OUR TEAM

Standing together to ignite Potential.

About our CEO

Gary Friedman
Chief Executive Officer

Gary Friedman has led Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana for the past 4 ½ years. During that time, the organization has earned three straight national awards for excellence from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Friedman serves nationally on the Big Vision committee, which consists of over 20 CEO’s from BBBS all over the nation looking at best practices and visionary concepts to help our youth, and locally on several committees as well, including the Louisville Metro Government’s Community Safety Commission.

Prior to working at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana, Friedman spent 26 years working as a college athletics administrator including ten years at University of Louisville.  He also worked locally for Kentucky Venues, Learfield Sports and St. Joseph Children’s Home. 

Friedman has a true passion for seeing that all youth in the Louisville metro and Southern Indiana area realize their full potential.

Meet The BBBSKY Team

  • Keshia Bell stands smiling with long black hair, earrings, and a floral patterned dress

    Keshia B.

    Program Support Manager

    Favorite childhood TV show: Pumuckl

  • Middle aged woman wears a blue floral top while smiling outside on a sunny day

    Emily Carter-Essex

    Chief Strategy Officer

    Favorite childhood game: Red Rover

  • Clanisha Coleman stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office with glasses while wearing a floral patterned blouse

    Clanisha Coleman

    College & Career Coordinator

    Favorite childhood game: Mancala

  • Kaitlyn Corbitt stands smiling outside the BBBSKY building while wearing a bright yellow sweater, yellow headband, glasses and earrings

    Kaitlyn Corbitt

    College & Career Program Manager

    Favorite childhood TV show: Bear in the Big Blue House

  • Rebecca Cottrell stands outside the BBBSKY building while wearing a green top and earrings

    Rebecca Cottrell

    Senior Manager of Special Events

    Favorite childhood TV show: Fraggle Rock

  • Kaylee Cunningham stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office while wearing a cream colored polo

    Kaylee Cunningham

    School to Work Coordinator

    Favorite childhood movie: Finding Nemo

  • Pat Davidson stands outside the BBBSKY office smiling while wearing a pearl necklace, black shirt, and earrings

    Pat Davidson

    Program Director

    Favorite childhood movie: The Wizard of Oz

  • Caucasian female with blond hair smiling

    Valerie DiGangi

    Remote Project Specialist

    Favorite childhood TV show: Full House

  • Woman smiling with dark hair

    Shakira Francis

    Remote Project Specialist

  • Sarah Frederick stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office while wearing a black top and white blazer

    Sarah Frederick

    Finance & HR Specialist

    Favorite childhood movie: Grease

  • Middle aged white man wearing a button down shirt and sport coat smiles outside on a sunny day

    Gary Friedman

    Chief Executive Officer

    Favorite childhood TV show: Speed Racer

  • Nikki Green stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office while wearing a floral patterned blouse and a navy blue blazer

    Nikki Green-McPhail

    Site-Based Programs Manager

    Favorite childhood TV show: A Different World

  • caucasian woman with curly hair smiles while standing in a field

    Stacey Hamilton-Nance

    Remote Project Specialist

  • Amy Hoene stands smiling while wearing glasses and a blue blazer

    Amy Hoene

    Director of Agency Engagement

    Favorite childhood movie: E.T.

  • Danielle Horne stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office with bangs and long hair while wearing a blue top

    Danielle Horne

    Enrollment & Match Support Specialist

    Favorite childhood movie: The Goonies

  • Amber Howard stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office with long black hair while wearing a chunky blue sweater

    Amber Howard

    Enrollment & Match Support Specialist

    Favorite childhood books: The Magic Tree House series

  • Hunter Kissel stands smiling outside the BBBSKY building while wearing a patterned button down

    Hunter Kissel

    Senior Manager of Grants

    Favorite childhood game: Donkey Kong Country

  • A dark haired woman in a blue sweater stands outside smiling while wearing a necklace

    Razija Mehinović

    School to Work Coordinator

    Favorite childhood book: Olive’s Ocean

  • Bald white man with a lengthy beard and an earring wears a polo shirt outside while smiling

    Donald Palmore

    Chief Financial Officer

    Favorite childhood TV show: Bewitched

  • middle aged black woman with short hair wears a professional blazer and glasses while smiling outside

    Lisa Powell

    Chief Program Officer

    Favorite childhood book: Harriet the Spy

  • Kimeta Pryor stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office while wearing glasses, earrings, and a chunky pink sweater

    Kimeta Pryor

    Program Administrative Assistant

    Favorite childhood TV show: The Cosby Show

  • Samantha Risen stands smiling outside the BBBSKY building with long hair while wearing a black blouse.

    Samantha Risen

    School to Work Program Manager

    Favorite childhood TV show: Are You Afraid of the Dark?

  • The large B logo for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana sits in the center of a black circle

    Autumn Robinson

    Enrollment & Match Support Specialist

    Favorite childhood movie: The Wizard of Oz

  • Andrea Rolle stands smiling while wearing a yellow blouse and silver necklace

    Andrea R.

