Meet the Team

Meet the InMotion Board of Directors, staff and coaches.

Board of Directors

Gabe Adler, Treasurer

Gabe Adler has 38 years of experience in the public accounting field. In 1996, he merged his practice with Zinner & Company. Gabe’s client base includes owners of closely held businesses and professional service companies, whom he counsels in areas of accounting, tax, auditing, mergers and acquisitions, and how to transfer a business to the next generation.

Gabe advises many real estate owners, managers and developers on real estate tax strategies and has spoken to groups on tax laws and planning, and estate planning techniques. He is also a trustee and past officer for his synagogue. Gabe graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in business.

Kelly Albin

Kelly Albin serves as Corporate Counsel at The Sherwin-Williams Company, supporting the areas of corporate governance, securities, finance, and general corporate commercial transactions. Kelly earned her undergraduate degree in finance from John Carroll University and a law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Kelly was a member of the Board of Directors of Shaking with Laughter, a local nonprofit organization with a mission to fund research to help find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. She also served on the Board of Directors of Front Steps Housing and Services and co-chaired the organization's largest annual fundraising event. She is a member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Association of Corporate Counsel, Northeast Ohio Chapter, and is a mentor for College Now.

Michael Bennett

Michael E. Bennett is a business and nonprofit leader with expertise managing innovative change, building and sustaining relationships, and creating and implementing strategies that improve communications, marketing, branding, public relations and fundraising / development.

As Vice President of External Affairs for the Cleveland Leadership Center, he supports efforts that inspire and connect individuals to transform Cleveland. Among previous positions are Publisher and Editor of the Cleveland Jewish Publication Co. (Cleveland Jewish News), Director of Marketing and Communications and Campaign Director for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and Features Editor of The Plain Dealer.

After his wife, Laura, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in her 50s, they found InMotion before the original facility was even built and have been actively involved ever since. They are long-time residents of Cleveland Heights, where their two now-adult children were proud Tigers.

Jim Bickel

jim bickle photo

Jim Bickel has more than 35 years of experience in information technology management and consulting. Most recently, Jim spent 15 years as the IT Director for the Cleveland Foundation. Here, he planned and completed many key projects, including: the selection and implementation of a completely integrated financial, grant management and fundraising system; a VOIP phone system; and the transformation of the entire technology architecture to a virtual server environment. Previously, Jim held management positions at North American Refractories, Brush Wellman, Forest City Enterprises, and Consolidated Natural Gas. He also was part of the Cleveland Office of Ernst & Young’s small business and information technology practices for 9 years.

Jim served on the Board of Directors of the Council of Foundations Technology Affinity Group for 10 years and was also the Board Chair during his tenure. He earned a bachelor of science degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in business administration from Penn State University.

Daniel Burkons

dan burkons photoDaniel Burkons is a senior director of Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap. Daniel and his business partners oversee IPA’s Midwest multifamily operations. He is one of the original founders of Marcus & Millichap’s Cleveland office, where he and his team have surpassed 45,000 units sold across 14 states totaling over $2 billion.

Having close family ties to Parkinson’s, Daniel was a founder of the Parkinson’s Pals organization that raised money for research. He is very involved giving his time and energy to the Parkinson’s community and has a passion to beat the disease and improve life for people affected. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of Michigan and is a member of the Commercial Real Estate’s CCIM Institute.

Kathy Goldberg Cohen

Born and raised in Cleveland, OH, Kathy Cohen views InMotion as her “happy place.” She serves as a front desk volunteer and has also facilitated care partner support groups at InMotion. Kathy’s father, Allan Goldberg, one of InMotion’s founders, lived with Parkinson’s disease for 15 years before he passed away in 2014. Kathy practiced for 15 years as a social worker. She has master’s degrees in counseling psychology and social work. She is married and has two boys.

Michael Craig

Michael Craig is an intellectual property attorney with Tucker Ellis LLP, helping clients protect and generate revenue from their intellectual property. He is experienced in opinion and pre-litigation work for patent and trademark cases, including intensive claims analysis and case law research. Before becoming an attorney, Michael worked as an environmental health and safety consultant in a variety of industries, and was a regulatory compliance manager for a large chemical company.

Michael earned a bachelor of arts degree in biology from Hiram College, and graduated cum laude from the University of Akron School of Law. He lives in Medina with his wife and three children, two dogs and a cat. He is extremely active in the local community with youth and environmental conservation organizations.

Beth Curtiss, Immediate Past President

A native of Norfolk, VA, Beth Curtiss has devoted her time and energy to helping local organizations achieve their missions. As a member of multiple foundation boards, endowment committees, and educational programs, Beth’s varied skill set has helped nurture both the financial and community support of many area organizations.

She has served as the Board President of many organizations, including: Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital Foundation Board, The Northeast Ohio Association for Care of Children in Hospitals, and the Mt. Sinai Medical Center Auxiliary, where she oversaw the transition from a Hospital Auxiliary Board to an independent 501c3 organization.

