2024 Panelists and Speakers

Jennifer E. Bosco, Ed.D.

Jennifer E. Bosco, Ed.D., is the founder of Bosco Consulting, a firm that guides businesses and organizations to align their vision and goals with a diverse, productive and inclusive workplace. Bosco also serves as the founding director of the Inclusion Hub for Plexus LGBT & Allied Chamber of Commerce for Northeast Ohio. The Inclusion Hub is a new initiative started this year to provide inclusion and equity training and resources to small businesses. In addition, she serves on the board of directors for Talespinner Children’s Theatre and as a member of an advocacy advisory group for the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland.

A California native, Bosco moved to Ohio in 2022. In California, she served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Francisco and the University of the People, teaching classes on organizational culture and inclusive practices. She also served as the executive director of admissions for Life Chiropractic College West. Her previous roles include leading admissions and business development departments for various institutions of higher education.

Bosco holds a B.A. in biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a master’s degree in educational leadership from San José State University and her doctorate in international and multicultural education with a concentration in human rights from the University of San Francisco.

Sabrina Cali

Sabrina Cali is the program director of the Health & Well-Being Coaching Certificate program at NEOMED and an adjunct professor in Tri-C’s Sport and Exercise Studies program. She is an exercise physiologist, a personal trainer and a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC).

She has enjoyed working in the health and wellness field for 20 years. She also owns her own small business, helping women manage their diabetes and make effective lifestyle choices.

Cali holds a master’s degree in higher education administration and exercise science and a Ph.D. in health education and promotion.

Rev. Gloria Chaney

Rev. Gloria Chaney is currently serving as the interim pastor of the Affinity Missionary Baptist Church in Cleveland. She is the former pastor of the Church of the Master in Cleveland Heights. 

She was also the former associate minister to Rev. Jawanza Colvin of the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church and Rev. Marvin McMickle and Rev. Napoleon Harris of the Antioch Baptist Church. In addition, she served as an associate minister to Rev. Robin Hedgeman at Bethany Christian Church. Currently, she serves the Cleveland Baptist Association as the chairperson of the Department of Ministry, a cohort advisor for its Ohio Leadership Academy and an instructor.

She has also taught courses at Tri-C, Cleveland State University, Marywood University and Lackawanna College as an adjunct lecturer. In July 2022, she served as a guest lecturer for the Department of Justice at the FBI National Academy.

She is the chaplain for the Cleveland Police Department, the FBI, the Department of Justice-Cleveland Division, the National Council of Negro Women-Cuyahoga Section, the Bluecoats Inc., the Bridge Retreat for the First Responders' Bridge and Cleveland Metroparks. She also had the honor of delivering the opening invocation for the U.S. Senate in June 2014 as a guest of Sen. Bob Casey and Chaplain Barry Black.

Holly Craider, Ph.D.

Holly Craider, Ph.D., is the associate vice president of Curriculum, Assessment and Accreditation Activities and an adjunct faculty member in the Business Administration and Liberal Arts department at Tri-C. She also serves as an adjunct professor in the School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration at Kent State University. With 19 years of experience as a higher education professional, she has worked in admissions, financial aid, student success, recruitment, eLearning & Innovation, academic affairs and curriculum development. At Tri-C, she has spent the last 14 years serving in the roles of student success specialist, recruitment specialist, interim manager of Next Generation Learning, director of the College Information Center, interim assistant dean of eLearning, dean of Student Affairs and interim dean of Academic Affairs. Craider also serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission.

She has been a regular presenter for professional organizations, including the ACE Women’s Network of Ohio, the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience. Craider is also a Ralph M. Besse Excellence in Teaching Award winner.

She holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Kent State University and will complete her J.D. at the University of Akron School of Law in May 2024.

Gina DeVito-Staub

Gina DeVito-Staub is currently the captain of the Twinsburg Fire Department. She became the department’s first female fire officer when she was promoted to lieutenant in 2006.

In August 2022, she was also appointed as the first female fire chief in Cuyahoga County for the Village of Woodmere, which she serves on a part-time basis.

