BVU staff serve as trusted advisors, providing professional, high quality services to businesses and nonprofits. Their expertise includes corporate community involvement, leadership development, board governance, nonprofit management and volunteerism.

Our Team

Ann Cancelliere

Senior Coordinator, Business and Community Engagement

As Coordinator of the Volunteer Center, Ann provides administrative support to the Volunteer Center at BVU by assisting nonprofits in promoting volunteer opportunities online; linking individuals and community groups to volunteer opportunities at nonprofits throughout Northeast Ohio. She serves on the Board at Incarnate Word Academy where she previously volunteered on various committees as well as several committees at Saint Ignatius High School.

216.736.7711 ext. 126

Sarah Castle

Senior Coordinator, Leadership Development

Sarah supports BVU’s Skill and Board CONNECT teams and provides overall administrative help as needed. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Event Planning and Tourism with a minor in Italian from Bowling Green State University.

216.736.7711 ext. 131

Julie Clark

Vice President, Nonprofit Engagement

Julie provides guidance and consulting to nonprofit board and staff in the areas of governance/board development, succession planning, strategic planning, and organizational capacity assessments. For more than 10 years, she led BVU’s board matching program, where she prepared, trained, and matched business professionals to nonprofit board opportunities. She serves as President of the Board of The Treehouse Ohio and as Secretary of the Board of South Suburban Montessori School. Julie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Baldwin-Wallace College and a Master of Arts in Communications Management from John Carroll University.

216.736.7711 ext. 118

Darnell Davis

Director, Leadership and Strategic Initiatives

Darnell D. Davis Jr. has over 15 years of private and public sector management experience.  Prior to joining BVU Darnell served the Boy Scouts of America full time for nearly five years, as a Senior Outreach Executive. Throughout his time at the Boy Scouts of America he was continuously promoted serving in a diverse array of roles throughout Northern Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science & Criminal Justice and has a master’s degree in Public Administration, from The University of Akron. Currently he serves as Vice President for the Akron Urban League Young Professionals Executive Board, and as an Adjunct Lecturer for political science and government at The University of Akron, also serving the federal government funded Upward Bound program as an Academic Instructor. Throughout his 15 years of service, he has held positions as a public and private sector consultant/manager, governor appointed trustee of a university, and educator. The organizations he has previously held positions in include the Obama Campaign, YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, Open Doors Academy, and Phantom Fireworks.

Heather Englander

Managing Director, Business Engagement

Heather refers direct service volunteers from businesses and the community-at-large to assist nonprofit organizations with short term or long term volunteer projects. Her past experience includes over 10 years of project management, design, and event planning. Heather has a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the College of Wooster and served as an AmeriCorps volunteer for two years with Habitat for Humanity as a site supervisor and volunteer coordinator. She currently serves on the board  of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute  and previously with Caring Cubs

216.736.7711 ext. 128

Molly Golish Hanley

Managing Director, Marketing and Events

Molly manages marketing, events, and seminars at BVU. She currently serves on the House of Champions Strategic Planning Committee and volunteers at Providence House special events. She has 10 years of experience in fundraising and nonprofit communications.

216.236.3519

AJ Jacob

Consultant, Marketing and Events

AJ Jacob is a nonprofit consultant with extensive experience in the digital engagement and fundraising market. She has worked with best-in-class organizations including UNICEF, the United Nations Foundation, the National Women’s Law Center, and many others to build capacity and catalyze support for their missions, and could not be happier to be partnering with BVU to maximize their impact in the Ohio community.

Denise O'Brien

Vice President, Administration

Denise manages finances, accounting, budgeting, reporting, payroll and human resources for the organization. Denise has been with BVU since inception in 1993 and is part of the senior leadership team. Denise’s education and experience in organizational development and continuous quality improvement began in the hospitality industry. She had fifteen years of hospitality management experience with a strong start-up and pre-opening background with major hotel chains, opening hotels all over the country. She currently serves on the board of Incarnate Word Academy, as well as several volunteer committees.

