The TomTod crew are a devoted gaggle of unique individuals from diverse backgrounds with one shared trait: we're superfans of middle schoolers and their ability to spark positive community change.
Check out our team below, our board that provides wisdom & strategic insight, and check out opportunities to join the fun!
Check out our team below, our board that provides wisdom & strategic insight, and check out opportunities to join the fun!
Joel Daniel Harris
Executive Dreamer jdh@tomtodideas.org |
Joel Daniel Harris is the founder and Executive Dreamer of TomTod Ideas.
Working with middle schoolers through TomTod is JDH’s passion because “middle schoolers live in this prime real estate at the intersection of intellectual ability, imaginative capacity, and passionate energy. There is no group of more awkward, more lovable people on the planet, that have the capacity to initiate such impactful change.” Born and raised in Canton, JDH is a graduate of Glenoak High School, received his Bachelor’s degree from Malone University and has a Master’s degree from George Fox University in Portland, Oregon. A longtime community advocate, JDH is a graduate of the 26th class of Leadership Stark County, has since chaired multiple learning day committees, was part of the founding committee of Stark SOUP, has served on both the yStark and United Way Young Leaders Society steering committees and led multiple service learning trips for Malone University to the Taizé Monastery in France. Joel Daniel has been honored to receive a number of community service awards including Canton Public Educators Association’s Layperson of the Year (2014), Malone University’s Young Alumnus of the Year (2012), Twenty under 40! award (2015), the DeHoff Emerging Philanthropist Award (2017), and was a Thirty Faces of Leadership Stark County Honoree (2017). JDH, his wife Joy, and their two daughters (seven-year-old Everett and five-year-old Amelie) live in Canton City School District. As a family they enjoy walking to Vassar Park, spending time outside (usually tackling absurd landscaping projects), traveling (most recently to Panama), and navigating the chaos that is raising two tiny humans. |
Patrick Gerber
Team Guide & Adventure Curator patrick@tomtodideas.org |
Patrick Gerber is part of the Adventure Curator team at TomTod. Patrick graduated from Malone University in 2015 with his degree in Organizational Management, and he has studied Child Development at Portland State and Mount Union. Patrick’s diverse experience has been centered around journeying with children through trauma and helping them flourish emotionally, academically, and personally… but… Patrick still hopes to grow up to be a professional soccer player and win the World Cup.
Patrick’s early career was in business and online marketing. Then, in 2009 Patrick traveled to southern Brazil to serve 30 amazing kids on a short-term mission trip that ended up lasting 2 years. Since then Patrick has helped hundreds of students overcome adversity and trauma by building their social and emotional resilience as a teacher, coach, case manager, and mentor. Most recently, Patrick has taught middle school and high school at STAR Behavioral School in Tuscarawas County and worked as a case manager for Phoenix Rising and Project Rebuild. For the past 6 years, Patrick and his wife, Jordan, have fallen in love with Canton and their neighborhood in 44703. Patrick serves on the leadership team of Radial church, volunteers with the homeownership non-profit Flourish 44703, and leads a faith-based mental health support group out of his living room. When Patrick and Jordan aren’t walking their dogs in Stadium Park, they are usually hiking or kayaking someplace beautiful or at Taggart’s eating ice cream. |
Kayla DeVitto
Lead Story Guide kayla@tomtodideas.org |
Kayla DeVitto, Lead Story Guide at TomTod Ideas, is originally from the Youngstown area, but after graduating from Malone University in 2013, she decided to call Canton home.
After graduation, Kayla spent her days hanging out with residents at Canton Christian Home as an Activities Coordinator. She then transitioned to the 24-hour a day job of being a stay-at-home mom. Not long after that, she combined her love of thrifting and home projects by joining The Stock Pile as Donations Coordinator. Kayla considers herself a combination of April and Andy from Parks and Rec, but secretly wishes she were a Leslie. Kayla can be found taking her three kids (Ellie, Sophia, and Ronan) on walks at Sippo Lake Park, grabbing a donut from Johnnies Bakery, or thrifting for vintage home decor. Her bucket list includes finishing an ultramarathon, singing in a musical, and running for public office. Her favorite part of her job is advocating for middle schoolers to be included in important decision-making which she plans on continuing forever. |
Zane Sanders
Adventure Curator zane@tomtodideas.org |
Zane Sanders is part of the Adventure Curator team at TomTod. He graduated from Malone University in 2010 with a degree in Liberal Arts, and with over 15 years of working with youth and young adults in camps, churches, and college settings, Zane is exhilarated to bring what he knows to the TomTod team and grow alongside middle schoolers.
