Leadership

A volunteer Board of Directors provides the leadership for the Friends Foundation. Although board members come from diverse fields and backgrounds, they all have in common their love for the Worthington Libraries and their desire to support the library and its patrons. Board members serve three-year terms, attend five board meetings a year and serve on one or more committees. Skills needed on the board include marketing and writing skills, membership development (recruitment and retention strategies), fundraising and experience in working with volunteers.

If this volunteer leadership opportunity sounds like it might be a good fit for you or someone you know, please contact us.

Board Members

Gari Aber was on the Friends Board from 2010 to 2017, serving as vice president from 2015 to 2017. She retired from Nationwide after a long career in the retirement investment plan area. She and her husband Glenn Laine have lived in Old Worthington since 1987.

John Butterfield has been engaged in the Worthington community since he and his wife Mary moved here in 1973. He served in leadership positions for the Worthington Schools and the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce. He was a Sharon Township Trustee and served on Worthington City Council and Worthington Libraries Board. He was president of the Dublin-Worthington Rotary Club in 2019-20.

Perry Clark, a CPA with more than 30 years of accounting and finance experience for businesses and non-profits, is currently group director of finance at Ryder Last Mile, which delivers furniture and appliances to consumers’ homes. He frequently visits the Northwest Library.

Wade Duym has been a resident of Worthington since 1995, when he retired from the US Navy. Wade is a graduate of Leadership Worthington and is currently president of the Worthington International Friendship Association. He has also served in leadership positions at the Worthington Presbyterian Church. He recently retired from his second career in the financial services industry.

Susan Emerson, a Certified Fund-Raising Executive, worked with the Boy Scouts of America from 2013 until her retirement in 2022. This lifelong, raving fan of public libraries has been a devoted Worthington patron for more than 20 years.

Michelle Geissbuhler has been a community volunteer in several capacities in the schools and community organizations. She has also served as a board member of the McConnell Arts Center (MAC). Michelle holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English/creative writing and has worked as a strategic brand consultant at Fitch and on a freelance basis. She is also an artist whose work has been featured locally.

Eddie Pauline is the president and CEO of BioOhio, the state’s bioscience membership organization and primary advocate and supporter of the bioscience community in Ohio. He has marketing, communications and sales experience in corporate, entrepreneurial and higher education environments. He currently serves on Worthington’s Community Relations Commission. He and his family live in Worthington.

Becky Princehorn is a partner at Bricker & Eckler, LLP, specializing in public finance. Her practice emphasizes school and local government law. An avid reader, she is a 2016 graduate of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, America’s oldest continuous book club.

Rosemary Rossiter is a professor emerita of economics at Ohio University in Athens. She and her husband have been Worthington residents since 1983, and their sons graduated from Thomas Worthington High School.

Michelle Sarff is director of library services, resources and outreach at Ohio Dominican University. She graduated from Xavier University and received her master’s degree in library science from Indiana University. She resides in Worthington with her husband Doug and has two young adult children.

Tuyata Tserev has worked in digital media for more than 10 years and is using her skills to advance the digital presence of the Friends. She currently works at the Adjutant General’s Department while also doing graduate study in public administration and leadership at John Glenn Public Affairs at the Ohio State University. The Old Worthington Library is a favorite place for Erika to visit and check out books.

Jim Vitak is a retired communications professional who split his career between broadcasting and corporate public relations. Still semi-active as a consultant, he’s worked for WBNS Radio and Ashland Inc.