The Easterseals Crossroads Board of Directors are leaders in our community who share our purpose and passion to improve the lives of children and adults with disabilities.
This group of forward-thinking, innovative men and women help us advance our message to promote inclusion, independence and dignity for everyone living in our community.
Officers
Darlisa Davis, Board Chair
First Merchants Bank
Darlisa joined First Merchants Bank in 2011 where she served as a commercial banker for the first six years. She became a private banker with First Merchants in early 2017. Utilizing her 20 years of banking experience and employing her strong credit skills, Darlisa developed, cultivated and managed key client relationships. Darlisa possesses an expertise providing sound banking and financial guidance to local entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals. By developing deep and long-lasting personal relationships, Darlisa offers the highest level of experience and personal service level to private banking clients.
Prior to joining First Merchants, she worked as a commercial banker in Indianapolis and also an investment real estate banker in Dallas, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia.
Darlisa attended Richland College in Dallas, Texas.
Kelley Karn, 1st First Vice Chair
Duke Energy
Kelley is Deputy General Counsel, state regulatory legal support, for Duke Energy. She is responsible for overseeing the company’s regulatory legal activities in Indiana.
Kelley joined Duke Energy in 1998 as a law clerk and was promoted to counsel in 2000. Karn manages major regulatory proceedings, including general rate cases, environmental compliance, tracking mechanisms and electric generating plant proceedings. In 2006, she assumed the position of lead Indiana regulatory counsel for Duke Energy after shepherding the approval of the Cinergy/Duke Energy merger through the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Karn was promoted to her current position, Deputy General Counsel, in 2008. In this role, Karn manages three attorneys and advises the company on regulatory, legislative and policy matters.
Kelley earned her BA in government, international relations and public policy from the University of Notre Dame, cum laude. Her Juris Doctor degree is from Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, summa cum laude. She is admitted to the Indiana Bar. Kelley and her husband, Ron, have three sons and reside in Noblesville, Indiana.
Kim Thomas, 2nd Vice Chair
OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc.
Kim Thomas is a Chief Diversity Officer with twenty-seven years of progressive experience in multiple industries including financial services, medical diagnostics, health insurance and commercial printing. She joined OneAmerica in April 2017 where she’s been responsible for leading the execution of several enterprise priorities including the development of a comprehensive organizational effectiveness model, implementing a comprehensive career and compensation framework as well as championing the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy.
In 2020, Kim was honored to receive an ASPIRE award for Excellence in Execution from OneAmerica’s CEO for outstanding execution of a business initiative with a significant and sustained impact on business objectives. The mission of the ASPIRE Awards program is to create a culture of community and recognition that celebrates top-performing associates and leaders who live OneAmerica’s ASPIRE values and have demonstrated a consistent track record of success.
Kim received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Supervision from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. She is currently a Board member of Easterseals Crossroads as well as a member of the American council of Life Insurers (ACLI) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion forum.
John Seever, Treasurer
Baker Tilly, retired
John has been involved in many professional engagements, including financial studies for cities, towns and utilities. These studies often include budgeting, financial reporting, annexation, consolidation and financial planning.
He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Indiana CPA Society and the Governmental Finance Officers Associations, among other professional groups. In addition to our board, John also serves on Accelerate Indiana Municipalities’ Board of Directors. He is a past chair of the Indiana Section American Water Works Association as well as the AWWA National audit committee.
Steve Stevens, Secretary
Westpoint Financial Group
Steve joined Easterseals Crossroads seven years ago to help others receive the opportunities and responsibilities his oldest brother with special needs did through an Easterseals affiliate in Wisconsin.
Steve brings real-life conversations with families working with his financial planning practice to the board’s decision-making process, desire and mission. A bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree from Marquette University combined with 20 years of leading his international travel business add to his background.
Directors
Phil C. Belt
Sharp Business Systems
With more than 25 years of corporate experience in both financial and communications roles, Phil has held leadership positions at Eli Lilly and Company, Credit Suisse, VMS Biomarketing and Stericycle.
Phil has his Bachelor of Science in finance from West Virginia University and his Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina. He joined the Easterseals Crossroads board in 2013 and has also served on the boards of Church at the Crossing and the Indiana Bond Bank.
Matt Bruhn
JPMorgan Chase
Matt is a commercial banker with JPMorgan Chase, focused on delivering services to middle market companies across Indiana. Matt holds his BA in economics from DePauw University and his MBA in finance from Indiana University. Matt became aware of Easterseals Crossroads during his nine-month internship with United Way Leadership United, a program designed for young professionals to experience leadership and board development training.
During this internship, Matt spent six months attending Easterseals Crossroads board meetings to learn the fundamentals of board membership. He became aware of the amazing things we do every day at Easterseals Crossroads and was quick to agree to serve on the advisory board when asked. He is involved with the Crossroads Industrial Services subcommittee and is actively seeking ways to introduce new businesses to our industrial division.
Matt lives in downtown Indianapolis, where he enjoys running and biking in his free time.
Jennifer Fisher
Genentech
Jane Harper
Cornerstone
Jane is known as a servant leader who lives by the philosophy of Do the right things, at the right time, with the right people, the right way.
