Executive Director and Founder
Erin Huber Rosen
Huber is a rural WASH expert, social entrepreneur, author, documentarian, and the executive director and founder of Drink Local. Drink Tap., Inc. Since 1998, she has emerged herself in civic engagement, held multiple management roles, worked directly with underserved communities, and developed deep leadership, environmental stewardship and advocacy experience.
Since 2011, her international development expertise began developing in Uganda in the water, hygiene and sanitation sector. In 2019, she received the Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 Under 40 award, in 2017, she was voted ‘Best Activist‘ by Cleveland Scene Magazine, selected for Crain’s 40 Under 40,invited present at bigBANG! in 2013, named one of Cleveland’s Most Interesting People of 2012 by Cleveland Magazine, inducted into the 2012 Mentor High School (Ohio) Alumni Hall of Fame, awarded the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Urban College at Cleveland State University, featured a water action figure by Circle of Blue and was chosen as one of Cleveland Scene’s People July 2016. Huber is the executive producer of the 2014 documentary, “Making Waves“, the executive producer and director of the 2020 documentary “The Last Drop“, co-author of Make Waves 4 Change, and advocates for equitable water and sanitation domestically and creates WASH projects in East Africa in Uganda.
She currently serves on the US Global Leadership Coalition Advisory Board for the State of Ohio, the Greater Cleveland Water Equity Partners board, and as an advisor in various capacities. Connect with Erin on LinkedIn and learn more.
Speaking Requests: Request Erin as a speaker by emailing Info@DrinkLocalDrinkTap.org and we will consider your request. Speaking topics include: Rural WASH in Uganda, Water Equity, Climate Crisis/Water Youth Education, Drink Local Drink Tap’s local and global mission, Non-profit/NGO careers and experiences, social entrepreneurship and leadership. Other topics may be considered for an additional contribution to Drink Local Drink Tap.
2022 Board of Directors
Jane Griffin, Board Chair (Financial Development and Executive Committee)
Stephen Chipchase, Vice Chair of the Board (Chair, Finance Development Committee)
John Evans, Treasurer (Chair, Finance Committee)
Matthew Bennett, Board Member (Finance Development Committee Member)
Gary C. Bullard, Board Member (Governance Committee Member)
Delphine Francois Chiavarini, Board Member (Chair, Marketing Committee)
Lee DeAngelis, Founding Board Member (Chair, Governance Committee)
Pembroke Fallon, Board Member (Finance Committee Member and Associate Board Liaison)
Jason Hochman, Board Member (Finance Committee Member)
Meagan Moore, Board Member (Finance Development Committee Member)
Michelle Blackford, Board Member
Julie Dean, Board Member
Domenic DeCaria, Board Member
Jane Griffin, Board Chair (Financial Development and Executive Committee)
Jane is currently a Global Account Executive Director for PwC. Over the last 10+ years she has held multiple positions within the consulting industry with a focus in the Consumer Products and Retail space serving clients and PWC across a broad range of strategic and operational challenges.
Jane joined the board in April 2016, and became Chair January 2021. Originally from Ukraine, Jane immigrated to America with her family in 1990 and grew up in Cleveland. She studied Economics at the Ohio State University, and received a MBA with focus on Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Jane has always had a passion for the outdoors and the environment. The combination of local engagement and the global reach of DLDT is what drew her to the organization. In her “spare” time, Jane enjoys spending time with her family outdoors, traveling, and photography.
Stephen Chipchase, Vice Chair of the Board (Chair, Finance Development Committee)
Steve is a Senior Operations Executive having worked in a variety of markets and industries; electronics, semiconductor, medical device and fluid component systems throughout his career. He worked at Keithley Instruments for 10 years as VP, Operations in Solon, COO of Accuri Cytometers a ventured-backed medical device company in Ann Arbor, Michigan and in 2013 returned home to take the position of Director, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Operations Director for Swagelok’s High Purity Division and currently is the CMO (Chief Manufacturing Officer) for Carterra, Inc, a medical device start-up in Utah.
Steve joined the board of Drink Local, Drink Tap! In November of 2015 and became Chairman in April of 2016. He served in the past as a Board Member of the Solon Chamber of Commerce and significant corporate participant in “Light the Night” in Ann Arbor for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Steve grew up and raised his family in Northeast Ohio but it’s his international travels into Southeast Asia and Africa that drew him to the organization. Seeing first-hand the extreme poverty that occurs in 3rd world countries he was drawn to DLDT’s mission of access to clean drinking water in Africa and the education and activism locally to bring awareness to the world’s water issues.
In his spare time Steve enjoys travelling, hiking, golf and motorcycle riding.
