Dan Norris - President Elect

Daniel (Dan) Norris is extremely pleased and humbled to be selected to serve as the President-Elect of the Cleveland 20/30 Club for 2022. Previously Dan held the role of the Technology Director, which allowed him to meet some of our amazing members, while finding opportunities to help build the club to be successful for another 20 years.

Originally from a small town in Southeast Ohio, Dan attended Ohio University for his undergraduate. Upon graduation his career path took a much different route than expected, and he started working in the technology industry. After a few years of working in various technology roles and relocating to Cleveland he made the decision to return to school to seek a degree in Software Engineering, then continue to pursue his MBA with a concentration in Business Analytics.

What Dan enjoys most about the Cleveland 20/30 Club is the members and the events. Until he started going to our Around Town events, he had never been to another networking event where you can walk into the middle of a group conversation, and the entire group welcomes you in as if you were part of the conversation the entire time. The 20/30 Club offers a wide range of events too, ensuring that there is something for almost everyone. If you’re trying to professionally network, learn something new, or bond over a shared interest, there is probably an event for you.

Devney Ayers - Secretary

Devney is a creative problem-solver and passionate about helping others achieve their dreams, which is why she is the ideal secretary for our Board of Directors.

Professionally, Devney is a Legal Recruiter for gpac where she helps attorneys and paralegals enhance their careers with new opportunities.

During the pandemic, Devney initiated and hosted monthly social networking events with the Club using the icebreaker platform and is excited to attend in-person events as a Board member. In her second year as Secretary, Devney looks forward to utilizing her organizational skills to help the Club grow and flourish.

In her free time, she loves to attend concerts, spend time with friends and explore all of the magic Cleveland has to offer.

Mike Vuraich - Treasurer

Mike Vuraich is a graduate of Ohio University where he majored in Accounting and Sports Management. Born and raised on the East Side of Cleveland, he is the Associate Commissioner/CFO of the Mid-American Conference. In this role, Mike is responsible for the accounting, financial reporting, compliance reporting, benefits administration, and human resources functions for the Conference. 

He has served as Treasurer of the Club for five years and is responsible for overall management of the Club’s finances. Mike joined The Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club to connect, both professionally and socially, with other young professionals throughout the city and to make a positive impact in the community. He also enjoys taking part in the recreational sports offered by the Club. 

Outside of work and The 20/30 Club, Mike serves on the Board of Directors for Rising Star Academy, a school for children with cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities, and the Associate Board for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. Mike is also a huge Cleveland sports fan and enjoys traveling.

Carly Boyd - General Counsel

Carly Boyd, originally of Dublin, Ohio attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign studying broadcast journalism and television production before attending law school at Case Western Reserve University. She is currently employed at Laribee & Hertrick, LLP while focusing her practices on domestic relations involving divorce, custody, support matters and litigation.

She joined The 20/30 Club as a transplant from outside Cleveland, wanting to connect with the city and meet young professionals. The Cleveland 20/30 Club provided her the opportunity to explore restaurants and galleries while learning about the community.

Outside of her professional career and The 20/30 Club, Carly trains for triathlons and is an ally of Cleveland PFLAG. She is a board member of Providence House. She currently lives on the Westside and has enjoyed exploring the Cleveland Metroparks with her dog, Clancy.

Board of Directors

Mercedes Bell - Education Director

Proudly serving on the board for the 2022-2023 year, Mercedes, born and raised on the eastside of Cleveland; grew up in the Greater Cleveland area where she has dedicated her time working for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District for 8 years as an Executive Assistant in the Curriculum and Instruction department. She earned her BS in Business Management from Grambling State University, followed by an MBA from South University. Mercedes’s career in the Education and in non-profit field has given her the ability and confidence to educate, mentor and help others to grow, learn and achieve their goals. Mercedes has volunteered with non-profit organizations such as Minds Matter, True 2 U, and most recently College Now giving back to students in the community.