During her career in fire service, she has had numerous opportunities to work in various specialties, including fire prevention, special operations teams, critical care and fire suppression. She plays an integral role in developing, administering and evaluating the training program for the Twinsburg Fire Department. She also serves as an instructor for the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association, as an adjunct professor for the University of Akron’s fire protection degree program and as an instructor for the university’s Training Center for Fire and Hazardous Materials. In 2022, DeVito-Staub was voted to the board of directors for the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association and chairs the organization’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Committee.

DeVito-Staub graduated from Hiram College in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. In August 2011, she completed an MBA and M.S. in leadership from Grand Canyon University. She completed the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program in 2017.

Danita Harris

Danita Harris, a motivator, minister, community advocate, anchorwoman and award-winning journalist, considers herself an agent of change. Her spiritual faith is the foundation of her initiative, “It’s Your Time to S.H.I.N.E.,” established in 2016.

S.H.I.N.E. is a nonprofit that provides a safe haven and outreach to individuals and community groups in need.

Her determination to spark generational change and care for youth led to the founding of the S.H.I.N.E. Girlz Mentoring Program in 2018, which serves fourth- through eighth-grade girls within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Each year, S.H.I.N.E. adopts a school to mentor. After hundreds of girls graduated from the program, Harris teamed up with former Cleveland Browns player Josh Cribbs to cater to young boys. The nonprofit was expanded again in 2023 with the creation of S.H.I.N.E. Men of Integrity.

Harris has also spent more than 35 years in the TV news industry. Since the start of her career as a producer at BET, she has won nine Emmy Awards and RTDNA’s Edward R. Murrow Award in 2021 for her podcast, Voices for Change.

A native of Chester, Pennsylvania, Harris first came to Cleveland in 1998, serving as a live feature reporter for WEWS News 5’s The Morning Exchange. After two years, she moved to WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C., where she served as a reporter and weekend evening anchor at WJLA-TV. However, her love for the Cleveland area quickly brought her back to WEWS in 2000. Harris stepped into the anchor position for Good Morning Cleveland and News 5 at Noon. Six years later, she moved to the evening anchor position, but she ultimately returned to the mornings in 2020. She left the station in 2023.

Harris was added to the History Makers Collection at the Library of Congress in 2023 and was inducted into the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2010. She received the Journalist of the Year award from the Public Children’s Services Association of Ohio and the prestigious Chuck Heaton Award from the Press Club of Cleveland. In addition, the National Council of Negro Women recognized Harris as one of the Outstanding Women in Ministry in Cuyahoga County.

Harris is also an instructor of Effective Communication in Ministry at the Ohio Leadership Academy of the Cleveland Baptist Association.

Deirdre R. Jones

Appointed as the chief of police and director of security for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Police Department in 2021, Deirdre R. Jones introduced proactive policing strategies to enhance the safety and security of the transit system.

With almost four decades of public service, Jones is retired from the Cleveland Division of Police, where she held a number of positions, including acting deputy chief of Administrative Operations. She was also named the first LGBTQ+ liaison for the City of Cleveland Department of Public Safety’s police and fire departments and EMS services. In addition, Jones was the first female to supervise the division’s Homicide Unit. As a detective and sergeant in charge of the Domestic Violence Unit, she investigated thousands of domestic violence complaints.

She served on the Cleveland Community Police Commission and the board of directors at the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland. A member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, her numerous accolades have included the Ohio Attorney General’s Mark Losey Service Award and the Cleveland Division of Police’s Medal of Heroism.

Jones holds an MPA from Villanova University. She is also a graduate of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Leadership College.

Ariane Kirkpatrick

Cleveland native Ariane Kirkpatrick — also known as a serial entrepreneur, community leader and philanthropist — knew she wanted to become an entrepreneur at an early age. Kirkpatrick has focused on entering the industries many minorities find themselves shut out of.

Kirkpatrick is the president and CEO of the AKA Team, a 13-year-old full-service commercial construction and facilities company based in Cleveland. She is also the CEO of Harvest Grows, Harvest of Ohio and Harvest Processing, vertically integrated cannabis companies with operations in Ironton, Beavercreek, Columbus and Athens.

Several organizations have recognized Kirkpatrick for her efforts to improve diversity and inclusion in various industries.

