Board of Trustees

Our Board of Trustees includes and embraces members with a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds. We’re proud of our differences, and we believe they do us good.

Kaye Rowe

PRESIDENT

Kaye serves as Summit Education Initiative’s Controller and Operations Manager.  She graduated from The Ohio State University and has spent her accounting career in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors in the Akron/Cleveland area.  She is a volunteer at St. Sebastian Church and has been an active member of the Christ Child Society of Akron for several years.  She currently is serving her second term on the National Christ Child Society Executive Board as Treasurer.

Kaye grew up in West Akron.  She and her husband, David resides there.  They have a daughter, Allison, who graduated from Walsh Jesuit High School in 2009 and is a 2013 graduate of Miami University (Oxford, OH).

Julie Beckert

Vice President

Since 2015, Julie Beckert has worked for the Office of Economic Development for the City of Akron.  In her role at the City, Julie focuses on all aspects of growing and maintaining businesses throughout the City.  In addition, Julie is the City liaison to many of the neighborhood business districts and downtown retail businesses.

Prior to joining the City, Julie had extensive experience in special event coordinating, sales and marketing.  Julie participated in the planning and implementation of multiple community events including, Akron Flair Fest, Gay Games 9, Akron Square Fest, Akron Arts Expo, Open Streets and our Inaugural Akron Pride Festival. Julie is a graduate of the University of Akron and proud lifelong resident of Summit County. 

Andrew Barry

secretary

Andrew Barry is an Attorney for County Executive Shapiro’s Office. He has been with the office in various roles since 2017.

In addition to CANAPI, Andrew also serves on the board for the Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust & Genocide Education and is active in local politics. He is a member of the Akron Bar Association, the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, and the National Association of Civil County Attorneys. Andrew is a two-time graduate from The University of Akron. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish and recently earned his J.D. from The University of Akron School of Law.

Andrew lives in Akron with his husband Colton.

Justin Lepley, J.D.

Member

Justin Lepley (he/him/his) is an Entrepreneur, Creator, & Volunteer dedicated to growing opportunities in Northeast Ohio. Owner and Founder of the Lepley Holdings family of companies, including Lepley & Co. (plant boutique and full-service florist) and Solidago Business Advisors, and he serves as Director of Northside Marketplace, where he works to help other entrepreneurs start and grow their brands. In addition to founding the Lepley & Co. Cares Fund, he serves as Chairman of the Board of MentorStark, which creates mentoring opportunities in Stark County and strengthens connections amongst local mentoring organizations.

Justin completed his undergraduate education at the University of Mount Union and obtained his Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve School of Law in 2020. He resides in Akron's Goodyear Heights Neighborhood with his partner Curtis. 

Stephanie Marsh

MEMBER

Stephanie is the Chief Communications Officer for Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan's office. She also serves as one of the LGBT liaisons for the City of Akron. In her role, Stephanie oversees City of Akron professional communications, community engagement strategies, event coordination, social media and press relations from the Office of the Mayor. Prior to her time with the City, she worked as a Senior Customer Content Specialist at PR Newswire where she was also the President of their LGBTQ+ employee resource group with chapters across the globe. A lifelong resident of Northeast Ohio, Stephanie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Kent State University with a bachelor's degree in English.

Phil Montgomery

member

Phil Montgomery is the Director of Finance and Budget for the County of Summit, Ohio. Phil spent 12 years in the private sector and at the City of Akron before Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro named him Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Job and Family Services in 2017. In 2021, he transitioned to Deputy Director of the Department of Finance and Budget, where he assisted the Director in managing the County’s $550+ million budget and navigating rigorous financial reporting requirements. Moving up to Director in 2022, he oversees more than one billion dollars in financial transactions and the budget allocations to every department, office and division of Summit County government.

In addition to his role with CANAPI, Phil volunteers with various other nonprofit organizations across the community and currently serves as a board member and past chair of the Gay Community Endowment Fund (GCEF), board member of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition and the Akron Children’s Museum. Phil is also a steering committee member of the Akron Pride Festival and chairs the Finance committee. He is a 2011 alumni member of Torchbearers, graduate of Leadership Akron Class XXXI, 2013 recipient of the 30 for the Future Award from the Greater Akron Chamber and 2018 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Torchbearers. In 2020, Phil was named a notable LGBTQ Executive by Crain’s Cleveland.

Phil earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in business information systems from DeVry University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Ohio Dominican University, both in Columbus, OH. He lives in Highland Square with his husband, Andrew, and their children, Brooklynn and Adrionna.

Sally Nyburg

MEMBER

Josh Parks

Member

Josh is a Senior Activation Specialist with University Hospitals.  In his role, he is responsible for leading change management and training initiatives involving new medical practice acquisitions.  Josh obtained his BA in Business Management with a concentration in Human Resources from Walsh University.  Additionally, Josh serves on the Steering Committee for Akron Pride Festival and chairs the Entertainment Committee.  He also sits on the Development Committee for APF.  

Josh grew up in Akron and currently resides in Copley Township with his cockapoo, Penny.  

Andrew Schuellerman

member

Andrew is an Account Representative for VSI Global.  His primary role is new business acquisition and current customer care.  Prior to his role, he spent 15 years in the medical device industry working for the Steris Corporation’s Instrument Management Services (IMS) division.  

Andrew is a proud Akron resident and alumnus of The University of Akron where he earned his BBA degrees in Sales Management and Market Management from the Fisher Institute for Professional Selling.

He currently sits on the board at Summit County Children’s Services and previously sat on the board of the County of Summit Regional Arts and Cultural District.

John Washington

EMERITUS MEMBER

John is a past President of the board after serving two terms. John retired from Allstate Insurance Company in 2010, after spending 32 years serving in various leadership positions including Human Resources and Public Affairs. In his last position he was responsible for overseeing the execution of personal lines risk management policy for the company.  As a part of his personal commitment and to the community he has served on numerous boards including the March of Dimes, the Urban League, and Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Partners in Education.  John received his B.A. from Tougaloo College, Tougaloo MS and completed additional study at Jackson State University and the University of Missouri, Columbia.