COMMUNITY COORDINATOR

I joined LINC in 2016 in Wellington’s fight against the opioid epidemic. LINC began as a group of emergency services, law enforcement, faith-based organizations, the mayor’s office, and volunteer citizens who partnered to assist those struggling with debilitating substance use issues to find detox and rehabilitation programs.

In 2022, I became LINC’s President. During my tenure, I have focused on fulfilling the mission of providing addiction education, overdose prevention, and stigma reduction while getting life saving tools into as many hands in our communities as possible. Together with its alliance of mental and behavioral health partners, LINC is continuing to fight for the lives of those who struggle with addiction, until they can fight for themselves.

Outside of LINC, I am the owner of multiple for-profit businesses, a government contractor working nearly four decades in aerospace and a management consultant to notable Fortune 100 firms. I bring significant administrative experience to the LINC mission and surround myself with a fantastically capable board of directors who represent a broad range of health, emergency, business and faith sectors.

I serve as chief of the Wellington Fire District in Lorain County, Ohio. The Fire District, consisting of 1 Village and 5 townships, protects 13,000 citizens over an area of 125 square miles in southern Lorain County, and is still the third largest District in the State of Ohio.
I was born and raised in Wellington, and a 1986 graduate of Wellington High School. After graduation I went to work at Shiloh Industries. Completing 25 years in manufacturing. In 1986 I also joined the Wellington Fire District and South Lorain County Ambulance District and worked concurrently in both the public and private sector for the next 25 years. In this time with the Fire District, I promoted through the ranks of Firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain, and Assistant Chief, while maintaining my certification as an Emergency Medical Technician with the ambulance district.
In 2011 I interviewed for, and was awarded the job of Full-time Fire Chief. As Fire Chief, I am responsible for overseeing all operational and administrative activities of the 31 member combination department.
I have a multitude of certifications that classify me as an expert in his field. I am a member of the Ohio Fire Chief’s Assn., the Northeast Ohio Fire Chief’s Assn., the Tri-County CISD Team, and also serve as President of the Lorain County Fire Chief’s Association. In addition to my district duties, I also sit on the advisory boards of the Lorain County Fire Chief’s Training Academy, the Lorain County Joint Vocational School’s high School and Adult Education safety services training boards, and the Ohio Region 2 Technical Rescue Board. I serve as Vice President of the Lorain County Local Emergency Planning Committee, a Lorain County Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) member, and chairs the Lorain County Active Shooter and Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Committee, and Fire Chief’s 911 Sub-committee.
I am one of the original founding members of LINC. LINC was realized through many discussions between the safety service leaders regarding the number of Opioid related deaths in and around our community. "I would sit and think of how many deaths I had seen in the earlier part of my career versus the amount of death our newer, younger firefighters were faced with, knowing that sooner or later it begins to take it’s toll."
I am a member of Kiwanis and stay active with certain Salvation Army events. I reside in the Village with my wife Beth and together we have three grown children Hayley, Hunter, and Haven.

I am the Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Specialist at Westwood Elementary. I also have the privilege to serve on The LINC Board. My background is in mental health, having received my Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Bowling Green State University and my Master’s degree at The Ohio State University. I have worked with the youth in Lorain County for the last 10 years starting in community mental health and moving on to the Wellington Exempted Village Schools. I was very excited for the opportunity to serve my community in a different way through LINC. I have experienced the profound effects of substance abuse both in my personal and professional life and see the lasting impact that it can have on the community. I am committed to reducing the stigma, increasing access to services (especially in Southern Lorain County), and continuing to put compassion into action!

I have been a police officer since June 1995 and worked at the Cleveland Division of Police for 27 years. I spent the first seven years of my career as a patrol officer in the 4th District, which is located on the southeast side of the city. In April 2002 I was transferred to the Sex Crimes/ Child Abuse Unit where I worked as a detective. In October 2008 I was promoted to sergeant and transferred to the 4th District where I worked basic patrol. Then in November 2009 I was transferred to the Domestic Violence Unit where myself and another sergeant were responsible for staff management and the day to day operations of the unit. In March 2012, I was promoted to lieutenant and placed in charge of the Special Victims Section. This section includes the Sex Crimes/ Child Abuse Unit and the Domestic Violence Unit. In June 2015, I was promoted to Captain and became the Executive Officer for the Commander of the Bureau of Special Investigations. In April 2016 I was appointed as the Commander of the Bureau of Special Investigations, responsible for all specialized investigative units. In March 2018 I returned to the rank of captain and was tasked with supervising Basic Patrol in the 5th District. In February 2020, I took over as the Crisis Interventions Team (CIT) Coordinator for the Cleveland Division of Police. Then in March 2022, I retired from the Cleveland Division of Police and joined the Wellington, Ohio Police Department as a sergeant. In February 2023 I took over the department as the Chief of Police.

I began my collegiate studies at the University of South Florida and attended for two years. Then I went back to college in 1997 and graduated from Cleveland State University in May 2002 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. In December of 2015, I graduated from the 262nd session of the FBI National Academy.

I am a resident and business owner in Wellington. Im a seasoned mental health professional that brings expertise and integrity to our team. I am a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) and certified trauma professional. With my husband, Paul, I own and operate a small private practice, New Care Behavioral Health, based in Wellington, serving our rural community. I joined the LINC Board in 2023 as an opportunity to expand my service to the community and bring additional supports to our underserved rural population. Throughout my career, I have specialized in the treatment of substance use disorders and trauma, as well as the provision of specialized services to children and families.
While my professional experience has allowed me the privilege of being a support to individuals and families struggling from the impact of substance use, I have experienced the impact first hand with loved ones who struggled with active addiction and helped fight for their recovery. I believe in our mission and am privileged to be a part of team working to save lives!