October 8, 2025
LakewoodAlive, a non-profit community development organization, is excited to announce the addition of four exceptional Lakewood residents to its Board of Directors: Jodi Barnes, Hannah Belsito, Christina McCallum, and Lauren Smigelski. These dynamic women bring decades of professional experience and a shared passion for our community to their new roles. A vote for new board members and a slate of officers was taken and unanimously approved by the board’s voting members at the organization’s July 16 meeting.
Jodi Barnes joins the board with over 25 years of banking experience and currently serves as Assistant Vice President, Commercial Office Manager at ERIEBANK in Westlake. A Lakewood resident since 2015, Jodi has made a significant impact through her support of local businesses and civic engagement. She previously served on the board of the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce and as Vice President of the Uptown Business Alliance, where she helped launch the popular Trick or Treat on Madison event. She currently serves as Vice Chair for the City of Lakewood’s Loan Approval Board and is also a board member of the Westlake Chamber of Commerce. Jodi and her husband, Brian, along with their pup Blitzen, are proud to call Lakewood home.
Hannah Belsito brings extensive experience in destination marketing, stakeholder engagement, and urban planning to the LakewoodAlive board. As Chief Experience Officer at Destination Cleveland, Hannah has played a critical role in growing the organization’s strategy and community presence. Her career includes leadership positions with the Cleveland Restoration Society, the Lakewood Planning Commission, and the U.S. Travel Association. Hannah is a passionate advocate for equity, historic preservation, and youth mentorship, having co-founded Engage! Cleveland and served on several local nonprofit boards. A Lakewood resident since 2009, Hannah and her husband are raising their two children in the Lakewood City Schools system and are deeply rooted in the community.
Christina McCallum is a longtime LakewoodAlive volunteer and currently serves as the Lead Volunteer for our Blossoms Program. A 30-year Lakewood resident, Christina has spent much of her professional life in the nonprofit and public sectors, working with organizations such as the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center, Cleveland Zoological Society, Lakewood City Schools, and the Lakewood Municipal Court. She currently works as an Orders Analyst at Werner G. Smith, Inc. Christina is known for her tireless volunteerism across multiple community groups, including the Lakewood Charitable Assistance Corporation and the Collective Arts Network. Her husband David and their children, Bridget and Patrick, are often by her side, supporting her many volunteer efforts.
Lauren Smigelski, Co-Owner of MJM Services, rounds out the new group of board members. Lauren returned to the Cleveland area in 2017 after working in Washington, D.C. and now helps manage small professional associations in need of administrative and event planning support. A longtime volunteer with LakewoodAlive, Lauren has contributed to both our Development and Loving Lakewood Committees. She is also active at Lakewood Congregational UCC and co-chairs the Lakewood Historical Society House Tour. Lauren lives in a Mars Avenue double and enjoys traveling, quilting, local arts and culture, and spending time with family and friends.
While the organization celebrates the arrival of new board members, the board and staff also express their heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to several outgoing members whose leadership has left a lasting legacy.
Earlier this year, Rob Brill stepped down from the board after being named Cox Communications’ Market Leader for the Rhode Island and Connecticut regions. Though his time with LakewoodAlive was shorter than expected, his strategic insights and positive energy made a meaningful impact.
Tim Dewald concluded his second and final three-year term, including a notable tenure as Marketing Chairperson. A former marketing executive and current full-time parent, Tim brought creativity, insight, and humor to every meeting and event. His contributions helped elevate LakewoodAlive’s messaging and presence in the community. The organization looks forward to continuing to work with Tim as a member of the Marketing Committee.
Sandy Feicht departs after three years on the board, during which she served two years as Housing Committee Chairperson. With a career at Moen Inc. and a strong commitment to volunteerism, Sandy’s leadership advanced our housing outreach efforts in meaningful ways. Fortunately, Sandy and her husband Dave will continue supporting LakewoodAlive as active volunteers and Sandy will remain on the Housing Committee.
Additionally, the board celebrated and thanked Carol Barrett for her tenure as the inaugural chair of the Small Business Support Committee. LakewoodAlive’s volunteer board of directors is comprised of up to 25 voting members and five ex-officio, non-voting members. To see the full list of LakewoodAlive board members, please visit lakewoodalive.org/about/our-team.