She earned her B.A. in urban studies at Cleveland State University and is also an alumnus of Tri-C.

Ronna McNair

Ronna McNair currently serves as the executive director for the Center for Entrepreneurs at Tri-C’s Corporate College®. In this role, she is responsible for providing strategic leadership for a wide range of business matters. In her previous role, she served as the chief of staff and executive assistant to the president of the College for 10 years.

Prior to joining the president’s office, McNair was the district director of Student Learning and Career Development. She also served as a strategic partner with academic and workforce program staff and administrators within the College and externally with business and industry to facilitate student career development, preparation and success.

With several years of multifunctional experience in human resources, health care administration and program management, McNair has worked with a diverse population of students, alumni and community members and has managed numerous grant-funded initiatives. She was named a 2022 YWCA Woman of Professional Excellence.

Prior to her time at Tri-C, she served as the assistant controller with Nescor Plastics Corporation in Mesopotamia, Ohio and the CEO at GERIC Home Health Care Inc. in Detroit.

McNair holds a B.S. in accounting from the University of Akron and an MBA from Wayne State University. She is also a graduate of Tri-C’s Mandel Leadership Development Program and the American Association of Community College’s Future Leaders Institute.

Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand

Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand, CEO of Twin Sisters® Digital Media, is a songwriter, record producer and author of thousands of educational and inspirational products for children, spanning more than 37 years.

Her experience as an industrial engineer brings logistics, project management, technical and financial management skills to the organization. Her ability to recognize industry trends and remain adaptable has helped the company succeed for more than 36 years.

Hilderbrand was selected and honored as a recipient of the Smart 50 Business Owners Award for Innovation in 2017. Her involvement as president-elect, learning chair, social chair and mentor in the Cleveland chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization has helped Twin Sisters experience continued growth and success.

She has been a voting member of the Chicago Chapter of the Recording Academy since 1992. She believes in the Academy’s mission of fostering artistic and technical excellence, preserving historically significant musical works and reaching young minds through the Grammy Foundation.

Hilderbrand graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in industrial engineering in 1987.  

Suzanne Ortiz

Suzanne Ortiz is the director of Entrepreneurship and Educational Development at Tri-C’s Corporate College, where she manages classes, instructors and students in the new Center for Entrepreneurs, educational development programs, Encore 55+ Learning and Community Education. She previously served as a program coordinator, program manager and director. 

Ortiz has been with the College for 12 years and in the field of education for 20 years. Her higher education career started at Cleveland State University in the Dean’s Office of the College of Education and Human Services as an administrative coordinator.

Ortiz earned her B.S. in business administration with a minor in mathematics at Westminster College. 

Lauren Phillips

Lauren Phillips started her path to becoming a firefighter in 2006 at Tri-C's Fire Training Academy, where she received her Firefighter II 240 and certifications in EMT-B and CPR. After earning her certifications, she worked for a private ambulance company, went back to school for a medical assisting certification, and was hired by a private medical practice. But in 2017, she saw an opportunity to become a full-time firefighter with the city of Cleveland and jumped at the chance to get back to her original career goal. She has been a full-time firefighter since.

Phillips and her husband also own a coffee shop in their hometown of Olmsted Falls. They participate in school activities and extracurriculars, including sponsorships and donations.

With her husband being both a firefighter and a veteran, they pride themselves on giving back, especially to first responders. They support groups such as fire, police, veterans and active military.

Meltrice D. Sharp

Meltrice D. Sharp, CPA, MBA, is a managing partner at the Creating Leading Enterprises (CLE) Consulting Firm, which offers accounting, tax, payroll and business consulting services to small- and middle-market companies, nonprofit organizations, religious organizations and individuals. With more than 20 years of experience as a CPA, Sharp has extensive experience in accounting, tax, management, finance and business consulting.  

She started her accounting career at Ernst & Young as an auditor. She remained there for four years before joining Forest City Enterprises, where she served in a variety of accounting and finance positions for the next 13 years. In 2017, Sharp decided to become an entrepreneur.

She received her BBA with a concentration in accounting from Kent State University and her MBA from Baldwin Wallace University. She is an adjunct instructor at Tri-C, where she teaches a variety of accounting courses.

