Issuu

Some seasons demand grit; others allow for polish.

NickaJack Farms

Keynote speaker: Renee Powell

Women In BusIness summIt

EVENT AGENDA

Registration, coffee and shopping

Welcome & Introductions

Darla Brown, Vice President of Marketing and Membership Strategy, CRCC

Melinda Kapalko, Vice President of Development and Partnership Relations, CRCC

Keynote speaker intro: Sue Grabowski

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: RENEE POWELL

Legendary professional golfer and co-owner of Clearview Golf Club. A true pioneer, Renee brings a grounded perspective on perseverance and leading with integrity, shaped by a career spent breaking barriers and redefining what’s possible in both business and life.

Break

Speed networking (3 rounds)

Lunch and shopping

PANEL 1: BUILT BY GRIT

Kayleigh Kriss (moderator)

Naomi Covert, Naturally Snackish

Liz Hibbs, Alliance promise

Captain Lisa Broucker, Canton PD

Janelle Lee, YWCA

GROUP CHAT/PHOTO EXERCISE

PANEL 2: LUSTERTHAT LASTS

Tracy Nicodemo (moderator) CRCC

Krista Allison, Stark Education Partnership

Jane Christyson, CEO of Girl Scouts NEO

Beth Humbert, Whole Latte Love

Lisa Waite, Kent State

Closing remarks and desserts

End

RENEE POWELL • Keynote Speaker

Renee Powell is one of the most resilient and persevering athletes of our time, and golf’s greatest living ambassador. Raised on the East Canton, Ohio golf course built by her father, William “Bill” Powell, during times of racial adversity and segregation, Renee learned early on what it meant to excel against the odds.

By age three, she was swinging a golf club for the first time, and early in her teenage years she had won more than 30 tournaments. In 1967, she became the second African-American woman to compete on the LPGA Tour. As a tour professional, she withstood the challenges and struggles of socially turbulent period and played in more than 250 worldwide events. Renee won the 1973 Kelly Springfield Open in Brisbane, Australia.

In 1971, Renee was part of a USO tour to Vietnam, in support of our troops, and would expand upon that rare experience throughout a career to support both men and women in military service to our country. In the late 1970s, Renee extended her history-making career to new levels. In 1979, while a member of the Professional Golfers Association of Great Britain & Ireland, she was named the first woman head professional of a private golf club in the United Kingdom, Silvermere Golf Club.

It was during this time that she also designed popular golf apparel and would begin guest commentating at golf events in the United States on both CBS and ABC. Following her LPGA tour career, Renee dedicated her life to diversifying the game of golf and extending the mission of her father to make the sport welcoming to all.

Renee became an International Goodwill Ambassador traveling to Africa on more than 25 trips to host golf clinics. She has also committed her life to expanding golf to more youth, women, seniors, minorities, and military veterans.

In 2011, she launched Clearview HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) a cost-free, year-round therapeutic and recreational golf program specifically for women veterans. In 2016, Clearview also became the site for a PGA HOPE program, which attracted male veterans. Renee’s dual programs sparked expansion of PGA HOPE programming throughout the Northern Ohio PGA Section.

Renee has earned countless awards during her more than five decades in the game of golf. Three premier honors happened as Renee was embraced by St. Andrews, Scotland, the “Home of Golf.” In 2008, Renee became the third American, and the only woman golfer, to ever receive an honorary doctorate from The University of St. Andrews. In 2015, she became one of two American women initially given honorary membership into the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. And in 2018, the 600-plus year old University of St. Andrews made Renee the first American to have a campus building dedicated in her name.

Renee is a member of 12 Halls of Fame, and her other notable awards include being named PGA of America First Lady of Golf, the LPGA Rolex For the Love of the Game Award, the PGA Tour Card Walker Award, the USGA Ike Grainger Award, the LPGA Pioneer Award, and the inaugural Charlie Sifford Award for advancing diversity in the game of golf. In 2010, The University of Maryland Eastern Shore awarded Renee with an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service.

In the late 1970s, Renee extended her history-making career to new levels. In 1979, while a member of the Professional Golfers Association of Great Britain & Ireland, she was named the first woman head professional of a private golf club in the United Kingdom, Silvermere Golf Club. It was during this time that she also made an impact in the golf industry as a designer of golf apparel, and in broadcasting as a guest commentator at U.S. golf events on both CBS and ABC.

