"I am a product of the Youngstown City School System and it played an essential role in shaping the woman that I am today." 

Tiffany Denise Patterson, MBA, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Telecommunications from Youngstown State University and graduated from the University of Phoenix with a master's degree in Business Administration. The South High School alumini has more than 23 years of experience working in the media. She was employed as a News Producer and Web Producer at WOIO-CBS 19 in Cleveland, OH, WAVY-TV 10 in Portsmouth, VA and at WFMJ and WKBN, both in Youngstown, where she won an Honorable Mention Associated Press Award for Best Producer.  

An Adjunct Faculty member at Eastern Gateway Community College’s Youngstown Campus since 2013, Tiffany was also a certified basketball referee in the State of Ohio for more than 15 years. The former East High School Freshman Volleyball Coach is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and current Recording Secretary for the Youngstown Alumni Chapter. Tiffany serves on the Financial Ministry at Greater Friendship Baptist Church where she is a lifelong member.

Tiffany is a proud mother of two and has two grandchildren. She is working to bring a fresh perspective to the YCSD as she assists fellow members as well as Youngstown City Schools leadership and teachers. 

"My goal is to transform our schools throughout the district and influence education policies that positively affect our students while accomplishing real change in our school system".

tiffany.patterson@youngstown.k12.oh.us

Juanita Walker is lifelong resident of Youngstown, and a 1996 Graduate of The Rayen High School, Home of the Tigers and proud mother of a 26-year-old son and granddaughter.

Juanita holds an AAS in a Business Administration, BS in Business Management from Kent State University, and an MSM in Management from Bellevue University with a concentration in Executive Coaching. She also holds several certifications in the Affordable Housing Industry; Certified Occupancy Specialist, Tax Credit Specialist and Blended Occupancy Specialist, Fair Housing Specialist, Management Occupancy Review Specialist all from The National Center of Housing Management. Over the years Juanita has worked with youth and young adults through Boy Scouts of America, providing mentorship and summer internship, little league coach, National Night Out, back to School Giveaways, Health and Wellness events assisting with scholarship application process as well as other things that bring resources, opportunities and tools to our scholars.

One of her favorite things is being a Transformational Coach which helps women mentally shift and transform their life by being Overall Fit; Mentally, Physically and Spiritually. 

Currently She co-chairs the board's Human Capital committee and serves on the Policy and Legislation committees.

juanita.walker@youngstown.k12.oh.us

Tina Cvetkovich is a lifelong resident of Youngstown, Ohio. She attended East High School and graduated in 1988.  She graduated from Youngstown State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in 2012. 

Tina is employed at Mahoning County Children Services, as their first Family Peer Mentor working with families with Substance Use Disorder under the Ohio Start Model. She is a part-time Board Of Elections employee. She is a Member of the Community Leadership Coalition on Education and MLK Criminal Justice Committee.  Tina is also a Community Activist/volunteer on the school reform. recovery and Criminal Justice reform advocate. 
Tina has been married to George Cvetkovich for 17yrs. Tina has 3 children, Mrs. Jeanine Runyon-Belfiore, William Schoolcraft, and Skyann Cvetkovich, all of which who graduated from Chaney High School.   She also has 5 grandchildren; grandson Christopher who attends REC,  granddaughter Selena who attends Kirkmere Elementary School, grandson David who attends Volney Rogers Elementary School, granddaughter Anastasia, and grandson, Colton.
tina.cvetkovich@youngstown.k12.oh.us

Brenda Kimble is serving her third term as a member of the Youngstown City School Board of Education. She was the longest-running President of YCSD serving from 2015 thru 2020 and was positioned as Vice President and chaired numerous Board Committees.

Mrs. Kimble graduated from Chaney High School and is the mother of four children who were also graduates of Chaney and has two stepsons.  She is the grandmother of seven children; one who graduated from Chaney, and two who are presently in the system.  Dedicating over 30 years as a volunteer in YCSD, she served with various programs. During her tenure, Brenda helped to usher in new and innovative programs such as the Visual Performing Arts, STEM, and Discovery School initiatives, which offered Spanish, music, arts, dance, and Three-D Printing to students. Choffin Career and Technical Center gained the Fire Fighters and the Videography programs, and a Three-D Printing program that gave the students the opportunity to earn $12.00 per hour while creating parts used for production. Mrs. Kimble presently serves on the North East Ohio School Board Associations Executive Committee representing the Mahoning County and various committees within the organization.