With a passion for people, Jane has supported several not for profit programs focused on making life better for others. Working internationally and domestically across multiple cultures, she embraces diversity in people and thought. Jane has earned several industry recognitions and awards, including Crain’s Detroit’s 40 under 40, Crain’s Detroit Notable Woman in Tech, Oakland County Elite 40 Under 40, and Michigan Chronicle’s Woman of Excellence. Jane also holds several designations and certifications including MSIA, CISA, CRCMP, ISA, PCIP, CISSP and both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Jane is most proud of her family and work with her church.
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Monica L. Helton
Eli Lilly and Company
Monica (she/her) is an agent of change, with more than 15 years of experience in leadership and communications. She joined Eli Lilly and Company in 2019 and is Associate Director in Global Scientific Communications, focusing on process improvement, business strategy, building high-performing teams and capabilities. Prior to joining Eli Lilly and Company, Monica spent 10 years as managing editor of The Journal of Pediatrics, based in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
She became connected to Easterseals Crossroads during her six-month Board Fellowship through United Way’s Leadership United program. Her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), including serving as a disabilities champion for Lilly’s employee resource group, made Easterseals Crossroads a perfect fit.
Monica earned her BA in psychology and graduate certificate in non-profit management from Northern Kentucky University. As an avid reader and lifelong learner, she continues to pursue certifications in areas such as business development, organizational change management and artificial intelligence.
Kenneth Kobe
Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, retired
Ken was the chief operating officer of Barnes & Thornburg, LLP. He is a former Peace Corps volunteer and has his bachelor’s degree from Denison University and his master’s degree in public finance from Ohio State University. Ken has served on a number of state and local government boards and commissions, including the Indiana Local Government Tax Control Board and the Marion County Public Defender Board.
Krista Longtin, PhD
IUPUI
Krista is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies in the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI and an Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on communication education and faculty development in the sciences and health professions. Krista leads Indiana University’s institutional working group on Communicating Science, serves as the co-editor for the Public Library of Science’s Science Communication blog and runs a graduate minor in Communicating Science at IUPUI.
In 2016, Krista was highlighted by the Indianapolis Business Journal as one of their Forty Under 40 young professionals to watch for her work using improvisational theater to teach scientists to communicate more effectively. Prior to earning her graduate degrees, Krista worked for Indiana Public Radio and The Weather Channel. She’s not a native Hoosier, but she did the tour of Indiana schools, earning a BA from Ball State University, an MA from Purdue University, and a PhD from Indiana University. An award-winning educator and researcher, Krista’s work has been published in Communication Education, Academic Medicine, and the Journal of Faculty Development. She tweets professionally about communication in education and science at @kristalongtin.
“Everyone, regardless of ability, wants to do meaningful work and contribute to making the world a better place. Through our veteran’s programs, Crossroads Industrial Services, and Adult Day Services, just to name a few, ESC provides the critical support needed to help Hoosiers of all abilities live and work with purpose,” said Krista.
Paul Loub
Optum Advisory
Paul is the Managing Director of Health & Public Service for Accenture’s US Midwest Payer market. As unit lead, he is responsible for clients, people, community involvement and financial performance. He has strategic responsibility for integrating Accenture’s services to tackle and solve clients’ most complex problems. Leading the payer clients in the Midwest – spanning Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin – Paul focuses on building and growing C-suite relationships to drive client value creation and co-innovation.
Paul also serves as the client account lead for several large health clients. Paul brings his client-centric, diverse skill set and passion for continuous learning and building high performing teams to his work in the C-suite.
Throughout his career, Paul has advised US and global corporations on digital transformation, go-to market strategies, large-scale operating model, and cost transformations. He has worked and travelled extensively abroad with a focus on the development of Accenture’s global delivery centers in India and the Philippines.
Paul earned his MBA from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business and his BA degree in accounting from Marietta College. In addition to Easterseals Crossroads, Paul sits on the advisory boards of several organizations, including Make-A-Wish, the University of Notre Dame and Guerin Catholic High School.
Dawn Neal
Eli Lilly and Company, retired
Dawn is the retired chief operating officer for global corporate affairs at Eli Lilly, where she was responsible for the operations of the division, including finance, compliance and metrics as well as strategic planning. Dawn retired in 2007 after 28 years of employment there. Dawn holds her BSN from Indiana University, and she is a past board chair at Easterseals Crossroads.
“I give to Easterseals Crossroads because of the impact the organization has on individuals in our community. Easterseals Crossroads believes that every person deserves the chance to excel and achieve their full potential no matter the obstacles or challenges. Every day they serve individuals and help them achieve their dreams,” said Dawn.
Stephen Orander
Proxurve Solutions
Steve was the Midwest President for Sharp Electronics Corporation. A fan of technology with an entrepreneurial spirit, he started a technology company in 1998, growing it to well over $8 million in revenue before selling it to Sharp Electronics Corporation in 2007.
Steve’s connection to Easterseals Crossroads is based on his foundational belief that every person deserves the right to excel and achieve their best, no matter the challenges or obstacles, because they are valued not simply by what they can achieve.
