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Community Representatives

Sandra Brinson

Community Representing: Glenville - Ward 9

Sandra Brinson has lived in Glenville her entire life. Her parents bought a home there when she was four years old and her sister still lives in the house today. Brinson, a retired Cleveland Metropolitan School District elementary school principal and special education teacher, now lives closer to �ǿմ�ý, but still in Glenville, just north of campus. “I’m always proud to say that I’m from Glenville,” she says. Read more about Sandra Brinson. 

Darrell Fields

Community Representing: Forest Hill - East Cleveland

Neighborhood Advisory Council member Darrell A. Fields is an attorney with Forbes, Fields & Associates Co., L.P.A. and a 32-year resident of the City East Cleveland, Ohio.

"�ǿմ�ý is uniquely situated at the intersection of education, research and commerce," says Fields. "As a member of the Neighborhood Advisory Council, it is important that we provide a guiding light to assist the university in its institutional efforts to assure that the surrounding neighborhoods and all residents of Cleveland and East Cleveland share in the benefits of proximity to such a uniquely situated university." .

Gwendolyn Gaffenreed

Community Representing: Buckeye-Shaker - Ward 6

Gwendolyn Graffenreed is a native of Cleveland raised in the Hough neighborhood, graduated from East High School, and organized her 20th Class Reunion. She currently lives in the Buckeye/Shaker community where she has for over 40 years serving as secretary, vice president, and past president with the East 122nd Block Club. She completed the Neighborhood Leadership Certificate (Class 27), and participated in the Neighborhood Connection Initiative.

She is a retired preschool teacher and began her teaching career at the Day Nursery Association in Cleveland, OH. Gwendolyn earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood Education from Cuyahoga Community College and a National Child Development Associate (CDA) credential through the Orange County Head Start Program in Santa Ana, California. She taught for over 35 years throughout greater Cleveland and Santa Ana in various roles, including teacher assistant, head teacher, children's coordinator, and cooperating teacher (assisting practicum students in Cuyahoga Community College's Early Childhood Education Program), and worked briefly as a playground instructor for the Cleveland Public School Summer Program.

Gwendolyn has served on the board of the Cleveland Association for the Education of Young Children as a Membership Chairperson, the Cuyahoga Community College Dietetic Advisory Committee, and the Buckeye Area Development Inc. Advisory Steering Committee as a resident representative.

She has received many key achievement awards: Special Recognition Award City of Cleveland; Service Award 6th, 5th District Committee; City of Cleveland Community Service Award; Buckeye Area Development Inc., Cornerstone Award; Cleveland Public Library Unsung Hero Award; and �ǿմ�ý Certificate of Appreciation for Exceptional and Dedicated Service to the NAC.

Gwendolyn has published five books, two of which: Hough Legacy: What We Had and What We Lost; and Looking Out the Window: Buckeye/Shaker Neighborhood, uniquely focus on the themes of survival and represent the diverse communities she calls home. "It is important for me to continue to embrace the diversity in our communities with families and children as stakeholders," she said. 

She is honored to serve on the �ǿմ�ý Neighborhood Advisory Council and the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland as a representative of communities with fantastic members. .

Gwen Garth

Community Representing: Central - Ward 5

Central resident Gwendolyn Garth has lived near University Circle her entire life—she grew up living in Hough, Central, Glenville and Fairfax. And as a longtime community member, she has paid close attention to the relationship between the institutions in University Circle and the residents who live in the surrounding neighborhoods. 

“In the past, organizations have said that they wanted to help with change, but then, there’s not always been the support and the resources to implement it,” Garth says. “But today, the community is participating in change. We’re not just being presented with a plan and asked what we think of it. Now, we’re helping to create the plan.” Read more about Gwen Garth.

Kevinee Gilmore

Community Representing: Saint Clair Superior - Ward 7

Kevinee Gilmore is a five-time award-winning founder, CEO, and nationally recognized advocate for foster youth. She is best known for creating #FosterCare, a nonprofit that mobilizes celebrities, brands, and elected officials—including DMC, Shawn Carter, Paris Hilton, SZA, and President Biden—to amplify the voices and experiences of foster youth.

