OUR TEAM

Those Who Support and Sustain the Council’s Efforts

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Council’s Champions

The Cleveland Council on World Affairs thanks the members of our Board. Their input and guidance provide our organization with the strength, stability, and vision necessary to extend our outreach and further our connections within the international community. The support and effort of our Board of Directors is a hallmark of CCWA as the vibrant organization that it is today.

BOARD OFFICERS

FY 2026-2027

Colleen Petras, Chair
Financial Advisor (retired)
Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Seda Ergun, Vice Chair
National Director Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Principal Consultant
TRC Solutions

David Fleshler, Vice Chair
Associate Provost for International Affairs (retired)
Case Western Reserve University

Rebecca Kopp Levine, Vice Chair
Partner
Porter Wright

 

Linda F. Robertson, Ph.D., Vice Chair
Director (retired)
Gerald H. Read Center of International and Intercultural Education
Kent State University

Fritz Heintel, Treasurer
Senior Vice President
PNC Bank

Daniel Bollinger, Secretary
Business Counsel
Eaton Corporation

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2026-2027

Harlin Adelman
Chief Legal Officer
University Hospitals

Christopher Blake
Partner & Chair – International Practice Group
Hahn Loeser & Parks, LLP

Paul Clark
Regional President (retired)
PNC

Elizabeth Coluby
Founder
Coluby Consulting & Coaching

Howard B. Edelstein
President
Edelstein Financial Corporation

Maan Fares, M.D.
Chairman
Global Patient Services, Cleveland Clinic

Hiroyuki Fujita, Ph.D.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Quality Electrodynamics (QED); Chairman, Canon Healthcare USA, Inc.; Chief Technology Officer, CT-MR Division, Canon Medical Systems Corporation; Honorary Consul of Japan in Cleveland

Su He
Attorney
Porter Wright

Kimberly Holizna
Managing Director, Global Development
Global Aero Industries

Sanjiv Kapur
Partner
Jones Day

Wael Khoury, M.D.
Head of Cardiology
Marymount Hospital, Cleveland Clinic

Michael Knall
President
Rincoh Investments, Inc.

Kevin Malecek
Director, Economic Development and International Trade
City of Mentor, Ohio

Tim McGuire
Executive Director
J.P. Morgan                      

Mindy McLaughlin
Managing Director of International Business and Development
Team NEO

Bianca Menendez
Foreign Service Officer (retired)

Stephen J. Petras, Jr.
Director
Frederick K. Cox International Law Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Law; United States National Director, Canada-United States Law Institute

Richard W. Pogue
Senior Advisor
Jones Day

Elena Ray
West Territory Sales Executive
PNC Bank

David Reimer
Foreign Service Officer (retired)

Ronn Richard
President & CEO (retired)
The Cleveland Foundation

Michael Scharf Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Global Legal Studies
Case Western Reserve School of Law

Martin C. Schulz
Group Head, International Equity
Federated Hermes, Inc.

Fareed Siddiq
Managing Director
The Siddiq Wealth Management Group, Merrill Lynch

Donald A. Sinko
Chief Integrity Officer (retired)
Cleveland Clinic

Julie Spintzyk
Manager
Apellis Pharmaceuticals

Milena Sterio
James A. Thomas Distinguished Professor of Law 
Cleveland State University

Carter E. Strang
Leader-in-Residence, Cleveland State University College of Law;
Partner, Tucker Ellis (retired)

Lucy Yasinsky
Financial Professional
B. Riley Financial Inc. 

Paul Winkeler
Customer Experience Manager BlueBridge Networks

Mark Zannoni
Director
Smart Cities Strategy, Oracle

David O. Zimmer
Senior Counsel
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani

HONORARY Board Members
  • Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley
  • Ambassador Jennifer L. Brush
  • Ambassador Edward F. Crawford
  • Ambassador Charles Dunbar
  • Ambassador John D. Ong
  • Ambassador William R. Timken, Jr.
  • Ambassador Lynne Tracy
CCWA FOUNDATION Trustees

Cynthia Bassett
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management
UBS Financial Services

Wael Khoury, M.D.
Head of Cardiology
Marymount Hospital, Cleveland Clinic

Michael Knall
President
Rincoh Investments, Inc.