Bryan Seidensticker
Telamon
Philip Whistler
Ice Miller LLP, retired
Philip is Senior Counsel at Ice Miller. He joined Ice Miller in 1978 after graduating with honors from Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the board of student advisors. He is also an honors graduate of Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in history.
Philip also serves on the board of the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society, and he is a former board member of the Mapleton Fall Creek Community Development Corporation.
Lee White
Secured Site Services
Lee is the Chief Executive Officer for Secured Site Services, a Veteran owned business based in Indianapolis and specializing in process improvement. Lee’s son Robert is the majority owner and is a decorated Air Force Police Officer and after serving, received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan and his Six Sigma Black Belt from Case Western University. His passion for lean methodology and operational efficiency sparked the 2021 founding of Secured Site Services.
Lee and Robert have grown their startup business to over $1 million in annual revenue in year one and with projections to double and triple revenue in years two and three. Lee spent over 15 years in the greens industry as a VP of National Accounts with a large landscaping company that he helped grow from a one state company generating $8 million in revenue to a $75 million dollar company in 15 states. He also spent 13 years helping to grow the Midwest Region for the nation’s largest lawn care company with tremendous annual market growth and sales management success.
Lee is also very active in the community and has led several not-for-profit initiatives and philanthropic ventures throughout the Indianapolis area. He is also very active in his church and on the United Methodist Church denominational level. Lee has also served on the Purdue School of Agriculture Deans Advisory Council and has been a frequent lecturer at Purdue and his alma mater, Marian University.
Lee is married and has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren in Indianapolis and an adult son in Champaign, Illinois. Lee loves to golf, travel, and actively mentors’ young executives around the country.
Advisory Board
Sarah Halter
Indiana Medical History Museum
IUPUI 2005 Bachelors Degree in Anthropology with an accidental Philosophy Minor; IUPUI 2008 Masters Degree in Museum Studies; American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) 2017 diploma Seminar for Historical Administration (and various certificates)
Sarah is a medical historian and the executive director of the Indiana Medical History Museum on the grounds of the former Central State Hospital in Indianapolis. She serves on a number of other academic and civic boards of directors including the League of Women Voters of Indianapolis (Vice President), the Southern Association for the History of Medicine and Science (Secretary), the John Shaw Billings History of Medicine Society at IU School of Medicine, the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies at IUPUI, the Association of Indiana Museums (Past President) and Youth Enhancement and Training Initiative (YETI). Sarah has more than 15 years experience as a fundraiser and museum professional and is a graduate of the Seminar for Historical Administration.
In her free time, Sarah loves to spend time with family and friends. She is an avid (or rather compulsive) reader, a nature lover and a sci-fi fan. She loves to paint when she can make time for it, and she wishes she made more time for it.
Join me in my personal campaign to fundraise for Easterseals Crossroads
Justin Murphy
First Financial Bank
Justin is a commercial credit officer with 20 years of commercial banking experience ranging from business banking to large corporate banking. Her experience is predominantly focused on commercial and industrial and healthcare and higher education lending. She attended the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and has a Master of Business Administration in finance from Butler University. Justin is originally from Angola, Indiana, and currently lives in Indianapolis with her husband and two boys.
Alex Sanchez-Felix
BMWC Constructors, Inc.
Alex holds his MSA (Masters of Science in Accounting) from the Kelley School of Business at IUPUI and is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). To kickstart his career in accounting, he served four and a half years at a local public accounting firm where he spent time working in the attestation group on engagements in various industries including nonprofits and manufacturers. In November 2019, Alex joined BMWC Constructors, Inc., an industrial construction company headquartered in Indianapolis, as an Accounting Manager where he oversees payroll, accounts payable, fixed asset tracking and treasury responsibilities for the company.
Alex’s interest to join the Easterseals Crossroads advisory board was spurred by his wife’s career as a pediatric occupational therapist and seeing the positive impact she has on her consumers’ lives. Her stories of the great work performed by Easterseals Crossroads inspired him to try to use his expertise for something larger and hopefully also positively impact those with disabilities in his community.
Sarah Schwomeyer
City of Indianapolis
Sarah is a liaison for the Indianapolis – Marion County City-County Council, the legislative branch of government in central Indiana. Sarah focuses on issue areas including metropolitan development, city planning and zoning, education and parks. Sarah became connected with Easterseals through a fellowship with United Way called Leadership United, which was especially impactful after spending several years in undergrad as a direct support professional. She is a proud DePauw University alumna with her BA in Political Science.
“Easterseals Crossroads is a highly impactful and well-rounded organization. It’s inspiring to hear – time and time again – how Easterseals Crossroads has touched our neighbors’ lives in such a tangible way. Services from Easterseals are transformative to the wellbeing of so many Hoosiers, regardless of the situation they come from. Being involved with this organization is a powerful way to honor veterans, help families with loved ones who have a disability, and support everyone in between. I wholeheartedly trust Easterseals Crossroads and am incredibly grateful to serve in this capacity,” said Sarah.
Sarah is a proud Indy native who enjoys being outdoors with her rescue dog, taking care of her many plants, and spending as much time with loved ones as possible.
