Staff
Chicago
CEOs for Cities tel +1 773 795 1409 |
Cleveland
CEOs for Cities tel +1 216 687 5268
Mark Ebner, Manager of Research and Engagement |
Washington, DC
CEOs for Cities tel +1 202 496 7255
Catherine Bittar, Communications Associate |
Lee Fisher
President and CEO
Lee Fisher was selected as President and CEO of CEOs for Cities in May, 2011. Lee has since opened CEOs for Cities offices at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University (where he serves as a Senior Fellow), and the law firm of McKenna, Long, and Aldridge in Washington, D.C.
Lee has served as an Ohio state legislator, Ohio Attorney General, President and CEO of the Center for Families and Children in Cleveland, Ohio and Ohio Lt. Governor. In his role as Lt. Governor, serving with Governor Ted Strickland, Lee also served as Director of the Ohio Department of Development, Chair of the Economic Growth Council, and Chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission and member of the Ohio Venture Capital Authority which funds high potential technology-based early stage companies.
During the time Lee led Ohio’s economic development efforts, Site Selection magazine awarded its Governor’s Cup to Ohio three consecutive times – in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Governor’s Cup recognizes the state with the most new or expanded capital investment projects in the nation. Site Selection also recognized Ohio with the 2008 Competitiveness Award, recognizing the Ohio Department of Development, under Lee’s leadership, as the top economic development agency in the country.
Lee led the creation of Ohio’s first-ever Strategic Plan for Economic Development. The plan is best known for his idea, the Ohio Hubs of Innovation and Opportunity, designed to foster urban-based collaborations between businesses, colleges and universities and research institutions.
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Dr. Noël Harmon National Director of the Talent Dividend & Chief Program Officer |
Email (202) 496-7255 |
Noël currently leads the program and research portfolio at CEOs for Cities and the National Talent Dividend initiative, one of the signature programs of CEOs for Cities, to foster success among network cities to increase the post-secondary attainment among their residents. In that role she directs the National Talent Dividend Prize competition and the National Talent Dividend Network.
Noël previously served as a senior research analyst at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) where she worked with minority-serving institutions on initiatives such as the Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative, Lumina Foundation Models of Success, TG and National College Access Network Supporting Best Practices in Student Success, and the IHEP Summer Academy.
Noël brings experience as both a practitioner and researcher to the position. Prior to joining IHEP, she worked in student affairs administration at Hofstra University, and the University of Michigan, and was the director of Learning to Lead, at Western Illinois University. She also worked in Athletic Student Services at the University of Iowa in the retention program for under-prepared student athletes and other initiatives targeted at the success of student athletes of color.
Noël has published research and articles on issues of minority student success in college specifically student athletes of color. Her research has also focused on pedagogical approaches to designing and teaching diversity courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Harmon currently holds adjunct teaching positions at The University of Iowa through the department of distance education, and The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Programs in Washington D.C.
Noël holds a B.A. in English and a Ph.D. in student affairs administration and research with a minor in Athletic Administration from the University of Iowa. She holds an M.A. in student affairs administration from Ball State University. Additionally, Noël has participated in higher education study tours to South Africa and Mexico to examine the global impact of higher education.
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Catherine Bittar Communications Associate |
Catherine Bittar interned with CEOs for Cities during the summer of 2012 before being brought on as the organization's Communications Associate. Catherine is a senior at Duke University, completing a B.A. in Public Policy and minor in Dance. For her fall 2011 term, Catherine participated in The School of International Training's "Multiculturalism and Human Rights" program in Cape Town, South Africa. During her time in South Africa, she worked as a research intern for the Extra-Mural Education Project, a not-for-profit organization based in Cape Town. In fall 2010, Catherine helped produce a public policy documentary titled "Uprooted Innocence" for The Farm Worker Advocacy Network's "Harvest of Dignity" Campaign. NPR host Frank Stasio later interviewed her for her work on the project.
Catherine has also served as the artistic director for "The Duke University Dancers," a group assembled to perform for the 2011 University Olympics Opening Ceremonies in Shenzhen, China. She is currently the Vice President of "Defining Movement," Duke's premiere multicultural dance group.
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Mark Ebner Manager of Research and Engagement |
Email (216) 687-5268 |
Mark Ebner focuses on researching local, regional, and national urban affairs. Mark realizes that in order to advance our cities we must communicate information and data to civic leaders effectively.
Despite technology being so intertwined with our daily lives, it is extremely underutilized in public affairs. He is working on Change By Us and similar projects to help the public and urban leaders access the copious amount of data that are available. Bill Gates said, “Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time." It is now the responsibility of civic leaders to harness that promise.
Prior to joining CEOs for Cities, he worked extensively with individuals and organizations across many sectors. He is pursuing his master’s degree in Urban Planning with concentrations in City Management and Economic Development from the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State. He holds a B.A. in Political Science with minors in Social Justice and History from the University of Portland. Mark is especially interested in traveling and the role of tourism in cities.
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Tara Sturm Communications Manager |
Email (216) 687-4704 |
Tara D. Sturm enjoys the creative pursuit of painting pictures with words, scalable lines and shapes, colors, numbers, photographs, and an endless combination of the aforementioned tools. While earning her B.A. in Sociology from the University of Akron, she began her career as a professional freelance writer and marketing professional.
She was able to use these skills to support her efforts in improving her local and international community via work with a myriad of nonprofit organizations. Tara is now pursuing a Master of Urban Planning, Development, and Design degree at Cleveland State University—learning where and in what ways she can best influence positive change.