Quick Links: Semper Virens Legacy Giving I Newsletter I Board of Directors I Friends Team Contact Info
The 2 1/2 Minute Video
Belief, Passion, Courage, Commitment
Breakthrough students are up for any challenge! And, our educators provide the guidance and support needed to be successful in life.
Meet Our Alumni
Follow four class of 2017 students, 6th grade through college, in these short vignettes.
Dreams are being realized. Listen to the journey of Celeste, a Breakthrough alum, college graduate, and active Cleveland citizen!
Young Professionals
Are you a Young Professional looking to make an impact on Cleveland?
Click here to learn about the Friends of Breakthrough Schools Young Professional group leading the charge. Get involved today!
Join Our List
Welcome, Friends!
Friends of Breakthrough Schools is a non-profit development and advocacy organization. Friends of Breakthrough is responsible for closing the gap in public funding needed to provide quality education to thousands of children in Cleveland each year, as well as working with community, business, and political leaders to build city-wide support for high-quality public school options for all children in Cleveland.
The Semper Virens Legacy Society was established to recognize individuals who have made a long-term commitment to Breakthrough Schools and was created in concert with the recent formation of the Friends of Breakthrough Schools Legacy Fund of the Cleveland Foundation.
If you would like to learn more about legacy giving, which helps to ensure long-term financial stability through the preservation and investment of dollars for future benefit, click here or reach out to Susan Ertle at sertle@breakthroughschools.org.
Did You Know?
High-performing, non-profit public charter schools in Ohio only receive about 1/2 the funding of traditional district schools.
Friends Board of Directors
Michael Cristal
Chair
Mary Herzak
Vice Chair
James Kavalec
Vice Chair
Charles Lougheed
Vice Chair
Michael Maroon
Vice Chair
Megan Mayhugh
Vice Chair
Bridget Moreno
Vice Chair
Thomas Rudibaugh
Vice Chair
Jeff Berlin
Treasurer
Diane Singer
Secretary
Chris Adams
Greg Althans
Suresh Bafna
Ed Bell
Rudy Bentlage
Julia Bolton
Matt Byrnes
Denise Carkhuff
James Carulas
Jamie Cole
Odell Coleman
Timothy Coughlin
Jeffrey Cristal
Mike de Windt
Martin Gates
Robert Gillespie
Jennifer Grossman
Maurice Harapiak
Donald Hayes
Matthew Jones
Celeste Kamasa
Alex King
John King
William Koehler
Andrew Lee
John LeMay
Cecil Lipscomb
Nora Loftus
Karen Long Cascio
David Loomis
David Lowman
James Manley
Brock Milstein
Laura Mimura
Larry Orwin
Jane Outcalt
Richard Pace
Craig Panzica
Poppie Parish
Michelle Perez
Peter Rome
Patti Schaar
Rita Sehgal
Heather Thiltgen
Damian Thomas
Brian Tucker
George von Zedlitz
Brent Zimmerman
Contact Us
Friends of Breakthrough Office
Phone: (216) 539-9349
3615 Superior Avenue, Suite 3103A
Cleveland OH 44114
Our Staff
John Zitzner, President
jzitzner@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-7801
Susan Ertle, Executive Director
sertle@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-7803
Timothy Mann, Senior Advancement Officer
tmann@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-2604
Karen Solomon, Senior Director of Annual Fund
ksolomon@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-2795
Katie Emerson, Director of Engagement and Donor Relations
kemerson@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-2685
Samantha Sopko, Director of Grants and Foundation Relations
ssopko@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-2688
Kelly Berg, Director of Volunteer Relations
kberg@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-2818
Melodee McCrodden, Director of Annual Fund Operations and Stewardship
mmccrodden@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-8760
Sara Krane, Grants Associate
skrane@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 539-9349
Kelly Clifford, Advancement Coordinator
kclifford@breakthroughschools.org
(216) 373-7411