Board Members

Cheri Gengler
Vice President of Talent & Workforce, Minneapolis Regional Chamber | Minneapolis, Minnesota

In this role,  Gengler is responsible for the Chamber's community engagement programs, including Leadership Twin Cities and the Minnesota Keystone Program.  She also provides support for the Chambers Executive Women's Council and Small Business Committee. Prior to joining the Chamber, she held positions with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and Saks Incorporated.

She studied Political Science and Latin American studies at the University of Iowa. 

Andre Santiago
Vice President & Chief Program Officer, Leadership Greater Hartford | Hartford, Connecticut 

In this role, Andre oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of all programs at Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) as well as the organization’s extensive consulting and training services. Having joined the staff in 2007, he has risen through the ranks serving as Program Director overseeing youth programs for ten years and then as Senior Program Director prior to his newest appointment. In the course of his tenure, he has had involvement with and/or provided leadership to most of the core programs offered by LGH. He has served as the LGH lead in numerous consulting and training contracts including Hartford Decide$ (the city-wide community engagement project in which the citizens identify and select capital projects throughout the city) and the Community Policing Leadership Institute which has served four cohorts of Hartford police officers to assist them in building more vibrant relationships throughout the city. He is a certified Enneagram trainer and often serves as a coach/mentor for many of LGH’s program participants. Andre is currently participating in Cornell University’s certificate program in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Andre has served on numerous boards and currently serves on the Board of InterCommunity Health Care, which provides physical care, mental health, and addiction services to individuals throughout the state. Santiago is a City of Hartford Commissioner. Andre is a member of the 2016 class of Hartford Business Journal’s 40 under Forty, which recognizes outstanding young leaders in the region.

Andre received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Connecticut in 2007, studied education at Central Connecticut State University, and received a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Goodwin University in 2019. Andre is a proud resident of Hartford.

Nicole Morristell
Executive Director, Leadership Lackawanna | Scranton, Pennsylvania 

Nicole Morristell is the executive director of Leadership Lackawanna, the non-profit Chamber affiliate dedicated to community leadership and professional development. Leadership Lackawanna consists of a 10-month core program, a five-week executive program, a seven-month youth program, a 2 day community exploration program called Welcome Scranton!, a collegiate program, and an 8-week online fundamentals 2.0 program. Before joining the Leadership staff in 2008,  Morristell worked for the local Girl Scout organization, where she served in a number of positions over the years, including marketing and community outreach specialist, public relations director, and special events manager.

She is a graduate of Elizabethtown College and is actively involved with Supporters of Camp Archbald, where she serves as President, Abington Christian Academy’s Parent Advisory Board,  LCBC Church Kids Ministry, Countryside Conservancy, and Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA.

Hollie Tometich
Executive Director, Ottumwa Leadership Academy | Ottumwa, Iowa 

Hollie was hired to launch Ottumwa Leadership Academy as its Executive Director in 2012. Hollie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Central College and has a wealth of experience in leadership, strategic planning & marketing, public relations, and public speaking. She is also a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, a certified Speaker, Trainer, Coach with the John Maxwell Team, and holds a Diversity & Inclusion certificate from Cornell University.

Prior to joining Ottumwa Leadership Academy, Hollie was the Program Director for the Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Center at Ottumwa Regional Health Center.  Additional roles held earlier in her career include Communication Coordinator at Ottumwa Regional Health Center, Public Relations Coordinator at William Penn University, and Chamber Director for the Albia Area Chamber of Commerce. Hollie and her husband Dan have two children: Jessica and Carson.

David Sachs
Executive Director, The Leadership | Baltimore, Maryland

David Sachs grew up in Baltimore, moved to MA for college, and stayed for nearly 20 years. During that time, he married, went to graduate school and began a career in leadership development.  He moved back to Baltimore in 2005. David has a passion for creating transformational learning experiences. He has pursued his professional passion in higher education (Harvard Business School, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Johns Hopkins University, and the Maryland Institute College of Art) and the corporate sector (T. Rowe Price).

The Leadership offers a program equivalent to the flagship or core programs offered by other organizations. While they meet for a day each month similar to other programs, they supplement those full days with a variety of field experiences (e.g. police car ride-a-longs, overnights at transitional housing shelters, visits to key social service providers and economic assets), evenings at cultural institutions, and lunches with civic leaders. The program's objective is to help participants become more effective civic leaders in Baltimore by helping them to develop a better understanding of the region's challenges and assets, building a network of authentic collaborative relationships, and strengthening their civic leadership skills.

Alfred Degrafinreid II
President & CEO, Leadership Tennessee | Nashville, Tennessee 

Alfred is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, and has lived in Nashville for more than two decades. Professionally, he serves as the President and CEO of Leadership Tennessee. Prior to this post, Alfred was the Associate Vice Chancellor for Local Government Relations and Community Partnerships at Vanderbilt University, where he worked closely with campus leaders on institutional priorities and with local policymakers on issues pertaining to zoning and land-use matters.

