WHO WE ARE
Our Team
Naki A
Youth Advocate
Mariama B
Youth Advocate
Marika B
Drop-In Center Manager
Caitlin C
Grants Manager
Montrail C
Facility Manager
Margaret D
Clinical Therapist
Kat E
Vice President of Finance & Controller
Wendell E
Warehouse Coordinator
Barb E
Vice President of Operations & Programs
Gaby E
Youth Advocate
Kate F
Engagement & Retention Coordinator, CSV
Jill G
Senior Manager of Social Services & Operations
Ilham H
Drop- In Services Supervisor
Naima I
Housing & Engagement Manager
Kae J
Engagement & Expansion Manager, Park Apartments
Kaitlyn J
Youth Advocate
Brittany K
Administrative Assistant: Housing & Clinical
Paul L
Youth Advocate
Marshe M
Receptionist
Elizabeth M
Manager of Team Resources & Development
Louis M
Youth Advocate
Lakeesha P
Youth Advocate
Valerie P
Youth Advocate
Nikky R
Outreach & Connections Coordinator
Antoine R
Youth Advocate
Ciara S
Executive Assistant
Blake S
Clinical Coach
Ellis S-K
Clinical Coach
Ben S
Vice President of Expansion
Kenya T
Youth Advocate
Preshuslee T
Therapist
Asia V
Youth Advocate
Shanae V
Receptionist
Janeá W
Case Management Supervisor
TJ W
Youth Advocate
Katie W
Therapist
Renea W
Vice President of Development
Nakai W
Drop-In Services Sueprvisor
Youth Advocate
Our Board of Trustees *Effective November 3, 2025
Carl H. Backes
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Pediatrician, Cardiologist
Jordan Byers
Byers Auto Group
Marketing Manager
Stephanie Chester, Past Chair
Wells Fargo
Vice President, Chief Technology Officer-Control Management
Aja Dave
Telhio Credit Union
Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager
Gunnar Gode, Chair
NiSource Inc.
Chief Accounting Officer
Craig Hawley
Nationwide
President & COO, Nationwide Financial
Scott Koenigs
Safelite
Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer
Chris Mitchell, Vice Chair
Lamarc
President
Lane Robilotto, Treasurer
PwC Private
Tax Director
Jamie Sohosky
Bath & Body Works
Chief Marketing Officer
Helen Speiser
Third Street Digital
Principal/Owner
Deanna Springs, Secretary
Independent
Christine Swies
Huntington National Bank
Vice President, Senior Talent Management Consultant
Mary Lou Hittle, Founding Board Member
Independent
Terry O'Connell, Board Member Emeritus
Time Warner Cable (Retired)
Ann Bischoff, CEO and Ex-Officio Board Member
Star House
Committee Members *Updated March 2026
Carrie Boyd
Patricia (Patti) Eshman Steele
Independent
John F. Finn
Gardner, Inc.
Mary (Bebe) Finn
Independent
Ebony Holt
Joe Huber
Jay Kerr
Bryan Lenzo
Andrea Magaña Lewis
Nationwide
Edith Lindsay
John Mavrouleas
Huntington Bank
Kobe Osei
KPMG
Mark Swanson
Stauf's Coffee Roasters
Ted Tinkler
Cody Coughlin Development & Austin David Construction
William Vorys
Chase Wagner
Our Founder
Natasha Slesnick, PhD
Natasha founded Star House in October 2006. She is committed to ending homelessness and its associated problems among one of the most vulnerable and underserved populations in our country (youth experiencing homelessness). She has been working with youth experiencing homelessness since 1998. After opening a drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque, NM, she moved to Columbus, OH and, because of a gap in services in Columbus, opened her second drop-in center.
Natasha is a professor of Human Development and Family Science in the Department of Human Sciences, and EHE Associate Dean for Research and Administration at The Ohio State University. Natasha is a licensed clinical psychologist and her research focuses on intervention development and evaluation with substance using youth experiencing homelessness and substance-using mothers and their children. She has consulted with multiple organizations on the best strategies for intervening in youth homelessness and adolescent substance use. She has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1998 and has written more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and books.
*Terry O'Connell
Terry joined Time Warner Cable in May, 1982 as a sales and marketing executive. He spent almost 30 years with the company while serving on the executive management team for the last ten years. As Executive Vice President, Terry was responsible for the Mid West Region of TWC providing residential and commercial voice, video and data to over 3 million customers in OH, KY, WI and MO.
Terry has served as a board member for Recreation Unlimited for the last 20 years. In addition, he formed and served as the Chair of the Star House Advisory Board early in the formation of Star House. Terry was instrumental in funding the new 14,000 sq ft. Star House facility in 2015. After serving on the Governing Board for Star House for approximately 5 years, he currently serves the board in an ex officio capacity.
Terry was born in Rochester NY, but spent the majority of time growing up in Simsbury, a suburb of Hartford, CT. He earned his BA majoring in Theology & Philosophy with a business minor at Xavier University. He currently lives in Dublin, OH with Cindy, his wife of 45 years. They have two daughters living in Central Ohio. Molly resides in Clintonville. Meghan, her husband Mike Barnhart and their two daughters live in
Dublin. His son, Dan is living in Littleton, CO. with his wife Julie and their two sons.