Staff
Rebecca Brown Asmo
Executive Director
rasmo@ohiohumanities.org
Rebecca is an experienced nonprofit and development leader with a passion for art, history, and community development. An alumna of Georgetown University and an adopted Ohioan since 2004, she lives in Columbus' Fifth by Northwest neighborhood with her two children.
Rebecca is currently reading My Promised Land by Ari Shavit.
David Merkowitz, PhD
Director of Grants, Programs, & Operations
dmerkowitz@ohiohumanities.org
A Cincinnati-born professor and writer, David teaches part-time at Otterbein University and carries out planning and oversight of Ohio Humanities' program activities and grants. He lives in Westerville with his wife and two sons.
David is currently reading 3 Shades of Blue by James Kaplan and watching The French Village on Amazon Prime.
Marc Smith
Business Manager
msmith@ohiohumanities.org
A former auditor at Huntington National Bank and current Senior Lecturer in accounting at the Ohio State University, Marc manages council funds and is the glue that holds Ohio Humanities together. He lives in Grandview Heights.
Marc is currently reading Summa de arithmetica by Luca Paciola.
Kiley Kinnard
Advocacy & Communications Manager
kkinnard@ohiohumanities.org
Born and raised in Columbus, Kiley worked in politics and state and local government communications prior to joining Ohio Humanities. An alumna of the College of Wooster and Ohio University, she lives in Columbus' North Linden neighborhood.
Kiley is reading A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib.
Melvin Barnes, Jr., PhD
Program Officer
mbarnes@ohiohumanities.org
Melvin was born and raised in Toledo and initially joined Ohio Humanities as a summer research fellow in 2019. Before rejoining the team in 2020, he taught history at the Ohio State University and completed his doctorate in Chinese and East Asian history. He lives in Clintonville with his wife, young son, and a tuxedo cat named Titus.
Melvin is currently reading Salem's Lot by Stephen King.
Alex Corpuz
Community Outreach Assistant
acorpuz@ohiohumanities.org
A Strongsville native, Alex served as an Ohio History Service Corps AmeriCorps Member at Ohio Humanities before joining our staff full time upon completing a year of service. Alex is a recent graduate of the German and Medieval and Renaissance Studies departments at the Ohio State University. Alex's family lives in Clintonville with Whispers, a toothless tortoiseshell cat.
Alex is reading Babel by R. F. Kuang and listening to Not Another D&D Podcast.
Board of Trustees
Ohio Humanities board members serve as advocates for the public humanities by promoting the mission and vision of Ohio Humanities to sustain vibrant communities and foster lifelong learning. The Board of Trustees is the fiduciary steward of the organization; as a whole, the board establishes policy and ensures the financial health of the organization.
Lance Grahn, PhD | Cortland | Chair
Retired Dean & Chief Administrative Officer and Professor of History, Kent State University-Trumbull
Susan F. Smith | Cleveland | Vice Chair
Writer and Speaker
Ivy Freeman | Columbus | Treasurer
Vice President of Financial Planning Analysis, McKesson
Vladimir Kogan, PhD | Columbus | Secretary
Associate Professor of Political Science, The Ohio State University
Annie Bezbatchenko, PhD | Bexley
Senior Program Officer, The Teagle Foundation
Brodi Conover, JD | Lebanon
Partner, Bricker Graydon LLP
David Descutner, PhD | Athens
Retired Dean & Associate Provost, Ohio University
Deena Epstein | Shaker Heights
Retired Senior Program Officer, The George Gund Foundation
Katherine Fell, PhD | Findlay
President, University of Findlay
Stacia Kuceyeski | Columbus
Chief Operating Officer, Ohio History Connection
Kevin Scott Miller, EdD | New Albany
Superintendent, Licking Heights Local School District
Marilyn Sanders Mobley, PhD | Beachwood
Emerita Professor of English and Africana Studies, Case Western Reserve University
Dan Moder | Newark
Executive Director, Explore Licking County
Mary Jane Pajk | Columbus
Corporate Communications Executive
Tony Sanfilippo | Bexley
Director, Ohio State University Press
Sarah M. Sisser | Findlay
Executive Director & CEO, CreativeOhio
John Wirchanski | Bexley
Support more stories
With your support, Ohio Humanities hosts programs and awards grants that support storytellers statewide, from museums to journalists to documentary filmmakers. Donate today to help us tell more stories.