Our Board
Melissa Reynolds-Prond
Board President
Melissa Reynolds-Prond is Senior Organization Development Leader at Honda of American Mfg. Melissa has over 14 years of experience managing complex initiatives and leading diverse groups of people in rapidly changing environments. She has a master’s degree in Organization Development & Analysis at Case Western Reserve University.
David Scott
Board Secretary
David M. Scott is a commercial/business litigation attorney with Luper Neidenthal & Logan (“LNL”). David was named a "Super Lawyer's Rising Star" by Law & Politics Magazine and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, comprised of litigators who have obtained a jury award or settlement in excess of one million dollars. David created LNL’s “Thinking Globally, Acting Locally“ campaign, through which LNL became the first Ohio law firm certified as a Climate Challenge Partner by the ABA/EPA Climate Challenge, and the first law firm ever to win a SWACO Board of Trustees Emerald Award for “innovative and unprecedented achievements in environmental stewardship and leadership.”
Karen Olstad
Board Treasurer
Chief Operating Officer, WOSU
Karen join the staff of WOSU from Alaska Public Telecommunications in Anchorage, Alaska, where she was Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer. In addition to her position at Alaska Public Telecommunications, Olstad also worked 20 years for Washington State University’s joint NPR/PBS licensee, rising to the position of Associate General Manager and Chief Financial Officer, also serving two years as Acting General Manager. Over the years, she has served on numerous committees and as chair of the Public Broadcasting Management Association (PBMA). Karen has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Washington State University.
Jenny Anderson
Board Member
Jenny Anderson is a Wellness Dietician with The Ohio State University Health Plan and a Certified Adult Weight Management Specialist with the American Dietetic Association. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Human Nutrition & Foods at the University of Missouri.
Jeni Britton-Bauer
Board Member
Jeni Britton-Bauer, a founding member of Local Matters, opened Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in 2002 with her husband Charly. What began as a small ice cream shop in the North Market has grown to seven stores, with national and international shipping available. Jeni is and is widely renowned for her work as an advocate for Columbus, entrepreneurship and community generosity. For more background on how Jeni and her business share a deep connection to Local Matters, read the story here.
Joshua Gaines
Board Member
Joshua Gaines is Senior Vice President – Strategy & Corporate Development for Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH), a Fortune 20, $103 billion health care services company headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. Joshua is a corporate transactional attorney by training, having previously led Cardinal Health’s Legal - M&A team, held positions with international law firms Ropes & Gray and Morrison & Foerster, and served as General Counsel of American Medical Response. Before law school, Joshua founded a gourmet ice cream and cookie business known as AJ’s Gourmet Ice Cream & Cookie Factory based in Richmond, Virginia. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Deb Mak
Board Member
Deb Mak is the Columbus/Dayton Rep for KMA Associates, an office furniture rep firm for the commercial interior design industry. She earned her Bachelor’s of Art in Economics and East Asian Studies from Wittenberg University.
Dr. Laquore Meadows
Board Member
Dr. Laquore Meadows is the President and Founder of Academe Consulting, LLC., where she provides college planning and grant writing services. Laquore has acquired over 15 years of professional experience in higher education, and currently serves as member of the Community College Alliance team at Franklin University. She has previously served in professional roles at The Ohio State University, Central State University, and Miami University. Dr. Meadows is a graduate of Tennessee State University where she received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She later acquired her Masters degree in College Student Personnel from Miami University, and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Ohio University.
Dr. Mary-Lynn Niland
Board Member
Mary-Lynn Niland is a Pediatrician with COPC–Step by Step Pediatrics who serves as Board Member for the Central Ohio Pediatrics Society. She earned her Bachelor’s of Art in Mathematics from Indiana University and her MD from The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Cortney Porter
Board Member
Cortney Porter is the Director of Catering and Senior Events Planner for Shane's Gourment. A certified culinarian and an essential part of the Shane's Gourmet team since April 2000, Cortney J. Porter is an American Culinary Federation Gold and Silver medalist from various culinary team competitions and served as Shane's Executive Sous Chef for nine years. She is active in the Columbus community with a membership in The Junior League of Columbus where she received the 2010 President's Award for leadership and volunteerism. She is also a member of The United Way of Central Ohio's Project Diversity Cycle 19; a leadership program designed for non-profit board training. She currently sits on the Columbus Chapter ACF Board and is on the Columbus State Community College Chef Apprenticeship Committee. Cortney is also a contributing food writer for 614 Magazine and volunteers at The Weinland Park Community Garden in her spare time.
Tyler Steele
Board Member
Tyler Steele is a property manager at Morgan Stanley and the former owner of Greenovate, the leading green building supply company in Ohio. With a diverse background that includes work in Washington, DC in presidential politics, management of international museum caliber artists and a life-long interest in historic building preservation, Tyler’s entrepreneurial work focuses on authenticity, team building and long-term sustainability. He currently serves on Columbus Mayor Coleman's Green Team Business committee and the U.S. Green Building Council–Central Ohio Chapter, and has been active in many other political, educational, community and business organizations in the past decade.
Dr. Judith Tansky
Board Member
Dr. Tansky is a Senior Lecturer of Management and Human Resources at the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. Dr. Tansky has received grants to conduct research in the area of human resources in small/entrepreneurial firms and for academic conferences on managing people in such firms. Her research has appeared in numerous professional journals, including Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Human Resource Management Journal, Human Resource Development Quarterly, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, and The Labor Law Journal. She also has had several monographs published by the Sar Levitan Center for Social Policy Studies, and several book chapters.
She teaches courses on human resources in small and entrepreneurial firms, employee development, career development, the contingent workforce, reward systems, benefits, and compensation theory.