Alfred is a former public administrator with senior leadership experience on the local, state, and federal levels of government. He served as the chief administrative officer and chief deputy clerk in the Office of the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk. Prior to that post, he was counsel to a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and coordinated community outreach for Davidson, Dickson, and Cheatham counties. He has vast state legislative experience which includes working for the Speaker Pro Tempore of the Tennessee House of Representatives and for a State Senator. Degrafinreid holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tennessee State University, a Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) from Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law and is pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education Leadership and Policy from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.

Degrafinreid has served on dozens of boards – both local and national. He is currently an officer and board member of Nashville’s Convention Center Authority (Music City Center), serves on the board of directors for the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA), is the President-elect of the Rotary Club of Nashville, and is an advisory member of Nashville's St. Jude Executive Leadership Council.

Alfred resides in Nashville with his wife, Tiffany Degrafinreid, and their two children, Alfred III (8) and Chancellor Joelle (5). 

Shannon Drake
President & CEO, Leadership Greater Huntsville | Huntsville, Alabama 

Shannon, a Huntsville native and graduate of LGH Leadership Flagship Class 25, came to Leadership Greater Huntsville from IronMountain Solutions where she served as Corporate Community Relations Coordinator. She brings experience in the nonprofit sector with a significant tenure at Still Serving Veterans and the Women’s Business Center of North Alabama.

Her contribution to our community in both roles was seen far and wide across our region. In addition to her time working in the nonprofit sector, Shannon also brings a wealth of marketing experience and additional technical experience from her service at ADTRAN and Intergraph.

A graduate of Birmingham-Southern College, Shannon has shared that her heart is with giving back through community service.

Shannon currently lives in Brownsboro with her husband James. She has a daughter, Alexandra, who is married to Jon Roberts, and they are expecting their second child. When Shannon isn’t working, she enjoys working out, hiking, and farming.

Myra Goodman Smith
President & CEO, Leadership Metro Richmond | Richmond, Virginia

Myra is seen as a community connector with her lifelong knowledge of the region and its diverse leaders. Growing up in Richmond allowed Myra to work with and learn from key community leaders, beginning with her appointment as a Commissioner at 18. A few of Myra’s life experiences growing up in Richmond are shared in the books Overcoming Bias: Building Authentic Relationships Across Differences and the Handell Museum exhibit Growing Up in Civil Rights Richmond: A Community Remembers.

Serving as President and CEO of Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR) for 13 years, Myra is seen as a leader in the nonprofit sector, having a broad knowledge of leadership, management, and governance, often serving as an advisor, instructor, and guest lecturer. Before LMR, Myra served as an executive at the United Way for 23 years in various programs, operations, resource development, and philanthropic roles. In addition, she has held positions as a college institutional researcher and a regional economic and community development planner.

Myra has served on numerous boards and today is the Immediate Past Chair of the Jenkins Foundation, a $60 million health legacy foundation. She is a graduate of LMR, Class of 2006. Myra holds a bachelor’s degree in urban planning and an MPA from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is married, a mother, and a grandmother.

Jessica Hendricks, CCLP
Executive Director, Leadership Unlimited | Grand Island, Nebraska 

Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Doane University. She is a Certified Community Leadership Practitioner through the Association of Leadership Programs.  Jessica has been involved in the Grand Island Young Professionals, Toastmasters, and the Grand Island Little Theatre. Prior to joining Leadership Unlimited, Jessica served as the Director of Workforce and Community Development for the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce and also as the Community Liaison for U.S. Congressman Adrian Smith.

Mark Hollander
Executive Director, Vision St. Charles County Leadership | Greater St. Louis, Missouri 

Mark grew up in St. Charles Missouri - just west of St. Louis - and spent his entire banking career in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.  After a 35-year career in retail and commercial banking, Mark retired but still wanted to remain active in the community.  Vision St. Charles County Leadership approached him and asked him to serve as the first executive director of the organization!  Vision Leadership started in 1998 and had been a 100% volunteer organization but realized that they would never realize their desired growth without someone at the helm on a full-time basis.  Mark is a 2012 graduate of the Vision Leadership Program and had served as a board member for a few years and it was an easy decision for him to help work within an organization that he loved and to stay active within his hometown community.  Mark is a 5th generation St. Charles City resident and his heart has always been to serve this community.

Mark and his wife Melissa also own and operate La Belle Vie / The Cafe at Frenchtown in St. Charles, as well, and Mark is very active on several non-profit boards and City of St . Charles organizations.  Their two daughters, Katie (Chris) and Maggie live in the area, as well, and they enjoy spending time with their grandsons - Blake & Jacob - and cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals & Blues.

The Vision St. Charles County Leadership's flagship adult program started in 1998 and now boasts nearly 700 alumni from across the community.  Under Mark's leadership, they have also launched the Protege Mentoring Program, Leading On Purpose Non-Profit Board Training, and multiple Alumni engagement and training programs.  The program now has a lengthy prospect listing, full class enrollment, and years of financial success under Mark's direction.

