Board Bios

Meredith Scerba, President:

Meredith is the vice president of event management for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. Previously she was with the Cavaliers/Gund Arena Company as group events coordinator. Meredith is a volunteer for the American Heart Association and serves on the board of America SCORES Cleveland. She is a graduate of the 2009 Cleveland Leadership Center’s Bridge Builders program.

Lisa Sands, Vice President:

Lisa recently returned to school to pursue a graduate degree in Integrated Marketing Communications, and is the store marketing leader at Whole Foods University Heights. Previously, she had been marketing director of Cleveland Magazine for three years. Lisa has also served as marketing and promotions director for several radio stations in the Clear Channel radio Cleveland cluster.  She has experience in advertising, PR, event management and media relations.

Jackie Simpson, Treasurer:

Since 1986, Jackie Simpson has been a Vice President Legal for IMG Worldwide, Inc. the sports, media and entertainment organization.  She currently specializes in tennis, sports academies and events, fashion, models and photography.  She is one of the founders of the Cleveland chapter of WISE.

Lindsay Silverstein, Secretary:

Silverstein started working with fundraising and events over 12 years ago while at Ohio University.  Upon graduating from OU, Silverstein worked at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum as the Special Event Coordinator.  Currently, Silverstein is the Senior Go Red For Women Director at the American Heart Association.  Silverstein has her Master’s of Art in Organization Management and every so often you can find her performing locally in a community theater show.

Tonnie Alliance, Fundraising Chair:

Tonnie is manager of special events with the Cleveland/Northeast Ohio Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. Tonnie is also the President of SpeakersPlus Meetings & Events, a full service meeting and event planning company. Previously she has served with the American Cancer Society as Director of Distinguished Events, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as Manager of Special Events.

Diana Greenberg, Publicity Chair:

Greenberg is principal of DBG PR, a public relations and event planning firm, and the co-founder of Sprout Connections www.sproutconnections.com , a Cleveland based networking group, Greenberg relocated to Cleveland after handling publicity in LA for shows and studios including Comedy Central and Columbia-TriStar Television. Diana’s work includes media relations, publicity, special event management, and non-profit partnerships.

Michelle Hill, WISE Within:

Michelle Hill is an event planner based in Cleveland, Ohio. She currently works as the Communications & Training Manager at a non-profit organization called the North American Society for Trenchless Technology. Michelle plans educational conferences, trade shows, and webinars for the underground infrastructure construction industry. She received her B.S. in Communications from Ohio University where she planned her very first special event — a comedy night with Jay Leno. Complementing her busy career, Michelle enjoys volunteering her time helping the Cleveland Sports Commission, the American Heart Association, Ohio Pug Rescue, and the Cleveland Sight Center.

Katrina Marshall, Social Media and PR Specialist:

Katrina Marshall is the Director of Special Events for the American Liver Foundation. Previously she was the Special Events and Communications Coordinator at the Cleveland Foodbank where she was responsible for planning and executing the organization’s two large fundraisers: Market Under Glass and Taste of the Browns. Katrina also plans several smaller events, manages the organization’s social media accounts and web content updates, and assists with media relations and other communications needs. In addition she has her own ”foodie” blog called Bite Buff.

Erica Salinas, Programming:

Erica Salinas is new to Cleveland, but not new to WISE! Erica currently holds the position of Manager of Premium Hospitality at the Cleveland Browns, where she has both game-day and special event responsibilities. Prior to joining the Browns, Erica worked for the New York Yankees as a Senior Manager, Premium Sales.  While with the Yankees, Erica was an active member of WISE New York. Her insight into how another chapter operates will be key to growing WISE Cleveland and providing relevant events and activities for our members.  Originally from South Bend, Indiana, Erica and her husband now live in Westlake.

Rachael Stentz-Baugher, Membership:

Rachael is Director of Programming and Development for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. She recently was Director of Special Events for the American Liver Foundation, where she produced major fund-raising events including Liver Life Walk and Flavors of Northeast Ohio.

Jen VanBlarcum, Programming:

Jen (Doan) VanBlarcum has been involved with sports and special events in the Cleveland area for 12 years. Her experience includes non-profit special event management with Cleveland Grand Prix Charities and the Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland.  Jen currently works with the Home Builders Association of Greater Cleveland in accounting and event management.  Outside of work, Jen volunteers with the Akron/Canton Chapter of the Miami University Alumni Association, served as a Board Member with Cleveland Grand Prix Charities, and was a Committee Chair for the 2009 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Cleveland.

Tora Vinci, WISE Within Cleveland Liaison:

Vinci will begin the next step in her career at the Cleveland Clinic as a member of their media relations team after spending seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers.  She spent the majority of her time at the Cavs with the Basketball Communications team. In her role as Basketball Communications Coordinator, she was responsible writing game notes, press releases and assisting with the coordination media requests for interviews with players, coaches and general managers.

Jennifer Wiklund, Programming:

Jennifer Wiklund is a Marketing Manager with KPMG. With 12 years of marketing, sales and event planning experience, Jennifer leads the WISE Programming Committee. She enjoys planning social, professional development and networking events, and whenever possible, incorporate the many great venues and locally owned restaurants of Cleveland!

Paula Grooms, Past-President and Founder of Cleveland Chapter:

Paula Grooms is a respected marketing expert and experienced manager of multi-functional teams. As a former Senior Vice President with the sports marketing firm IMG, Paula has produced custom marketing programs for both corporate and non-profit clients – from sports events and celebrities to real estate development and city-wide events. Ms. Grooms is now the Executive Director of the Ingenuity Festival of Art + Technology.

Dana Konschak, WISE Administrator:

Dana has served WISE since as the organization’s administrator and “Chief Everything Officer” since December 2008.  She is also the Business Manager at the Ingenuity Festival of Art + Technology.  Dana is currently enrolled as an MBA student at Cleveland State University.  She has plans to open a bakery, Louise & Elsie’s, named after her grandmas, sometime in the distant future.

Many of the WISE Cleveland board members are on Facebook and Linked In.