U-M Club of Central Ohio: Board Leadership

The U-M Club of Central Ohio is supported by a group of all-volunteer staff. Our Board meets monthly and plans all of our events and campaigns throughout the year. Our Board Members come from all different backgrounds but all share one thing in common – an unwavering passion for the University of Michigan! We hope that you’ll say hello to us at local events.

Andrew Richards – President

Andrew graduated in 2008 with a degree in Political Science and History. He was a member of the Policy Debate team and traveled all over the country representing Michigan in competition. Andrew also competed in DECA where he won a National Championship for the University.

Andrew is a season ticket holder to Michigan football and hasn’t missed a home game since he moved to Columbus in 2016. Andrew lives in Galena with his wife Anna and works in the pharmaceutical industry.

Andrew was elected President in 2023.

Carmen Reynolds – Vice President

Carmen grew up in Hilliard, Ohio and despite her brother attending and playing lacrosse for Ohio State, Carmen chose to go to Michigan. She graduated in 2012 with an Informatics degree and also played basketball for the University. After graduating, she played professional basketball overseas for 5 years before relocating back to her hometown. She is now a Business Intelligence Developer at the Ohio Hospital Association and is a proud resident of Franklinton. In her free time she enjoys fostering dogs, volunteering in her community, and playing sand volleyball.

Carmen has been a member of the Board since 2018 and was elected Vice President in 2023.

Susan Van Der Weele – Secretary

Susan graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA from LS&A in 1978. A native of Kalamazoo, Susan grew up all over the Midwest (moving more than the national average of 11 times before starting high school). She started high school in Coshocton, Ohio (a hot bed of OSU fans) and graduated in Plymouth, Michigan (14 miles from Ann Arbor). After graduation, Susan moved to Naperville, Illinois where she worked in a small suburban bank. She moved to Columbus in November of 1980 (the week of the Ohio State game) to work for Huntington National Bank in their International Operations area. Susan has been active in the community, volunteering for Honor Flight – baking cookies for the volunteers, helping raise money to send veterans on the trip to D.C., and placing markers on veterans graves over memorial day weekend. She is also very active with the Daughters of the American Revolution currently serving as Regent of her local chapter (Ann Simpson Davis), the state historic preservation chairman and the national vice chairman for the President General’s project. She was also the first person to serve two terms as the Columbus Picnic With the Pops volunteer board president, also served as secretary, database chairman and parking chairman.

Leslie Rosen – Treasurer

Leslie (Klein) Rosen graduated from the University of Michigan in 1969 with a B.A. in Education. A native of Cleveland, she moved to Columbus that fall to study for a Master of Arts in Early Childhood, also from that school which will remain nameless. Leslie taught first grade in the Westerville City School District for 35 years. After retirement, Leslie supervised student teachers at Otterbein University for 10 years. She now volunteers for Westerville City Schools.

Though an Ohio native and a long-time Columbus resident, be sure that her blood runs true-blue!

Leslie has been a member of the Board since 1988. She served as Treasurer from 2001-2016, Secretary from 2016-2018, and now Treasurer again starting in 2023.

David Ingmire – Past President

David graduated in 2006 from Michigan with a BA in Economics. He was born right on the Ohio-Michigan border growing up in Bedford, living less than a mile from Ohio during his formative years. After graduation from Michigan, David spent two years living in Columbus before heading off to Chicago. In mid-2016, he recently moved back to Columbus living with his wife and two daughters in Upper Arlington.

While in Chicago, David spent 6 years on the Chicago Board, the largest Alumni Club outside the state of Michigan. He served as Vice President and Treasurer while on the Chicago Board. Currently, he is a Senior Manager at Rogue Fitness leading their Project Management Office.

In his spare time, he enjoys CrossFit, running, eating, and spending time with his wife and two daughters.

David has been a member of the Board since 2016 and was the President in 2023.