Beth has professional teaching, event planning, and volunteer coordinating experience. She and her husband Rand, President of Loveman-Curtiss, are proud Shaker Heights residents where they have raised their two grown daughters. In her spare time, Beth enjoys golfing, cheering on Cleveland sports teams, reading and traveling out of state to visit her children and grandchildren.

Howard Epstein, M.D.

Dr. Howard Epstein, M.D. is a rheumatologist who serves in the Rheumatologic and Immunologic Disease department of the Cleveland Clinic. Since 2011, Dr. Epstein has also served as the Associate Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic Employee Health Plan. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Union College, and he received his medical degree from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Epstein has delivered various lectures on rheumatology and is a member of professional organizations such as the Cleveland Society of Rheumatology and the American College of Rheumatology. In his spare time, he enjoys aviation, classical music, theater, and serves as a volunteer pilot for disaster relief missions.

Rob Felber

Rob Felber, President of Felber Public Relations & Marketing established in 1993, is responsible for the development and implementation of measurable advertising and public relations campaigns for business-to-business manufacturers.  The firm’s client experience includes Buckeye Fasteners, C & J Industries, Cres Cor, General Die Casters, Grand River Rubber & Plastics, Mika Metal Fabrication, Olson Custom Design and PMI Indudstries.

Rob has held numerous leadership positions within marketing associations.  Rob has appeared as a guest speaker on college campuses such as Kent State, John Carroll, Cleveland State, and Akron Universities and before a variety of business organizations. Additionally, Rob served two terms as President of The Twinsburg Chamber of Commerce. In September of 2006, Rob was elected to the board of the Ohio Venture Association where he served as Vice President – Public Relations for six years. Rob was elected to the Board of Governors at The Club at Key Center in February of 2007 and chaired the board in 2011 and 2016.

Rob served as chair of the City Club of Cleveland’s 100th Anniversary subcommittee on marketing and public relations. Rob has also dedicated 18 years on the leadership team for The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life – Twinsburg/Nordonia and chaired the 2011 and 2012 events. In November 2013 Rob was elected to the Board of Education in Twinsburg, Ohio, and served as Vice President in 2015. In 2016, 2020 and again in 2023, Rob was elected as president of the Board of Education and served the board president. Rob is a past President of the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center Board of Education and currently in his 4th year on the board. Rob joined the regional board of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in 2018. In September 2023 Rob delivered his first TEDx talk, detailing his journey from high school trauma to his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s. Little known fact: Rob has served as the Public Information Officer for the Hillcrest Technical Rescue Team of which he served as a member for 28 years, and is currently in his 41st year as Lieutenant, firefighter/paramedic with the City of Pepper Pike. Rob lives in Twinsburg, OH with his wife Sheryl and has twin daughters that are now grown and in both the non-profit and elementary education fields.

Ann G. Freimuth, Vice President

Ann Freimuth has built a career around her strong communications, organizational and analytical skills. For 15 years, she served as a program officer for The Mount Sinai Health Care Foundation, responsible for evaluating grant requests for the organization. Previously, Ann served as Chief of Staff to the past President of Tulane University.

Ann’s prior positions included serving as the Director of Community Affairs for Premier Industrial Corporation; the Director of Funds Development at Jewish Family Service Association; and Director of Career Planning at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law and the Weatherhead School of Management.

She serves on the IMPACT Advisory Committee for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, the Women’s Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and is a past board member of United Way of Greater Cleveland.

Grover "Cleve" Gilmore, Ph.D.

Grover C. Gilmore is the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Dean Emeritus in Applied Social Sciences in the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences and Professor Emeritus of psychology and social work at Case Western Reserve University. He retired from CWRU in 2021. A graduate of Brandeis University (AB ’71) and the Johns Hopkins University (MA ’74, PhD ’75), he joined the faculty of CWRU in 1975. Gilmore served as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences before joining the Mandel School in 2002, chairing the psychology department for five years and serving as acting chair of the Department of Statistics for one year. He was very active in faculty governance, holding leadership positions at every level including a term as the chair of the Faculty Senate. Gilmore is the recipient of Case Western Reserve’s John S. Diekhoff Award for Distinguished Graduate Teaching, and has been nominated several times for the Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award and the Wittke Teaching Award for Undergraduate Teaching. Reflecting his interests in aging, developmental issues, education and mental health, he serves on boards in the community, including the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center and the Magnolia Clubhouse. He also served on the editorial board of Intelligence: A Multidisciplinary Journal. Gilmore was a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of New England and served on the Visiting Committees of the Schools of Social Work at both the University of Denver and Catholic University

For over 30 years, Gilmore received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support his interdisciplinary research with colleagues in biomedical engineering, geriatrics, ophthalmology, neurology, pulmonology and psychiatry. As a principal investigator (PI), he received over $8 million in external funding to support his research programs focusing on identifying sensory and cognitive problems that affect a person’s ability to perform at his or her full potential.

