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Meet the Board
April Womack
President
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Strategic account executive,
Henry Schein One
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My fiancé and I and our dog (Beau) live in Sugarcreek Township. We love to travel. Most important, we value staying involved in our community. My father is a pediatric dentist and has had these special children as his patients. The things they all seem to have in common are hope and grace. My favorite part of being a board member is the holiday party. I love seeing the children able to be carefree: playing, picking presents, and leaving exhausted but happy—full of smiles and hugs for everyone.
Quin Kline
Vice President
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Managing Partner,
Q&A Strategies
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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.
Jayne Gmeiner
Secretary
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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.
Elizabeth "Liz" Downer
Treasurer
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Partner,
Flagel Huber Flagel
Liz lives in Oakwood with her husband and their son. Liz enjoys traveling, spending time outside hiking and bicycling, making memories with friends and family, and checking out new restaurants around town. The team at A Special Wish truly works to make a child's Wish as special as possible. I love that they include the entire family in the Wish and offer the family a moment of "normalcy" during a time of extreme stress and uncertainty.
Michelle Crabtree
Immediate Past President
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Second grade teacher, Centerville City Schools
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I have been married to my husband, Jason, for 25 years. Together we have three beautiful daughters. We enjoy camping together as a family.
My passion for A Special Wish Foundation began in 2010, when our oldest daughter was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and was granted a Wish. Ever since then, I have made it my mission to give back and pay it forward for other children and families through A Special Wish Foundation.
Mukund Dole, M.D.
Program director, Hematology/Oncology, Dayton Children's Hospital
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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.
Rebecca Gulden
News director, WKEF/WRGT
I’ve been in the news industry for nearly twenty years, starting my career as a producer. I grew up in the Dayton area and have lived in many other cities during my career. I moved back to Ohio in 2013 and love being home. My hobbies are playing tennis, hiking, traveling, podcasting, and spending time with loved ones.
I’m honored to be part of A Special Wish and to help children and families who are going through an unimaginable time.
Anne Keeton
Managing shareholder,
Freund, Freeze & Arnold
My husband, Mark, and I are proud to have raised our two boys in Kettering. We spend more time than not watching and/or playing basketball and are huge fans of UVA basketball. I remember one summer shuffling down the aisle of an airplane, heading with our little family to Disney. I noticed the family seated on either side of us. It was so clear to me that it was a Special Wish family, and their daughter was so excited! It touched me so much, and I’m so glad to play a part in helping to make those kinds of family experiences possible.
Brandon McClain
Montgomery County Recorder
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I am an avid chess player and love karaoke—especially if I don't know any words to the song. I graduated cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke with a bachelor 's degree in criminal justice; I have a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati and a juris doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law. I am a member of the Rotary Club of Dayton and a founding member of the Northmont Kiwanis Club.
Chris Besecker
Project manager,
Shook Construction
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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.
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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.
Carol Murray
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.
Dylan Romans
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.
Brooke Schleben
Attorney, probate, estate planning, and elder law, Pickrel, Schaeffer, and Ebeling
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I love spending time with my fiance, Katie, and our four fur-babies: Zeus, Skyler, Seamus, and Catticus Finch. My hobbies are coaching girls basketball for Centerville's middle school program and teaching law and criminal justice at Sinclair's Prison Program. I have witnessed many of my adult family members battle cancer, and have tested positive for the BRCA gene. I have seen what a terminal illness has done to my family, and I could not imagine it being a child. I want to help grant every child I can with a Special Wish, just to see them smile.
Zachary Pierce
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.
Dr. David Roer
Pediatrician, Pediatric Associates of Dayton
I have been married, Jenni, for 43 years and have 2 daughters and 2 grandsons. I love to golf and fish in my free time. I was on the Board years ago and have always told people it was the most enjoyable Board I have ever been on, and the greatest people to work with. I am excited to rejoin the group!
Jim Heikes
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.
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Brian McNeice
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.
Janel Mills Barnett
Partner, Synergy Building Systems Inc
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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.
Advisory Board
Mr. Gary Auman
Ashley Bethard
Judge Julie Bruns
Judge Anthony (Tony) Capizzi (Retired)
Ms. Jana Collier
Mr. Derrick L. Foward
Judge Jeffrey Froelich (Retired)
Barbara Johnson
Ms. Helen Jones-Kelley, Esq.
Dr. Tom Lasley
Mr. Tony Ortiz
Mr. Craig S. Thiele, M.D.
Emeritus Board Members
Charles Manker
Ruth Wiles
Lisa Elam-Tucker
Immediate Past President
Michelle Crabtree - Centerville City Schools
Staff
Executive Director
David Seyer
937-641-4267
SeyerD@childrensdayton.org
Wish/Marketing Director
Tyler Gregory
937-641-4265
GregoryB@childrensdayton.org
Admin Manager
Judi Newell
937-641-4263
NewellJ@childrensdayton.org
code #844837 or ASWF
