Speakers

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Margaret Trimer serves as vice president of strategic partnerships for Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio,
and Indiana, a national leader in dental benefits. In this role, she guides marketing, public relations,
company culture, and investments in initiatives that build healthy, smart, vibrant communities.
Prior to joining Delta Dental in 2018, Trimer served as president and CEO of Junior Achievement of
Southeastern Michigan, a Detroit-based nonprofit that teaches young people how to manage their
money, think, be entrepreneurial and prepare for the world of work.

Trimer also founded and ran University Prep Science and Math (UPSM) schools in Detroit, one of the
highest performing charter school districts in the region.

She directed communications for the Michigan Education Association (MEA), the state’s largest teachers
union for 10 years. There, she advocated and lobbied for resources, support and development for the
association’s 160,000 public school employees.

While at the MEA she started a nonprofit called Your Child, which is credited with revealing Michigan’s
lackluster culture of education and conducting a major public relations campaign designed to spur
improvement.

Trimer started her career as a reporter for the Detroit Free Press and spent six years covering education
issues and trends before leaving the paper in 1995.
She attended Michigan State University’s James Madison College and earned her bachelor’s degree in
urban studies with a minor in economics.

Jacob Duritsky leads strategy, research, and talent for the Northeast Ohio Region’s business development efforts to better serve the information requirements and align strategies among Team NEO’s various partners and communities engaged in targeted and sustainable region-wide economic growth. His primary responsibilities include analyzing the regional economy to provide a greater perspective on the challenges and opportunities in Northeast Ohio, developing strategic and coordinated actionable insights to encourage economic growth, and providing a perspective on how the Northeast Ohio economy can perform better. This includes his work in leading Team NEO’s talent strategy and Aligning Opportunities series of reports, the development of the regional Vibrant Economy Index, and regular updates to the community on the evolution and progress of the regional economy with a focus on enabling opportunities for improvement through equity.

Jacob has been with Team NEO since 2008. Previously, Jacob served as an integral part of the organization’s business attraction efforts in leading our national work focused on site selector engagement and the attraction of new companies to the region. He has also led the organization’s proactive renewable energy development efforts. Previously, Jacob has worked for The Center for Public Management, The Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center, and Ohio City Near West Development Corporation.

Jacob holds a Master of Science in Urban Studies from the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. He leads Team NEO’s Talent Development Council and is an engaged Board member for the Cuyahoga County Workforce Sector Partnership and the Greater Cleveland Career Consortium Leadership Board. Jacob has been recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business as a member of 40 Under 40 and is a past member of the 2012 class of Cleveland Bridge Builders. He is a resident of the Kamm’s Corners neighborhood of Cleveland and is married with two daughters.

Vignettes

Bella Issa is a recent graduate from Baldwin Wallace University with a degree in acting and directing. While in college, she directed The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel for BW’s official 2024-2025 theatrical season. Her most recent acting credits include Lily in LUNCHTIME! with Soft Belly Theatre in downtown Cleveland and Curtain Call: No Exit (Faith) at Cleveland Public Theatre. Outside of theatre, Bella loves anything to do with books. She co-founded BW’s book club and is currently working full-time at Barnes & Noble. She thanks Team NEO for this opportunity.

actorbellaissa.wixsite.com/mysite

My name is Gabriel Cummings, and I’m a sophomore at Baldwin Wallace University, pursuing a BFA in acting. For me, acting is more than just a craft—it’s a form of therapy, a way to connect with stories that challenge and inspire. I’ve had the opportunity to perform in a variety of productions, and I just wrapped up playing Chicago in Is He Dead. Every role I take on pushes me to grow, both as an artist and as a person, and I’m always looking for new opportunities to expand my skills and dive deeper into my passion for storytelling.

Gioianna DiGiorgio is an actress from Long Island, New York, and is currently a senior pursuing a BFA in acting at Baldwin Wallace University. She has been a part of a variety of plays and musicals in the New York and Cleveland areas, with some recent credits including Cecile Leroux in Is He Dead, Mary Flynn in Merrily We Roll Along, and Mrs.Givings in In the Next Room. She is also currently an Assistant Producer at Radio on the Lake Theatre, with whom she has directed and acted in several radio plays, and is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. 

Ash Farley is a Sophomore Acting BFA at Baldwin Wallace University from Staten Island, New York. They have done many shows and have most recently been in BW’s production of Good Kids, and is in production as Magenta in BW’s Rocky Horror Picture Show. Other credits include Jane Doe in Ride The Cyclone, Soloist at NY Don’t Tell Mama Cabaret, and many others! They are so excited to be working with this incredible team! IG: @ash.farley_performance

Panel Discussion

Baldwin Wallace University President Lee Fisher began his appointment as Baldwin Wallace’s 10th President on July 1, 2025. He joins BW after being the Dean and Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law at Cleveland State University College of Law, where he served for nine years.

His diverse career has spanned the public, private, nonprofit and academic sectors. Fisher served 18 years in state-elected public office, including State Representative, State Senator, Attorney General and Lt. Governor for Ohio. After his first term in the Ohio House of Representatives, he was voted Outstanding Freshman Legislator by the members of the Ohio House and Senate. He is the author of ten Ohio laws and served as Chair of the Cuyahoga County state legislative delegation. As Attorney General, he served as legal counsel for all of Ohio’s public universities.