Gilmore has also pioneered methods to improve Alzheimer’s patients’ perceptual and cognitive performance. His latest primary research interests are on the changes in vision that are associated with healthy aging and with Alzheimer's disease, leading a project to examine the impact of cataract removal on the cognitive status of Alzheimer’s patients. He has demonstrated that a portion of the cognitive problems associated with aging and the memory problems in Alzheimer's disease may be attributed to sensory decline and not to higher-order cognitive functions.

Terry Goldberg, JD

Terry Goldberg PicTerry Goldberg is an avid volunteer and former attorney and dental hygienist. She brings expertise in healthcare, having volunteered for five years at the VA hospital, where she had direct contact with patients. She earned a degree in law from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and has practiced family law for five years.

She has also served as a board member of Hawken School, where her children were enrolled for several years. Terry's husband Allan, one of the founders of InMotion, lived with Parkinson's for 15 years before he passed away in 2014. Terry is dedicated to helping InMotion continue building upon what Allan and the other founders envisioned. Terry is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for those with Parkinson's and their families.

Bruce Goodman, President

Bruce Goodman is President and CEO of White Dove Mattress Ltd. He is a board member of several community organizations, including: the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, The Temple Tifereth Israel, Jewish Family Service Association, and the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland.

Bruce is a graduate of Dartmouth College and received a master’s degree in business administration from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. His father suffers from Parkinson’s disease, and along with his business insight and extensive non-profit experience, Bruce brings a passion to his work at InMotion to help those living with Parkinson’s.

Ellen Halfon, JD

As Case Western Reserve University's Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Ellen Halfon provides strategic support to University Relations and Development staff, as well as donors, with respect to all aspects of charitable gift planning and implementation.

Prior to joining Case, Ellen practiced law for more than 30 years, primarily focusing on sophisticated estate and succession planning for high net-worth individuals and families. She helped clients achieve philanthropic goals using charitable trusts and other vehicles, and by developing strategies that encourage multigenerational involvement in family philanthropy.

Ellen also served as legal counsel to numerous public and private charities, and as a trustee and officer of nonprofit organizations. She has lectured regularly and published articles in the areas of estate, gift and charitable tax planning, as well as practice issues for tax-exempt organizations. While in private practice, she was selected by Best Lawyers from 2013-2019 in Nonprofit/Charities Law and Trusts and Estates and as Lawyer of the Year Nonprofit/Charities Law in 2014.

Patricia Inglis, President-Elect

Since 2010, Patricia Inglis has served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for the San Francisco 49ers organization. She helped bring to life the team’s current home at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Before joining the 49ers, Patty was Vice President and General Counsel of the team's parent company, DeBartolo Corporation.

Patty has served on several for-profit and non-profit boards. Currently, she is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Committee of the Case Western Reserve University School of Law and a member of the Board of College Now Greater Cleveland. Patty resides in Shaker Heights and has two adult daughters.

Donald Insul

After a career practicing law, Donald Insul owned numerous businesses, the last of which was Fidelity National Field Services from which he retired in 2006. Donald has served as an Independent Board Member to Private Equity companies, including The Riverside Company and Prairie Capital. He has been involved in the Cleveland community for many years, serving as advisor to the Leonard Krieger Fund at The Cleveland Foundation and on many community boards, including: the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and First Tee of Cleveland.

A native of Chicago, Donald graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1965 and later, Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1968. He has been married to Lynda for 53 years and has two adult children and four grandchildren.

Alison Ivey

Alison Ivey is best described as a Servant Leader, bringing high productivity, diligence, enthusiasm, and high energy to each role she undertakes.  She earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the University of Pittsburgh.  Alison is in Career Placement with Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) in Highland Hills, Ohio where she successfully provides career success strategies for both students seeking employment experiences, and constituents or groups interested in creating a stronger workforce. Though new to the collegiate environment, Alison’s career has always encompassed teaching, research, marketing and supporting her clients across a broad range of healthcare related organizations including Ortho-McNeil (Johnson and Johnson) of Raritan, New Jersey, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, and Cardinal Health.

Alison is recognized as a local and regional community leader with expertise in community outreach and support programs. She recently led community awareness initiatives to develop ballot issue awareness, increase voter participation, and political savvy in Greater Cleveland. Her commitment to collaborative engagement, excellence, and her respectful approach to diverse perspectives contributed to the success of her programs leading to a higher voting profile for people of color in these communities.

Alison and her husband, Attorney Timothy C. Ivey, live in Aurora, Ohio. She is active in the Links, Incorporated, the Aurora Women of Color, the Northeasterners, the Sophisticates, Incorporated and the choir at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church of Cleveland.

Karen Jaffe, MD, Vice President

Dr. Karen Jaffe is an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2007. Since her retirement from medicine in 2013, she focuses her time working on local and national Parkinson's advocacy issues. For this work, she has received the Red Cross Heroes Award, The Irene Zehman Award for Volunteerism, the World Parkinson's Program Community Service Award and University Hospitals Neurological Institute Champions for Parkinson's Award.