Today, Renee Powell is the LPGA/PGA Head Golf Professional at historic Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio., where visitors can enjoy events in the Powell Education Building and learn more about a groundbreaking American family by touring the William and Marcella Powell Museum.

Renee’s community outreach includes being a Board Member Emeritus of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and board member of the Mercy Medical Center, Stark Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Pathway Caring for Children. She is also a member of Rotary International.

BUILT BY GRIT - MODERATOR

TRACY NICODEMO

As the Executive Director of Leadership Stark County at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Tracy is dedicated to developing and empowering leaders to make a lasting impact in their communities. Passionate about mentorship and creating opportunities for growth, Tracy believes in the power of leadership to inspire change and build stronger connections.

Before stepping into the world of leadership development, Tracy had a successful career in design. Most recently, she worked as a Designer for Abercrombie Kids and previously held a sourcing role at Express. Tracy’s journey began with studies in Interior Architecture at Ohio University, later shifting to Fashion Design at Parsons The New School for Design.

So why leadership? And why Stark County? Having been deeply influenced by exceptional leaders and human beings throughout her life, Tracy recognized the profound impact of mentorship, perspective, and passion. When she and her husband decided to return to Stark County, it became clear her true calling was helping people reach their full potential.

BUILT BY GRIT

Naomi J. Covert is a 30-year-old mother and entrepreneur with an inspiring, international journey. Born and raised in Germany, she immigrated to America in 2017 to begin a new chapter of her life. Five years ago, driven by the need for greater flexibility and financial stability, she founded Naturally Snackish. What started out of necessity quickly became a passion. Today, Naomi loves what she does, finds joy in her work, and feels deeply grateful for the path she’s built - balancing motherhood and business with purpose and heart.

Mrs. Hibbs is in her tenth year with ECEA and has over 20 years of experience in education. She holds master’s degrees in Educational Administration, Technology, and Curriculum and Instruction. Currently, she is a doctoral student at Youngstown State University.

In 2020, Mrs. Hibbs was selected to participate in Groundwork Ohio’s first-ever fellowship program. Through this fellowship, she worked with early childhood leaders and Ohio state legislators to influence policy and promote change through amplified voices. She continues this work today in her community as well as at the state and federal levels.

In her free time, Mrs. Hibbs enjoys spending quality time with her family and going to local festivals. She and her husband, Jesse, have been married for 21 years. They have two daughters. Her mother, Patricia, also lives with them. Mrs. Hibbs supports the mission of ECEA, which is to educate, advocate, and collaborate on behalf of quality early learning and experiences. At home, her mission is to put family first.

Mrs. Hibbs also oversees the child care portion of the Alliance Employment Promise. Please visit https://allianceemploymentpromise.com more information or to join the AEP.

NAOMI J. COVERT

BUILT BY GRIT

LIZ HIBBS

BUILT BY GRIT

CAPT. LISA BROUCKER

Lisa grew up in Waynesburg Ohio with her parents John and Antonietta Broucker and sister Toni Ammons. She graduated from Sandy Valley HS in 1996 and chose to further her education at Walsh University from 1996-2000 where she was a member of the softball team. Lisa graduated from Walsh in 2000 with a bachelors degree in Sociology with an Emphasis in Criminal Justice. In April of 2001 Lisa graduated from the Stark State Police Academy and began working for the City of Canton Ohio Police Department in May of 2001 as a patrolman. During her career as a Patrolman at the Canton Police Department Lisa spent time working in the patrol division, the vice unit, serving as a grant writer, Youth corps adviser and field training officer.

Lisa joined the ranks of supervision in January of 2011 by being promoted to Sergeant. Two short years later was she was promoted to Lieutenant in January of 2013. As a Lieutenant, Lisa was placed as commander of the Traffic Unit where she oversaw the members of the unit, the Metro crash team, served as special events coordinator and extra duty coordinator. As the special events coordinator she worked closely with many community agencies, the chamber of commerce and the Hall of Fame to ensure the safety of the many guests that attended their events. On June 19th 2019 Lisa was promoted to Captain. Capt. Lisa Broucker is the first female promoted to this rank in the history of the Canton Police Department. Lisa currently is assigned as the Support Services Division Commander and is 2nd in Command of the Canton Police Department. As the Support Services oversees Training, Internal Affairs, Clerical staff, The Community Priorities Unit, the Communication center, all department grants, and budgets.