He also has served as Director, Ohio Department of Development; Chair, Ohio Third Frontier Commission; Chair, Ohio Organized Crime Commission; President & CEO, Center for Families and Children; President & CEO, CEOs for Cities; and Partner in the Cleveland law firm Hahn Loeser.

In 2022, he was inducted into the Cleveland Magazine Business Hall of Fame for his decades of public and nonprofit sector leadership on local, regional, and state economic growth and development.

Fisher is a graduate of Oberlin College and served on the Oberlin College Board of Trustees for 12 years. He earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Law, where he was the first recipient of the School of Law’s Distinguished Recent Graduate Award. In addition, he has a Master of Nonprofit Organization from the CWRU Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations. Fisher was a Chase Public Leadership Fellow at Harvard University’s Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government and was a CWRU Presidential Fellow. He is also a graduate of the CWRU Weatherhead School of Management’s Professional Fellows Program and Leadership Cleveland.

He and his wife, Peggy Zone Fisher, have two children, Jason and Jessica.

 Shaun Eller is the Chief Business Officer of Ohio Gratings, Inc., where he serves as a community ambassador; fostering synergies with the business’ sister companies to drive collaborative growth in the metals industry. As a champion of community engagement, he has built partnerships with administrators, teachers and program instructors at 22 local high schools, seven career centers and four local colleges. 

His career at Ohio Gratings spans nearly three decades, beginning in 1995 as a drafter in the company’s detailing department. He has since held various roles, including General Manager, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He has extensive experience in operations, sales, project management and order fulfillment. He has worked on the shop floor and was once the company’s dedicated chaplain. 

Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Shaun holds an associate’s degree in civil engineering from Stark State College, a bachelor’s degree in business management from Malone University, and an MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology. 

In addition to his corporate achievements, Shaun is a licensed minister actively involved in his local church. He penned The Balance in May 2019, which offers insights into balancing the demands of an insistent society with personal development. He and his wife, Angela, are the proud parents of four grown children. 

Shaun’s commitment to workforce development extends beyond Ohio Gratings. He is the President of the Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership and serves on the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s Workforce Committee. His passion for education is evident in his active participation on several advisory boards for local schools. 

He recently completed training to become a Subject Matter Expert for the National Institute for Metalworking Skills’ Advisory Council, accrediting exceptional manufacturing training and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. 

Shaun is passionate about creating new business opportunities and innovative youth outreach and engagement strategies. His comprehensive experience and dedication to developing the next generation of manufacturing.

Natalie Joyce is the HR Generalist for Ravago Medina. She has proven to be a dependable and trustworthy professional, lending her talents to building and maintaining relationships, representing shared company values, and managing employees across all levels of an organization. Her HR career started at Discount Drug Mart as their HR Specialist, overseeing Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment and supporting their Distribution Center. Prior to joining Ravago Medina, Natalie was the Senior HR Operations Administrator with Accel Schools overseeing the employment lifecycle of their employee base. Natalie is a 2025 graduate of Leadership Medina County and acts as her class’s Co-Champion. She also serves on the board of Feeding Medina County. Natalie enjoys time with family and friends, attending concerts, visiting local restaurants and wineries, and time outdoors walking or hiking. 

Davonta Milbry is an Outreach Coordinator in the External Engagement department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.  He facilitates the Fed Future Professionals Program by creating content, coordinating learning sessions, and programming, and supporting career growth along the participants. Davonta also engages with external stakeholders to promote the Bank’s financial literacy and career readiness programming and to increase the Bank’s hiring pools by building partnerships with K-12 schools, colleges, and universities within the 4th district. 

Davonta joined the Cleveland Reserve Bank in June of 2019 as an hourly in Talent Acquisition.  The following spring, he transferred over to the Strategic Programming & Engagement department where he joined the Bank full-time of May of 2020.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Human Resources from John Carroll University and completed the DiversityFirst Certification Program in February of 2021.  Davonta also holds a Certification in Online Teaching from National University and a certification in Influencing at All Levels from Case Western Reserve University.   

Closing Remarks

As Chief Executive Officer of Team NEO, Matt Dolan is dedicated to driving economic growth and prosperity across Northeast Ohio. With a career spanning law, business, and government, Matt has a deep understanding of the region’s opportunities and challenges. His leadership is focused on strengthening Northeast Ohio’s economic competitiveness by advancing business attraction and retention strategies, strengthening the supply chain, fostering innovation, enhancing site preparedness, and promoting the region as a premier destination for investment.

Before joining Team NEO, Matt served in both the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio State Senate, chairing the Finance Committee in both chambers. In these roles, he oversaw billions of dollars in budget decisions and spearheaded initiatives to strengthen Ohio’s economy. He was instrumental in shaping the economic development tools used by JobsOhio and Team NEO to attract new businesses, support the expansion of existing companies, and drive job creation across the region. His leadership in the General Assembly was marked by key efforts in tax reform and infrastructure investment, laying the groundwork for long-term economic growth.

Beyond public service, Matt has been a leader in the private sector as a partner at Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan, LPA, where he provided strategic legal counsel to businesses and municipalities on land use, economic development, and regulatory matters. His business acumen extends to real estate and family enterprise leadership, having overseen investment and development initiatives at 7th Avenue Properties and 422 Company. Inc.

Matt’s leadership has earned him widespread recognition, including numerous legislative and business advocacy awards. He is a recipient of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Champion of Business Award and has been recognized for his contributions to sectors ranging from healthcare to energy policy.

A Northeast Ohio native, Matt holds a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Boston College.