NLDP Program Staff
Program Director, Michael R. White, is the Senior Policy Advisor and Program Director for the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP) and The Community Development Corporation Leadership Program (CDCLP). NLDP and CDCLP are programs designed to enhance the leadership capacity of two distinct cohorts of Cleveland citizens, engaged community leaders working in the City’s neighborhoods and leaders in community development corporations. Prior to joining the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation Michael was the Mayor of the City of Cleveland for twelve years and before that held two other elected public offices, Ohio State Senator and Cleveland City Councilman. Michael graduated from The Ohio State University with a BA in Education and a MA in Public Administration. He and his wife reside in Newcomerstown Ohio where they own a farm.
Program Administrator, Sandra Kluk, is a native of Cleveland and has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Cleveland State University. Her work has mainly focused on directing and managing youth programs and social change organizations. She started her career in the Buckeye-Woodland neighborhood of Cleveland as a community organizer. There, she developed community networks and strategies on issues of housing, banking investment, affordable insurance, crime and community development. Later, Sandra turned her attention to youth advocacy and assisted in the creation and management of a career and GED preparation training academy for out-of-school disadvantaged youth. Her most recent work was as Director of Special Projects for a foreclosure prevention counseling agency.
Assistant Program Director - CDCLP, Jillian Svala, realized a passion for a career in social service after graduating from Penn State University. Jillian then moved to Cleveland Ohio to pursue her Master’s in Social Science Administration at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. She began her career with the former Cuyahoga County Board of County Commissioners as a program officer over school-based programming. This led her to an opportunity to serve as the Managing Director with the Council of Neighborhood Leaders, a membership coalition of 14 Cleveland-based not for profit organizations and Settlement Houses, all dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals and families by offering informal supports within the neighborhood of residence for each recipient. More recently, Jillian worked with City Year as the Chief of Staff for the Cleveland site. She currently lives in Avon Lake with her husband, two children and two dogs.
Assistant Program Director - NLDP, Julia Ferra, is a graduate of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies with a minor in Sustainable Urban Development. She grew up in Westlake but lived Downtown and in Lakewood in college. Julia worked with the Community Outreach and Events Coordinator as an intern at Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation while she was at CSU. Following graduation, she moved to San Francisco to work with AmeriCorps as a Volunteer Coordinator at a nonprofit serving those experiencing homelessness in the city. Julia realized her love for volunteering at the age of 8 when she began helping at a soup kitchen on Cleveland’s west side and later traveled to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for a week in New Mexico.
Graduate Support Manager, Marcia Shepherd, has spent the last 15 years empowering parents and students and educating them on the policies and procedures of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. She is willing, able, and ready to help anyone in need. Marcia has a passion for breaking barriers for parents/students, with the focus on the significant role attendance has on a quality education. She campaigned for parents to get their students to school on time, ready to learn each day. A quote commonly used by Marcia is “children can’t learn if they are not present,” which is why her daughter has perfect attendance at Warner Girls Leadership Academy. As an employee of CMSD since 2007, Marcia has held a variety of positions that have added rich value to her beliefs and have provided insight to the needs of her students. This passion grew and Marcia began to use resources to connect nonprofit organizations with schools to help support and contribute to student and community success. Marcia lives by the mantra “it’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice."
NLDP Program Coaches
Lead Coach, Laura Junglas, has over thirty years of experience working with a variety of community focused leaders and nonprofit organizations and in finance, lending, real estate development and asset and property management. Additionally, she is skilled at coaching emerging and established leaders desiring to maximize the skills within themselves to become more effective in their leadership journey. In 2000, Ms. Junglas started Nonprofit Org Doctor, LLC, and provides consulting services in the areas of leadership development, strategic planning, board and organizational development, financial analysis, real estate finance and underwriting for nonprofit organizations. She also creates and facilitates training sessions on a variety of topics. Ms. Junglas holds a Master’s of Science in Organization Development and Analysis from the Weatherhead School at Case Western Reserve University and a BA in Liberal Arts Management and French from Virginia Wesleyan College.
Coach, Joseph Black, is a deeply committed, results-oriented community organizer and philanthropy professional with over a decade of experience leveraging public and private resources to benefit underserved predominantly Black communities in Greater Cleveland. As the Sisters of Charity Foundation's Central Promise Neighborhood Health Equity Officer and Community Engagement Manager, Black is known for his resident-centric, equity-focused approach to community outreach and grantmaking. Since 2017, Black has coordinated a "Reverse Ride Along" community engagement training program for over 500 law enforcement and medical professionals, designed to improve community/police relations and public safety. Looking ahead, Black sees a continued need for deeper community conversations leading toward more equitable and sustainable funding strategies for communities of color in Cleveland and beyond. Joseph is a proud member of the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program Cohort 8, Neighborhood Leadership Cleveland Class of 32 and National Urban Fellows Class of 2017. Joseph also serves on the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and the Hitchcock Center for Women Board of Directors, chairing the Fund Development and Marketing committee. While undeniably devoted to his work in the community, Joseph is equally committed to his family. Joseph affectionately loves his wife, Amber, and sons Jordan and Isaac to whom he admits keep him motivated and grounded.
Coach, Audra Jones, M.B.A. hails from Cleveland, Ohio where she lives and serves as an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and educator. Audra serves as founder and CEO of Krystal Klear Communications, L.L.C. a full-service communications design firm specializing in creating successful branding and marketing efforts through events, workshops and consulting. The firm helps create marketable and scalable solutions to help achieve strategic and organizational goals. She also serves as the Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer for Pulmonary Apps, L.L.C. and has over 10 years serving in the healthcare industry. Audra has over 20 years of experience providing strategic communications counsel to business owners and industry leaders who are interested in growing and protecting the value of their reputations and companies through authentic communication efforts. Audra is a philanthropist and advocate for the advancement of small business ownership. She is skilled in strategic planning, collaborative and equitable connections. She has proven experience working with small to mid-sized firms consulting on program development, writing grants and proposals, conducting prospect research, and developing fundraising plans.
Coach, Pam Turos, Pam Turos grew up in Youngstown, Ohio and moved to the shores of Lake Erie after earning her Bachelor in Social Work degree from Youngstown State University. As a licensed social worker for over 15 years, she served in a variety of roles including Director of Social Work, ICU and ER Case Manager and Hospice Bereavement Coordinator. A skilled writer and editor, Pam launched Good Cause Creative in 2015 as a communications consultancy for small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations. She also provides coaching and job placement services for independent contractors seeking projects in the social sector. Pam is the founder and former publisher of WISH Cleveland and a community campaign leader for #GivingTuesdayCLE. Her current/former client list includes The Cleveland Transformation Alliance, Case Western Reserve: National Initiative on Mixed Income Communities, Cleveland State University: Cleveland Schools Book Fund, Tracey Lind, East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation, Trinity Cathedral, and Detroit Shoreway Development Corporation. Pam is a Cohort XII NLDP graduate who lives in Euclid with her husband and three children.
