The Orange Effect Foundation Welcomes New Board Chair

CLEVELAND - Jan. 13, 2022 - PRLog -- The Orange Effect Foundation (OEF) today announced Kristin Erbacher was elected as its new board chair during the December Board of Trustees meeting in Cleveland. Kristin succeeds Pam Pulizzi, who served as chair since 2015.

"We were so fortunate to have Kristin as one of our inaugural board members. She had such a strong commitment to the cause and helped us grow to be the organization we are today. She will only continue to do amazing things for kids who are in need of speech therapy," said Pam Pulizzi, founder of The Orange Effect Foundation and outgoing Executive Director. "Watching The Orange Effect Foundation grow over the last seven years has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. Seeing it now bloom with Kristin as its chair marks the significant impact we are having on kids who are in need of speech therapy."

Erbacher is a Managing Director with Aon in the Cleveland office. Kristin has over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry with a focus in client service and brokerage for midsize to large property and casualty clients.

Kristin obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration/Finance from Cleveland State University. She is a four-year participant of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day, and a Team In Training participant in the Rite-Aid Cleveland Marathon, 2010-2011. Kristin, and her husband Bryan reside in Avon, Ohio, with their daughter, Addison.

"It has always been an honor to be part of The Orange Effect Foundation," Kristin said. "I am looking forward to working with our wonderful board so that we can continue to help children whose lives are severely limited due to their inability to communicate. Today more than ever there is a critical need for families seeking child speech therapy services and The Orange Effect Foundation is committed to addressing that need nationwide."

Other board changes include naming Melissa Meehan, CCC-SLP the Application Chair and Cathy McPhillips of the Artificial Intelligence Institute the Communications Chair. Pam Pulizzi was named Treasurer, and Orange Effect co-founder Joe Pulizzi was named Fundraising Chair.

Orange Effect board members who will continue for two-year terms are Cleveland State University Associate Professor Dr. Monica Gordon Pershey, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, Craig Coffey of Eaton, Jacqueline Columbro, SLP, and clinical project manager Tom Leskovec.

###

About The Orange Effect Foundation (http://www.theorangeeffect.org)

The foundation, while officially formed in 2014, actually began back in 2001, when the founders' son was born with autism. Early intervention helped him to become a heartwarming and independent young man. The Pulizzi family wanted to give back by empowering other children with the therapy and tools they need to communicate effectively.