Meet the Board and Staff Behind A Special Wish SW Ohio

Chair

​Retired, Pediatric Associates of Dayton​

I have been married to my wife, Jenni, for 43 years and am the proud father of two daughters and grandfather to two grandsons. In my free time, I enjoy golfing and fishing. I previously served on the ASW Board and have often said it was the most enjoyable board I have ever been part of, thanks to the incredible people involved. I am excited to rejoin the group and look forward to contributing once again.

Vice Chair

Retired, Caresource

I am a native Daytonian happily married to Melanie for 40 years.  I love our kids, grandkids and being involved with A Special Wish.  There is great joy in helping Special Wish families spend time with their families, creating great memories.

Secretary, Tax Manager, Flagel Huber Flagel

I am a tax manager at Flagel Huber Flagel with 10 years of experience as a tax accountant. 

I have been happily married to my husband, Sean, for over eight years, and we share our home with our Yorkie, Jelly. We love traveling, whether exploring new destinations across the U.S. or abroad, and are big fans of movies and sports, always looking forward to our next adventure or game day.

​I am deeply honored to be part of an organization that brings joy and hope to children facing unimaginable challenges. Serving on the board allows me to contribute to something truly meaningful, and I am committed to helping create moments of happiness and comfort for these incredible children and their families.

Treasurer

​Senior audit and accounting manager, Brady Ware and Company

I am native to the Dayton area and enjoy spending my free time with my wife and son, traveling, and visiting all of Dayton’s awesome craft breweries. I really enjoyed seeing Nathan’s wish for the ultimate Cleveland Browns experience come true in October 2022.  Even as a Bengals fan, it was amazing to see how welcoming the Browns organization and players were and to see Nathan’s joy in getting that experience.

Program director, Hematology/Oncology, Dayton Children's Hospital

​My hobbies include golfing, photography, gardening and spending time with family and friends. I work with many families who are recipients of Special Wishes and I see firsthand how they impact the families that I work with.

Managing Partner,

Q&A Strategies

​I have been married to Russ for 15 years and we are crazy dog people, welcoming around 30 foster dogs and puppies a year into our home. 

A special wish is the most magical form of a celebration of life and love a person can experience.  Connecting with the ones you love can be so hard with everyday stressors, to give the gift of connection to a family facing enormous difficulty is an honor few can say they have been a part of.  I am blessed I have been given the ability to support the kids and families of ASW in any small way. 

Chief nursing officer,

Dayton Children's Hospital

I am a nursing leader with over three decades of nursing leadership experience in adult and pediatric health care environments. I enjoy time with family and friends, attending sporting events, reading, and, especially, the beach! I serve on this board to help create resources for special events for the children in our region who are experiencing very difficult life-threatening illnesses. I am motivated by creating fun family memories for these children and their families. 

Project manager,

Shook Construction

​I grew up in Greenville, Ohio. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, learning about American history, trying new local restaurants, and traveling.

I helped grant a Wish in 2022 and felt the impact. I love seeing deserving children receive an experience or gift that helps bring them happiness.

Senior Corporate Recruiter - Applied Research Solutions

Born and raised in Kettering, OH. I attended Fairmont HS and graduated from The Ohio State University. I married my lovely wife Erin Pierce in 2017 and we currently live in Kettering. We have two pets a basset hound (Luna) and a cat (Kitty). I am a golf fanatic and play as often as possible. We enjoy spending the rest of our time taking walks, and spending time with family and friends (and watching Bravo reality shows). I have always found it inspiring the work ASW does in helping fulfill dreams for kids and families in our community and look forward to supporting that mission. 

Nurse practitioner, 

Transitional Care Unit, Dayton Children's Hospital

I have been married to my husband, Chris, for 30 years and we have four adult children and also serve as foster parents. We love to explore all things in the great outdoors. I also enjoy running, reading, and sporting events. I love to hear stories and see pictures of families that I have worked with during prolonged hospitalizations. enjoy a family event or vacation. 

I'm a lifelong resident of Dayton, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and Wright State University and a retired educator. My career fields were teaching social studies and school counseling. I  enjoy playing golf, studying history, reading, and spending time with my family. My wife and I enjoy volunteering for  Dayton Live, Five Rivers MetroParks, Lakeside Environmental Stewardship Society and Lakeside Heritage Society.   I have been involved with A Special Wish since the 90's, having served as a board member, board chair and advisory board member.  I am happy to make  a positive impact on children and families through A Special Wish.   

General Manager, Mill Mechanical

My wife, Jennifer and I currently live in Springboro where we settled 15 years ago when we got married.  I am the proud father of three children.  My hobbies include traveling, being with friends, golf and watching the Bengals at Paycor stadium. Growing up I was a foster child and was fortunate to eventually be placed with a great family.  It was my foster sister that encouraged me to get involved with Special Wish and I am so grateful that I did.  I started on the advisory board and grew to love the organization which is why I now am happy to be on the board. My goal is to help Special Wish fill as many dreams as possible.  

Leasing Consultant / Rookwood Properties / 6 years as a producer/Executive Producer at ABC22/FOX45

​Originally from Buffalo, New York, I came to Ohio to attend The Ohio State University and proudly made it home. Over the years, I’ve built strong personal and professional roots throughout Southwest Ohio, with deep connections across the region.

For more than a decade, I have supported families of children facing life-threatening disorders. While at Ohio State, I served on a leadership board and helped raise funds for pediatric cancer research, shaping my lifelong commitment to this work. Helping create moments of joy and lasting memories for families during difficult times is an honor I carry with gratitude and purpose.

Partner, Synergy Building Systems Inc  

​I am a nearly lifelong resident of Beavercreek where I reside with my husband Jerad.  We are proud parents of three kids.  Our oldest daughter is a leukemia survivor who received a special wish towards the end of her treatment. The wish was exactly what we needed to get through some very difficult days at the hospital.  It also provided so much joy to our other two kids whose lives were also uprooted during this time.  We are forever grateful! 

Fun Fact: After our hard days, our family decided to travel and have since visited 49 out of 50 states. We have also been to 45 National Parks.  

Chief Medical Officer, Premier Health

I am the system chief medical officer at Premier Health. I am board certified in internal medicine and received my Doctor of Medicine degree from Penn State University College of Medicine.

I am happy to support A Special Wish Foundation and be a part of life-changing wishes for local children.

Retired

I am a graduate of Wright State University School of Medicine, and did my pediatric residency at Dayton Children’s. Two other pediatricians (including Dr. David Roer) and I founded Pediatric Associates of Dayton where I worked until my early retirement. In my retirement I have volunteered as a CASA (court-appointed special advocate, representing the best interests of neglected and abused children in the juvenile courts). I have previously served on nonprofit boards, including both A Special Wish Board and Advisory Board. I enjoy playing golf, bicycling and spending time with my four granddaughters.

While a med student on rotation at Dayton Children’s I helped admit a young boy with newly diagnosed leukemia. From then on I had a passion for children with cancer and leukemia.