Board of Directors

Jess is a nonprofit development professional and dedicated community servant passionate about making the world a better place. She has devoted her life to fighting and advocating for important causes and organizations including IBH Addiction Recovery, the National MS Society, the Alzheimer’s Association, and now Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary. She serves on the board of directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals and enjoys connecting compassionate individuals with philanthropic opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others.
Jess and her husband Kyle live in Kent with their four rescue cats and look forward to starting their own farm in the future.

Jeff is an experienced entrepreneur who is involved with a number of companies in addition to providing financial consulting services to startups and other entrepreneurs. Outside of work, Jeff spends most of his time with his wife, two boys, and their two rescue pups, Gino and Babe. The whole family shares a love for the outdoors and animals of all kinds.
Jeff joined the board of HTFAS to help continue the transition of the organization’s finances to a position where they are set up to serve their mission for decades to come.

Pete Grasso is a seasoned communications professional with a background in public relations and marketing. He spent most of his career in B2B, both as a trade media editor and as a public relations practitioner. He is an experienced writer and storyteller who knows how to connect with audiences.
Though his transition to a plant-based lifestyle in 2011 was a way to be healthier, kindness and compassion toward animals has become a welcome side effect and something about which Pete is passionate. He and his wife April reside outside Atlanta with their rescue dog, Stella.

After 15 years in a leadership role with Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Gina Fortunato followed her dream of working in the animal health industry where she serves as Head of Veterinary Services and New Business Development for Independence Pet Group, providers of the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance Plans. She loves helping pet owners keep their furry friends healthy.
In her free time, Gina enjoys staying active with kayaking, dragon boating and riding horses. Gina has three horses and three cats, who have happily made their home in her barn. Gina is proud to serve as Immediate Past President for the Happy Trails Board of Directors.

Tom is a passionate marketer with extensive local, national and international marketing experience. After nearly 20 years in the industry, Tom branched out in 2018 to start and run his own digital marketing agency called Owll Marketing. His company is focused on bringing Fortune 500 company marketing expertise to small businesses to truly help them thrive and grow.
Tom’s two youngest children are avid animal lovers with aspirations to become either veterinarians or zoologist. He is excited to leverage their combined passion for animals along with his desire to help organizations leverage marketing to strategically position Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary for continued growth.

Founder and Principal Consultant of RS HR Consulting, Ryan is an accomplished Human Resources and Talent Management professional with a proven track record of aligning people and organizational strategies. Over his 20+ years of career experience, he has developed, implemented, and improved Human Resources programs, processes, tools, and technologies.
Additionally, Ryan excels at connecting top talent with employers in the nonprofit, public library, information technology, healthcare, and professional services fields. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Psychology from John Carroll University and currently resides in Fairview Park, Ohio. As a lifelong Northeast Ohioan and animal advocate, he is eager to contribute to the future success and growth of the Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary.

Julie Caruso is currently the Director of Institutional Giving at The Cleveland Orchestra, where she oversees corporate and foundation partnerships, government funding, and government relations while continuing her work in political advocacy and consulting for local candidates in Summit County.
With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit development and community engagement, Julie has led fundraising efforts for organizations such as Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens and United Way of Summit County. Her career began in political campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels, where she honed her skills in strategy and operations.
Julie is passionate about animal welfare and community service. In addition to serving on the HTFAS board, she currently serves on two other boards: Camp Y’Noah and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and she is active as a Precinct Committee Person for her local political party. She and her husband, Joe, live in West Akron with their five companion animals. Julie loves spending time with her pets, traveling, reading, and staying active through yoga, running, and most recently weightlifting.

Dia is a local entrepreneur who recently opened an accounting practice, DLR Accounting Solutions, in Downtown Kent, Ohio. Dia earned her BA in Business Administration and MBA from Walsh University, but also holds a Master of Accounting. She has worked for local
non-profits for many years but recently sat on the board of a local community theater as its Treasurer. In the Summer of 2023, Dia started a non-profit organization with her family that supports disabled veterans and their dependents in finding and applying for the benefits
they’ve earned.

Living in Kent with her husband and teenage son, Dia is passionate about Portage County and is honored to be a part of Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary. She has always had a soft spot in her heart for all animals and hopes her financial background can help this wonderful organization continue to move forward.