    Human Resources Manager

    Favorite childhood TV show: Family Matters

  • Brett Rosenblum stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office while wearing a patterned button down shirt with a pen in the pocket

    Brett Rosenblum

    Annual Fund & CRM Manager

    Favorite childhood TV show: In the Heat of the Night

  • Bryce Shreve stands outside the BBBSKY building smiling with a red beard while wearing a black polo, glasses, and earrings

    Bryce Shreve

    Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications

    Favorite childhood books: A Series of Unfortunate Events

  • Marianna Strasz stands smiling inside the BBBSKY office while wearing a floral patterned blouse

    Marianna Strasz

    Remote Project Specialist

    Favorite childhood game: Candyland

  • Jalayne Tillery stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office wearing glasses, hoop earrings, a purse, and a brown sweater

    Jalayne Tillery

    Senior Enrollment & Match Support Specialist

    Favorite childhood TV show: Sister Sister

  • Leah Wade stands smiling outside the BBBSKY office with long flowy hair while wearing a striped sweater and earrings

    Leah Wade

    Strategic Volunteer Recruitment Manager

    Favorite childhood TV show: Lizzie McGuire

  • blonde-haired woman smiles while wearing green earrings and a professional blazer outside on a sunny day

    Jessica Wells

    Chief Development Officer

    Favorite childhood game: Pretty Pretty Princess

  • A young African American woman stands smiling outside with natural hair and a gray shirt

    Ren'ada Winston

    Enrollment & Match Support Specialist

    Favorite childhood TV show: My Little Pony

  • African american male with dreads smiles while wearing a colorful button down shirt

    CJ Yancy

    Remote Project Specialist

Contact Us

join our village

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana team represents a diverse mix of lived experiences, professional expertise, and personal passions. But we’re all united by one thing: a belief in the power of mentorship. With 150+ collective years of experience, we’re proud to stand behind our mission. Every day, we work together to ignite potential in young people across our community and to ensure every child has someone in their corner.

View current openings

Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Scott Godthaab 

Chair 
Republic Bank & Trust Co

Photo of Scott Godthaab wearing glasses and smiling

Meg Dietzel 

Vice Chair
Confluent Health

A smiling woman with blonde hair wearing a sleeveless black top standing against a gray background.

Eric Stout 

Secretary 
U.S. Department of Agriculture 

A man in a gray suit with a purple tie and pocket square, smiling confidently, standing in front of a yellow curtain.

Todd Rosenbaum 

Treasurer 
Cherry Beckaert Advisory LLC

Professional man wearing a dark suit, light blue shirt, and patterned tie, smiling with a white background.

Whitney Allen 
KY Dept. of Veteran Affairs   

Dr. Joe Bargione 
Bounce Coalition   

Mark Bobo 
Samtec, Inc   

Corey Ewing 
WellCare

Paige Franklin
Aetna   

Randy Hamilton 
Norton Healthcare   

Wendy Jacob 
Truist 

Jeanna Jones 
LBMC, PC 

Trish Joseph 
J&L Marketing

John Launius
One Southern Indiana

Alexis Mack
Transcend Credit Union

Joi McAtee
University of Louisville

George McMinn
Messer Construction 

Dr. John Miller Jr.
University of Louisville

Matt Millies
Edward Jones 

Phil Milliner
Zoeller Pump Company

Isac Roths
First Class Air Support

Nate Simon
Churchill Downs, Inc.

Dr. Mary Stoddard
Stoddard & Associates

Mike Vickers
Qk4      

Stuart Wilson 
LG&E and KU 

“Every decision that we make each day revolves around our mission and vision, to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationship that ignite the power the potential in youth. I could not work with a more passionate group of people to make this positive change in our community!”

- Lisa Powell

A group of people socializing indoors, with the main focus on a man wearing a colorful holiday-themed blazer with Christmas decorations and Santa faces, and a woman in a bright green blazer smiling at him. The setting appears to be a cozy, well-decorated room with warm lighting, black curtains, and large windows.
A geometric pattern of black and green stripes arranged in a spiral or rectangular shape.

From left to right: Donald Palmore, Chief Financial Officer; Lisa Powell, Chief Program Officer

Advisory Councils

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana currently serves 10 counties between Indiana and Kentucky. There are two current Advisory Councils: Southern Indiana and Hardin-Grayson-Nelson. Council members serve as ambassadors who help spread the word and build relationships in those communities.

  • Alicia Atchley
    Jimmy Branham
    Matthew Downey
    Pam Grieb
    Nicholas LaBorde
    Scott Lechner
    Suzanne Ruark
    Kelley Troutman
    Josh Turner
    Jenna Orwick
    Laurie Ellerbe
    Jill Sceifers
    Ashley Snyder
    Amanda Stonecipher
    Amanda Masterson

  • Camila Falcon
    Lisa Johnson
    Chris Kira
    Amanda Portman
    Rob Reynolds
    Toshie Singleton Murrell
    Brian Smith

Big Brother and Little Brother posing arms crossed
Large, turquoise, scribbled number two on a white background.