She is a product of Cleveland Public schools and is actively involved in giving back her time to other CMSD students. In Mercedes free time she loves hanging out and taking care of her two year old son while maintaining her Mobile Boutique. She loves educating others on how to start a business and has given free classes for those who are seeking informative information on how to start a successful business. Mercedes is a published author, dedicated mother and an entrepreneur that is ready to serve as the Education Director to make an impact, build relationships and to help deliver and establish meaningful educational workshops and events.

Amber Andrews - Communications Director

Amber is a native of Solon, OH, and a recent transplant to Downtown Cleveland living. Amber is the Stewardship and Events Manager at John Carroll University. Amber holds an MPA and Non-profit Management Certificate from Cleveland State University and earned a BA in Political Science alongside being a member of the ice skating team at the University of Maryland. Through time spent at university and post-graduation, Amber realized her love for engaging with the community, enhancing her surroundings, and creating memories through philanthropic experiences. These realizations made her choice to join the board of the 20/30 Club that much simpler. Amber brings several years of experience creating philanthropic events and communications in the not-for-profit sector. Other organizations Amber is involved in include her sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha and Engage! Cleveland. In her spare time, Amber enjoys scrapbooking, interior decorating, and taking her dog for walks.

As Communications Director for the 20/30 Club, my goal during my term is to engage and include a wider variety of young professionals in the Cleveland area. I hope to reach more individuals in their early 20s right out of college, looking to connect and network as they transition to a new stage of their lives. I also hope to effectively communicate the four pillars of the organization to attract diverse groups interested to engage with the 20/30 Club.

Danielle Smith - Marketing Director

Danielle is extremely excited to be serving on the board as the Marketing Director to expand the club’s outreach by creating a brand message that really speaks with our Cleveland professionals. Originally raised in Ohio, she spent her college years in New York and early career days in New Mexico, and is thrilled to return as a  Cleveland Boomerang, getting to know the city as an adult. She heard about the club through the incredible Welcome to Cleveland group, where she has bonded with several new members and quickly realized her passion to bring the club to even greater heights!

Danielle works as a Sales Director for a national housewares brand that specializes in grow kits, seed starter kits, engagement kits, and other trendy sustainable products. She has spent several years in the CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) industry and has a strong background in utilizing marketing tools for eye catching sell sheets, brand messaging in the market, merchandising aesthetics and more.

Danielle has also served as the Social Committee Director in both previous companies she has worked, bringing value to the organizations and their employees with team building events that break down silos between departments. These events have ranged from planning cook-outs, happy hours, fundraisers, holiday parties, outdoor competitions, and spear heading special events such as Hermes Corporate Cup in Cleveland, which allowed employees to compete against other local companies and strengthen their networking.  As an avid Yelp Elite for 7 years, Danielle is also excited to continue exploring all the great Cleveland foodie spots, and can’t wait to meet you at an event soon!

Madeline Poll - Membership Director

Madeline is thrilled to be serving on the board as the Membership Director for the 21-22 year. With a passion for fostering relationships and being a thoughtful member liaison, this is right up her alley! She’s hoping to further engage the Club’s members and cultivate new strategies for membership this year.

Madeline has been proudly working at a non-profit in downtown Cleveland since 2017 where she holds the role of Manager of Member Engagement. Within that, she recruits and provides service for over 5,000 members and organizations in Greater Cleveland and beyond. She also volunteers for the Cleveland Women’s Recovery Center, where she is on the Fundraising and Event Committees. 

As a lover of all things Cleveland, Madeline is SO excited to meet and connect new young professionals to the Land. She also enjoys bicycling, pretending to know how to care for plants, and venturing to new coffee spots. Madeline resides in Lakewood with her 2 dapper cats: Steve and Arthur. Please don’t hesitate to contact her with any questions regarding the Club!

Bridget Corrigan - Philanthropy Director

Bridget Corrigan is a graduate from the University of Dayton where she studied Business and Communications Management. She is an insurance consultant with The Brooks & Stafford Company, one of Cleveland’s oldest insurance agencies, and works in personal, commercial, life and health insurance.

Bridget is responsible for engaging our members in the Cleveland community. She accomplishes this by organizing donation drives, volunteer events with local nonprofits and hosting our annual fundraiser, Stuff the Stocking.