James Meil
Principal, Industry Analysis
ACT Research

Colleen Petras
Financial Advisor (retired)
Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Stephen J. Petras, Jr.
Founder and Director
NeXT1 Inc.

Richard W. Pogue
Senior Advisor
Jones Day

Satricia Rice
Senior Managing Director
Clearstead

Donald A. Sinko
Chief Integrity Officer Cleveland Clinic

Carter E. Strang
Leader-in-Residence, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
Retired Partner, Tucker Ellis, LLP

CCWA STAFF

The Council’s Core Team

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Marti

FLACKS

President and Chief Executive Officer

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Marti Flacks

President and Chief Executive Officer

Marti serves as the President and CEO of CCWA. A Cleveland native, Marti has worked both inside and outside government during her 25-year foreign policy career. Prior to CCWA, she most recently served as the first Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Supply Chain Center in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, where she oversaw the design and launch of first-of-their-kind supply chain assessment tools that reshaped how the U.S. government quantifies and analyzes economic security risks. Earlier, Marti worked as Director of African Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, covering East and Southern Africa and continent-wide security and economic issues, and in senior positions in the State Department’s Energy Resources and Africa Bureaus, including four years working on Sudan and South Sudan for the U.S. Special Envoy. Outside of government, Marti served as Khosravi Chair in Principled Internationalism and Director of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a leading foreign policy think tank, and as Deputy Director of the Business & Human Rights Resource Center – an NGO that promotes responsible business conduct by companies around the world. She received her B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, her M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and her JD from Columbia Law School. She attended Solon High School.

Ambassador

Heather

HODGES

Ambassador-in-Residence

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Ambassador Heather Hodges

Ambassador-in-Residence

Ambassador Heather Hodges became the Ambassador-in-Residence at the Cleveland Council on World Affairs in November 2011 after retiring from 31 years in the U.S. Foreign Service. She also held the position of President of CCWA 2011-2026. Ambassador Hodges did consular work in Venezuela and Guatemala. She was Consul General in Bilbao, Spain, and was deputy chief of mission in Managua, Lima, and Madrid. In Washington, she was Peru desk officer and Deputy Director of Cuban Affairs, and had a fellowship to work on the Senate Subcommittee for Immigration and Refugee Affairs. She was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Human Resources from 2006-2008. Ms. Hodges was Ambassador to Moldova from 2003-2006 and Ambassador to Ecuador from 2008 to April 2011. Ambassador Hodges is a native of Westlake, Ohio, and now lives in Bay Village, Ohio. She has a B.A. in Spanish from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and an M.A. from New York University. She was elected to the American Academy of Diplomacy in 2011. She is a member of the board of the Jocotoco Foundation, an Ecuadorian NGO, and is on the Advisory Council of Rainforest Trust. Both are nonprofit environmental organizations.

Jenni

Carney

Chief Operating Officer

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Jenni Carney

Chief Operating Officer

Jenni has been a part of the CCWA team since 2012. She was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2025. As the Chief Operating Officer, Jenni manages CCWA’s office operations, develops and leads implementation of development and membership strategy, and oversees marketing and outreach strategy. Jenni joined CCWA in 2012 as its first dedicated development professional. Over the years, Jenni has grown the development, marketing and outreach department at CCWA into a high-performing center of nonprofit excellence. Jenni played an instrumental role in the success of CCWA’s Centennial in 2023, co-leading planning efforts and spearheading centennial fundraising efforts. Prior to joining the Council Jenni worked in various development roles at the Achievement Centers for Children, The Cleveland Orchestra and the American Red Cross. A native of Finland, Jenni has a master’s degree in political science from the University of Helsinki, with a concentration in international relations.