She is a member of the Michael J Fox Foundation Patient Council serving as a liaison between the Parkinson's community and the research community for the purpose of advancing a cure.

Dr. Jaffe and her husband created the foundation Shaking With Laughter that has raised almost $1 million for Parkinson's research. In addition to her role as an InMotion founder, along with four other like-minded individuals, Dr. Jaffe very much sees herself as part of the InMotion community, one that is fighting a disease with grit and determination. Dr. Jaffe attended Kenyon College and Wright State University School of Medicine before completing her residency in obstetrics-gynecology at University Hospitals of Cleveland.

Adam Margolius, M.D.

Dr. Adam Margolius, M.D. is a member of the Associate Staff in the Movement Disorders Section at the Center for Neurological Restoration, Neurological Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. In his clinical practice, Dr. Margolius sees a broad variety of movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and other parkinsonisms and has a special interest in the intersection of movement disorders and palliative care, including patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Margolius received his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 2015, conducted his residency at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 2018 and his fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic in 2020. Dr. Margolius has been published in several journals and has been invited to give numerous talks about his work and research in movement disorders, especially Parkinson’s disease.

Gail McShepard

Gail McShepard received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Arts and Education at Eastern Michigan University in 1987. In 2000, she received her Master of Arts degree from Cleveland State University in Early Childhood Education – Pervasive Disorders. Gail served as an elementary school teacher at Fort Bend Independent School District in Houston, Texas, and as a K-8 school teacher and media specialist at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. She is very involved in the community and in civic engagement. Gail serves as a Board member for Birthing Beautiful Communities, and from 2010-2020 served as the Steward Board Secretary at St. James AME Church. She has been a candidate for Beachwood City Council and served as a Board member for Murtis-Taylor Human Services Center from 2013-2017.

Jane K. Meyer, Secretary

Jane Meyer serves as a community volunteer for numerous organizations in Greater Cleveland. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Smith College, and received a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School. She is a retired certified public accountant, and previously worked at Ernst & Young, Cleveland and Dayton offices, and for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Jane's volunteer involvement includes serving in various board roles and on oversight committees for: the McGregor Foundation; the Village of Hunting Valley; Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital; the Garden Club of Cleveland; the Health Museum/Healthspace; Judson Retirement Community; and University School.

Jane's hobbies include golf, bridge, reading and traveling, and she is a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights. She is widow of Henry L. Meyer III, has three sons and one grandchild.

Edward Newman

Edward Newman is President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Management Services, Inc., for which he is a stockholder and has been affiliated with the company for more than 25 years. Edward has an extensive background in all aspects of the multifamily housing industry, including project-based, federally-assisted Section 8 and Tax-Credit programs, as well as conventional market properties.

He is a graduate of Ohio State University, is a licensed realtor with a Certified Property Manager designation, and is a member of the Akron-Cleveland Area Board of Realtors and the National Board of Realtors. He has been active for many years in the non-profit community, including currently serving on the Board of Trustees of the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Family Cancer Foundation and as a member of the Development Committee at Old Trail School.

Joel Salon D.D.S., M.D.

Joel Salon, D.D.S., M.D., recently retired after practicing dentistry in Greater Cleveland for 37 years. He is past president of the Ohio Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Heights Dental Study Club and the Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, Cleveland Chapter. Previously Joel taught for the Mount Sinai oral surgery program and Case Western Reserve University’s School of Dental Medicine.

Joel is a graduate of Indiana University School of Dentistry and Indiana University School of Medicine. He has served on committees for Mount Sinai Hospital, Hillcrest Hospital, the American Heart Association, PIE Insurance and B'nai Jeshurun Congregation.

Idelle Wolf

Idelle K. Wolf is the Retired President of  Barnes Distribution and VP of Barnes Group (NYSE:B) She is a senior executive leader with finance, logistics, international and general management experience with  multi-industry experience .

She has public, private and non-profit board experience.  She currently serves on the boards of AOSmith (NYSE:AOS), Jewish Family Service, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, Mandel Jewish Day School,  and Menorah Park.  She is Administrative Chair at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and a past officer and committee chair.

Idelle resides in Orange, Ohio and is the proud mother of an adult son.

Adam Wolinetz, Vice President

adam wolinetz photoAdam Wolinetz is a Senior Transaction Manager on the Advisory & Transaction Services Team at CBRE, where he manages national and global accounts for several Northeast Ohio Fortune 500 companies. Adam works with clients on real estate portfolio management, tenant representation, and real estate consulting involving complex negotiations. He has completed transactions in nearly every major North American market, as well as numerous assignments throughout Europe, South America, India and Asia.