Kevinee’s groundbreaking work has been featured on Good Morning America, Ebony Magazine, and The Huffington Post. She served as the child welfare strategist for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, shaping policies and partnerships for over a decade. Her advocacy was instrumental in passing House Bill 50, extending foster care from age 18 to 21 with an $11 million budget. She also spearheaded the $2.3 million donation that now provides free tuition for current foster youth attending Cleveland State University.

As a former foster youth, mother, and woman of color, Kevinee intimately understands the foster care system’s challenges—and its potential. She believes the solution isn’t just another program, but a village, and she is committed to building it.

Now, as a CLE EDI Development Program cohort member, Kevinee is expanding her impact beyond advocacy into community development, with a strong focus on revitalizing the Superior/St. Clair neighborhood.

Myra L. Golden

Community Representing: Glenville - Ward 9

Myra L. Golden is a 60 year resident of the Glenville neighborhood and a Case alumni. She is a retired Contract Eval./Negotiator for Cuyahoga County. Ms. Golden was responsible for Early Childhood Education contracts and coordinated Refugee Services along with other social service contracts.

Vincent Holland

Community Representing: Glenville - Ward 9

PhD, Urban Studies and Public Affairs, Cleveland State University (CSU), (2014); MPA, CSU (1991); MS, Sociology, �ǿմ�ý (1979); BA, Political Science (1975); License in Chemical Dependency Counseling (LICDC, Ohio).

Work History: Cuyahoga County Probation Department (1980-2013) retired as Chief Probation Officer; Chemical Dependency Inpatient and Outpatient Programs at the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals; Presently a lecturer in the Sociology Department at Cuyahoga Community College.

Involved in the community as a member of the Board of Directors for Community Action Against Addiction, Partners in Justice, re-entry committees for housing and mental health, Community-Based Corrections Facility; �ǿմ�ý African-American Alumni Association and other social justice organizations. Read more about Vincent Holland.

Rita Knight-Gray

Community Representing: Glenville - Ward 9

Rita Knight-Gray has been a Glenville resident for 65 years and is a member of the �ǿմ�ý Neighborhood Advisory Council. "My neighborhood has been stagnant and without hope for almost 60 years, so I completed the Foundations of Community Building course, which later led to being a member of the Neighborhood Advisory Council. I began to believe I had found a way to assist with returning hope and rebuilding my neighborhood." .

Diane Pride-Mays

Community Representing: Larchmere - Ward 6

Diane Pride-Mays worked for the Federal government for 43 years as a financial analyst for the Department of Navy before retiring in 2016. She was involved in DFAS International Toastmasters (President, Area Governor), Federally Employed Women (President), United Way (Loan Executive), and Harvest for Hunger (Chairman). Diane has lived in the Larchmere community for 40 years, as well as the Buckeye area. She has always volunteered and been involved in her community. She enjoys serving others and helping in any way that she can.

Diane has tutored in elementary schools and assisted at senior centers. Currently, she serves as an Executive Assistant to Cleveland Council President Blaine Griffin which she has done for the past six years. Diane's first connection to �ǿմ�ý was in 1999, when her daughter (10-years-old at the time) participated in the National Sport Youth Program (NYSP) with Coach Harris. She served as a Fresh Link Ambassador at Swetland Center between 2017-2020, and is currently working with �ǿմ�ý Professor Mark Joseph as part of the Woodhill Hill Steering Committee.

Stephanie Stedmire-Walls MSW, SSW, LSW

Community Representing: East Cleveland

Received her master's degree from �ǿմ�ý's Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences (�ǿմ�ý-MSASS). She was one of the first Stokes Scholars to graduate. Currently, she serves as Vice President of the East Cleveland City School District (ECCSD) Board of Education, is a member of the Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Ladies of Peter Claver, Cleveland Association of Story Tellers (both Ohio and National), the Ohio Notary Association, and is a very active member of the East Cleveland community. She recently served as President of the East Cleveland Neighborhood Center. Before retiring from Centers for Families and Children as a Psychiatric Therapist, her office was in the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Center. For 20 years she was a Social Worker in the East Cleveland City School District. She has lived in the same East Cleveland residence for over 49 years with children and a grandchild who have been educated by and graduated from the East Cleveland City Schools.