Members At Large

Cheryl Chapekis

Cheryl Chapekis – LSA A.B. 1977, MBA 1981. Cheryl and her husband Andy moved from Ann Arbor to Columbus in 1989 for Andy’s medical career as an interventional cardiologist with Ohio Health. They love Columbus, but of course their two daughters left Columbus for U-M, and their family has 10 Michigan degrees among them! Always connected to Michigan, Cheryl and Andy got involved with the Central Ohio Alumni Club in 2005 after attending a Michigan event. That became the link for their involvement. She and her husband also represent Michigan with assigned local high schools as Alumni Recruiters through the office of undergraduate admissions, represent Michigan at college fairs, and were on the Alumni Student Recruiter advisory panel as out-of-state representatives. Cheryl and Andy are also Central Ohio co-chairs for the “Victors for Michigan” campaign, and serve on the national board for the Student Support pillar of the campaign. Out-of-state student financial aid is one of their priorities to help develop. Look for Cheryl around town driving her Volvo SUV with the Ohio license plate “ANNARBR”! Cheryl and Andy encourage all Michigan alumnus to get involved – it is a wonderful network of great people here in Central Ohio!! Besides their Michigan involvement, Cheryl and Andy are long-time advocates for education; Cheryl has been involved in Dublin Schools and other education initiatives in the Columbus metro area for over 25 years, currently involved with the Dublin ACT Coalition – dedicated toward public education about adolescent substance use and mis-use.

Sam Fata

Sam graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA from LS&A in 1982. While at Michigan Sam was an officer of AIESEC-Michigan the local committee of an international student organization. The organization then and today raises international traineeships. During his time as an officer the Michigan committee achieved recognition as the national organization of the year. After graduating Sam took a traineeship in the Philippines. During his time in the Philippines he met his wife Melissa. He earned a J.D. in 1992. He began a career in banking in the late 80’s and today works for JP Morgan Chase. He survives life in Columbus through involvement with the Alumni Association as well as being an active member of the Order Sons of Italy and the Knights of Columbus.

Sam first joined the Board in 1999. He rejoined the Board in 2013, was the Treasurer 2016 – 2022, and is now a member of the Board.

Ann Gabriel

Ann Gabriel graduated from the University of Michigan in 1971 with a BBA in Accounting. She spent 13 years at the accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand. Two of those years were in the national office in New York. She is a Broadway nut so she loved being so close to the theaters. As often happens in public accounting, Ann was recruited by a client and served as Controller of ChemLawn Corporation for 5 years. When ChemLawn was bought out, she decided to move to academia. Ann earned a PhD at OSU (it was easier than her undergrad at Michigan) and taught for 25 years. She spent 8 years at Notre Dame and 17 at Ohio University where she served as the Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) for 7 years. As the FAR, she worked with the athletic department and represented OU with the Mid American Conference and the NCAA. Going to the Bowl games as part of the official party which was very neat.

Ann is a native of Upper Arlington, Ohio. Asked why someone from the heart of Buckeye Country would go to TTUN, she replied, “To get an education.” Now retired, Ann has returned to Upper Arlington and is active in the community. She is the treasurer of 3 organizations including the Upper Arlington Community Foundation. She also serves on the board of the Ohio University Foundation, an insurance company, and the Audit Committee of the State of Ohio. Still a Broadway nut, she enjoys the theater series in Columbus as well as the productions at Otterbein University. While not as good as the Musical Theater program at UM, the Otterbein theater department is excellent.

Sherri Howard

Sherri graduated from the University of Michigan in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. Sherri is a native of a small suburb of Chicago, IL called Long Grove. While at Michigan, she competed on the U-M Senior Synchronized Ice Skating Team and Freestyle Skating Team. After graduating in 2010, she went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Northwestern University in 2012. She moved in Columbus in 2012 where she worked in Orthopedics for 3 years. She is currently practicing as a Dermatology Physician Assistant for the Dermatologists of Greater Columbus. In her free time, she enjoys exercising, ice skating, playing with her cat Teeny and spending time with friends.