Prior to joining CBRE, Adam was a Vice President at JLL in Cleveland. In his previous roles, Adam facilitated real estate transactions on both a national and international scale. He served large multinational corporate clients, as well as local and regional private corporations and non-profit entities. He assisted clients on a wide variety of real estate projects including: lease negotiations and relocation analyses, land acquisition and ground up build-to-suits, asset acquisitions and dispositions, and operations consolidations.

He earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Kansas School of Journalism.

Sylvia Yankey

Ms. Yankey is a Principal and Co-Owner of Yankey Associates, a small consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, board development, and fundraising counsel for nonprofit organizations. She has been the recipient of numerous professional awards, including the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s prestigious Grand Award for Overall Fundraising Excellence at a Major University. In addition, she served as President of ICAA, an association of 42 colleges in Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania.

Xin Xin Yu, MD

Xin Xin Yu serves as Associate Staff in the Movement Disorders Section in the Center for Neurological Restoration at the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute. She is the Neurological Institute’s Patient Experience Officer and is Director of the Functional Movement Disorder Clinic.

She completed her fellowship in Movement Disorders and her residency in Adult Neurology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Xin Xin is studying in the Master’s Program, Clinical Research Scholars Program at Case Western Reserve University. She received her medical degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and a bachelor of science degree in biology from Emory University. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She is fluent in Chinese Mandarin and English.

Xin Xin serves as a principal investigator in a number of movement disorders research projects, some of which include clinical trials in Parkinson’s disease.

Emeritus

Earl Franklin
Allan Goldberg*
Jeff Gottlieb
Patrick Graham
Amy Handel
Lee Handel*
Karen Hess
Debi Kortanek
Harvey Kotler
Laura Milgram
Steve Owendoff
Zack Paris
Judy Peters
Susie Ratner
David Riley, MD
Lisa Salamon-Handel
Glenn Southworth
Mario Tonti

*In Loving Memory

Staff

Cathe Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer

 

Cathe Schwartz is a visionary leader who brings to InMotion deep experience in nonprofit management and fundraising. In her role as InMotion’s chief executive officer, she has overall strategic and operational responsibility for staff, programs, expansion and mission execution. She joined InMotion in 2018.

Cathe's career has spanned both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. She has served as a development professional in higher education, advocacy, and arts organizations and for 10 years ran a family-owned healthcare publishing business. A resident of Beachwood, she holds a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Colorado.

John A. Ambrose M.A., Program and Outreach Director

 

John A. Ambrose joined the InMotion team in February 2020 and currently serves as InMotion’s Program and Outreach Director. Shortly before arriving at InMotion, John graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll University. John also graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in Political Science from John Carroll University in 2015.

A Cleveland native, John especially enjoys exploring the wonders of Cleveland with his family and friends. John also enjoys traveling, particularly visiting close friends and family in Columbus, Ohio, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Ontario, Canada. During his free time, John loves to exercise, read, watch movies and documentaries, and listen to music. John has loved his time at InMotion and very much looks forward to interacting more with all members of the InMotion family. He is honored and proud to do his part in helping people with Parkinson’s disease feel better every day.

Taylor Grillo, Development Officer

Taylor Grillo joined the InMotion team in May 2023 as the new Development Officer and comes with 10 years of experience in the Greater Cleveland Area non-profit sector. She graduated from John Carroll University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications.

Taylor is a Cleveland area native and loves spending time with her family. She is a reader and enjoys a good binge worthy TV Show. She loves live music and you can typically find her at the latest concert. She is excited to be a part of the InMotion team and can’t wait to dig in and make a difference to people living with Parkinson’s disease.

Deborah Holland, Database Manager

Deborah Holland comes to InMotion with a specialized background in Donor-Based Management with Raiser’s Edge. She most recently served as Database Administrator for over 9 years at Hattie Larlham Foundation. During her time there, she was responsible for establishing standards and procedures for entering data, training and providing support to users, entering contributions and assuring integrity of the database through regular maintenance of records. It is her privilege to continue building her skill set at InMotion.

Kari Kreft, Events and Finance Director

Kari Kreft joined the InMotion team in February 2017 as Executive Assistant, in February 2021, Kari expanded her role and now serves as the Events and Accounts Payable Manager. Kari feels connected to the InMotion mission as she has family members and close family friends with Parkinson’s disease.

Kari has been a strong community volunteer all her life and is excited to work in non-profit after many years working in the business sector. She brings a background in wholesale and retail fashion where she spent years in purchasing, store management and human resources, most recently as the Vice President of Product Development for Status Men’s Accessories.

Kari holds a bachelor of arts degree in Communications and Marketing from Michigan State University. She and her husband of 30 years, John have lived in Cleveland all their married life but have roots in Michigan. Kari enjoys traveling, especially visiting her 3 children, Michael, Natalie and Olivia and during her free time, Kari enjoys cooking, reading and outdoor activities.

Ben Rossi, Co-Founder and Chief Program Officer

Ben Rossi is one of the founders of InMotion and serves as its Chief Program Officer. He brings over 20 years of fitness teaching and coaching experience, is an ACE Fitness Trainer and a qualified community exercise instructor for Parkinson’s patients.

