WHO WE ARE

About the Foundation

Community leaders formed the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Schools Foundation in 1992 to provide programs that enrich the educational experiences of the district's students. The Foundation was established under the authority of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District's Board of Education and is incorporated under Ohio law as a non-profit organization and tax-exempt charitable organization under the Internal Revenue Code.

The Foundation raises funds through donor support, endowed funds, and our annual Toast to Our Future fundraiser — channeling resources directly into classroom enrichment grants for teachers and scholarships for graduating seniors. All gifts are tax-deductible.

The Foundation also manages a named funds program, offering donors a meaningful opportunity to honor or remember a loved one through a scholarship or award that carries their name in perpetuity within the district.

MEET THE BOARD

Our Directors

Brittany Wigman

PRESIDENT

Brit Wigman is a 2003 graduate of BBHHS and a two-time graduate of Ohio University. She is currently a Project Manager with a local managed services provider. She and her husband, Jason, live in Brecksville with their two children, Erich and Aven. Brit has served in various capacities with the school district over the years and officially became involved with the District in the spring of 2017 serving on the levy campaign, then continued with co-chairing the 2018 elementary school bond campaign, and served as a school board member from 2020-2023. She joined the Schools Foundation in 2017 and has supported the organization in varying capacities. When not serving the district, she leads the Bees Soccer Academy and you can find her on the soccer fields at Blossom. When none of that's happening, you can find her at the lake!

Becky Paroda

VICE PRESIDENT

Becky has served on the Foundation since 2020 as the Donor Relations Chair and Treasurer. She is honored to be part of an amazing group of volunteers who share the same goal of making a positive impact on our children's education and of leaving a legacy long after her tenure on the Foundation. Becky is a 2001 graduate of Brecksville Broadview Heights and is proud of her time spent as a Bee. She graduated from Kent State University and worked as an underwriter for 10 years. After having two children, she took time to be at home and began working part time as the financial director at her church. When her children started attending school in the district, she decided to contribute in an impactful way to the Brecksville Broadview Heights community and educational system. Becky currently works for Cornerstone Fund as a Loan Underwriting Specialist. She lives in Broadview Heights with her husband Mike and their two sons, Miles and Owen.

Denise Gawlik

SECRETARY

Denise and her husband, Greg, moved to Brecksville in 2006 to send their children to the Brecksville-Broadview Heights school district. Denise has been actively involved in the district since their eldest began kindergarten. From room parent to President of the Parent School Organization and everything in between, she has happily volunteered for the benefit of all students. Most notably, Denise co-chaired the PSO's Middle School Auditorium Renovation Committee and raised over $150,000 to renovate the aging space in 2022. Denise is an attorney and serves as a Judicial Attorney to Judge Michelle Sheehan at the Eighth District Court of Appeals in Cuyahoga County. She is also a board member of the Kiwanis Club of Brecksville and a citizen member of the City of Brecksville's Recreation Committee.

Kerry Ely

TREASURER

My husband Shawn and I moved to Brecksville in 2007 to begin raising our family here, in large part due to the excellence of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District. We have 3 children that all currently attend the High School and we are huge supporters of the district. It has been important to me to be involved with the schools and community. I have enjoyed serving on a multitude of PSO committees and in leadership roles dating back my kids' elementary years. This includes PSO Co-President at Chippewa for 2 years, PSO Co-President at the Middle School for 4 years and many committees along the way including Fundraising, Gifts & Goals, Staff Appreciation and the beloved Elf Shoppe. I helped establish the "Meet the Candidates" forum to provide parents, teachers and community stakeholders the opportunity to learn more about the school board candidates and be informed voters. I also served as co-chair of the Middle School PSO Auditorium Renovation Committee; a significant multi-year fundraising project in partnership with the district to upgrade the MS Auditorium. Finally, I am employed by CBIZ, where I lead a national team that provides financial wellness education to external clients' employees who possess a wide range of knowledge levels. I feel that both my professional life and volunteer activities reflect that I highly value the power of education and support inventive delivery channels.

Kevin Dranuski

GRANTS CHAIR

Kevin Dranuski has been a trustee since 2018, also serving as the Classroom Grants Chair. Kevin is the Instructional Design and Learning Excellence Director at Cuyahoga Community College. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication Technology and a Master of Education in Career and Technology Education with a cognate in instructional design and development. Kevin brings his vast experience and education to help with the future strategy and operations for our classroom grants district-wide. Kevin resides in Brecksville with his wife, Allison, and his two boys, Dean and Connor.

