The Leadership Tuscarawas Class of 2025 will celebrate the culmination of their 10-month leadership development journey at the Graduation Celebration on May 13, 2025, at Kent State University at Tuscarawas. The event will highlight the achievements of thirty-three class members, with each receiving recognition for their dedication to leadership growth and community service.
As part of the program, class members collaborated on five impactful community projects aimed at enhancing the quality of life in Tuscarawas County.
This year’s projects include Tuscarawas Arts Partnership: Cultivating and Supporting the Arts Landscape for Our Community; Tusc Lands: Preservation of County Farms and Greenspace; Empower Tusc—Male Suicide Prevention; Growing Engineering Technology Enrollments at Kent State Tuscarawas; and, Dennison Railroad Depot Museum Youth Leadership Board Project. Each group will present an overview of their project during the evening celebration. Following the presentations, a graduation ceremony will feature Dean Brad Bielski of Kent State Tuscarawas as the keynote speaker.
Throughout the year, Leadership Tuscarawas participants engaged in monthly program days focused on servant leadership, community awareness, and professional development. The experience also included networking opportunities, tours of local facilities and businesses, and educational sessions on key sectors such as agriculture, justice, tourism, and government.
The Leadership Tuscarawas program continues to inspire local leaders to contribute meaningfully to their communities while fostering a deeper understanding of county-wide challenges and opportunities.
Members of the graduating class include: Nathan Aldergate, Kraton Chemical; Elaine Booth, Tuscarawas County Senior Center; Jamie Carlisle, Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District; Shyanne Carroll, Buckeye Career Center; Kathryn Cooper, The Commercial & Savings Bank; Andrew Cornell, Groovfold; Karen Crase, Dover-Phila Federal Credit Union; James Devore, TuscoMFG; Brianna Dewalt, First National Bank of Dennison; Elizabeth Dorto, First Federal Community Bank; Paige Dugan, Access Tusc; Tracy Fawcett, First Federal Community Bank; Max Feller, Investment Partners, LTD; Ashley Galati, Kent State University at Tuscarawas; Gia Harmon, East Central Ohio Educational Service Center (ECO-ESC); Troy Johnson, SIMONA Boltaron, Inc.; Kari Klaserner, Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital; Cate Kurtzman, Allied Machine & Engineering; Katie Lee, Lauren International; Alexis Lindsay, Aultman Health Foundation; Freda Martin, Workforce Initiative Association and Ohio Means Jobs of Stark & Tuscarawas Counties; Brennan Mathias, Dennison Depot Railroad Museum; Marley Miller, Tuscarawas County Senior Center; Mike Morrison, National Association Supply Cooperative; Janette Murphy, Dover Chemical; Zachary Phillips, New Philadelphia City Health Department; Jason Schrock, Belden Brick; Mark Sclater, Allied Machine & Engineering; Megan Shaheen, Tuscarawas County YMCA; Jennifer Stidd, First National Bank of Dennison; Jennifer Swigert, Dover-Phila Federal Credit Union; Erica van Pelt, American Red Cross; and Charity Waugh, Kent State University at Tuscarawas.
The community is invited to celebrate the graduating class at Kent State Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center Tuesday, May 13th starting with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP to Dr. William H. Beisel at wbeisel@kent.edu.