Ben has created multiple exercise and measurement programs for Parkinson’s disease clients, with data from these programs shared in global research. He is actively involved with the World Parkinson Congress, the Parkinson’s Foundation and the Ohio Parkinson Foundation Northeast Region.

Deborah Rossman, Chief Operating Officer

Deborah Rossman is a goal-oriented professional with broad experience in project management, facilities management, operations, budget development and customer relations. She is proficient in business planning, problem identification and solving, and has strong communication skills, all of which make her a strong member of the InMotion support staff.

Deborah is a respected and dedicated representative of the InMotion mission to help serve clients with Parkinson’s disease as well as those who care about them. For over 10 years, she held the Facilities Director and Network Administrator position at Fairmount Temple. Deborah is a founding trustee of The Gathering Place in Beachwood, Ohio, and has served as President of Mt. Sinai Community Partners as well as on the board of directors for the Mt. Sinai Healthcare Foundation.

She enjoys her day-to-day interactions with the InMotion client network and cherishes her role as a caring mother and grandmother.

Erin Shelton, Program and Client Relations Manager

Erin Shelton joined the InMotion team in August 2022 as Administrative Assistant. Prior to InMotion, Erin worked at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner School for Autism. She holds a master’s degree in Nonprofit Organizations from Case Western Reserve University and bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Social Justice Studies from Miami University.  

As a Northeast Ohioan, Erin is excited for this opportunity to serve our clients and become more involved with Cleveland’s nonprofit community! In her free time, she loves to read a good book, travel, hike, and go to summer concerts at Blossom.   

Wendy Voelker, Chief Development Officer

Wendy Voelker joined InMotion in 2021 as Development Director and became its Chief Development Officer in 2023. Prior to joining the InMotion team, Wendy worked for Hattie Larlham, a nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, first as Events Manager and then as Development Officer.

Wendy has an extensive background in producing successful fundraising events and campaigns, and enjoys creating beneficial partnerships with donors, corporations, and volunteers. Wendy was born and raised in New York State, and she and her husband Bob moved to Ohio in 2013.

During her downtime, Wendy enjoys cooking, hosting her own wellness podcast, and running. She currently runs 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons, with plans to complete her first full marathon in 2022. Fun fact: Wendy was a contestant on Jeopardy! in March 2021, fulfilling a lifelong goal.

Coaches

Nancy Aeder

In August of 2009, Nancy took her first formal yoga class. The class opened up Nancy's life. She discovered peace on her mat, learned how to live in the present moment and found that she “ is always where she is supposed to be.” In May of 2011, Nancy graduated from Cleveland Yoga’s 200- hour Teacher Training Program. She is also a Reiki Level 1 Practitioner. Nancy has been teaching adaptive yoga with YogaReach®LLC for the past 17 years. She thanks Char Grossman for her love, support, kindness and introduction to YogaReach. Nancy is thrilled to be a part of this amazing team that is housed at InMotion.

Jane Barber

Jane Barber is a nurse and adaptive sports professional with a passion for bringing healing through sports to people living with disabilities, injury or the effects of trauma and Parkinson's Disease. She has taught adaptive skiing with Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) in Breckenridge, Colorado for the past 15 years. Several years ago she had the inspiration to pursue yoga teacher training so that she could bring yoga to her adaptive skiing clients.

She received her E-RYT 200 certification in May, 2016. She added to her career, one-on-one yoga therapy that she received from YogaReach. Jane also teaches yoga with Spaulding Adaptive Sports on Cape Cod in the summer. Jane is delighted to become a member of the YogaReach team.  Jane is grateful to Char Grossman for the incredible opportunity to be a part of InMotion's journey.

Jill Carroll

Jill recently joined InMotion to pursue her interest in Parkinson’s, fitness, and helping others get “better every day.”  Jill has been a Physical Therapist for over 30 years with a special interest in the geriatric and neurologic populations.  Jill  recently became a Certified Personal Trainer and holds her Corrective Exercise Certification through NASM.  She also received her Parkinson’s Instructor Certification through Total Health Works.  Jill soon will be certified in YogaReach Mindful Movement for Parkinson’s Disease Professionals and is currently working on her Group Fitness Certification through AFAA. For fun Jill plays USTA Tennis and enjoys hiking with her husband and three children.

Sandy Ellis

Sandy Ellis has taught InMotion’s spinning and boxing classes since 2015. Her passion is fitness and says that to be a part of the InMotion Team is a dream come true. She works hard to keep her classes fresh, fun, and full of positive energy. Sandy's certifications and qualifications include: ACE Group Fitness Instructor, ACSM-CIFT, Rock Steady Boxing Coach, Delay the Disease Trainer, Keiser Indoor Cycling Coach, E-RYT - 200 Yoga Teacher, FAI-Functional Aging Specialist, Balance Matters Trainer.