Leon Stevenson 

Community Representing: Glenville - Ward 9

Cleveland native Leon Stevenson is an entrepreneur, former steel worker, and general contractor who is strongly dedicated to his faith and his community. He has won several awards for his work, but is most proud of his commendation for community service in District 5 and Ward 9. He serves on the ward's Executive Democratic Committee, as well as the board. Stevenson is an active member of Lee Seville Full Gospel Baptist Church. He is very proud of his four children, all of whom have received master's degrees. 

Regennia N. Williams, PhD

Community Representing: Larchmere - Ward 6

Dr. Regennia Williams is the Distinguished Scholar of African American History and Culture at Western Reserve Historical Society and a member of the �ǿմ�ý .

"The Neighborhood Advisory Council is comprised of a wonderfully diverse group of highly motivated individuals. Working with my NAC colleagues helps me gain a better understanding of �ǿմ�ý programs and policies and encourages me to consider the ways in which the members of the campus community and individuals and institutions in the surrounding neighborhoods might work together for the common good," she says. .

 Community-Based Organizations

Representative: John Anoliefo, Executive Director

Glenville - Ward 9

John Anoliefo is the Executive Director of Famicos Foundation--a community development corporation (CDC)--since August 2022. He administers a large staff of professionals in accounting, community building, engagement, real estate development, property management, and social services. Under his leadership, Famicos has grown from a small project-based CDC to owning and managing more than 1000 units of affordable housing for families, seniors, the disabled, and chronically unhoused.

Before coming to Famicos, he was the Executive Director for the Buckeye Area Development Corporation (BADC), overseeing transformational projects in the Buckeye neighborhood such as the Buckeye/E. 116th intersection retail district, which earned the first ever large grant from Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. Before heading up BADC, he worked with the City of East Cleveland for eight years.

John has a BS in Economics from Lake Erie College, and an MA in Public Administration from the University of Akron. He is also a graduate of the Executive Program in Community Development at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

He has received numerous awards, including the Key to the City of Cleveland, Jaycees Outstanding Young Men of America, Kaleidoscope Magazine for "Making a Difference in Cleveland Communities and Community Development," and the Cleveland Foundation for his work in helping shape our community identity.  

John is a native Nigerian and has lived in the Cleveland area for the past 42 years. He and his wife of 37 years, Uchenna, reside in Glenville and are blessed with four adult children: Ifey, Chika, Kene, and Oge. .

Hessler Neighborhood Association

Representative: Laura Cyrocki, President

University Circle - Ward 6

Laura Cyrocki has been a Hessler Road resident since 1998. 

Hessler Road is across Ford Drive from the Commodore Place Apartments, Church of the Covenant and �ǿմ�ý’s Mather Memorial Building. Hessler is Cleveland’s first Historic Landmark District, with a long history of tenants’ rights work, preservation of affordable housing and an annual Street Fair.

I moved to Cleveland in 1998 to work on youth gardening programs after completing my B.S. in Botany. I’ve worked in that field for three University Circle Institutions, including the Botanical Garden, the Montessori High School and Hanna Perkins School, where I am currently employed.

It’s an honor to be on �ǿմ�ý’s Neighborhood Advisory Council, where I hope to offer my skills as a community organizer, my curiosity, my anti-racism and my compassion as a concerned neighbor to all of �ǿմ�ý’s surrounding neighborhoods.

Representative: Sheffia Randall-Nickerson, MBA

University Circle - Ward 9

Sheffia Randall-Nickerson is an arts administrator, arts educator, actress, and director, serving Northeast Ohio for over 25 years. She is currently the Chief Engagement and Collaboration Officer at University Circle, Inc (UCI) a community service corporation for Cleveland’s arts and culture hub, and most recently held the position of CEO and President at the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning (CAL) a non-profit arts education organization that specializes in arts integration. Prior to CAL, Sheffia served as the Assistant Director for Community Engagement and Education at Playhouse Square and as Education Director at Karamu House.