In addition to these duties Captain Broucker continues to plan and oversee all Hall of Fame Festival Events each year which allows her to maintain her many contacts in the community. Captain Lisa Broucker resides in Plain Township with Troy Adams and their 12 year old daughter Lucia.

BUILT BY GRIT

JANELLE LEE

Janelle Lee is a dynamic and respected nonprofit and business development leader with more than 20 years of experience expanding partnerships, strengthening community relationships, and driving organizational growth. She is widely recognized for her strategic planning expertise, stakeholder engagement, and mission-focused leadership approach.

Most recently, Janelle served as Director of Client Engagement at MAGNET: The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, where she led economic and community engagement initiatives across 11 Northeast Ohio counties. Her work deepened regional connections with small and mid-sized manufacturers, advanced targeted outreach strategies, oversaw operations for MAGNET’s Canton office, and strengthened relationships with key economic development partners, government officials, and community organizations.

Janelle previously served as an Economic Development Consultant and Community Engagement Officer for Strengthening Stark, where she helped design and implement countywide economic strategies, build cross-sector partnerships, lead strategic planning efforts, and communicate Stark County’s competitiveness goals across broad stakeholder groups.

Janelle also brings significant board, volunteer, and community leadership experience across regional organizations, philanthropic institutions, and civic committees.

LUSTER THAT LASTS - MODERATOR

Kayleigh is originally from Perry in Lake County. She’s a graduate of Bowling Green State University and got her start in radio at WDON in Geneva, Ohio. From there she came to WHBC and spent 5 years as the Promotions and Public Affairs Director. In 1997 she became the midday personality on Mix 94.1. Throughout her time with the radio station she was involved with a variety of organizations in Stark County including United Way, the Business Excellence committee, the Downtown Canton Association, the American Heart Association, the ARC of Stark County and the Light Up Downtown Canton committee. Currently, she serves on the board of the North Chamber of Commerce and the board of the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps. She has mc-d many events in the area including the Pro-Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Queen and Royal Ambassador Pageant, the DCI Tour of Champions, the Business Excellence Awards, the American Heart Association Heart Ball, the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer breakfast and walk and the Pathway Caring for Children dinner/auction to name a few. She left WHBC in August of 2020 and worked for Amazon from November 2020-June 2021. She started as the midday host of 99.9 WTUZ in August 2021 and also became the Membership Director at the North Canton YMCA where she is today.

LUSTER THAT LASTS

Jane Christyson has more than 45 years of nonprofit administration and management experience with a concentration in strategic planning, partnerships and corporate sponsorships. She is currently Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO) which serves almost 19,000 girl members and over 8,000 adult volunteers in 18 counties. With a budget of more than $14 million, GSNEO is focused on building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place through unique programs and opportunities. Three Council-run camps of almost 1,000 acres serve as the anchors for outdoor adventures and leadership learning. Jane also served as Director of Marketing and Golf Clubhouse Services for Cleveland Metroparks and began her career at United Way Services of Cleveland. She was also executive director of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. As a volunteer, she is currently a board member for the Beck Center for the Arts and is the Board President for North Pointe Ballet.

LUSTER THAT LASTS

Beth has dedicated over 25 years to helping people with disabilities achieve meaningful employment. A Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor by trade, she has partnered with government agencies, private organizations, and nonprofit programs to provide individualized support, career coaching, and advocacy.

Beth’s passions lie in creating opportunities for independence, self-advocacy, and diversity in the workforce. She brings a wealth of experience in program development, workforce training, and community engagement. In 2017, after witnessing the limited vocational options for her own daughter with Autism during the transition from high school, Beth chose to leave her professional career to make a tangible difference in Stark County.

Today, the café represents inclusion and change. It provides a platform where people with disabilities can now be seen, heard, and valued. Whole Latte Love Café successfully held its grand opening in January 2022 and expanded its services in September 2025 with Whole CommUNITY Academy.

KAYLEIGH KRISS

BETH HUMBERT

JANE CHRISTYSON

LUSTER THAT LASTS

KRISTA L. ALLISON

Krista L. Allison is a change agent, community collaborator and servant leader with more than 25 years of experience across state, county and school district leadership. She has advised public officials on education policy, coached leaders and developed programs that address both academic and nonacademic needs of Ohio students.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Baldwin-Wallace University and a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Her career includes leadership roles with the Ohio Department of Education, Stark County CARE Team and Canton City School District. Today, she serves as a Career Technical Planning District Consultant, focusing on workforce and career readiness with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s State Support Team Region 9 and the Stark County Educational Service Center.