Jan Kearce
Program Director, Leadership Maine | Hallowell, Maine

Jan is a change leader, strategic partner, facilitator, and coach who brings deep passion and experience to her work with leaders, teams, and organizations. Jan has over 30 years of experience working with leaders and teams. She has worked within and across sectors and geography in her leadership roles with organizations focused on manufacturing, outdoor education, the environment, leadership, economic development, and consulting. Jan has led organizations and initiatives that have focused on quality, safety, and operational excellence; designing great places to work; strategic and fundraising planning; creating an internal training institute; multi-location mergers; developing regional and statewide leadership; and engaging millennial leaders in local communities.

Jan has a BA in Journalism from the University of Georgia; a Master’s Degree in Human Resource / Organizational Development from American University and NTL; Leadership Coaching certification from Georgetown University; and is both a graduate of and current Program Director of MDF’s Leadership Maine and the Institute for Civic Leadership.

Michelle McInnis
Senior Vice President, Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance | Lake Charles, Louisiana 

Michelle McInnis is the Senior Vice President of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, the umbrella organization for the Chamber SWLA and the SWLA Economic Development Foundation.  She is the Director of Leadership Southwest and a Class of 2013 Alum. She is also a graduate of Leadership Louisiana, Class of 2021.  Leadership SW began in 1984 and is a regional program for the 5 parishes that make up the Southwest Corner of Louisiana (the heel of the boot!).

Michelle has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management/Marketing and a Minor in Psychology from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where she and her husband live, along with their four children and two grandbabies.   She serves on numerous boards, including the Calcasieu Parish Public Library Board of Trustees, her local Workforce Development Board, the Ward One Economic Development Board, the local SHRM Chapter, and the Moss Bluff Civic Club.

Michelle has been active with ALP since joining, serving on the 2020, 2022, and 2023 Conference Planning Committees and the Chamber-Based Affinity Group.  She is also the Louisiana Ambassador for ALP.

Jaxon Riley
Executive Director, Leadership Spokane | Spokane, Washington

Jaxon Riley has been employed by Leadership Spokane in some capacity since the autumn of 2014. She is currently the Executive Director of this venerable organization, which has been proudly creating Servant Leaders in the city of Spokane since 1982.

She accrued over 30 years of experience in adult education, training and human resources for various organizations in the northwest. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, and a master’s degree in communication and leadership from Gonzaga University.

Jaxon has a passion for service to our community, the military and animals. As of September 2023, Jaxon completed 4 years of service as an Honorary Commander for Fairchild AFB 3336^th TRG and was indicted as an Honorary Commander Emeritus for the Base. She served on the board of the Spokane Humane Society, volunteered at SCRAPS, and is currently on the board of the Gonzaga University School of Business Advisory Board and the Perry Street Thursday Market. She is also the devoted guardian to 3 splendid, beautiful, canine family members and lucky partner to her brilliant engineer husband.

Lisa Winkelbauer
Director, Leadership Orlando - Orlando Economic Partnership | Orlando, Florida

Lisa Winkelbauer serves as the Director of Leadership Orlando, a program of the Orlando Economic Partnership. Her responsibilities include all program planning and execution for all Leadership Orlando programs, including two classes per year and the alumni association. She has been with the organization for 23 years. Prior to that, she was the Director of Leadership Osceola County. Leadership Orlando started in 1975. It is a regional program, covering seven counties in Central Florida.

Lisa‘s involvement with ALP has been a programming/content committee member for the 2019 Annual Conference in Tulsa and host of the 2022 Annual Conference in Orlando.

Lynn Wood, CCLP
Director, Leadership Greater Madison | Madison, Wisconsin

Lynn Wood, Vice President of Wood Communications Group (WCG), has had the good fortune of providing strategic communications support, crisis management assistance, public opinion research, and leadership training to multitudes of clients in a wide range of diverse sectors over her 30-year career. As a successful communications consultant, she has helped build complex community relations efforts, designed statewide research projects, supported highly-successful civic engagement efforts and has become recognized as one of the best connectors in the Greater Madison area, working in areas such as education, agriculture, health care, workforce development, manufacturing, civic engagement and more.

Lynn, a Certified Community Leadership Practitioner (CCLP), is the director of Leadership Greater Madison a prestigious, 30-year-old civic leadership training program run in partnership with the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. She also coordinates a high school Youth Leadership Academy and serves on the board of Leadership Wisconsin. In an effort to marry her greatest professional passions of communications, leadership development and community engagement, Lynn is currently building a Life & Leadership Coaching practice.

Prior to joining WCG, Lynn was a Deputy-Sergeant-at-Arms for the Wisconsin State Senate and owned a successful event planning company. In addition to her work with WCG, Lynn is an active community participant and has held board and committee positions for several organizations, including serving as president for the Junior League of Madison as well as for a variety of organizations in the arts (Forward Theater Company, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Madison Children’s Museum); economic development (Downtown Madison, Inc., Madison Club) and education (St. Ann Home & School Association & Education Commission, Edgewood High School, Little Explorers Early Learning Center) sectors. 

In addition, Lynn is the executive director of the Empty Stocking Club, the charitable organization of the Wisconsin State Journal, which annually distributes nearly 10,000 toys to local children and families. Ms. Wood holds degrees in International Relations and Communications from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She has been married to her life and business partner Kennan Wood for nearly 25 years and has one (amazing!) teenage daughter.