The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Foundation announces new board, staff members
Erie County Community Foundation has announced in a news release its two new Board of Directors members and new director of development and marketing.
New board member Jarvis Cole-Caston is a business instructor with Sandusky
City Schools.
Cole-Caston advises high school organiza- tions including SHS Pep Club, Class of 2024 and United Black Students, the release said.
He also is co-chair of the Minority Business Empowerment Team, a grassroots collaborative that provides resources and support to minority-owned businesses in the community.
The Minority Business Empowerment Team recently received the 2022 Silver Award for Excellence in Economic Development from the International Economic Development Council, according to the release.
Cole-Caston is a 2008 graduate of Sandusky High School.
Raised in a single-parent household, his mother stressed the importance of education, the release said.
His mother died in his junior year and he continued to work hard and pursue higher education.
In 2013, he earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Wilberforce University.
New board member Lonny J. Rivera, Ph.D, is director of Innovation North Point ESC in Sandusky, according to the release.
Rivera be- gan his career as an elementary special education teacher in Toledo Public Schools.
He has served as principal of Sherman Elementary School in Toledo, Coy Elementary School in the city of Oregon and Wayne Trail Intermediate School in Maumee.
Rivera also served as chief of staff for Toledo Public Schools and superintendent of Oregon City School District.
In 2015 Rivera became an associate state superintendent for the Ohio Department of Education, where he led the Divisions of Accountability and the Teaching Profession. In 2016, he was selected as the Interim State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Rivera attended the University of Toledo and Cleveland State University on a wrestling scholarship. He holds a BA in special education from Cleveland State University and a master’s degree in educational administration and supervision, as well as a doctorate in education, from the University of Toledo, according to the release.
Erie County Community Foundation’s new Director of Development & Marketing, Paul Freeman has worked in communications and brand consulting with nonprofits and other organizations throughout Ohio for the past decade.
In Freeman’s new role, he will work with current and prospective donors, manage communications, marketing, outreach, event, and public relations efforts, the release said.
Freeman previously owned Lower Bridge Marketing, a communications consultancy that helped contracted clients increase revenue, build and protect their brand identities, and streamline their go-tomarket strategies. Throughout his career, Freeman has also held communications, marketing, and sales leadership positions in the healthcare, logistics, education management, and high-tech manufacturing industries.
Freeman earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism/public relations from Ohio University.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Jarvis, Lonny, and Paul to the Erie County Community Foundation,” said Elizabeth Maiden, executive director, in the release. “Their wealth of experience and deep commitment to improving their community make them ideal additions to our team.”