Board + Staff

Zac and his wife Beth are residents of the Middlebury community, where they bought and rehabbed a Middlebury home for their three sons. In 2016, Zac founded The Well CDC and decided to repurpose a hundred-year-old Middlebury church building to house the organization. With primary focuses of restoring housing, creating economy, and supporting place, The Well CDC has invested over $16.1million into a historically disinvested community, and currently owns over 80,000 square feet of commercial real estate, 104 residential units, and provides a wide array of programming that supports our community.

Chris and his wife Imaris have been active participants in the Middlebury neighborhood since joining Citizens Akron Church in 2021 with their two sons. They now have three sons and have taken their commitment to Middlebury to the next level after buying a Well CDC home in 2023. Chris has spent the better part of the last decade in sales with a focus on leadership development, learning and development, and team management. When he isn’t spending time with his family, Chris is either preparing music for Sunday’s worship or hanging out with kids at The Vincent House.

Reuben Auck is a Middlebury resident and a member of the Restoring Housing team for The Well CDC. He received his degree in Construction Engineering Technology from the University of Akron in 2012. Prior to joining The Well CDC staff, he worked for Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity as a Construction Site Supervisor and served as a Board Member for The Well CDC. He joined staff in 2017 and has been involved in the purchase and renovation of 70+ units in Middlebury.

Joyce is a property manager who helps develop families to mature tenancy and home ownership. She graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Rhetoric and Communication and is a lifelong learner having participated in numerous trainings and received recognition in entrepreneurship, culture of poverty, mindset, and classroom leadership. The 25 years of experience within education and housing has taught her to approach property management with a social work mindset to restore value and dignity to the families we serve. When she is not working with families, find her coaching health-minded individuals, line dancing, and creating art through photography. 

AJ has a passion for ministry in the city context, and loves to work with his hands, using the gifts God has given him to serve others. He also mentors high schoolers in the neighborhood through Akron Youth Mentorship and volunteers with The Vincent House’s after school program. 

Kyle has lived in Akron for almost fifteen years, after growing up in Green. He began his career in food service at 16 and fell in love with the industry. Now, with over a decade of experience in corporate restaurant leadership, Kyle is excited to be able to support and invest in food entrepreneurs through Akron Food Works.

Erica is a true Akronite. She graduated from Firestone High School, went on to Central State University to obtain a degree in Sociology, and then returned home to pursue a career in social services for 7 years. It was then she wanted to open her own Restaurant and Lounge in Akron. With almost 4 years of food entrepreneurship under her and understanding the complications yet rewards of starting a business, she found herself helping food entrepreneurs start and grow their business at The Well CDC.

After studying psychology at Kent State University, Marta had a series of opportunities to support creative new endeavors across the country. She worked for start-ups in San Francisco, led teams on commercial rebranding projects in Idaho, and built a sustainable business line for a National Park. Whatever the enterprise, Marta believes that a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion must be central to her work. Now back home in Akron, she has found The Well CDC to be the perfect place for her commitment to equity and passion for program development to come together. As Workforce Manager and leader of the Middlebury Workforce Coalition, Marta is humbled by the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of our community, its challenges, and most importantly, its resources.

After growing up in Orrville, OH and pursuing an Accounting Degree from Youngstown State University, Brooke spent several years working in public accounting before deciding to trade the public sector for the nonprofit. With a strong desire to do more than just crunch numbers, she aligned with The Well’s mission and vision of making a real difference. Brooke loves traveling abroad, watering her coworker’s office plants, and is never seen without wearing some pop of color – even her truck is bright yellow!

Gina brings an eclectic mix of skills and experience to The Well CDC. From restaurants and retail to social and human services, she has worked in various roles in the Akron community. After graduating from The University of Akron with a degree in political science, Gina decided to pursue a career in nonprofits to invest in her local community more intentionally. Gina believes in empowering her neighbors and is thrilled by the opportunity to make a positive impact in the Middlebury neighborhood. A lifelong resident of the Greater Akron area, Gina loves exploring her community. In her down time, you can find her trying new restaurants, hiking in the Summit Metro Parks, or sometimes just reading a good book. She also has three rescue cats and loves to talk about them to anyone who will listen.