A proud member of the Actors' Equity Association and a recipient of the Cleveland Public Theater (CPT) Premiere Artist Fellowship for 2019-2020, Sheffia continues to incorporate her administrative experience with her artistic drive. She has had many regional credits throughout her career but recently appeared as Minnie Till in the Karamu virtual production of Freedom on Juneteenth, as Jo Billie Massy in Sassy Mamas, as Nina 4 in Simply Simone, Mama Nadi in Ruined, and the title role in Caroline, or Change at Karamu House. Every other year, at Christmas, she could be seen as Butter Rum in The Loush Sisters at Cleveland Public Theatre.  Most recently she directed The Hot Wing King at Dobama Theatre, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark at Cleveland State University and Co-Produced The After Party at Playhouse Square. Other directing credits include: Aida (AD), Fences (AD), and Sister Act at Karamu House; Tale of a Jiminirising, The Book of Grace, and Breakout Room (AD) at CPT. Sheffia also wrote, directed and starred in Modern Matriarch as a part of her fellowship at CPT. Sheffia's proudest credit includes being a mother to 3 brilliant children who are a constant source of joy and inspiration.

�ǿմ�ý Faculty & Staff Representatives

Elizabeth Banks

Director, Center for Civic Engagement and Learning, Division of Student Affairs

Betsy Banks is the director of �ǿմ�ý's Center for Civic Engagement & Learning (CCEL), which works to create a more engaged campus by providing and supporting community-based opportunities that promote awareness, learning, partnership, and leadership development. CCEL offers a variety of programs, services, and resources to connect students with the Cleveland area through responsible community service and other forms of civic engagement. Betsy has been involved with a number of university-community initiatives, including the Community Innovation Network's Foundations of Community Building and the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement Task Force. She serves on the advisory board of the Community Campus Coalition, a statewide organization committed to ensuring that Ohio institutions of higher education fulfill their public purpose and prepare students to be leaders and compassionate citizens who improve community life. 

Before coming to �ǿմ�ý, Betsy worked in the nonprofit sector leading environmental education and service programs in Michigan, Nevada, Everglades and Yellowstone National Parks and working in conservation and volunteer management with The Nature Conservancy in Maine, California, and Kentucky. Betsy received a BA from Bowdoin College, Maine and an MS from Miami University, Ohio.

Ainsley Buckner

Director of Community Engagement, think[box] 

Community Representing: Cleveland Heights

When Ainsley Buckner arrived at think[box] as a community user and artist-educator, she never imagined that she’d one day be working at the innovation space full time. Buckner, who joined think[box] six years ago and is the director of prototyping art and community engagement, isn’t an engineer—she has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a concentration in sculpture and printmaking. But her experience, creativity and perspective makes her an ideal member of the think[box] team. “Once I was here, I realized that we embrace a multidisciplinary background approach,” she says. “Having an ecosystem of people with a diverse set of professional and personal backgrounds really promotes innovation.” Learn more about Ainsley Buckner

Janice Eatman Williams (NAC Co-President)

Director, FOCUS Programs, Student-Based Outreach

Community Representing: Glenville - Ward 9

Janice A. Eatman Williams was born in Hough and raised in Glenville. She has been an advocate and activist for access and excellence in education for young people for more than three decades. Today, she is the director of �ǿմ�ý's FOCUS Programs - School-Based Outreach. .

�ǿմ�ý Student Representatives

Amber Byrd

Community Representing: Hough - Ward 7

NAC student representative Amber Byrd is a graduate teaching assistant at �ǿմ�ý who is pursuing a PhD in sociology. Representing the Hough neighborhood (Ward 7), Byrd is a highly engaged member of the university community, where she serves as a graduate student representative on the search committee for the Department of Sociology and previously served as the vice president of the Sociology Graduate Student Association. Read more about Amber Byrd

Fatima Sagier

Community Representing: University Circle - Ward 6

Fatima is a junior at �ǿմ�ý. She is majoring in chemical biology and is on the pre dentistry track. She is currently involved in the Undergraduate Diversity Collaborative, Remote Area Medical, and is an Orientation Leader. Fatima actively volunteers at a local elementary school in Fairfax.

NAC Administrative Team

OPEN (TBD), Community Co-Chair

Janice Eatman Williams, �ǿմ�ý Co-Chair

Community Innovation Network Partners

• Mark Chupp, MSW, PhD, Founding Director
• JP Graulty, MA, Program Manager
• Na'Kiya Thompson
• McKenna Uzelac

Julian Rogers, Associate Vice President, Local Government & Community Relations

Kate Klonowski, Director, Local Government & Community Relations (primary contact)