This month we are spotlighting one of our Board of Directors members, Michelle Reese. Michelle is an award-winning attorney practicing commercial real estate law at BakerHostetler. She received the Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Star Award from Thomson Reuters for 2021 and 2022 and was nominated for Excellence in Leadership for Emerging Leaders by Leadership Medina County in 2020. In addition to The Children’s Center, Michelle also serves on the board of the Wadsworth Public Library and the Salvation Army of Summit County.
We asked Michelle to share a little more about herself and her role on the Board of Directors.
Roles and Responsibilities on the Board of Directors
How did you learn about The Children’s Center of Medina County? Why did you decide to join the Board of Directors?
I learned about The Children’s Center through the Leadership Medina County program. This was around the same time that my husband and I became licensed foster parents. I decided to join the Board of Directors so I could do more to help local foster children and children who have experienced abuse.
What is your current role on the board? What do you do in that role?
I am currently in my sixth year on the Board of Directors. In that role, I attend the monthly board meetings, where we discuss what is going on at The Center, go through updates on fundraising, and work to manage the affairs of the organization. I have also participated in the fundraising and community events hosted by and on behalf of The Center.
What are you most proud of in your work with The Children’s Center?
I am most proud of the progress that The Center has made in the past 5 years. From moving to an amazing new building to providing more robust services, The Center has really made great strides as a critical community resource.
Personal Insights and Reflections
What is the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
The best advice I was ever given was that you should do the hard things, even when you are afraid of failure because trying and failing is better than not trying at all. Rather than letting your past mistakes and failures weigh you down, you should use them as stepping stones toward achieving your goals.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a kid, I was clueless. I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I didn’t even start applying to colleges until the year after I graduated high school, and I changed my major several times during undergrad. By trying different classes and different majors, I quickly started to learn what I didn’t want to do, which ultimately led me to my career as a commercial real estate attorney.
What is your favorite way to unwind after a busy day?
After a busy day, my favorite way to unwind is to watch Jeopardy with my husband. I also like to go for walks when the weather is nice, and I just started learning to paint watercolors.
What is one song you have completely memorized?
I have completely memorized every song by the New Kids on the Block and I am not ashamed!
Community Engagement and Support
What does the community need to know about The Children’s Center?
The community should know what a vital resource The Center is for our children. In general, people don’t like to talk about or acknowledge the types of abuse that children may experience, but ignoring it won’t make it go away. Problems like these can feel overwhelming on a global scale, but The Center serves the kids that live in our community and makes a huge difference for those kids. There are so many ways for the community to contribute – financial donations; attending fundraisers; volunteering time, skills, or labor; in-kind donations; supply donations; engaging with The Center on social media. All of these contributions from our community are much-needed resources for the children we serve, and everyone who contributes in any way can rest assured that they ARE making a REAL difference for children.
