Cat Esperanza (she/her) is a survivor with tremendous gratitude for the fortitude of community. With an MPA and more than a decade of human resources experience, and as a queer, neurodivergent, Latine woman, Cat is personally and professionally passionate about cultivating sustainable, equitable spaces where folks can thrive in their full, authentic identities. Cat is also a self-proclaimed data nerd who loves to discuss big, lofty ideas over coffee with folks who share her passion for community.
John Molinaro is from the Pittsburgh area. (Yes, it is a part of Appalachia!) In 1979 he left seminary when he felt called to improve the lives of struggling families (rather than parish ministry). To prepare for this work, he completed a Master’s program focused on planning, rural development and organizational administration.
In 1982, John was asked to revitalize a family counseling and child abuse prevention center which specialized in working with children experiencing sexual violence in their homes. As Executive Director, he observed that most families struggled financially due to an economy that produced mostly low-wage jobs. He decided to focus on building local economies that produce family-sustaining jobs.
For 20 years, John ran the programs of a foundation that supported economic development in 9 rural Minnesota counties. Over that time, they added 30,000 well-paying jobs. Average wages doubled and 15,000 people moved back home to live and work.
In 2006 The Aspen Institute recruited John to co-lead its Community Strategies Group (CSG). CSG helps build rural economies to improve the economic success of struggling families. John helped rural places in 35 states chart their paths forward, building on local assets and intentionally including families living on the margins.
In 2012, John left Aspen to start up Appalachian Ohio’s first regionwide economic development organization. Over eight years, he built four related organizations with 22 staff and a $3 million budget, which secured $6 billion in corporate investment creating 10,000 jobs, attracted $25 million in government grants and leveraged $125 million in loan capital for small businesses.
In 2020, John retired and co-founded RES Associates LLC with his partner Dr. Solveig Spjeldnes. RES allows John and Solveig to continue to share their expertise, taking on selected high-impact projects across rural America.
Mak is an Appalachian native committed to the region’s culture and development. She is a first-generation college student holding degrees in accounting and higher education from Ohio University, where she now works in leadership development. Mak joined the SAOP board to work with others who are also passionate about creating healthier and safer environments for the surrounding communities.
Rebekah Perkins Crawford is a co-survivor. As a researcher she cares about how religious communities talk about consent and reports of sexual violence within religious organizations. As an advocate she cares about how trauma and experiences of acute vulnerability affect holistic wellness. She is grateful to be a part of a community that provides a support system for survivors and their loved ones.
Ryan Collins lived a majority of his young life in Columbus before moving to Appalachian Ohio in 2004. It was in Appalachia that Ryan would grow to become who he is today and to truly fall in love with the region. It was then an opportunity given to him while at Sheridan High School where he grew to enjoy Public Policy and governmental work. He was able to attend Buckeye Boy’s State in the summer of 2010 where he was the head of the Legislative Services Commission and wrote several pieces of mock legislation while within the program. This, along with his mother’s work in non-profits for more than 30 years, inspired him to attend Capital University and he graduated in May 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.
Fueled by a passion to help and serve others Ryan jumped into working with Godman Guild as the Administrator for their Summer Workforce Development program. Following the summer program with Godman Guild Ryan worked a few odd jobs before finding his way back to Workforce Development with Greenleaf Job Training Services. With Greenleaf Ryan worked as an Employment Specialist where he developed, trained, and supervised multiple teams of interns in Project SEARCH programs throughout Franklin and Licking counties. Outside of Project SEARCH Ryan worked with individuals with disabilities within the community to find, obtain, and maintain community employment.
In the summer of 2021 Ryan found an opportunity to give back to the Appalachian region that had made him who he is and to help communities whose needs were further exasperated by the Covid-19 pandemic. He jumped on this opportunity and joined Buckeye Hills Regional Council as Broadband Coordinator. He is now a Program Manager with Buckeye Hills where he continues his work in Broadband along with working on programming with the Appalchian Regional Commission and the Governor’s Office of Appalachia.
Ryan Collins lives in Athens, OH with his partner, Sierra, and their two cats(children) Midna and Saturn.”
Sam Miller is the Development Director of Buckeye Hills Regional Council, a council of government representing eight counties in southeastern Ohio. Before joining BHRC, Miller served on the staff of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown as the Appalachian Regional Representative, serving as primary point of contact for residents across 25 Appalachian Ohio counties. Born, raised, and educated in Appalachian Ohio, Sam Miller attended Ohio University in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and graduated in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism– Strategic Communication. Sam currently lives in Athens, OH with her corgi, June.
Sarah Jones comes to the board with four years of applied behavioral health experience and a trauma informed approach to service and support for the region’s most vulnerable populations. She holds the title of Access Supervisor at Integrated Services for Behavioral Health and demonstrates a critical understanding of the need for accessible, justice based initiatives and economic development in Southeast Ohio.
A lifelong resident of Meigs County, Ohio, She and her family live a life deeply rooted in agriculture and food chain production. She enjoys time shared with an abundance of friends who support her fiercely and time spent outdoors with her son, dogs and assorted farm animals.
Sarah Jones is an Assistant Professor at Ohio University where she studies the power and politics of gender in organizations and teaches courses on research methods, institutional policy, and advocacy. She is a certified facilitator with StoryScope: A Story Circles Project (an affiliate of the U.S. Department of Arts & Culture) and the Institute for Civil Dialogue–tools she utilizes in classroom and community spaces. Sarah is also a recent alum of Leadership Athens County through the Athens County Foundation.
Tanya Conrath is the fifth generation of her family to live in the foothills of Appalachia, Ohio. She earned her JD from OSU Moritz College of Law and has combined her passion and education to work on economic and workforce development initiatives that bring money, resources, and support to the people of Southeast Ohio. Tanya’s volunteer work includes serving on the boards of the League of Women Voters of Athens County, BlueDot Co-Working, the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet), Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, My Sister’s Place, and The Dairy Barn Arts Center. She is honored to be part of SAOP and to work in service of its mission.