Leadership Committee Spotlight

Leadership Seminar Chair: Rick Stephenson
I am a 2008 alumnus of the HOBY Ohio North Leadership Seminar. This will be my 9th year volunteering for Ohio North and my fourth year as Leadership Seminar Chair. I am a 2010 Edgewood Senior High School Alumni. I attended the University of Findlay for my undergraduate and graduate degrees and I am currently a Physician Assistant at Riverside Methodist in Columbus, Ohio. HOBY is and will always be a life changing experience for me. It amazes me each year the amount of positive changes the students want to make to our society. It has been a great honor severing as the LSC for HOBY Ohio North.
Contact Rick: ohionorthlsc@gmail.com
I am a 2008 alumnus of the HOBY Ohio North Leadership Seminar. This will be my 9th year volunteering for Ohio North and my fourth year as Leadership Seminar Chair. I am a 2010 Edgewood Senior High School Alumni. I attended the University of Findlay for my undergraduate and graduate degrees and I am currently a Physician Assistant at Riverside Methodist in Columbus, Ohio. HOBY is and will always be a life changing experience for me. It amazes me each year the amount of positive changes the students want to make to our society. It has been a great honor severing as the LSC for HOBY Ohio North.
Contact Rick: ohionorthlsc@gmail.com

Vice Leadership Seminar Chair: Ben Holbrook
I am a PhD student in historical musicology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where I study the intersection of music and politics as well as music and social change. I am a native of Alliance, Ohio and attended HOBY Ohio-North as an ambassador from Alliance High School in 2008. HOBY helped me figure out what leadership meant to me, which leadership styles worked most naturally for me, and how to identify and amplify leadership styles of others to help encourage success. The lessons I learned at HOBY have been fundamental in my career as a musician and as an educator. I have been a volunteer of HOBY Ohio North since 2010.
Contact Ben: ohionorthvlsc@gmail.com

Co- Director of Recruitment: Hayley Kick
I am a 2011 alumnus of the HOBY Ohio North Leadership Seminar. I have volunteered with HOBY every year since attending the program as an ambassador. I have previously volunteered as the Director of Junior Facilitator and Director of Junior Staff. My favorite part of serving as the Co-Director of Recruitment and Ambassador Relations is working with schools to give students the same HOBY experience that changed my life when I was a sophomore in high school. I graduated from The Ohio State University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, summa cum laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy, summa cum laude. I am currently a law student at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
Contact Hayley: ohionorthdr@gmail.com
I am a 2011 alumnus of the HOBY Ohio North Leadership Seminar. I have volunteered with HOBY every year since attending the program as an ambassador. I have previously volunteered as the Director of Junior Facilitator and Director of Junior Staff. My favorite part of serving as the Co-Director of Recruitment and Ambassador Relations is working with schools to give students the same HOBY experience that changed my life when I was a sophomore in high school. I graduated from The Ohio State University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, summa cum laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy, summa cum laude. I am currently a law student at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
Contact Hayley: ohionorthdr@gmail.com

Co-Director of Recruitment: Lindsey Benedict
I became involved with HOBY in 2014, when my best friend in college (and current LSC), Rick Stephenson, asked me to be a facilitator for this wonderful organization. I had never attended or even heard about HOBY when I was a sophomore in high school, but I definitely wish I had! Meeting so many bright, young leaders and watching them grow tremendously in just 3 short days has been one of the most OUTSTANDING things I have ever witnessed. HOBY restores my faith in humanity, and tremendously impacts the lives of everyone involved. Because I love HOBY so much, I have continued to volunteer. In April of 2016, I graduated from the University of Findlay (Findlay, Ohio) with my Doctorate of Pharmacy degree. When I’m not working 40+ hours a week at my local CVS Pharmacy (Carson City ,NV – we moved in October!), I devote the majority of my time off fielding questions from counselors, parents, and students alike.
Contact Lindsey: ohionorthdr@gmail.com
I became involved with HOBY in 2014, when my best friend in college (and current LSC), Rick Stephenson, asked me to be a facilitator for this wonderful organization. I had never attended or even heard about HOBY when I was a sophomore in high school, but I definitely wish I had! Meeting so many bright, young leaders and watching them grow tremendously in just 3 short days has been one of the most OUTSTANDING things I have ever witnessed. HOBY restores my faith in humanity, and tremendously impacts the lives of everyone involved. Because I love HOBY so much, I have continued to volunteer. In April of 2016, I graduated from the University of Findlay (Findlay, Ohio) with my Doctorate of Pharmacy degree. When I’m not working 40+ hours a week at my local CVS Pharmacy (Carson City ,NV – we moved in October!), I devote the majority of my time off fielding questions from counselors, parents, and students alike.
Contact Lindsey: ohionorthdr@gmail.com