She is a member of the OSBA Black Caucus Executive Board and has served as a member of the National School Boards Association - CUBE and other committees. She was awarded the 2017 School Board Member of the Year by OSBA and was recognized by the Vindicator as one of the Top Ten Most Influential People in the community and a member of the Community Leaders Coalition on Education.

She also serves on the Executive Board of the Youngstown Warren Black Caucus as the Legislative Liaison for Mahoning County. Brenda has become a courageous advocate for Public Education, shown with her challenge of House Bill 70 which aims to revoke Voters’ rights and dissolve public education.

Mrs. Kimble attends the Third Baptist Church formally under the direction of the late Rev. Dr, Morris W. Lee. She serves on the Nurses Guild, Cradle Roll, the Mission, and Angel Tree Ministries, as well as being the Girl Scout leader of Troop 80182. Brenda is also a Preschool Sunday School Teacher, the assistant leader of the Fairgreen Youth Grow Green Garden, and serves on the Executive Board of the 100 Plus Foundation.

brenda.kimble@youngstown.k12.oh.us

Joseph "Joe" Meranto was appointed unanimously by the Youngstown Board of Education in October 2022. Mr. Meranto, a lifelong Youngstown resident, served over 50 years in education as a teacher, coach, elementary and high school principal, and career tech director. He received his B.S. in Education and M.S. in Educational Administration from Youngstown State University (YSU). Mr. Meranto has completed all coursework at YSU toward a Doctorate in Educational Administration.

During his long career as an educator, Mr. Meranto is proud of his accomplishments. Beginning as a teacher at his alma mater St. Anthony in Youngstown, where he eventually became the first lay principal, he developed a Montessori Primary School within a school. He also developed and coordinated a comprehensive athletic program for the parochial schools in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties.

Later transitioning to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Niles as principal, he developed a summer school program for the Diocese. He was also appointed director of junior high athletics, serving the 55 elementary schools in the six-county Diocese while remaining a principal.

Mr. Meranto later worked for Ursuline High School, then, after his tenure there, was appointed principal at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Louisville, Ohio. He developed a special needs program at Aquinas and hired a special needs coordinator. This program was the only one offered in the six-county high schools in the Diocese.

At the encouragement of his long-time friend and distinguished Youngstown school administrator, Tony Deniro, Mr. Meranto was hired by Dr. Ben McGee in 2003 as the Director of Career Technical and Adult Education for the District. During his tenure at Choffin, with the help of a strong administrative team and a great group of teachers and support staff, Choffin became a jewel of the District. Enrollment increased from 324 with 0 outside students to 614 students, including 94 external students.

Having served at Choffin Career and Technical Center for 14 years, Mr. Meranto was asked to be the superintendent by the appointed CEO under HB 70 Krish Mohip. In that role, Mr. Meranto's job was primarily to be responsible for the operations area in the District, including custodial, maintenance, transportation, athletics, food service, and school and District Secretaries.

Mr. Meranto continued as superintendent under the next CEO, Justin Jennings, where he was asked to implement the Equity and Diversity Initiative. After retiring in 2021, Mr. Jennings requested Mr. Meranto to serve as a Consultant to the District in the transportation department, where he served until the end of the 2022 school year.

On a personal note, Mr. Meranto has been married to his high school sweetheart, Anna Marie, for 52 years. "Annie" served the District first as a school Librarian and later as a secretary and is well known by many District employees for her care and concern for them. She retired after 35 years in 2020. They have two children, Christina {Don} Cheffo and Joseph Jr. {Angela} Meranto. Seven grandchildren-Dominic, Francesco, Donald Jr., and Giuliana Cheffo and Dylan Alders, and Joseph the third, and Preston Meranto.

Mr. Meranto is an active St. Anthony Catholic Church member in Brier Hill, the Wolves Club of Youngstown, the Association of Career and Technical Education, Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators, and Ohio Career-Tech Administrators, served as a former Powers Trust Trustee, is a YSU Alumni, and a member of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Meranto sees his role on the Board as a voice for the voiceless and supports parents and teachers as they advocate for their kids, local public schools, and better education. He intends to bring his many years of educational experience both in Youngstown and out of Youngstown to do what is right, not for a few, but for all. joseph.meranto@youngstown.k12.oh.us