Janelle Henning

DIRECTOR

Janelle Henning is a resident of Broadview Heights. After completing her Family Medicine residency at Fairview Hospital through the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, she worked at Lakewood Hospital in a group practice dedicated to serving local residents without health insurance. She took a leave of absence from medicine to raise her 2 kids and discovered a passion for volunteering in the BBH school community. She now serves as the sales manager for her husband's software company (Bill Henning, BBHHS '95). When she's not helping out at the schools, she loves embarrassing her two kids at their sports events and music recitals.

Krystina Thomas

DIRECTOR

Krystina and her family have lived in the district since 2016, having been drawn to the community because of the fantastic schools. She is a passionate volunteer — a board member of the Elementary PSO since 2020 and a former president of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Preschool Mothers Club. Krystina works as a Brand Strategist for Razorfish, a global advertising agency, and brings that visionary thinking to the Schools Foundation to help shape its long-term impact. She resides in Broadview Heights with her husband, Chris, and two children, Anna and Bruce.

Kris Toth

DIRECTOR

Kristopher Toth (Kris) has served as a trustee since 2022. Kris brings a unique perspective as a contractor business owner. This perspective has helped to establish and support trade scholarships. Kris resides in Brecksville with his wife Caroline and three daughters who attend the district (grad years 2025, 2027, and 2032). Kris graduated from Kent State in 1999 and founded Toth Painting Solutions in 2000. Toth Painting Solutions provides interior and exterior residential and commercial painting in Brecksville and its surrounding communities. Kris is also the current president of the Brecksville Chamber of Commerce and a board member of the Cleveland Better Business Bureau. When not working or volunteering, he enjoys hiking, traveling, spending time with his family, and supporting his daughters' many activities.

Keith Richardson

DIRECTOR

Keith joined the board as a trustee in September 2024. He moved to Brecksville in 2016 from Chicago, with his wife Cheryl as they welcomed their first daughter into the world. They now have 2 daughters, one 8 and one 6, both enrolled at BBHES. Keith has always found it important to be involved in the academic journey of his children. Knowing he isn't qualified to teach them, he put an extremely high value on the professionals that are able to provide the knowledge and development that compliments everything they do at home. It's important to him that he do everything he can to support that ecosystem by volunteering at the school, being involved in all their activities, and supporting everyone that takes part in the development of the two most important people in his life. Having an opportunity to work with the foundation is a great way for him to expand how he supports the BBH district. Additionally, he has had a successful career in tech that transitioned to building a business aimed at understanding the human condition in order for leaders and teams to develop into a much more collaborative and cooperative environment.

Megan Haynes

DIRECTOR

Megan and her husband, Dan, have three children in the Brecksville Broadview Heights School District. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University with a Bachelor of Science in Management, she began her career in corporate and investment banking at KeyBanc Capital Markets. Megan is active as the Vice Chair of the Board at the Haven Home, a non-profit serving pregnant and parenting women in the Cleveland area. She has held numerous leadership and volunteer roles in the BBHSD, most recently serving as the Fundraising Chair for BBHMS PSO.

Otto Tyson

DIRECTOR

Otto Tyson has called Brecksville home for nearly a decade and is overjoyed to serve alongside his neighbors on the Schools Foundation board, where he is eager to help build forward a future of excellence through philanthropy and a bold collective vision. A former special education teacher and student advocate, Otto went on to spend a decade as the owner of a Cleveland-area real estate franchise before turning fully to nonprofit leadership, where he now brings over twenty years of experience. Today, serving as the Community Giving Officer of The Cleveland Foundation, he has launched and continues to lead campaigns that grow community endowments across the Northeast Ohio region. Otto lives in Brecksville with his rocket scientist husband, their dog Banshee, and from a distance, eleven nieces and nephews who keep them proud uncles. When he's not at work, you'll find him in the kitchen over a pot of gumbo, jammin' to the blues or exploring the latest exhibit at one of our many museums.

Lauri Hartmann

DIRECTOR

As a parent of children in the district, Lauri has a deep appreciation for the educators, programs, and opportunities that make the school and community special. She joined the Foundation to help support initiatives that enrich the educational experience for students and strengthen community connections. As an attorney, she brings a thoughtful and collaborative perspective to the Foundation’s work.
In her free time, Lauri enjoys running, practicing yoga, traveling with friends and family, and supporting her children’s athletic and academic endeavors.