BOARD

ABOUT BOARD MEMBERSHIP

OHuddle believes in the vision of helping every child to thrive and enrich their community.

OHuddle Board leadership invests your talents and gifts in the mission to awaken youth to their unique value through hope-filled relationships and one to one mentorship.

Are you interested in contributing to OHuddle's leadership team? Board commitment is a 3 year obligation. Find out more by emailing Sara Reith prior to completing the below survey.

Board Pledge

Quarterly Meetings

Conflict of Interest

of Directors

OHuddle

President

JAMES FOX

James Fox is currently the President/CEO of Community Action Wayne/Medina and has worked in the non-profit sector for over 25 years.

Originally from California, James earned his Bachelor's from the University of Nevada and a Master's of Counseling in Adolescent and Family Therapy from the University of Missouri.

James and his amazing wife, Stephanie, moved to Wooster in 2008 with their three children.

Vice President

DEAN FRANK

Dean and his wife reside in Sterling and have three children. Their oldest son is at Ohio State University, their middle son serves in the Navy and their daughter is at Green Local Schools.

Dean has spent 27 years in education, 6 as agricultural education teacher, 16 years as a Principal and is currently serving as the Superintendent of Green Local Schools.

HEIDI ELSER

Secretary/ Treasurer

Heidi Elser and her husband Chad reside in Wooster and have three children who attend Northwestern Local Schools.

Heidi is a graduate of Muskingum University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She is currently the Assistant Controller at Seaman Corporation, where she has worked for the past 8 years. She is involved in the Internal Communications team at Seaman Corporation that helps connect employees with the community through volunteer opportunities.

Prior to her time at Seaman Corporation, she worked in both corporate and public accounting. She is a member of Northwinds Church. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her children, warm weather vacations, hiking, coaching, cooking, and hosting friend and family events.

JENNY MCFARREN

Jenny McFarren is part of the PR & Communications team at The J.M. Smucker Co. and lives in Orrville, Ohio.

She is passionate about building relationships, fostering collaboration, and helping people and organizations come together to make a positive impact.

In her free time, she loves traveling, being outdoors, sharing meals, and spending time with her family.

MARK SCHILLING

Mark Schilling, LTC, USA Retired, graduated from the University of Akron and served in the US Army Medical Service Corps as a Medical Evacuation Pilot for over 20 years.

Mark is currently serving as the Director of Operations at Living Water Church in Dalton, OH. Mark is married to Heather and has two step-children.

Zuzana Lee

I am a Research Scientist at Charles River Laboratories, Ashland, focusing on immunology and genetic toxicology research.

I grew up in a Hungarian family in Slovakia and moved to Ohio in 2008, after earning my Master's degree in Genetic Toxicology from Comenius University in Slovakia.

I live in Wooster with my husband and two children, and two dogs. I enjoy most outdoor activities, a good movie with a happy ending, and I started practicing Taekwondo with my son at a local martial arts school in summer 2024. Spending time with family and friends, visiting family in Eastern Europe, traveling, meeting new people, and being involved in our community are my favorite self-care activities.

BETH MILLER

Beth Miller, the owner of Everything Engraved, lives in Wooster with her husband, Mike and the youngest of their four children, Oliver.

As an OHuddle mentor and Wooster City schools parent, Beth has served in various volunteer capacities in the community and school system for the past 25 years. She is currently on the boards of Central American Medical Outreach and the Monday Night Mile.

Beth holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology from the University of Toledo and The Ohio State University, respectively.

Beth enjoys being physically active and she can be seen daily walking the family poodle, Sylvie.

DAVID RITTGERS

David Rittgers serves as Pastor of Wooster United Methodist Church where he is inviting ordinary people to follow Jesus together. He and his spouse, Beth, have been married for 30 years and have three children including one who attends Wooster HS.

He has enjoyed mentoring several students through OHuddle in Orrville and Wooster over the last eight years and is glad to be part of the board of this amazing and impactful organization.

David is a graduate of The Ohio State University, Ashland Theological Seminary, Asbury Theological Seminary, and Dakota Wesleyan University.

AMY CROSLAND

Amy grew up in the village of Smithville, Ohio, and continues to grow her family there with her husband, Michael and their two daughters.

She is the owner of Miss Amy's Bakery in Wooster. Along with OHuddle, Amy's passions include bringing awareness to the growing need of mental health resources for our Veterans and children, providing inclusion for individuals with disabilities, and investing in her local community to build a better future for generations to come.

Amy serves on the Family and Community Engagement Committee for Green Local Schools and helps with numerous non-profit events. In her spare time she enjoys attending New Pointe Community Church, camping with her family and cheering on THE Ohio State Buckeyes Football!

OLUFEMI
OLUGBEMIRO

Olufemi has worked as a book editor, corporate attorney, management trainer and social worker.

Originally from Nigeria, Olufemi and his family immigrated to the United States in 2017.

Femi holds Bachelors and Professional Degrees in Law from the University of Ibadan and the Nigerian Law School respectively. He also holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Akron.

Olufemi lives in Orrville OH with his wife and two children, a boy and a girl.

SAMIRA ZIMMERLY

For more than 13 years, Samira has dedicated her career to supporting the Wooster/Wayne County area through leadership in the Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce, various community development roles, and active volunteerism. Samira has assumed leadership roles in the development of new community events, initiatives, and programs that have made positive and lasting changes.

Outside of her professional duties, Samira is an active and supporting mother of her two sons' school programs and sports teams throughout the year. This is a role she considers to be her primary and most rewarding in life. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and experiencing new restaurants with family and friends.