In 2024, Krista ran for the Ohio House of Representatives in the 49th District. She has announced her candidacy for the 2026 election and remains committed to serving Stark County. Krista is active throughout the community, volunteering at local food banks and serving on boards including the Stark County Library Foundation, YMCA of Central Stark County, Women’s Impact and the Greater Stark County Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. She also serves as Social Action Chair for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and is a member of The Links, Incorporated. She is deeply involved in her faith, leading a women’s Bible study and serving in ministry through outreach, children’s programming and teaching.

Krista and her husband, Adrian, have been married 27 years and have two daughters, Averi and Anastasia.

CORNER

At the Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) Canton refinery, our commitment to sustainability means taking actions that create shared value with our stakeholders — empowering people to achieve more, contributing to progress in our communities and protecting the environment we all share.

LUSTER THAT LASTS

Lisa Waite, owner of Waite Communication and Executive Development, is a seasoned executive coach with a focus on leadership, team development, and effective communication. Lisa brings three decades of expertise in higher education where her “day” job is Communication Studies Professor at Kent State University. She collaborates with businesses, contributing to professional development events, conferences, and leadership initiatives.

She holds an…

• MA in Communication

• Dare to Lead® certification from the Brenè Brown Institute

• ‘Blackbelt’ Leadership certification from the Humanistic Leadership Academy

• and Master Facilitator-Executive Development certification from Barry-Wehmiller Corporate University.

Sample partnerships span the US military, healthcare, manufacturing, food and beverage industries, nonprofits, government, and aviation. A lifelong resident of Canton, Lisa supports underserved populations, is a member of Women’s Impact, and serves on the board of The Grace Project Ohio.

Lisa’s ‘WHY’: I find my success in helping others find theirs. I do this by revealing everyone’s greatest potential to become the best version of themselves.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

Presented By

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsor

LISA WAITE

APPLICATIONS DUE APRIL 30

Applications are open for the 40th Class of the Leadership Stark County Signature Program.

If you’re looking to grow as a leader, expand your professional network, and make a meaningful impact in Stark County — this is your opportunity.

The Signature Program is a ‘10 month cohort’ and transformational experience that challenges perspectives, builds connections, and inspires action.

This immersive experience includes:

• Gallup Strengths assessment

• Behind-the-scenes look at Stark County

• CEO and community leader networking

• Poverty simulation

Application Fee is $25

Signature Program tuition is $3,200 (scholarships are available)

Deadline is April 30, 2026

May 29 • 4 - 9PM

Sip and taste your way around the world at this reimagined wine pairing experience inside the Civic Center. Guests will now also enjoy a curated tasting journey featuring delicious bites matched with globalinspired wines, all under one ticket price!

• LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC FROM SAMUEL JOHN

• A ROAMING VIOLINIST, ADDING AN ELEGANT AMBIANCE

• LOCAL VENDORS TO EXPLORE BETWEEN POURS

• FUN PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

GET YOUR EVENT TICKETS

The 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival will take place in Canton, Ohio this July and August as our community welcomes the 2026 Enshrinees, many returning Hall of Famers, and football fans from across the country. Mark your calendars to experience this signature community tradition! JULY 24-26

BALLOON CLASSIC

Presented by Aultman

UP, UP & AWAY 5K

Presented by OrthoUnited COMMUNITY PARADE

FASHION SHOW LUNCHEON

Presented by Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons

ENSHRINEES’ GOLD JACKET DINNER

Presented by Haggar

GRAND PARADE

Presented by Certified Angus Beef

CLASS OF 2026 UNSCRIPTED & TAILGATE

Presented by Employers Health

Since 1963, The Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce have partnered to produce the Enshrinement Festival. The Enshrinement Festival is currently 18 national and community events held to celebrate the enshrinement of the newest class into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; honor all the Hall of Famers; and celebrate why CANTON is the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame!

These events are not possible without the time, effort and passion of over 2,500 volunteers needed to stage these events. We are currently looking for additional volunteers to continue to produce the Enshrinement Festival.