Faith Gilbert

Faith has been with InMotion since 2015. She is a licensed physical therapist, specialist in senior fitness, and a functional aging specialist. Faith was looking for a career change at about the time InMotion opened and after meeting with Chief Program Officer Ben Rossi, knew that InMotion was the place she needed to be. Faith coaches with compassion, enthusiasm and fun, striving to always help and empower clients to feel better every day. Faith holds certifications in PWR!Moves, Ohio Health Delay the Disease, YogaReach, Total Body Resistance (TRX), Zibro Balance, and Balance Matters.

Stephen Greenberg

Stephen has been an art provocateur at InMotion since 2018. Educated in photography and painting at San Francisco Art Institute and Art Therapy at Tri-C, Stephen also holds a Master's in Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll. Previously he facilitated art with clients at the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities and worked with CMSD students creating community health projects. In addition to advocating for blooming artists at InMotion, he makes documentaries and does photography for nonprofits in Cleveland. Lastly, Stephen (really) believes in the cliche that "anyone can make art!"

Char Grossman, M.A., PSY.S, C-IAYT

Inspired and supported by the founders of InMotion, YogaReach Mindful Movement Adaptive Therapeutic Yoga began offering classes for people with PD and care partners at InMotion when it opened its doors in 2015.

As the Founder and Director of YOGAREACH® LLC, a premiere adaptive therapeutic yoga program Char leads a set of adaptive yoga classes at InMotion and provides group/individual therapeutic adaptive yoga programs, speaking engagements, presentations at national conferences, and teacher training workshops. Char is a compassionate, advanced masters degree psychology specialist (PSY.S) and certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT). Char has trained with Delay the Disease and the Advanced Dance for PD® programs. She has worked for more than three decades assessing, educating, and counseling people with neuromuscular, neurological and an array of medical challenges.

Char is honored to promote mind, body and spirit through a non-medical therapeutic approach to our loving clients at InMotion.

Christine Hales

Christine has been with InMotion since 2022.  She has been in the fitness industry for over 25 years. Christine was looking for deeper meaning in her fitness career, and first felt led to InMotion when a personal training client of hers was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She found a passion for helping others fight Parkinson’s Disease through exercise classes such as Spinning, Better Every Day, and YogaReach's Mindful Movement.  Christine leads her classes with energy and a smile, and is grateful to be part of such an inspiring team.

Christine holds the following certifications: ACE Certified Personal Trainer, Biomechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist, Total Healthworks Parkinson’s Instructor Certification, YogaReach Mindful Movement for Parkinson’s Disease, and Parkinson’s Cycling Coach.

Aly Jaffe

Aly has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Aly is fully certified in Pilates for mat and all equipment. Additional certifications include ACE for group fitness and personal training, Barre fitness, Total Parkinson’s certification, adaptive Yoga through YogaReach and the MELT Method. Aly first came to In Motion in early 2022 as a volunteer and was thrilled when offered the opportunity to become a coach. Aly loves that InMotion truly is a family of clients, volunteers and staff all working together to make things better every day!

Janet Kennedy

Janet has been with InMotion since 2015 and started working with PD clients in 2013. She has been involved in the fitness industry for over 30 years. Her certifications over those years include AFAA (for group exercise), yoga (specializing in adaptive yoga through YogaReach), Ohio Health Delay the Disease, ACE personal trainer, Zibrio Balance Specialist, Arthritis Foundation, and Silver Sneakers Senior Fitness. Janet is very passionate and expresses that feeling in her classes with her coaching skills. It is the highlight of her day when she walks into InMotion. Her goal is to motivate and bring a smile to our clients' faces.

Patricia Lane

Demo Content

Amy Larocca

Amy Larocca, MA, CCC-SLP is the founder and lead certified speech-language pathologist of Polaris Speech with 15 years of experience working with adults with neurological diseases. In addition to her clinical work, her experience includes teaching motor speech, dysphagia, and advocacy courses at a local University and developing the University Speech Clinic’s programming for people with Parkinson’s Disease.  Her specialties are swallowing and swallowing disorders, neurological motor speech, and cognitive-communication disorders. She is passionate about working with People with Parkinson’s Disease in order to support their journey with PD from a whole-person and support network perspective.  She has certifications in SPEAK OUT!®, LSVT-LOUD®, Parkinson Foundation Team Training, and McNeil Dysphagia Therapy Program. She truly values the collaborative, team approach at InMotion with the collective goal being to dynamically support people with Parkinson’s Disease and their families.

Dan Medves

Dan is the program coordinator at InMotion. In addition to teaching Better Every Day™, he also helps run InMotion’s client assessments. Dan says,

“I am absolutely in love with the people that make up InMotion, from the wonderful caring staff and coaches that I get to work with to the amazing clients that inspire me daily. There is not better reward than that feeling at the end of a long day knowing that the InMotion team can help someone feel and get a little Better Every Day.”