Bridget has served on the board for 2 years and was a philanthropy committee member for two years prior. Previously, she served as a community outreach board member for Women Connected in Dayton, Ohio for three years. Bridget joined the club to connect both professionally and socially.

Nick Sondag - Technology Director

Nick was born and raised in Omaha Nebraska and studied computer engineering at the University of Nebraska Omaha. He was hired as an IT intern for one of Oatey’s manufacturing plants. Nick took a corporate IT job with the company seven years ago, relocating to their corporate headquarters in Cleveland and now is the Director of IT Infrastructure for Oatey.

This is Nick’s second year working for the club, serving last year on the technology committee before taking over as director. He has also assisted planning hikes for the club and taking photos at events.

Emily Pentecost - Social Director

Emily is excited to be serving as the Social Director for the 2022-2024 term. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, she graduated from John Carroll University with a bachelor's degree in business administration and a major in marketing. Emily currently works at Brouse McDowell, LPA as a Marketing Events Coordinator.

Emily joined the Cleveland 20/30 club to meet new professionals in the area. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the local food scene (check out @thingsivebeeneating on Instagram!), attending Cleveland sporting events, learning about Cleveland's rich architectural history, and traveling. She currently resides in Downtown Cleveland with her Bengal cat, Pippen.

Marcus Madison - Networking Director

Marcus Madison currently serves as Community Relations Program Manager for the Cleveland Clinic. He is a community-driven individual with more than fifteen years of experience working in the non-profit sector, philanthropy, and local government. He is a compassionate professional with transformative leadership experience in building better neighborhoods and strengthening organizational systems. His efforts have led him to be elected as a five-term City Councilmember, candidate for the Ohio State Senate, Co-Interim Director for a countywide non-profit affiliate, and a member and working participant in many community organizations and initiatives focusing on engagement, capacity building, diversity, and inclusion.

His personal and professional life experiences have enabled him to believe in the inherent goodness of people. Madison enjoys working on issues to help drive and advance communities forward. He has been nationally recognized as one of our country's best and brightest progressive leaders. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban and Regional Studies and Nonprofit Administration from Cleveland State University.

Melinda McNutt - President Emeritus

Melinda was proud to serve as President during the Club’s 20th anniversary year. After being named a Top 25 Under 35 Young Professional in 2019, she joined the board starting as Social Director. During her time as Social Director, she planned our signature Around Town event where 100 young professionals gathered each month for networking. As President Elect, she planned the 15th annual Movers and Shakers award ceremony and launched the Movers and Shakers Alumni group. As President, she established programs such as Wine Club, Summer of Fun, Golf Club, and Welcome to Cleveland. As President Emeritus, she looks forward to growing these signature programs which have all helped to increase Professional Membership.

Melinda is a sales and marketing professional with a background in community and economic development. Melinda works as an account manager at GIE Media and has collaborated with and consulted for several organizations, including Team NEO, the United Way of Greater Cleveland, and the Small Business Development Center.

Since moving to Cleveland in 2016, she has volunteered for organizations including Engage! Cleveland's Leadership Council, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance's City Advocate Board, the JumpStart Leaders Council, and is currently a member of the Phriends Group. Melinda is a 2020 graduate of the Levin School of Urban Planning where she obtained her Master of Science degree in Urban Studies. Melinda is a proud homeowner who resides in the West Boulevard neighborhood with her American Eskimo, Leo.

2021 - Melinda McNutt

2020 - Kara Whaley,

                Polly Mytinger

2019 - Corinna Bartholomew

2018 - Alex Schauer

2017 - Drew Stelzer

2016 - Kurtis Carman

2015 - Sarah Gray

2014 - Jeff Sobieraj

2013 - Lindsey Polichuck

2012 - Gautam Pai

2011 - Andrew Bennett

2010 - Andrew Walleck

2009 - Dan Young  

2008 - Ryan Anderson

2007 - Brian Klecan 

2006 - Ann Netzel 

2005 - Brandon Davis 

2004 - Adam Tomlinson 

2001 - Luke Elsass