BOARD OF TRUSTEES
 Jeff Dean, President
Jeff Dean is a former member of the Ohio House of Representatives and State Board of Education of Ohio. Currently, he’s in his third term of office as an elected member of the State Central Committee of the Ohio Republican Party and Treasurer and Chairman of the Board for the Cuyahoga County Republican Party. He recently retired after 24 years as Executive Director and General Counsel for the International Society of Explosives Engineers and its Education Foundation based in Cleveland.
Jeff attended the Wharton School of Finance of the University of Pennsylvania, received his B.A. from Kent State University, and his Juris Doctorate from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. He is an attorney, a Certified Association Executive, and graduate of the US Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management at the Universities of Notre Dame and Delaware. Jeff is a veteran of the US Marine Corps during the Viet Nam Era. He is also the first American to be awarded the distinguished Silver Cross of Merit Dynamit Pro Pace Award from the European explosives engineers. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from Greater Cleveland Society of Association Executives and the Human Services Award from Cleveland’s Federation for Community Planning. Jeff has written numerous articles and has spoken on nonprofit legal, ethics, and management issues to many organizations throughout the US and around the world.  Julie Young, Secretary
Julie Young is director, corporate communications at The Lubrizol Corporation, responsible for aligning, managing and distributing the company’s key messages to internal and external audiences, as well as directing corporate media relations, branding and executive communications. Prior to
Lubrizol she worked at Agilysys, Inc., holding various management roles both in marketing and communications. Julie has also held communications management positions at various Northeast Ohio advertising and marketing organizations, as well as worked within the fiber optics division at Corning Incorporated in Corning, NY. Julie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Boston College and a Masters in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. She is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators; the Public Relations Society of America; and The Press Club. In addition, Julie is a mentor for the College Now Program and a past member of the board of directors for the Early Childhood Enrichment Center and a past member of the Laurel School communications committee. “I believe my extensive marketing and communications experience, coupled with my past board appointments and community involvement, provide a strong foundation in which I can support and enhance the mission and vision of the Valley Art Center,” commented Ms. Young.  David Toole, Past President
David Toole completed 35 years in life insurance with New York Life,
following 25 years in corporate life including two years as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. David has also earned a Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University. David has generously served his community in a variety of venues including the Chagrin Valley Rotary, Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce, UMC Trustees, UHHS Geauga Hospital Trustee from 1990 to 1999 and Emeritus Board member 2010 to 2012. David has shared his talents and time over the past 14 plus years at the Valley Art Center in many different capacities. He was instrumental is raising 350K on the Major Fund Development Committee for “The Art of Renovation,” a group that worked to completely renovate our facility. He has also dedicated his time to our Facilities and Education Committees as well as the Vice President, President and current Past President of our Board of Trustees. David has also supported the arts as a 45-year Cleveland Orchestra subscriber, including two years supporting the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Finally, David is infinitely proud of his many years as business partner with his wife, award-winning watercolorist, Lois Salmon Toole.  Bruce Downie, Board Member
Bruce Downie obtained professional experience in a variety of senior financial management positions in both public and privately held companies. Currently, Bruce is a partner with The Robert Halliday Co., Ltd., a certified public accounting firm that has served the Chagrin Valley for over 25 years.
His additional industry experience includes public accounting, financial services, and utilities. Bruce is a graduate of Marietta College earning a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting. Bruce is a licensed CPA in Ohio as well as a member of both the Ohio Society of CPA’s and the American Institute of CPA’s. Bruce volunteered many years at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church as the treasurer and also served on the Vestry. His professional expertise has also helped many other non-profit organizations with tax compliance, financial reporting and accounting issues. Bruce is anxious to lend his expertise in financial reporting, analysis, budgeting, forecasting and strategic planning to help the Valley Art Center continue its mission to provide high quality programing that presents, promotes and teaches visual arts in the Chagrin Valley as they have for over 40 years.  Blazine Monaco, Board Member
Blazine Monaco’s extensive experience in the non-profit sector as the Executive Director of Care for Others (2011 to the present) and founder and former Executive Director of The Littlest Heroes is (1999 to 2011); coupled with her art education background from Cleveland Institute of Art’s Lakeland Community College program has provided the Valley Art Center with a wealth of talent and expertise.
As an active member on several Valley Art Center committees, she has volunteered critical input for the center’s ongoing grant writing and marketing strategies. Her current coursework in marketing, is a well-timed endeavor as it coincides with the Valley Art Center’s efforts towards a revitalized marketing program. “I appreciate the opportunity to combine my nonprofit expertise and love for the arts to advance VAC’s mission in whatever ways needed particularly using my strengths in marketing and grant writing,” says Blazine. |
 Dana Davis, Vice President
Dana Davis has had a career covering everything from a buyer with Higbee’s and Dillards, a fiber consultant with The Dupont Company, a store manager for Multicraft Inc. to a Gallery Director at the Valley Art Center from 2006-2008. Dana earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Miami University in Ohio.
