Board of Trustees

Eric Sukalac
President

Eric Sukalac is Chief Product Officer for TPA Stream, Inc., a software service organization helping with administration of employee benefits. He has a B.S degree in Computer Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. Eric hopes to contribute his enthusiasm for Geauga County and its many parks, as well a strong technical and strategic planning background.

Keith Corkwell
Vice-President

Keith Corkwell, Vice President of Lubrizol Additives Americas for the Lubrizol Corporation, is returning to service on the Foundation board after taking a short hiatus after serving two prior 3-year terms. Keith contributes his strengths toward administration, management, fundraising and event support. He is active with the Boy Scouts of America, formerly as Camp Director, Cubmaster, Scoutmaster and now Committee Chair of Boy Scout Troop 99.

Sheryl Vernon, CPA
Treasurer

Sheryl has worked as a non-profit accountant, taught accounting at a local college, worked as an external auditor for a local CPA firm, and performed internal auditing at a local university. Sheryl joined the Foundation in 2018 as a volunteer member of the Finance Committee and joined the Foundation Board as a Trustee in 2020. She began serving as the Treasurer in 2022. She grew up loving the Metroparks in Cuyahoga County and after moving to Auburn Township, began hiking in the many Geauga County parks with her husband.

Mary Beth O'Neill
Secretary

Mary Beth O'Neill is very happy to call Geauga County her home hailing from Buffalo, New York. Mary Beth served on the Board as secretary for the Foundation for 8 years from 2004-2012. She has recently returned to the Foundation because of her love for and commitment to all of our beautiful green space in the County and the opportunity to get everyone outside! When she & Jim aren't out waking their dogs in many of our County parks, she is a realtor with Keller Williams Greater Cleveland Northeast and makes sure everyone knows what a fabulous place Geauga County is. She is also Vice President of the Ravenwood Health Board, a long time supporter of 4H in Geauga County and was honored as the Emerald Leader 2023 by Leadership Geauga.

Dan Best
Trustee

Dan Best, who is a naturalist retired from Geauga Park District, brings a wealth of knowledge to the Foundation in areas of natural and cultural history of our resources, and nature education. Dan holds a degree from Ohio State University School of Natural Resources, Environmental Interpretation. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide and Certified Interpretive Guide Trainer by National Association for Interpretation and has many connections in the Geauga community and Northeast Ohio conservation community. You will be sure see him as a regular participant in the Foundation’s Explorers Series hikes and other special events.

Linda Brown Pallay
Trustee

Linda, who joined the board in 2020, owns her business psychology practice where she works with clients’ people-related needs in talent management, assessment, and executive coaching. She finds it difficult to sit at her desk for hours so she hikes our Geauga park trails regularly, treasuring the precious gifts that these wonderful spaces afford us.

Andy Bushman
Trustee

Andy joined the board of trustees in January 2023 after volunteering on committees through 2022.

Adam Henry
Trustee

Adam is the General Counsel & Senior Portfolio Manager for Rosenthal & Henry Capital Advisors where he focuses on portfolio management and compliance for the firms three independent hedge funds. Adam originally served on the Foundation Board starting in 2013, before taking time off. He returned to the board in 2019. In his current role as co-President, he will guide all board committees. Born and raised in Geauga County, Adam now lives in Chagrin Falls and enjoys exploring Geauga’s parks with his wife and two sons.

Marcia Owen
Trustee

A long time Geauga County resident, Marcia has been a park appreciator since growing up among the fields and forests near Punderson State Park. A graduate of Ohio University with a B.A. in Business Administration, she has broad experience in operations management from her years working in the media production industry and in nonprofit economic development at Geauga Growth Partnership. Retired, she also serves on the Geauga County Genealogical Society and the Geauga County Library Foundation. An avid cyclist and hiker, you will likely find her in one of our many Geauga and NEO parks or taking trips with her husband to hike in our National Parks.

Mark Sarlson
Trustee

Mark joined the board of trustees in January 2023. He is an attorney with Roetzel & Andress, and is active on the boards of Prevent Blindness, Cascade Capital Corporation and Growth Capital Corporation. Having served nonprofits for nearly 30 years, Mark brings a wealth of experience to FGP. For the past seven years he has explored many parks in Northeast Ohio and is looking forward to being more involved in Geauga County.

Richard Frenchie
Emeritus Trustee

Richard J. Frenchie’s passion is for education, health care and philanthropy. He has served as a Director on many boards, working to make a difference both for Geauga County and Ohio. Richard served on the Foundation’s board from 2008 – 2014, the last five years as President, and currently serves as an Emeritus Trustee. Richard lives in Chagrin Falls.

Christine Davidson
Executive Director

Having grown up in Colorado, Christine developed an early mindset toward conservation and preservation of nature and natural resources. She moved to Ohio as an adult and fell in love with its people and its lush landscape. Christine considers it a privilege to be part of a team helping to build a legacy for all generations and inspiring youth to appreciate nature. "Having a job that aligns with my passions makes it easy to share our story and further our mission to raise money to preserve green space, enhance trails for public enjoyment and educate our children about all the natural wonders Geauga County has to offer." Christine and her husband, Matt, live in Bainbridge.

Erin Stevenson
Administrative Associate

Erin joins the Foundation with a sincere interest in the outdoors having grown up in rural Pennsylvania among the trees and streams of her family’s forest. She has extensive experience as a business analyst having worked for environmental consulting firms and local companies, most recently with the Eaton Corporation. Erin is a Penn State University graduate with a B.S. in Environmental and Renewable Resource Economics. She resides with her family in Chesterland and engages in numerous volunteer activities for West Geauga Schools, Scouts, and coaching youth sports. When she is not working or volunteering, you will often find Erin cheering for her kids on various sports fields or participating in Geauga Park programs with (or without) her children.