John Evans, Treasurer (Chair, Finance Committee)
John is a Partner and Managing Director at Clearstead, where he advises institutional clients including endowments, foundations, non-profits, hospitals, and defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
Prior to joining Clearstead, John spent seven years at Goldman Sachs in New York, where he was most recently a Vice President and Portfolio Manager for foundation and endowment clients across the U.S. John graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Originally from Cleveland, John currently resides in Pepper Pike with his wife and yellow lab “Hudson.” His interests in sustainability and international travel led him to Drink Local Drink Tap. He joined the Board in 2019.
Matthew Bennett, Board Member (Finance Development Committee Member)
Matt is Vice President of Great Lakes Water Resources for Shook Construction, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. Matt oversees all aspects of water resource related construction projects around the Great Lakes as part of the company’s Cleveland operations. Shook Construction Co. is a General Contractor/Construction Manager specializing in projects in Education, Healthcare, Water Resources and Industrial.
Since graduating from Bowling Green State University, Matt has spent his entire career at Shook managing the construction of water and wastewater treatment facilities across Ohio. Having a career centered around water, Matt has vast experience in engineering and construction of the types of projects DLDT provides for communities in need. In 2019, Matt traveled to Timusi, Bolivia as part of a Shook Mission Trip Team, which helped restore the water supply for the small village in the Andes Mountains.
Matt has a wife and two daughters and spends many weekends traveling with now the second daughter on a National Club Volleyball Team. The family also loves spending time on, near or in the water at their family cottage, entertaining friends, fishing, boating, watersports, and hitting the slopes in the winter.
Gary C. Bullard, Board Member (Governance Committee Member)
Gary C. Bullard is a thirty-year DuPont veteran that has held a variety of positions. He currently serves as the hiring manager as well as a site outreach coordinator. In addition to these responsibilities, he supports training and development at two Northeast Ohio DuPont sites.
The training and development that Gary has received as a function of his employment has fostered passion for people and community. His interest in water sustainability started because of DuPont. The DLDT mission aligns with many of his personal goals and provides insight, direction, curriculum, and tools to support its mission.
Before joining DuPont, Gary served for 7.5 years in the U.S. Army/Army Reserve. He earned both an associate degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University and completed an Operations Leadership certification from Cuyahoga Community College.
Gary’s family relocated to Cleveland in January of 1994. He and his wife Keisha have two children, Gary and Kelsi. He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, the ocean, the outdoors, and outreach and volunteering. He is an avid football fan, a proponent of servant leadership and has served on many boards and volunteered as an election official.
Delphine Francois Chiavarini, Board Member (Chair, Marketing Committee)
Delphine Francois Chiavarini is vice president and general manager at Moen Incorporated. She joined the faucet brand in June 2017 and is responsible for developing strategies for profitable growth, increasing Moen’s market share and ensure winning execution in the U.S. market.
Before joining Moen, Delphine was senior vice president and general manager Food and Beverage North America at Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. She also held several executive positions with Newell Brands where she was responsible for leadership in brand and business transformation through impactful P&L management, strategic planning and change management.
Prior to Newell, Delphine spent time in sales and marketing in the luxury goods and retail sectors, spanning B2C and B2B in multiple geographies and categories.
Delphine earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Audencia Business School in Nantes, France, and attended executive programs at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Lee DeAngelis, Founding Board Member (Chair, Governance Committee)
Director of Support Services, Greater Cleveland Neighborhood Centers Association
Mr. DeAngelis has managed programs for nonprofit organizations at the national, regional and local levels in the areas of environmental protection, professional development, social services, and out-of-school time opportunities for youth. At GCNCA, he is involved in program administration, development and evaluation and human resources management. He has degrees from Cornell University and the University of Michigan. Lee has been a volunteer with Drink Local. Drink Tap., Inc. since 2010.
Pembroke Fallon, Board Member (Finance Committee Member and Associate Board Liaison)
Pembroke received a degree in Accounting and an MBA with a concentration in Accounting at the University of Dayton. She started her career at PwC in 2012 in Boston, MA and continued with the firm in Cleveland from 2015-2020. In August of 2020, Pembroke joined Union Home Mortgage as the Finance Manager where she currently works today.
Pembroke previously served as a member of the DLDT Associate Board from 2018-2021 before joining the Board of Directors in July of 2021. Pembroke was drawn to DLDT because it is a growing non-profit led by passionate individuals with great energy. The organization makes an important impact and will continue to achieve great things going forward.
Pembroke is a Northeast Ohio native and loves reading, being outdoors, and spending time with family.