Dana continues her involvement with the Valley Art Center as Vice President of the Board of Trustees. She has also continues to contribute her talents by volunteering on the Membership Committee as well as the Gallery Committee. Dana has been instrumental in assisting with hanging five gallery exhibits yearly as well as resourcing new talent for the shows. Dana says, “The people at VAC have several things in common: love of art and learning, generous spirits, and hearts of gold.” She is excited to help continue to guide the Valley Art Center in all future endeavors.  Kirk Gebler, Treasurer
Kirk Gebler’s twenty-year career with Dominion has translated into many generous
donations from that company for the art center. As a Chagrin Falls High School graduate (’77), Kirk has been invaluable in assisting this organization with many positive liaisons with the Chagrin Valley community. He maintains that, as a U.S. Army veteran, he was trained in the fine art of traffic control and rallying the “troops” which contributes significantly to maintaining our superlative level of service at Art by the Falls, Children’s Holiday Workshop and other fundraising ventures. Kirk has a passionate devotion to service and he is always available to assist with whatever project needs another pair of hands—whether it is cutting a channel in the pottery studio, building a float, or serving on a committee. Kirk Gebler is a man that helps define the heart of the community that is the Valley Art Center.  Ann Beringer, Board Member
Ann Beringer graduated with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts, with a concentration in Painting, from St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana. Ann worked in the advertising art department at The Cleveland Plain Dealer for 6 years before focusing on raising her family and sharing her talents by volunteering in the community. Ann has spent many hours volunteering her time in the Chagrin Falls School District including taking on the responsibility of Chairperson of the Art Friends Art Enrichment Program. She is also a founding member of the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival, now going into its third year. Ann is currently a working artist whose work has been juried into and won awards at multiple art exhibits in the Chagrin Valley area. Her hope is that her art background and general love and enthusiasm of all things creative, benefits the board at the Valley Art Center.  Ben Kaman, Board Member
Ben Kaman has worn many hats over the years at Kaman’s Art Shoppes, Inc of Chagrin Falls, Ohio and currently holds the position of Vice President. His current position has given him a wealth of knowledge and resources that he willingly shares with the Valley Art Center.
Ben has received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Masters of Business Administration from Kent State University. He has lived and worked in Chagrin Falls for 34 years and continues to be an active member of both religious and social organizations within the Chagrin Valley area. His skills and background in both the art and business worlds benefit the Valley Art Center because he can help ensure that the center provides quality art and education programs to the community as well as maintain fiscal operational excellence. Ben feels,“Growing up and having the Valley Art Center as part of my early artistic development has given me a personal interest in helping to ensure that this organization remains available to kids and adults in the area for many more years to come.”  Deb Perry, Board Member
Deb Perry is currently a Business Systems Analyst with Progressive Insurance. She has always possessed an interest in and love for the visual arts. A graduate of Cuyahoga Community College, with continued adult education from the Cleveland Institute of Art, Deb now enjoys incorporating her painting and drawing talents with unique jewelry designs. As a certified Precious Metal Clay® artisan,
Deb enjoys teaching classes and sharing her enjoyment of creating works of art from basic materials. Deb continues to be involved with local and national PMC guilds. She currently serves as president of the North East Ohio Precious Metal Clay guild. Deb has volunteered her excellent organizational skills and understanding of systems to the Valley Art Center Board of Trustees. Currently, she is the Chair of the Education Committee and contributes her systems experience to the Membership Committee towards its database analysis project.  Nancy Rogoff, Board Member
Nancy Rogoff has been a resident of the Village of Chagrin Falls since 1989. She was appointed to the Valley Art Center Board of Trustees in 2011. An attorney in private practice, she is also employed at the Chagrin Falls High School in The Learning Center.
Nancy has been a member of the Chagrin Falls Planning & Zoning Commission since 1996 where she currently serves at the Chairman of the Board. In addition to her devotion to the visual arts, she is also a member of the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre Board and Chagrin Valley Little Theatre Women’s Committee. Her passion for the arts also extends to her involvement on the Executive Committee of the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival.  Nathan Sable, Board Member
Nathan Sable is a graduate
of Ohio University and is now a Business Banking Specialist, AVP with Huntington Bank with a focus on businesses and organizations in the Chagrin Valley and Western Geauga County. Nathan has worked in the banking industry for 7 years, 5 years as a Business Banker and 2 Years as a Trust Analyst. Prior to entering the banking industry, Nathan was the Membership Director for the Hillcrest Family YMCA where he supported their fundraising efforts with involvement in their annual “Strong Kids Campaign” and annual golf outing. Nathan is excited to join the Valley Art Center’s Board of trustees and support the arts in our community. He is looking forward to applying his experience with non-profits, fundraising and the business community. |
