Create Columbus is comprised of an outstanding and diverse group of YPs; including business builders, community organizers, innovation leaders, artists, and civic activists spanning a wide variety of industries and backgrounds. Create Columbus members are nominated and appointed by their peers for renewable three-year terms. Collectively, members of Create Columbus spend more than 2000 volunteer hours every year advancing the work of Create Columbus.

Executive Committee (2021)

Chair — Aba Azeem, Licensed Real Estate Agent, RE/MAX Metro Plus | Regional Training Manager, Verizon/Go Wireless

Vice-Chair— Gerry Rodriguez, Chief of Staff, Kaufman Development

Secretary — Cassandra Young, Cofounder, Matter News + Cloud City

Treasurer — Maylin Sambois Sanchez, CEO, Butterfly Effect | Co-founder, Femergy

Vice-Chair, Governance — Stuart McIntyre, Community Learning Center Organizer, Ohio Federation of Teachers

Chair Emeritus— Densil R. Porteous, Founder, DePorteous | CEO, Pride Fund I

Board

Kyle Strickland, Attorney, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity

Nora Gerber, Community Relations Coordinator, City of Columbus – Department of Neighborhoods

Jill Londino, Director of Operations & Special Projects, Pelotonia

Anna Hatzel, Conversion Copywriter & Brand Strategist — Owner, Strange Birds LLC

Christina Patel, Director of Development, The Ohio State University

General Members

Conner Brintlinger, Director of Business Development and External Affairs, American Structurepoint

Hakim Callwood, Visual Artist

Carrie Carmody, Associate Donor Services Officer, The Columbus Foundation

Melissa Crum, Diversity & Equity Practitioner Mosaic Education Network

Marc Dones, Executive Director, National Innovation Service

Susan Earp, Architect, Moody Nolan

Usjid Hameed, Government Affairs and Development Director, CAIR-Ohio

Alex Ingley, Special Projects Manager YMCA of Central Ohio

Fevean Keflom, College Advising Manager, I Know I Can

Phil Kim, Marketing & Communications Director, Ohio Citizens for the Arts

Andrew King, Attorney, Squire Patton Boggs

Anita Kwan, Founder, Reel Hoot Productions

Madeline McIntyre, Director Student-Athlete Development, Ohio State University Athletics

Pedro Mejia, Community Relations Coordinator, City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods

Jose Morales-Crispin, Hispanic Community Outreach & Engagement Coordinator, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

Jesús Ovalle, Program Manager, Columbus Public Health

Chase Petrie, Principal, LOUD Capital

Kierra Posey, Chief of Operations, Pocket Full of Poseys

Tyiesha Radford Shorts, Program Coordinator of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion program, College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio State University

Marti Ridley, Development Coordinator, Ruling Our eXperiences, Inc. (ROX)

Tiara Ross, Zone Attorney, Columbus City Attorney

Ibrahima Sow, Chairman, Ohio African Immigrants Commission

Gabriela Torres, Visual Artist

Garth Weithman, Director Advocacy & Engagement, United Way of Central Ohio

Organizational Structure