2020-2021 Board of Directors
OFFICERS
Please Click Pictures for Board Member Bios
President-Elect
February 2021 - Present
Attorney at Law
The Scanlon Group
DIRECTORS
Michelle Bisson
Vice President,
Marketing & Communications
Summa Health System
Benjamin Comston, Esq.
Director of Operations,
Workforce Management
Genesis Financial Solutions
Anita L. Davis, Esq.
Attorney at Law
Past PGA Board President
Barbara A. Feld
Emeritus
Executive Director
Tuesday Musical Association
Annie Hanson Hilaire
Director of Community Relations and Engagement
The University of Akron
April Jefferson
Senior Communications Representative
FirstEnergy Service Company
Dana K. LaGarde
Retired Lead
Project Manager, AT&T
Past PGA Board President
Ellen McWilliams-Woods, Ph. D.
Chief Academic Officer/ Assistant Superintendent
Akron Public Schools
Diane Miller-Dawson
Finance Director
County of Summit
Ann Otto, Ph. D.
Retired Associate
Vice President
NEOMED
Brian R.E. Simmons, Esq.
Associate
Vorys, Sater, Seymour
and Pease LLP
Pamela R. Valentine
Community Volunteer
Past PGA Board President
Debbie Walsh
Assistant to the Director
Summit County
Board of Elections
The Honorable
Annalisa S. Williams
Judge
Akron Municipal Court
President-Elect
July 2020 - Jan 2021
Relocated to Alabama
EX OFFICIO
David W. James, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
Akron Public Schools
Jacqueline A. Silas-Butler, Esq.
Executive Director
Project GRAD Akron
Presidents of the Project GRAD Akron’s Board of Directors
Vivian Celeste Neal
2002
(Interim Director to establish the non-profit status)
Robert Kulinski
2002 - 2004
Jocelyn McClendon
2004 - 2007
Jean Van Ness, Esq.
2007 - 2009
Danielle Kimmell, CPA
2009 - 2012
Bennett Gaines
2012 - 2013
Anita L. Davis, Esq.
2013 - 2015
Dana K. LaGarde
2015 - 2018
Pamela R. Valentine
2018 - 2020
Martin H. Belsky, Esq.
7/1/2020 -