Speakers

Mr. Roy Peet Poillon, is a graduate of the Ohio State University Fischer School of Business and served as an Officer in the United States Army, Field Artillery.  He had a successful career in business management modeling disease management services for chronic diseases. Then in 2005 Mr. Poillon designed an international network of hospitals providing access to general elective surgery for the under-insured. From this experience he has founded an education charity non-profit 501c3 “Families Impacted by Opioids”, creating a learning center model for family members living with someone who has a substance use disorder. 

As a Ohio state licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant and Certified Mental Health Coach, he provides volunteer services at a family pregnancy crises center.  He will speak on the impact of this disease in the family system,  identify areas of developing a new delivery system of services for these families and give the topic air for an open discussion.  The audience will leave with a stronger understanding of the family dynamics in addiction, the key issues they face and how they can approach its impact both as a family and community. He believes knowledge is empowering and an empowered family is unstoppable. Our community needs unstoppable families if they are to survive this journey.

As a prelude to his presentation, Mr. Poillon shared this link:  https://youtu.be/yyfEddFPZ2I?si=_lfkqx2NJJK3eISv

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

I am a dynamic Nonprofit Leader, Community Advocate, and Architect of Social Change, specializing in Operations Management, Process Enhancement, and Stakeholder Engagement. My reputation is built on my talent for uniting diverse voices and crafting sustainable initiatives that generate a positive economic impact. I'm deeply passionate about community development, exemplified by my successful co-founding and leadership of the NoHi popup and café, which not only contributes to economic growth but also supports budding culinary entrepreneurs. My expertise extends to harnessing the transformative potential of creative placemaking, breathing new life into multicultural neighborhoods while driving economic prosperity and celebrating cultural diversity. I possess an intimate understanding of the nuances within multicultural communities and have honed my skill in engaging residents and stakeholders effectively. My work is a testament to my unwavering dedication to fortifying neighborhoods by utilizing art, culture, and community involvement.

Brian Miner has provided planning, programming, design, project, and program management services to higher education institutions for more than 25 years. He is the lead principal of Hasenstab Architect’s higher education and laboratory science design studios. Brian has managed projects from small one-room renovations to large new facilities.  In addition to his career as an architect, he is the co-founder of Elves & More of Northeast Ohio, a non-profit which provides brand-new bicycles to children in need during the holiday season.

Jason Segedy serves as Project Manager under University of Akron President Gary Miller. Segedy has worked in the urban-planning field for the past 29 years, and his current role entails overseeing the planning for the project to redevelop the university’s western gateway (the historic Polsky Building in Downtown Akron) as a center for arts and culture. Segedy previously served in the cabinet of former Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, as Director of Planning and Urban Development for the City of Akron.

A lifelong resident of Akron’s west side, and a proud graduate of the University of Akron, Jason is committed to the city and the university. His passion is creating great places and spaces where Akronites can live, work, and play.

 

Melissa has enjoyed working at Project Learn for five years as Volunteer Coordinator, matching volunteers to assist in classes and tutor students individually in basic adult literacy, GED® preparation to earn their high school equivalency and for English for Speakers of Other Languages. She is dedicated to working with volunteers, having worked as Patron Services Manager at The University of Akron E. J. Thomas Hall, recruiting, training, and supervising over 130 volunteers and paid student ushers for over 15 years.

Before working “front of house,” she handled “back of house” duties such as programming, scheduling, and hospitality. She enjoyed coordinating with community partners, particularly for their Elderhostel programs. In addition to her E. J. Thomas duties, Melissa was also a continuing education coordinator for the College of Fine and Applied Arts. Previously, as an Associate Educator at The Akron Art Museum, Melissa had the pleasure of working with the volunteer docents and engaging the community through local and global art exhibits. She also ran the family artist demonstration workshops, summer art festivals, and created the first Arts Explorers Post in the nation through the Boy Scouts of America. A graduate of The College of Wooster with an additional M.Ed. from Kent State, she is thrilled to be back working with students of all ages and nationalities.

She keeps her son's memory alive while preparing dishes he loved as a chef in Akron.

Melissa loves the positive energy and dedication the Project Learn staff, instructors and volunteers bring to the students; their success is why we are here.

Charles currently serves as President of Billow Funeral Homes and Crematory, a sixth-generation family owned business serving greater Akron since 1875. An Akron native, Charles graduated from Firestone High School, the University of Akron and Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science.

He currently serves as a member of Akron General Health System's Finance Committee and Board Member of Visiting Nurse Service & Affiliates, Inc., Hospice Care Ohio, Better Business Bureau of Akron, Summit County Historical Society and the St. Paul's Endowment Foundation. He is also an active member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Diocesan Council- Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Commerce Club of Akron, Leadership Akron Alumni Association, Tallmadge Rotary, WKSU Community Advisory Council and Bluecoats, Inc., and he resides in Tallmadge with his wife

Michael G. Wojno is the founder and sole member of Gables Management, Inc. (GMI). GMI’s mission is to develop and operate real estate within three areas: senior living, residential and medical mixed use. The company has been involved in a number of landmark projects within Northeast Ohio, including the development of a specialty LTAC hospital for use by two major competing health systems and creating a campus wellness center/MOB for Summa Health and Akron Children’s Hospital.

Current Portfolio:

-Gables Senior Living: A portfolio of 272 units of Assisted Living/Memory Care communities located in:

                -Green, Ohio (The Gables of Green)

                -Canton, Ohio (The Gables of Canton)

                -Westerville, Ohio (The Gables of Westerville)

- GREAT Ventures: master plan real estate development company specializing in residential and small commercial real estate developments. GREAT Ventures (aka Wojno Development) has developed real estate for over 25 years-resulting in numerous communities consisting of >800 homesites in NE Ohio

-New Leaf Homes: builder of lifestyle homes catering to the 55+ market

Previous business experience:

-President of Akron Brick and Block-concrete products manufacturing

-President of Oldcastle Architectural Products Group-Midwest Division-acquisition + operational lead for major international products company

-President of Summa Enterprise Group-ancillary provider of non-acute healthcare products/services

-President of Unified Construction Systems-service provider to the residential and commercial construction industry

-Chairman/partner of Clearpath Home Health and Hospice company

-Various commercial and medical real estate developments-including a specialty hospital, wellness center, retail + commercial office complexes

Community Leadership:

                --Participation in the following not for profit boards

                                -Child Guidance and Family Solutions-Chairman

                                -Open M Free Health Clinic-Chairman

                                -Akron Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs-Chairman

                                -Summa Hospital-Chair of Finance

Family: Husband to Allison. Father of 4 girls and 9 amazing Grandchildren

Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer graduated from Davidson College’s Honors College. She received her Juris Doctorate from The University of Akron School of Law. Judge Stormer practiced law in the private sector until 1989 when she was appointed General Counsel to the Summit County Executive.

 

In her many years of service, Judge Stormer has been a trailblazer who transformed systems at nearly every level of judicial practice.  Judge Stormer remains a leader in bringing the concept of therapeutic jurisprudence to Ohio.  She was elected to the Akron Municipal Court and re-elected in 1993 and 1999. She began the first Municipal Drug Court and the first Mental Health Specialty Court in Ohio.

 

Judge Stormer is currently a member of the Probate Section of the Ohio Judicial Conference. She has served on many Boards including Akron Children’s Hospital, Women’s Network, Weathervane Playhouse, Oriana House Advisory Board, and The Salvation Army Advisory Board as well as the Supreme Court of Ohio Advisory Committee on the Mentally Ill in the Courts, and numerous other community organizations.