Monday, June 07, 2021
Summer to bring new staff, new roles, and a new board member to The City Club of Cleveland
The City Club is pleased to announce the addition of a new staff member this June. Cynthia Connolly will join the team as the next Director of Programming. Ms. Connolly joins the City Club with more than a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, most recently with Policy Matters Ohio, where she worked since 2015. Prior to that, she worked at Ohio City Incorporated and as a Graduate Researcher in nonprofit program evaluation at the Center for Nonprofit Policy & Practice at Cleveland State University, where she earned a Master of Public Administration degree. She received a BA in American Culture with a focus in Native American Studies from the University of Michigan. A citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians located in Northern Michigan, she began her civic work at an early age, serving as a tribal representative at the National Congress of American Indians located in Washington DC, which advocates for government policies to help Indigenous people. Today, she serves on the Executive Board for the Lake Erie Native American Council and teaches the Native American Studies course at Kent State University. She serves on the boards of University Settlement in Cleveland’s Broadway-Slavic Village neighborhood and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy in Washington, DC.
“We are absolutely in the midst of a moment that requires us to examine and discuss the issues that our communities, city, and nation are facing,” Connolly said. “I’m excited to join the team at The City Club of Cleveland as we come together in a 109-year tradition of conversation that convenes leaders, engages citizens, and helps democracy thrive.”
“We are thrilled to bring Cynthia on board,” said City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop. “As a member volunteer, she has helped us put together forums, and as a community leader, she has been making a positive impact for years. With so many new opportunities in front of us, and so much to discuss in the community, we’re very fortunate to be able to bring on someone as talented and experienced as Cynthia.”
Connolly will be replacing Stephanie Jansky, who announced her departure from the City Club earlier this year. “Stephanie has been instrumental to our success for years now,” said Moulthrop. “For seven years, Stephanie has produced crucially important conversations. We are especially grateful for the work she led in partnership with stakeholders and community partners, to significantly increase diversity of City Club speakers and grow programming through new series, including Happy Dog Takes on the World and Dinner & Dialogue. She will be missed.”
The City Club is bringing on a new intern, as well. Jochebed Yeboah is a sophomore at the University of Chicago, pursuing a degree in political science. Ms. Yeboah comes to the City Club as part of Summer on the Cuyahoga.
Beginning in June, as well, several staff members will take on new roles with the City Club to reflect the organization’s evolution over the last 16 months. In addition to his role as Executive Chef, which he has held since 2014, Adam Crawford will become the Director of Catering and Hospitality Partnerships leading and deepening the organization’s important collaboration with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries.
Director of Advancement Noelle Celeste will add Chief Operating Officer to her role, leading staff in implementing the vision for our evolving operations, in addition to leading all fundraising.
Tiffany France will take on the role of Member and Outreach Manager and will manage Social Media and work to cultivate relationships with the City Club community including members and community partners.
With primary responsibility for digital production of forums and private events, Maria Gerstenberger will now be Manager of Digital Production and Content.
Alyssa Raybuck will be Communications and Program Innovation Manager, taking responsibility for the City Club’s strategic communications and execution on the club’s innovative projects, including the next iteration of Democracy Unchained.
Changes are also happening on the City Club’s Board of Directors. Vice President Kristen Baird Adams will become board president, replacing Robyn Minter Smyers, of Thompson Hine, who has served as president since 2018. Ms. Adams has served on the board for many years, most recently as Vice President and co-chair of the governance committee. Ms. Adams is Chief Communications Officer of PNC Financial Services Group.
City Club has added several board members over the last year: Artis A. Arnold III, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Institutional Real Estate Group at Huntington National Bank; April Miller Boise, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Eaton; and Kevin Clayton, Vice President Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage Field House. Joining them this month is Eric Fiala, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Key Bank. Mr. Fiala is also board member of Jumpstart, MetroHealth Foundation, and serves on the Ohio Advisory Board for The Trust for Public Land.