Sharp is the founding member of Women Creating Wealth & Impact, which addresses the education, knowledge and access gaps between women and finance.

Sharp is also a member of the Business Advisory Committee for Tri-C and the Marketing Advisory Committee for JumpStart. She is the author of Aubrie’s Adventure to Cashland, a children's book that teaches the importance of giving back and making wise money decisions.

Renee Tramble Richard, J.D.

Renee Tramble Richard, J.D., is currently the president and CEO of Tri-C’s Corporate College and the senior advisor and counsel to the president of Tri-C. As the CEO of Corporate College, she leads the division responsible for corporate training, entrepreneurship development and providing workforce training solutions for businesses. She is a member of the College’s executive leadership, serving in the president’s cabinet and the president’s council. She previously served as the chief legal officer of the College and as general counsel.

In her more than 25 years working with capital markets, Richard led numerous financing teams in the issuance of billions in tax-exempt bonds. While employed by four of Cleveland’s largest corporate law firms, Richard worked across a broad spectrum of organizations and industry sectors.

She has served on a number of boards, including CNB Bank, the AES Management Corp., the Care Alliance Health Center, the YWCA of Greater Cleveland, The Links Inc. Cleveland Chapter and the NAACP Cleveland branch.

She has received numerous professional and civic awards, including a 2023 induction into the Cleveland State University College of Law Hall of Fame and the 2022 Black Professional of the Year.

Richard holds a BBA from Kent State University, an MBA with a concentration in management from Cleveland State University and a J.D. from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law.

Tari S. Rivera

Tari S. Rivera founded Regency Construction Services Inc. in 1994, fueled by her entrepreneurial vision and solid construction engineering background. She has grown a three-person startup firm into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with 80 employees and a diverse health care, higher education, K-12 and civic client base across Ohio. As one of the state’s largest female-owned construction management, design/build and general contracting firms, Regency embodies Rivera’s commitment to empowering women and minorities in construction.

Rivera serves as an emeritus chair of the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland. She is also a past chair of the Sisters of Charity Cleveland Foundation board and a current board member of the Sisters of Charity Health System. This organization funds grants to address the core issues of poverty, primarily serving the Central neighborhood.

Rivera also serves on the executive committee as a board member of the Construction Employers Association and is a Cleveland Builds board member. She was named to the 2004 NAWBO Top 10 Women Business Owners in Northeast Ohio and the Cleveland Engineering Society Hall of Fame in 2008, and she received the 2022 Medaille Shield Award.

She holds a B.S. in construction management from the University of Akron’s College of Engineering and an MBA in Management from the University of Akron.

Standish Stewart

Standish Stewart is the vice president of Information Technology Services and the chief information officer at Tri-C. Throughout her career, she has worked for large consulting companies, midsize nonprofit organizations, startup technology firms, hospitals and academic institutions.

An avid problem solver, Stewart enjoys transforming processes to improve the student, faculty and staff experience. She relishes hands-on technical work as much as crafting strategy and engaging with institutional leaders to innovate and embrace new technologies.

Stewart earned a B.S. in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University, an M.S. in computer science from the University of Michigan and an MBA with a concentration in health care management from Cleveland State University.

Sara Stucky Sayner

Sara Stucky Sayner is a registered architect and owner of Stucky | Sayner Architects in Canton. Sayner established her firm in 2006 and is involved in the long-term organizational planning, design and construction of facilities that have a significant financial, economic, community, commercial or environmental impact. Prior to becoming a business owner, she worked at architecture firms in Cleveland, Boston and Toledo.

As a business owner, Sayner has effectively managed the business operations of her Ohio EDGE and WBE woman-owned architecture firm by providing clients with innovative solutions customized for their project needs. She is skilled in reviewing available funding, analyzing site constraints and implementing regulatory requirements to develop a design that addresses the project’s requirements. She has worked on health care, municipal, educational and commercial facilities of for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

She is active on numerous boards, including YWCA Canton, Women’s Impact and the ACE Mentor Program of Greater Akron-Canton, mentoring students in the Canton City School District.

Sayner attended the University of Michigan, receiving her B.S. in architecture and a Master of Architecture (with distinction).