Dan holds certifications from Ohio Health Delay the Disease, PWR!Moves, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) Parkinson’s Disease Training for Fitness Professionals, and he is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer.

Joan Meggitt

Since 2015, Joan Meggitt has taught movement and dance at InMotion. Through her art, Joan explores and shares the many ways dance combines individual expression and collective experience, with a focus on finding authentic, engaging and meaningful connections with one another and the world around us. She believes that dance teaching and making should honor everyone involved, she fosters meeting people where they are and discovering the possibilities together. Joan has been teaching, making, performing, and researching dance for over three decades, including with individuals and groups ranging from preschool children to community elders, and in settings such as formal theatres, community centers, schools/universities, churches, parks, wilderness sites, and more. Joan says,

“I am grateful to be among the founders, staff, clients, coaches, and patrons, who together create a space that is welcoming, motivating, joyful and relevant to people with Parkinson’s and their wider community."

Joan has a master of fine arts in dance from Case Western Reserve University and is a teaching member of Dance for PD®.

Mike Nason

Demo Content

Rev. Edward Niam

Sifu Edward Niam is the founder of Tai Chi Institute USA and creator of "The Movement of Life" and has been helping  people of all ages improve their mental, physical and spiritual health through alternative wellness therapies for nearly 50 years. Sifu is a Grand Master of Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qigong, Meditation and Traditional Chinese Medicine and has developed specialized programs for those suffering from Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy and other movement disorders.

Michele Ridella
Michele joined the YogaReach team in 2021. She is a 200-hour RYT and certified in Pilates, Bar Ballet, and Adaptive Yoga for people with Parkinson’s. Michele has been teaching yoga and Pilates since 2009 and as soon as she met with Char Grossman in 2019, she knew working with the YogaReach team is where she wanted to continue her journey. She completed her training in YogaReach in 2020, and happily joined the team in 2021. Michele wants our PWP classes to have fun, while taking their abilities to the best level they want to perform. Michele approaches each class at InMotion with the desire to give back to her students as much energy and positivity as they give to her.
Dana Rini

Demo Content

David Stein

David Stein has been with InMotion since 2018. When not teaching Mindful Movement, he is a commercial real estate professional. In May 2018, he completed his 200-Hour Teaching Training at Yoga Roots in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, under the direction of Kim and Scott Curtis. David is so grateful for the opportunity to inspire others to learn that participation in yoga can be a source of healing and can provide motivation and a positive perspective leading to an enhanced quality of life. Char Grossman and her team at YogaReach are providing the platform for David’s quest, for which he is most appreciative.

Kevin Teplitzky

Kevin Teplitzky, MT-BC (Music Therapist-Board Certified) is the Director of The Cleveland Music Therapy Company LLC.  He has worked as a music therapist in the Cleveland area for 8 years with a wide range of populations including adults with Parkinson’s, at-risk youth, literacy groups, geriatrics, substance abuse recovery, and individuals of all ages with and without special needs.  Kevin has presented at numerous regional and national conferences on classroom inclusion, guitar improvisation, therapeutic horseback riding, and business growth. He graduated from Ohio University and completed his music therapy internship at the Institute for Therapy Through the Arts in Evanston, Illinois.  In addition to music therapy, Kevin is a multi-instrumentalist, performer, teacher, and writer.

Heather Young-Koniz

(MFA, 200 hr Certified YT, Trained in Dance for PD and YogaReach Mindful Movement)

Heather Young holds a Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Arts from Hamilton College. In July 2022, she was promoted to Executive Director of City Ballet of Cleveland. Prior to that time, she served as administrative assistant for the company. Mrs. Young is also the Office Manager and dance instructor at Cleveland City Dance and a yoga instructor at Yoga Roots. She has worked as an adjunct faculty at Lake Erie College, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University.  Mrs. Young teaches Yes!..I Can Move and Mindful Movement classes at InMotion.

Young has danced professionally with Antaeus Dance, Verlezza Dance Company, Marquez Dance Project, and Tikvah Company of Artists. She has performed in works by notable choreographers including Martha Graham, Pascal Rioult, Carolyn Dorfman, May O’Donnell, Amy Miller, and Elisa Monte. She recently returned to performing with Ajayi Dance, Sarah Holmes Villanueva and Marquez Dance Project.

Young is also a seasoned choreographer whose works have been performed at the Northeast Ohio Dance Festival, Case Western Reserve University, Allegheny College, and Hamilton College. In May 2013, she choreographed the 8th Grade Musical at Hathaway Brown School and in March 2014 choreographed Shrek the Musical at Euclid High School. Her work, Let My Hero In, premiered at Cleveland Public Theatre’s DanceWorks’14. She was also a choreographer for Cleveland Dance Exchange’s Top Ten during Cleveland Public Theatre’s DanceWorks’ 15. Mrs. Young has also been blessed with the opportunity to set works on City Ballet of Cleveland dancers for the Youth America Grand Prix.