Jason Hochman, Board Member (Finance Committee Member)
Jason is a partner with Dinn, Hochman & Potter, LLC, who focuses on real estate and business counseling, corporate and commercial transactions, succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, and general real estate law. A graduate of University School, Jason earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan and his J.D./Masters in Urban Planning from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law/Cleveland State University. Since his youth, Jason has always deeply cared for environmental stewardship, sustainability, and philanthropy. Jason joined the Drink Local Drink Tap Board of Directors in 2017 to continue his humanitarian endeavors and help strengthen Drink Local Drink Tap’s compassionate, environmentally-friendly mission that has both a local and global impact. When not working, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife and two young boys, taking in everything Cleveland has to offer, especially dining out at local restaurants, visiting our cultural institutions and exploring nearby Metroparks.
Meagan Moore, Board Member (Finance Development Committee Member)
Meagan has always had an interest in environmental stewardship, which led her to her career as an environmental attorney. She has extensive experience in the area of environmental law and is currently Counsel at BakerHostler. Meagan’s legal practice focuses on providing compliance counseling, supporting environmental litigation and addressing environmental liabilities identified in the course of transactions for industrial, real estate and municipal clients, both domestically and internationally. The opportunity to join the board of DLDT allows her to utilize her knowledge and passion for environmental stewardship to advance the organization’s mission of promoting the basic human right of clean water. She enjoys being out outdoors, traveling, listening to live music and spending time with her family, including a rambunctious toddler, husband and two dogs.
Michelle Blackford, Board Member
As a Philanthropic Advisor with the Cleveland Foundation, Michelle focuses
primarily on fostering and strengthening relationships with individuals, families,
organizations, and corporations who seek to fulfill their charitable giving goals.
Michelle is a Certified Fund Raising Executive. She earned her Graduate Certificate in
Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy,
and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Eastern University in St. David’s,
Pennsylvania. She also is a certified trainer in Family Philanthropy through 21/64 and
is certified in Current Affairs Fundraising through Indiana University Lilly Family
School of Philanthropy.
Michelle cultivated a passion for the outdoors early in life, growing up near Lake
Michigan in the Chicagoland area. After spending time in Kenya, Africa, during a
service trip, Michelle gained a greater understanding of the global impact of
environmental stewardship. Michelle loves living near Lake Erie in Euclid, OH with
her husband Randy. She enjoys creating art from items Randy finds on the beach and
sharing plants from their garden with neighbors.
Julie Dean, Board Member
Julie is an Internal Communications Leader for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. She has more than 20 years of experience leading internal communications and employee engagement for companies including Rockwell Automation, Eaton, and Tarkett, and has a passion for helping employees connect to and engage in their company’s strategy, mission, vision, and purpose. Julie earned her master’s degree in Applied Communication Theory and Methodology from Cleveland State University and her bachelor’s degree in Communications from Baldwin-Wallace University. Born and raised in the greater Cleveland area, Julie has a love of and deep appreciation for the Great Lakes. The ability to have local impact and global reach is what drew her to Drink Local Drink Tap. In her spare time, Julie loves spending time outdoors, traveling, and writing.
Domenic DeCaria, Board Member
Domenic DeCaria first joined the Drink Local Drink Tap Board of Directors in the summer of 2022. He started working with the Vinyl Institute in 2019 and currently serves as Vice President of Regulatory and Technical Affairs. A chemical engineer by education, Domenic’s professional background spans technical, business, and environmental leadership roles in the steel and plastics industries. He currently serves on various committees developing programs and standards related to emissions reduction, water stewardship, and climate-related community health and works on regulatory issues related to the plastics industry. He also is an advocate for clean water initiatives that spur economic growth and equity, notably where PVC products can be part of the solution.
Team Members
Ben Jurek, Wavemaker Program Manager
Jo Levin, Marketing and Communication Coordinator
Russa Wenzel, Administrative Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator
Gail L. Palmer, Event Consultant and CEO at Palmer Event Solutions
Ben Jurek, Wavemaker Program Manager
Ben Jurek is originally from Toledo, Ohio and now lives in Cleveland’s west side. During Ben’s tenure as an education specialist, he’s worked with learners from elementary to high school. Ben began his journey into education when he enlisted in the United States Army. During his army service, Ben facilitated basic first aid and security training with refugees and international groups. Ben’s passion for raising awareness about water scarcity developed as he traveled. Ben completed his B.S. in Education with a focus on Science from the University of Toledo. He will complete his master’s in Management and Strategy from Michigan State University in Spring 2023. Ben enjoys reading science-fiction novels and fishing along the shores of Lake Erie.
