more information, visit www.ccwa.org.