Board of Trustees
Our leadership team brings together diverse backgrounds and broad-reaching experience within the fields of education, information technology, health, human behavior, spirituality, the arts and corporate and entrepreneurial business. Their unique knowledge and expertise help drive our initiatives forward.
Nancy Herrick, Chair
Nancy Herrick is a retired elementary school educator. Her 35 years of work with primary school students, their parents and colleagues enriched her awareness of the value of living a balanced life. Originally, trained and certified as a Usui/Tibetan and Karuna® Reiki Master, Nancy continued her training and is a certified Usui/Holy Fire® III Reiki Master Teacher and Holy Fire® III Karuna Reiki® Master Teacher. Nancy is also certified as a Jikiden Reiki practitioner at the Shoden and Okuden levels. Nancy had been the director of the Reiki Clinic at Ursuline Academy from 2009 until its closing in 2018. She continues to attend to her own personal growth with studies that assist her with teaching others how to establish and maintain a personal state of well-being and how to bring about positive change for the planet.
Laura Christian Imbornoni, Vice-Chair
Now engaged in a second career, Laura's special interests lie in laying foundations to thrive as individuals, while co-creating a sense of community. She advocates and promotes a commitment to civility. She is a professional level yoga instructor, an Integrative Yoga Therapist and a SomaSoul®: Somatic Expressive Movement Therapy graduate. She is certified to lead Shake Your Soul®: the Yoga of Dance and as a Holistic Health Educator by the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. She is certified as an Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist and a Transpersonal Life Coach by the Wellness Institute in Issaquah Washington. She is a masters level Integral Breath Therapist. Laura previously managed Mentor Senior Center for 31 years.
Jill Jirus Aquila
Jill Jirus Aquila has her BA and Masters in teaching from Beloit College. She is an artist, educator, Reiki Master, mother, and grandmother. She began her teaching career in East Cleveland, where she taught third and fifth grade. Outside of the classroom, Jill has pursued her art interests, primarily as a glass fuse and multimedia collage artist, and studied mindfulness, The Emotion Code, Emotional Freedom Technique and Reiki.
Ramona Charles
Ramona Charles has a Masters Degree in Adult Health Nursing and a BS in Nursing. She has a broad range of experience in Healthcare with Board Certification in Geriatric Nursing and in Advanced Nursing Administration. Since retirement, she has pursued interest in community building and creative non-fiction obtaining certification in Guided Autobiography (GAB) and Study Groups on Aging with focus on Senior Cohousing.
Alsie Clay
Alsie Clay is a certified diversity management professional, and has also been certified as a teaching artist. She has thirty-five years of extensive work experience as a registered nurse, in areas that have included oncology, hospice, and in-patient psychiatric care.
Her background includes the 3-year Postgraduate Training Program in Gestalt Methods, with 1 year specialization in Working with Groups: Intensive Format, at The Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. In addition she holds a Master of Arts in Psychology - Diversity Management Specialization, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Steve Imbornoni
Steve Imbornoni, PhD, is a licensed as a psychologist, a supervising clinical counselor, and a massage therapist. He is a spiritualist minister ordained by Fellowships of the Spirit. Dr. Imbornoni maintains an integrative private practice in Beachwood, Ohio. He has served as Shadybrook’s Treasurer, in the past, for a number of years.
Sharon Vrettas
Sharon Vrettas has had a life long interest in metaphysics and healing. For over forty years she worked in Administrative Services and as the Human Resource Director for EDR Media. She has also served on several non-for-profit boards. She is an advocate of shared leadership and group process. Sharon is currently a reiki therapist at Montefiore Nursing Home.