Melissa Marie
Board President
Home: Cincinnati, Ohio
Melissa Marie is a high-energy connector and weaver. With a background in marketing and communications, she helps organizations tell their story and build support. Melissa currently holds the role of Manager of Donor Engagement for La Soupe, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit that works to bridge the gap between surplus food waste and food insecurity. Melissa is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP). A Southern California native with roots in Chicana culture, Melissa currently calls Cincinnati, OH home where she resides with her two young children.
Caitlin Miller
Board Vice President
Home: Cleveland, Ohio
Caitlin or Cait Miller (she/they) is an East Coast Transplant that has called Cleveland home since 2021. Caitlin is proudly Queer and Neurodivergent. She spent over 11 years in the Fleet Management Industry prior to joining the non-profit sector in 2022. She currently works in Development at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Caitlin is a Yoga Teacher and Student with 230+ hours of training (Functional Yin and Vinyasa), attuned to Reiki (Usui), and a Certified End-of-Life/Death Doula. Caitlin is passionate about holding space, encouraging healing, and reminding others of their worthiness. She earned her Associate's and Bachelor's Degrees while working full time and is proud of her nontraditional path. Caitlin is an Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Member, Hospice Volunteer, and proud supporter (time/treasure) of various organizations. She has served on a number of Committees/Boards over the last 10+ years. She was a 2023 recipient of The Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club Top 25 under 35 Movers and Shakers Award, a member of the Cleveland Foundation’s 2024 Foundations for Philanthropy Cohort, and completed Cleveland Leadership Center’s Bridge Builders Program in 2025. Caitlin enjoys nature, jam bands, coffee, reading, creativity, and exploring. Personal Mission Statement: I want to build community through a compassionate lens with an emphasis on connecting to nature, death and grief care, and health and human services.
Kristi Lee
Board Secretary
Home: Cincinnati, OH
Kristi Lee is a lifelong resident of Cincinnati, Ohio. She began her professional journey working with AmeriCorps in a grassroots non-profit and leadership development program, which is when she first came to Hope Springs. She fell in love with the land and the container for connection and community that Hope Springs provided. She worked in the non-profit sector for over a decade and recently spent 4+ years working in the field of organizational development where she was a trusted partner and helped executives, leaders, and their teams build cohesion and strategic direction. She is excited to bring her gifts and talents to the board of Hope Springs. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband and 2 children. She holds a BA and JD from the University of Cincinnati and is a 200-hour registered yoga teacher, currently completing her 300-level certification.
Janet Hales
Board Treasurer
Home: Toledo, Ohio
Bio coming soon!
J'Anmetra Waddell
Board Member
Home: Atlanta, Georgia
J’Anmetra Waddell, MBA-HCM, is a healthcare executive, educator, speaker, and healing practitioner with more than 27 years of experience in healthcare operations, leadership, and compliance. She is the founder of Sister R.I.S.E.® (Revitalizing Individuals’ Sacred Energy) and is dedicated to helping individuals and communities pursue holistic wellness, personal transformation, and intentional living. An Amazon International Bestselling Author and host of the Fearless Morning Show, J’Anmetra integrates practical leadership experience with a deep commitment to natural healing, empowerment, and lifelong learning.
Jan Flynn
Board Member​
Home: Eatonton, GA
Jan Flynn, Ph.D., is a businesswoman, a family business consultant, a retired University business professor, a mother, a grandmother, an avid horsewoman, a cattle drive cook, a quilter, and a certified Bar B Que judge. After 20 years in industry working for three major Fortune 500 companies, she spent 20 years teaching business strategy and international management at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, GA. For the past 15 years, her academic and consulting work has focused on transition from one generation to the next in family businesses. Jan is a Certified Sage-ing Leader with Sage-international and has done work with the Center for Conscious Eldering. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Auburn University and a Ph.D. from Purdue University. She has been an active part of the Hope Springs Community for almost 25 years. Jan lives on beautiful Lake Sinclair in Central Georgia.
Philip Cunningham
Board Member
Home: Columbus, OH
Philip Alexander Cunningham is a Columbus-based learning and organizational development strategist who has spent over 15 years building infrastructure where none existed — from scaling a state government's first AI training initiative to growing a consulting practice from zero to 20+ enterprise clients in a single year. He holds an Executive MBA from the University of Toledo and an Executive Leadership Certificate from Harvard, alongside certifications in Gallup StrengthsFinder, Hogan 360, and Crucial Conversations. Beyond his corporate and government work, Phil is the founder of Jamaa Health, a health equity venture connecting communities to culturally responsive care. He is also a published children's book author and a longtime advocate for strengths-based leadership and belonging. Phil brings that same builder's mindset — turning vision into durable, lasting impact — to his work on the Hope Springs Institute board.
Thomas Wendt
Board Member
Home: Westerville, OH
As a two time graduate of The Ohio State University, Thomas Wendt is a lifelong educator, having served as a classroom teacher, administrator, mentor, and consultant. Formerly the board president of SMART Federal Credit Union for central Ohio educators, Thomas currently serves as the patient representative on The Ohio State University Integrative Health Center Community Advisory Board, and teaches Mindfulness in Motion-Purpose Filled Living classes at The James Cancer Hospital to cancer survivors, caregivers, and those in or approaching retirement. He is also a 200 hour yoga instructor and serves on the Hope Springs Institute Volunteer Committee. Thomas and his wife, Linda, have lived and raised their two adult sons in Westerville, Ohio, and enjoy kayaking and walks with their rescue dog, Ruby. Thomas also has a stained glass studio where he teaches and creates stained glass pieces of art. His history with Hope Springs Institute began over 25 years ago as part of a men’s retreat that led to a peer led support group for men in the central Ohio region.