216.736.7711 ext. 125

Alice Schwallie

Senior Coordinator,  Nonprofit Engagement and Data Management

Alice provides technical assistance and support to BVU program staff in the usage of BVU’s database.  She ensures all data is entered correctly, implements process improvements and reports on program outcomes. Her past experience includes over 4 years of volunteer program management.  She serves on the Forum for Volunteer Administrators Board and is a Certified Interpretive Guide with the National Association for Interpretation.  Alice has a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Civilization from the College of Wooster and a Master of Arts in Art History and Museum Studies from Case Western Reserve University.

216.736.7711 ext. 110

Kimberly Simpson-Kee

Director, Outreach and Nonprofit Engagement

Kimberly meets with nonprofit organizations to assess how BVU’s services for nonprofits may help each organization further its mission. She helps plan and coordinate educational seminars which train and engage business and nonprofit leaders in the community. Kimberly also connects skill based volunteers to nonprofits within BVU’s Pro Bono Program. Her past experience includes over seven years of healthcare marketing, program development, process improvement and community fundraising.

330.762.9670 ext. 200

Tricia Stevenson

Director, Leadership Development

Tricia Stevenson manages BVU’s Board CONNECT program, where she prepares and matches business professionals to nonprofit board opportunities. She also provides guidance and consulting to nonprofit boards and staff members in the areas of succession planning and executive search. In addition to consulting, Tricia helps develop nonprofit leaders by managing BVU’s Nonprofit Leadership Advancement Program. Prior to joining BVU, Tricia spent 20 years working as a consultant and employee of the PolyOne Corporation where she was involved in their training, human resources, and IT functions. She holds an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Villanova University. Tricia serves as a Trustee with the Shaker Schools Foundation.

216.736.7711 ext. 123

Kathryn Vana

Senior Coordinator,  Grants and Nonprofit Consulting

Kathryn coordinates governance, board development consulting and education services to strengthen nonprofits through BVU’s Nonprofit Consulting Center, oversees BVU’s grants management systems and assists in the coordination of BVU’s nonprofit membership services.

216.736.7711 ext. 120

Elizabeth Voudouris

  President and CEO

Elizabeth, BVU’s President and CEO,  has provided consulting, training and executive coaching services to hundreds of nonprofits and businesses since BVU’s inception in 1993. Her work focuses on strengthening the governance and management of nonprofit organizations, facilitating strategic plans and conducting merger feasibility studies. She serves on the Board of the Akron Zoological Park, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and the Greater Cleveland Partnership Equity and Inclusion Board of Advisors. She has a Bachelor of Arts in History from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and a Master of Arts in History from Kent State University.
216.736.7711 ext. 127

Heather Witt

 Director, Office of the President & Special Projects

Heather provides administrative support to BVU’s President & CEO, manages BVU’s Board relations, and coordinates BVU’s business engagement services and succession planning consulting engagements. Heather also attended the University of Akron.

216.736.7711 ext. 113

Andrea Wlaszyn

​Director, Business Engagement

Andrea works with businesses throughout northeast Ohio to optimize their employee engagement through community involvement and volunteerism. Her role at BVU extends to the board matching team where she connects business professionals to nonprofit board opportunities and consults with nonprofit leaders and boards on succession planning. Andrea is president of the Alpha Delta Pi House Corporation Board at The University of Akron and Chair of the Ronald McDonald House of Akron 2020 Red Tie Affair. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science in American Political Science and a Master of Public Administration from The University of Akron.

330.762.9670 ext. 300

Rob Zaremsky

​Director, Business and Community Engagement

Prior to joining the BVU team, Rob worked for a year at HandsOn Northeast Ohio and for nearly six years at Big Sunday, a Los Angeles based nonprofit organization. Before getting into the nonprofit world Rob worked for four years in government and politics, spending two years at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, and two years working on campaigns in Cleveland, Los Angeles and Charleston, SC. Rob received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Philosophy from Ohio University.

216.736.7711 ext. 117