Join the CYP Club for a moderated panel discussion focused on “Community Impact” on Tuesday, May 7th from 5:30-7pm at Ohio Brewing Co. It’s a part-social, part educational after-work conversation featuring community leaders from around central Ohio, opportunities to learn about local causes, interactive Q&A, and great connections.

This event is free to attend and all are welcome!

Panelist Bios

Jamie Ravine is an award-winning singer/songwriter, performer, and music community leader who loves sharing her passion for all things music in Columbus, Ohio.
Whether performing an acoustic set in front of a captive audience, or recording in a studio, Jamie’s songs are rich with emotion and memorable melodies. In addition to her solo material, she has teamed up with producer Brian Skeel to create music for the synth-pop project, Chroma Cloud. This duo creates songs with a nostalgic yet modern sound, paralleling acts such as Cannons, Depeche Mode, and The Midnight.
When not writing, recording, or performing, Jamie supports the Columbus and central Ohio music community by hosting a growing, monthly gathering called Green Room Meetup. She created this group in 2022 for those working in the music industry in some way to have opportunities to network and strengthen relationships in the local scene. Green Room Meetup now boasts over 300 members, starting with only eight when it began, it has quickly become a beacon of support for artists in Central Ohio.
Vice President at Columbus Urban League Young Professionals
Kendall White was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from Ohio Dominican University in 2018 while majoring in Criminal Justice. Additionally, he graduated recently with his Masters in Law, Justice, and Culture from Ohio University in the Spring of ‘22.
Kendall now works under the Franklin County Board of Commissioners Health and Human Services, serving as a Management Analyst II for Jobs and Family Services in addition to the Office of Justice, Policy and Programs.
Outside of work, he serves as the 2nd Vice-President of Ohio Young Black Democrats, while entering his first term serving as Vice-President of Columbus Urban League Young Professionals. He is a dedicated member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (FA’19) and continues to service the communities within Columbus.
Senior Director of Advancement at Besa
Paul O’Connor currently serves as the Senior Director of Advancement at Besa, focusing on leading the development and execution of the annual advancement program that cultivates an integrated revenue strategy, ensuring current and potential stakeholders are engaged, inspired, and motivated to give.
Prior to this role, Paul spent 2 years as the Director of Customer Success/Business Development at the Colibri Group, focused on defining and optimizing customer journey while always looking to provide true value to partners and new business opportunities for the Colibri family of brands.
He spent 4 years (2016-2020) helping to build Kids in the Game (KING) into one of the most impactful sports based youth development organizations in the country, working with over 20,000 youth and 60+ schools in his final year.
Paul is an experienced basketball professional with a demonstrated history of working in the sports industry. He co-hosts a basketball podcast called The Green Light that focuses on college basketball, with current and former coaches on weekly as well as basketball personnel and influencers.
Robert Fournier is a compassionate and energetic professional, with over fifteen years experience managing relationships at both multinational investment firms and non-profit organizations.
Robert joined United Way of Central Ohio in 2021 as a Relationship Manager of Leadership Giving. Previously, he served as the Assistant Director of Development at the Carnegie Science Center. Robert also comes to his role with experience from United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, where he led a comprehensive research-based engagement program that targeted young professional philanthropists, with the goal of enhancing relationships through volunteerism, advocacy, and financial support.
Robert has a diverse array of experience spanning the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, including roles at BlackRock Inc., Wilshire Associates, and the Human Rights Campaign. He is excited for the opportunity to implement effective fundraising strategies that will support the mission and vision of United Way.
Robert has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Finance from Howard University and a Master’s degree in Public Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Trina Jones is a social worker, storyteller, and encourager with a passion for seeing others overcome the barriers they face. Trina seeks to offer solutions through sharing her lived experience in the foster care system and to provide hope for healing and healthy relationships.
Over the years she has had many professional accomplishments that show she continues to grow and develop opportunities for people to live thriving lives. She started her professional career providing direct services to women coming out of trafficking through Safe Harbor House in Springfield Ohio. She has since linked arms with Think Tank Inc and helps co-facilitate trainings around helping people understand the human experience of poverty. Trina has a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Liberty University and is the Senior Administrator for Turning Point Home in Columbus Ohio.
The Turning Point Home is a sober living home for previously trafficked women where they can learn to live independently through mentoring, support and encouragement. In addition, on-site classes are offered in areas of trauma recovery, healthy boundaries, life skills, employment, parenting, culinary, exercise and more."
Gabrielle Solange is a Top 200 Billboard charting music artist and keynote speaker whose vulnerable storytelling allows her to connect with diverse audiences across the US and abroad. A former runaway in the foster care system, she credits her faith and the inner city youth arts programs of Columbus, Ohio for providing opportunities that awakened her to her self-worth and purpose.
She has been blazing a trail using her voice to entertain and educate while helping others to use theirs. She hosts creative workshops for schools and organizations through her company RunSong Productions, teaching the arts as a tool to process trauma, express emotion, connect with others, and overcome life's obstacles.
She is also a spokesperson for Life Is Better With You Here, a program created by the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation to combat the increasing suicide rate in the Black community. She created the self-love and empowerment clothing brand, Confidentity and a culture podcast that shares the same name. She recently illustrated the young adult dystopian fantasy, Where The Stars Hide, for young adult author, Patricia Gulzar.
She now releases and performs her original music while advocating for causes that are dear to her heart, including mental health, anti-bullying, suicide prevention, anti-racism, and equality, with her latest music garnering the attention of Kelly Clarkson, and AfroTV's Sisaundra Lewis.

Our panel of community thought leaders for this event includes Jamie Ravine (award-winning singer/songwriter), Kendall White (Vice President at Columbus Urban League Young Professionals), Paul O’Connor (Senior Director of Advancement at Besa), Robert Fournier (Relationship Manager, Leadership Giving at United Way of Central Ohio), Trina Jones (Social worker and Storyteller), and Gabrielle Solange (CEO at RunSong Productions).

Agenda

5:30pm: Arrival & Open Networking
5:55pm: Introduction of Community Impact 101 panel
6:00pm: Cocktails & Conversations panel discussion, moderated by Gabrielle Solange
6:45pm: Q&A session
6:55pm: Closing announcements