Elizabeth

Colvin

Director of Global Education

Maura O’Donnell-McCarthy Center for Global Understanding

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Elizabeth Colvin

Director of Global Education

Elizabeth Colvin joined the Cleveland Council on World Affairs in June 2018. In her current role, Elizabeth is responsible for experiential learning for students, professional development programming focused on supporting educators' capabilities for teaching global issues, a cross-cultural communication training program, and globally-minded leadership development for young professionals. Prior to joining CCWA, Elizabeth worked as an elementary school English Language Arts teacher with Breakthrough Schools. Elizabeth also served as a 2015 Teach For America corps member. Elizabeth is a Georgetown University alumna with a dual degree in Government (B.A.) and Art History (B.A.), and holds a M.S. in Education from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Education.

Andrew

KOVACH

Director

International Exchanges

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Andrew Kovach

Program Officer

Andrew Kovach joined the Council in June 2015 and serves as Director of International Exchange Programs. Andrew holds a M.A. of Global Interactions from Cleveland State University where he also completed his undergraduate degree in International Relations and Political Science. Andrew first joined the Council in 2015 as Development Assistant, and then assumed a role in the International Exchanges Program area. Previously, Andrew worked at CCWA as an International Visitors Leadership Program Intern, and a social media volunteer. His other professional experiences have focused on Cleveland’s refugee community through various roles at the International Services Center and Global Cleveland. Andrew is passionate about non-profits, foreign affairs, refugees, and his hometown Cleveland.

Trey

Rainey

Program Officer

International Exchanges

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Trey Rainey

Program Associate, International Exchanges

Trey Rainey joined the Council in January 2024 as a Program Associate and now serves as Program Officer for International Exchanges. Trey twice graduated from the Ohio State University with an M.A. of East Asian Languages and Literatures, specializing in Advanced Chinese Language and Culture, and a B.A. in International Relations and Mandarin Chinese. Trey has always had a strong interest in world cultures that has been strengthened by several study abroad opportunities and working abroad in China for a combined three and a half years. He is excited about working on international exchanges where he can help foster international relations at the individual level.

Lydia

JOHNSON

Associate

Student Programs

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Lydia Johnson

Associate, Student Programs

Lydia Johnson joined CCWA in November 2025 and serves as the Associate for Student Programs. In this role, she oversees CCWA’s Model UN conferences, managing the logistics, outreach, and support of delegates, advisors, and partners. She is currently working towards her Master’s in International Education Management from The Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and received two Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Spanish from Howard University. She previously worked as a Youth Support Specialist with University Settlement serving K-8 out-of-schooltime programming and is a Fulbright and Gilman alumna. Lydia has a deep dedication to using education as a diplomatic tool and aims to create and provide meaningful international education experiences for young people. She considers herself a global citizen with a Cleveland heart.

Jacob

Connell

Manager

Speaker Programs

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Jacob Connell

Manager, Speaker Programs

Jacob Connell joined the Council in August 2023 and serves as Manager of Speaker Programs. He is responsible for developing, planning, and executing CCWA’s Foreign Policy Forum and Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations speaker programs. Jacob graduated from George Washington University with a B.A. in International Affairs and a minor in History. Prior to joining CCWA, Jacob served as an AmeriCorps member in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District advising high school students as they prepare for a post-secondary education. A proud Cleveland native, Jacob strives to think globally and act locally.

Ella

Bartholomew

Operations Associate

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Ella Bartholomw

Operations Associate

Ella Bartholomew joined CCWA in December 2025 and serves as the Operations Associate. In this role, she provides administrative support for CCWA’s development efforts, marketing initiatives, and day-to-day operations. Prior to joining the Council as a full-time team member, Ella served as an intern working on CCWA’s international exchange programs. She graduated from Miami University with a B.A. in International Studies and a minor in Japanese and is an alumna of the Scholar Leadership Program, where she organized events to increase student engagement on campus. Through her leadership experiences and multiple study abroad opportunities, Ella has cultivated a deep and lasting interest in community building and cultural exchange. As a Cleveland native, she looks forward to giving back to her community by supporting CCWA’s mission of fostering cross-cultural understanding and meaningful global connections in Northeast Ohio.