Zane is a musician, writer, and lover of all things Marvel. After spending a handful of years in central Ohio working at Kenyon College and Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Zane, along with his spouse (Jennifer) and their two kids (Gavin and Laurel), came back to the area in order to be closer to family and build a life in Canton. All-in all, Zane is a low key, heuristic traveler seeking to encourage others to actively engage with the world and others through intelligence, authenticity, and creativity. |
Sam Slovisky
Adventure Curator sam@tomtodideas.org |
Sam graduated from Ohio State in 2016 with his degree in Community Leadership. Over the last 10 years Sam has worked with students in Akron, Columbus, and back to Akron since returning home in 2017. He most recently served as the Club Director for the Boys & Girls Club in Akron.
Sam discovered his passion for students while working at Camp Carl, and hasn’t stopped playing and keeping things crazy since. Sam is excited to be a part of TomTod and continue to bring amazing experiences to students in Canton and his hometown of Akron. Sam and his wife live in the Ellet neighborhood of Akron with their dog Josie. They love to explore the city finding the best restaurants and coffee shops. Sam has a passion for 80’s movies, cooking, and retro tennis shoes. He is able to connect with the middle school students over his love for video games and sports. Sam credits much of who he is to the voices in his life during middle school and is excited to be a part of such important work at TomTod. |
Rob Lansdale
Adventure Curator rob@tomtodideas.org |
Rob graduated from Kentucky Christian University in 2007 with a Camp Management degree. He has spent almost 20 years working with youth in camp and church settings. He most recently served for 11 years as a youth minister in Canton, OH. Rob is very excited to bring his experience and knowledge to the TomTod team.
Rob and his wife (Robyn) live in Canton with their two daughters (Kaelyn and Emma) and their cat (Danger). Rob has a passion for metal detecting, coffee, running/exercising, collecting comic books (Wolverine related specifically), Lego, all things Harry Potter and anything related to the Cincinnati Bengals. Who Dey! Overall, Rob gets physically and emotionally excited about almost anything he’s passionate about. Just chat with him and you’ll find out. He loves being creative and encouraging others to be creative and think outside the box. |
Amy Ropp
Logistics Juggler amy.ropp@tomtodideas.org |
Amy Ropp, Logistics Juggler for TomTod Ideas, doesn’t actually know how to juggle but she loves to keep things organized, and her planner may or may not be filled with color coded to-do lists.
Amy is originally from the suburbs on the west side of Cleveland, but after graduating from Malone University in 2016, she decided to call Stark County home with her husband, Matt. In the years following graduation, Amy worked for Four Kids Coffee as well as the North Canton YMCA, two places where her sense of community was deepened, her strengths were explored, and her love for keeping things organized and efficient was realized. Amy also loves to create and craft; you can usually find her creating macrame pieces for her Etsy shop, knitting, or crocheting while listening to a podcast or watching Gilmore Girls. She always has at least one book either in her purse or in her car, because, like Rory Gilmore, she never wants to be without something to read. When she’s not working, crafting, or reading, you can find her serving on the worship team at 3rd Street Community Church, roller skating with Matt, cooking yummy food, attempting to learn how to garden, or snuggling with her two pups, Bowser (German Shepherd) and Eevee (Corgi). |
Kristina Belliveau
Head Bean (Director of Finance) kristina@tomtodideas.org |
Kristina Belliveau, Finance Director for TomTod Ideas, has been wooed by numbers since she had her first accounting gig at age seventeen. With her degree from Walsh University, Kristina has worked for 20+ years with both small businesses and nonprofits throughout Northeast Ohio.
Kristina loves all things related to downtown Canton and the arts district. When she and her husband, Matt, have time off, they explore art galleries, attend art shows, and eat at Kebab & Curry. They also keep busy chasing around their son Henri, a golden retriever named Lincoln, and two cats, Gio and Ted. Kristina was the Board Treasurer for TomTod for three years before transitioning to this role on the team! |
|
Miracle Walker is the TomTod Ideas Pathfinder (aka program intern)! When she isn't working on one of her many jobs throughout the year, you can find her taking photos of nature or creating aesthetic collages of famous people.
Miracle earned a bachelor's degree in digital media production from Kent State University in December 2021. Her ambition in life is to become a motivational speaker and to create promotional videos for non-profit organizations that help children. She is a goal-oriented young professional who finds beauty in the process of achieving her goals in life. |
Ball pit engineer/High five coordinator/A-ha! moment activator
|
Visit our Careers page for current openings!
|
Our Fearless Board of Directors
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|