ABOUT NLDP

Faculty Team

Experience and Expertise for Neighborhood Leaders

The faculty team at NLDP facilitate our 16-session, skills-based curriculum. Their expertise coupled with their commitment to growing and educating Cleveland's leaders make them a trusted and valued resource in our program. To learn more about our 16-session curriculum, click here.

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Letitia Lopez, Cohort XI
Photo by Steve Wagner

Scott Allen

JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY

Scott Allen is an award-winning professor with a passion for working with people of all ages. He teaches courses in leadership, future of work and executive communication. Scott served as a Mulwick Scholar in the Boler College of Business and his primary stream of research focuses on leadership development.

Dr. Ellen Burts-Cooper

IMPROVE TRAINING GROUP

Dr. Ellen Burts-Cooper is the senior managing partner of Improve Consulting and Training Group, a firm that provides personal and professional development training, coaching and consultation.

Mark Chupp, MSW, PhD

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY

Mark Chupp, MSW, PhD, is an associate professor at the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Science of Case Western Reserve University, where he chairs the concentration in Community Practice for Social Change in the Masters of Social Work Program.

David Fitz

STRATEGY DESIGN PARTNERS

David Fitz brings 20 years of experience working in strategy and communications with expertise in organizational development, executive positioning, crisis communications, marketing and communications planning and execution, and brand development.

John Grabowski

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY / WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

John Grabowski received his BA, MA, and Ph.D. degrees from Case Western Reserve University. His academic interests are in the fields of immigration and migration, public history, public memory, and museum studies.

Mark Joseph

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY

Mark Joseph is the Leona Bevis and Marguerite Haynam Professor of Community Development at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University.

Erica Merritt

EQUIUS GROUP

Erica Merritt, founder of Equius Group, is a skilled coach, gifted facilitator and leadership and organizational development expert. A Gestalt-trained coach, Erica has extensive experience leading, designing and teaching organizational development, leadership program design and diversity management in environments ranging from community rooms to classrooms to board rooms.

Melvin Smith, Ph.D.

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY

Melvin Smith, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Organizational Behavior and Faculty Director of Executive Education at the Case Weatherhead School of Management. He is also Chairman of the Board of the Graduate School Alliance for Education in Coaching (GSAEC).

Dr. Doan Winkel

JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY / TEACHINGENTREPRENURSHIP.ORG

Dr. Doan Winkel is an entrepreneur and an educator. At John Carroll University, he serves as the Director of the Edward M. Muldoon Center for Entrepreneurship, the John J. Kahl, Sr. Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship, and the Bill & Sue Donnelly School of Leadership and Social Innovation.