Jason

Staviscak

Director

Finance

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Jason Staviscak

Finance Director

Jason joined the Council in December 2024 and serves as CCWA’s Finance Director. He joins CCWA with decades of finance and accounting experience. A lifelong Clevelander, Jason previously held various accounting and finance roles with Ernst & Young, American Greetings and Cloudco Entertainment, and has been involved as an Associate board member and volunteer for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. He graduated from John Carroll University with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and from Cleveland State University with an M.B.A. Jason enjoys all things Cleveland, travel, and collecting Día de los Muertos artwork.

Carter E. Strang Young Professionals Advisory Committee

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The Cleveland Council on World Affairs’ Carter E. Strang Young Professionals Advisory Committee (YPAC) is a body of young professionals who support the work of CCWA in its efforts to engage young professionals and students in our programming. YPAC members do this by providing program feedback and insight to the board and staff of CCWA, leading coordination of young professional events, and serving as community ambassadors for CCWA and its programs.

Responsibilities of Members

Members of the Young Professionals Advisory Committee are expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:

  • Generate ideas for engaging a younger and more diverse audience through new methods of outreach and recruit other young professionals for CCWA programming;
  • Provide feedback and recommendations related to boosting young professional engagement with CCWA;
  • Serve as CCWA “community ambassadors”;
  • Help develop a pipeline for younger Citizen Diplomat volunteers (volunteers who engage in international exchange programs); and
  • Coordinate events as desired and as deemed appropriate by CCWA (social events or international-themed events targeted to young professionals).
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Benefits to Members

YPAC members can expect to enjoy the following benefits of membership:

  • Development of leadership skills in preparation for future nonprofit committee and/or board involvement;
  • Opportunities to engage in small-group/private conversations with foreign policy experts;
  • Targeted opportunities to meet with international visitors and/or guest speakers;
  • CCWA membership benefits at the “Global Citizen Member” or “Student Member” rate;
  • Resume building and networking opportunities; and
    Opportunity to help advance the work of CCWA and play an integral role in local Citizen Diplomacy initiatives.
MEET THE MEMBERS

Megan Lowes-Bolin, President

Michael Steensen, Social Chair

Samantha Alonso

Natalie Bello

Maria Blough

Muriel Bowen

George Bukenya

Mario Codispoti

Mary Conway

Sydnie Echols

Andrew Frye

Vito Giannola

Daniela Goncalves

Larissa Harris

Benjamin Jakubowski

Austin Jones

Sara Kalout

Santana King

Joseph Luntz

Edelyn Park

Thomas Rovito

Kyle Shen

Andrew Sobhy

Aditi Srivastava

David Szabo

Cameron Taylor

Bre Tischler

Emily Weaver

GET INVOLVED Application & FAQ

Get Engaged, Expand Your Network, and Build Your Resume: YPAC Applications Now Open!

Eligibility: YPAC is open to young professionals and students aged 21-35 based in Northeast Ohio. Each YPAC term is for two years, and members can renew until they reach 35. YPAC members must become a Global Citizen or student member of CCWA; commit to attending YPAC meetings and events; and be ready to represent CCWA at other events and in the community.

Click at the link to learn more and apply: Applications for the 2026-2028 cohort have closed.

For any questions about the Young Professionals Advisory Committee, please contact Jacob Connell at jconnell@ccwa.org.

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Contribute to Global Connections

SUPPORT THE CLEVELAND COUNCIL ON WORLD AFFAIRS

For a century, the CCWA has brought diverse perspectives on issues of international import to Cleveland. Much of our programming is made possible by the support of our members and the generosity of our donors. Will you help us continue to create global connections?

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