Director of Programing: Jake Koopman
I attended this very seminar as a high school sophomore representing Wellsville High School in 2007. After graduation, I took my talents to The Ohio State University and obtained a BS in Microbiology and went on to medical school at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. I will graduate in 2018 and pursue a residency in Internal Medicine. This is my 10th year as a volunteer with HOBY and 4th year in a Director position. My favorite thing about HOBY is the community. I often say, if it weren't for our director staff and our volunteers that continue to invigorate me throughout the year planning for seminar, I would not be in this role today. The passion that our volunteers have for service tides me over until I see the transformation of our ambassadors from day one to four in June. We have seen so much growth in this site and have reached a lot of milestones together and this is what continues to drive me year in and year out as a volunteer at this great seminar site!
Contact Jake: ohionorthdp@gmail.com
I attended this very seminar as a high school sophomore representing Wellsville High School in 2007. After graduation, I took my talents to The Ohio State University and obtained a BS in Microbiology and went on to medical school at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. I will graduate in 2018 and pursue a residency in Internal Medicine. This is my 10th year as a volunteer with HOBY and 4th year in a Director position. My favorite thing about HOBY is the community. I often say, if it weren't for our director staff and our volunteers that continue to invigorate me throughout the year planning for seminar, I would not be in this role today. The passion that our volunteers have for service tides me over until I see the transformation of our ambassadors from day one to four in June. We have seen so much growth in this site and have reached a lot of milestones together and this is what continues to drive me year in and year out as a volunteer at this great seminar site!
Contact Jake: ohionorthdp@gmail.com

Director of Operations: Brittany Adams
This year is my 6th year volunteering with HOBY. When I am not serving as Director of Operations at HOBY Ohio North, I am the Director of Human Resources for a management company in New Jersey. I am also studying for my Master's degree in Business Administration at Rutgers University. My favorite thing about HOBY is how it continues to inspire me in new ways every year.
Contact Brittany: ohionorthdo@gmail.com

Director of Staff: Sarah Vretas
I’ve been with Hoby 6 years. I recently graduated from Ohio State and am in the process of applying to School Counseling graduate programs. My favorite thing about Hoby is the fun and enthusiasm all the volunteers bring. I look forward to yelling the cheers so much and so loudly that I lose my voice every single June.
Contact Sarah: ohionorthdjf@gmail.com

Co-Director of Alumni Relations: Tracie Mayles
This is my 9th year as a volunteer with this outstanding organization! I graduated from the University of Akron in 2017 with a Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training. Currently I work for UA as the Athletic Facilities Operations & Events Assistant, where I work game days for all of our athletic teams. My favorite thing about HOBY is seeing the change in the ambassadors over one weekend & knowing that I have made an impact on our future leaders of tomorrow.
Contact Tracie: ohionorthdar@gmail.com
This is my 9th year as a volunteer with this outstanding organization! I graduated from the University of Akron in 2017 with a Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training. Currently I work for UA as the Athletic Facilities Operations & Events Assistant, where I work game days for all of our athletic teams. My favorite thing about HOBY is seeing the change in the ambassadors over one weekend & knowing that I have made an impact on our future leaders of tomorrow.
Contact Tracie: ohionorthdar@gmail.com

Co-Director of Alumni Relations: Drew Stadelman
I am a HOBY Alum of 2010 and have been volunteering with HOBY for the last 5 going on 6 years! I currently work at The Ohio State University as a Campus Protection Officer and am pursuing a career in law enforcement. I love HOBY because it has helped shape me into the person I am today and I enjoy seeing the positive impact it has on all of the ambassadors that come through the seminar every year!
Contact Drew: ohionorthdar@gmail.com
Co-Director of Alumni Relations: Drew Stadelman
I am a HOBY Alum of 2010 and have been volunteering with HOBY for the last 5 going on 6 years! I currently work at The Ohio State University as a Campus Protection Officer and am pursuing a career in law enforcement. I love HOBY because it has helped shape me into the person I am today and I enjoy seeing the positive impact it has on all of the ambassadors that come through the seminar every year!
Contact Drew: ohionorthdar@gmail.com