Jo Levin, Marketing and Communication Coordinator
Jo grew up in Greater Cleveland and enjoyed community organizing within local non-profit organizations. Her goals are rooted in the mobilization of strategic communication with design and social media to advance social justice. She worked with Drink Local Drink Tap as our Social Media Manager from December 2019 – December 2022. She completed her bachelor’s at Kent State University with a degree in Applied Communications with a minor in Public Relations in 2021. In January of 2022, she became our full-time Marketing and Communication Coordinator. She wants to continue to foster meaningful conversations about the World Water Crisis and World Climate Crisis in an effort to slow their devastation.
Russa Wenzel, Administrative Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator
Russa is a Cleveland native that has transitioned from volunteer to our second U.S. employee. Russa manages our office, volunteers, community outreach, data management and oversees our internship program. She has a background in marketing and event planning, and holds a B.A, in Marketing and International Business from Cleveland State University. Russa has a love of zero-waste and creating inclusive spaces and equality for all people in all walks of life. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and kayaking.
Gail L. Palmer, Event Consultant and CEO at Palmer Event Solutions
Gail L. Palmer is an event professional with over 25 years of experience designing, planning, implementing, and ‘fixing’ events for non-profit, corporate, and private clients — from New York to Alaska. Events benefit from her broad foundation of skills including theatrical design (lighting, sound, and stage/set), planning and directing (large stage and touring productions), and a healthy dose of OCD in her approach to project management. Palmer Event Solutions, her company, has tremendously helped DLDT grow since 2014!
Kizito Johnson, Construction and Site Logistics Manager
Nantamba Susan, Nakasongola Monitoring Representative
Basajja Noah, Monitoring and Community Relations Officer
Nantogo Catherine 'Cathy', Hydrogeologist and Drilling Supervisor
Masembe Muhammad, Operations and Communications Manager
Ejang Fiona, Monitoring and Operations Assistant
Kizito Johnson, Construction and Site Logistics Manager
Since 2012
Johnson has been with DLDT since the very first WASH project opening in 2012. He has over 20 years of experience in construction and water working in all parts of Uganda. He speaks multiple Ugandan dialects in addition to English and is a true leader and problem solver. Johnson has his wife, Lydia, and three children and he likes to watch Arsenol play football (soccer). Johnson is funny, creative and a true problem solver and leader who is always willing to learn.
Nantamba Susan, Nakasongola Monitoring Representative
Since 2014
Susan has been helping DLDT since 2014, but officially became an employee in January 2018. Susan, is a member of the community in the Nakasongola District and remains a close contact, support and voice of our work and partner communities. She assists in monitoring, WASH training, interviewing schools, representing DLDT at District meetings and helps with logistics. Susan has a musically talented daughter that toured the US in 2017, teaches baby class at a primary school, had a baby named Jariah in 2019 and is married. Susan is a jolly teammate who cares about her community.
Basajja Noah, Monitoring and Community Relations Officer
Since 2018
Noah has a degree in community development and has served in various capacities for the Iganga District Water Office and through his university. His dream is to help rural people develop in a sustainable way and to teach people how to be healthy. Noah started with DLDT in 2018. He has two children and a wife that he loves. He is the tallest member of the team and cares deeply about using less plastic to protect the environment.
Nantogo Catherine 'Cathy', Hydrogeologist and Drilling Supervisor
Since 2022
Nantogo is a hydrologist in Uganda with experience in surveying, drilling supervision, WASH training and WASH committee development. She currently oversees groundwater projects for Drink Local Drink Tap. Nantogo prefers to go by ‘Cathy’, lives in Kampala and enjoys making her own gold jewelry and is constantly developing her many interests and skill sets. She loves the field, is easy going, detail oriented and hardworking.
Masembe Muhammad, Operations and Communications Manager
Ejang Fiona, Monitoring and Operations Assistant
Fiona (Fifi, Fio) is the first one to pick up a shovel at a job site and always the first to help a fellow team member in need. Fiona has a background in community health and research working for various NGOs and rural health research projects nationally. She is very passionate about her work, always wanting to learn and grow. Most importantly, she is flexible and has a great sense of humor. She makes talking about toilets and water fun! She has been a team member since 2019.
A special thanks to our year-round support
- Kevin Hejduk, Web Design and Management
- Kalyani Sapkal, Grant Writer and Donor Prospecting
- Andrew Kasumba, Audit and Finance, Uganda
- Sara Thomas, Development Volunteer
- The DLDT Associate Board,
- Staci Lowell, Giving Insight, LGL CRM Management
- Raise the Roof, Event Production (Tech)
- Jay Toole, Runiversity, Race Production Partner
- Hobe and Lucas, CPA Inc., U.S. Accounting Partner