Our Team
Our Team
Our Dedicated Grace House Staff and Board Members
Holly Klein
MNPM, RN
Co-Founder and
Executive Director
Holly Klein, MNPM, BSN, is the Executive Director and Co-Founder. Sixteen of Holly’s twenty-five years as a registered nurse have been spent providing hands-on care and leadership in hospice and palliative care. She has a baccalaureate degree in Nursing and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management.
Early in her career she was inducted onto the Cornelius Leadership Congress and received the Barbara Mims Distinguished Nurse Award. In 2021 she was honored as “A Notable in Healthcare” by Crain’s Business Cleveland. She serves as a consultant for the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program and is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Office of Palliative Care at Northeastern Ohio Medical University. In 2025, Holly received The Smart Woman Award from Business Insider Online for her forward thinking and moving Grace House from a dream to a reality.
On the personal side, Holly is a wife and mother to 5 children. She spends her free time spending time with her family, attending athletic events, and reading or listening to a great podcast.
Ashley Manning
Director of Development
& Communications
Ashley is a mission-driven fundraising professional with a decade of experience in non-profit administration, communications, and project management. Known for her strategic approach and collaborative spirit, Ashley consistently focuses on building strong relationships to drive meaningful impact. Her work is grounded in a deep commitment to advancing organizational missions through sustainable growth and donor engagement.
Outside of her professional life, Ashley enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Jay, and their daughter. She is also a proud cat owner and an avid reader, always eager to dive into a good book during her downtime.
Sarah Jones
Marketing Coordinator
Sarah, driven by a desire to contribute to a cause greater than herself, with an unwavering commitment to purposeful work and making a difference in the lives of those in need, set her sights on the nonprofit sector, leading her to Grace House.
Sarah’s decade of experience in marketing equips her to navigate the mission at Grace House to amplify the organization’s initiatives and build a better, more compassionate world.
As a Marketing Coordinator, she is dedicated to developing and implementing strategic marketing campaigns that raise awareness, engage the community, and drive support for Grace House’s noble endeavors.
Rica Keith
Executive & Operations Coordinator
Rica is an Executive and Operations Coordinator at Grace House and proud alumna of The University of Akron. She is a dynamic leader, community advocate, and the founder of The Emerald Peacock & Emerald Heart Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering and uplifting diverse communities.
Rica is deeply committed to service and leadership. She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., where she continues to champion sisterhood, scholarship, and service. She serves as an ANPHC Delegate, bringing her passion for collaboration and community engagement to the forefront of her work.
Her leadership extends across several boards and organizations, including Leadership Akron Diversity on Board (Class 7), Akron Community Foundation’s Emerging Philanthropist Program (Class 4), Project Learn, the Black Giving Collective Advisory Board, Towpath Trail High School, and Middlebury Academy.
Rica exemplifies excellence, philanthropy, and leadership in every endeavor.
Candy Hilton
M.Ed., BSN, RN
RN House Manager
Candace Hilton, M.Ed., BSN, RN, brings over two decades of experience in gerontological and palliative & hospice nursing, anchored in a deep commitment to equity, dignity, and compassion. As RN House Manager, Candy ensures the delivery of holistic end-of-life care to our residents. Her leadership spans hospice coordination, health education, and staff development, reflecting a career centered on service, healing, and advocacy. A Kent State alumna with a background in health promotion, Candy has also facilitated numerous community education initiatives. Her warmth, insight, and faith-infused service make her a transformative caregiver and a promising voice for change in nonprofit governance.
Candy is a wife and mother to a beautiful daughter. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Candy also enjoys reading and journaling.
Demi Bengston
MPH
Volunteer Coordinator
Demi was born and raised in Summit County and has been working with the geriatric population in both volunteer and professional roles for over a decade. Demi graduated from Ohio University in 2013 and earned her master’s in public health, health policy and management, from Kent State University in 2018. Demi joined the Grace House Akron team in December 2021 after “totally manifesting this position” when she spoke out loud “I want a job in a startup environment, one where I can help people, and preferably it be in hospice” BAM Grace House Akron appeared. She has a passion for meeting and getting to know new people and truly enjoys putting together policies and procedures. The Grace House team also refers to Demi as our Director of Happiness.
When she isn’t at Grace House, Demi can be found spending time with her daughter, and son, meal prepping or planning their next “daycation” with family and friends.
Cindy & Nick Browning
Co-Founders
Our Board Members
Jon Fiume
Chairperson
Akron Art Museum
Mark Schikowski
Immediate Past Chairperson
Cohen & Company
Dave Pastir
Vice Chairperson
Higley Construction
Jane Penttilla
Secretary
Retired, Summa Health
Chuck Abraham
Treasurer
Chuck Abraham Consulting
Becky Newman, MBA
Treasurer Direction
Chief Financial Officer of Direction Home, Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities
Dr. Steven Radwany
Medical Director
The Ohio State Medical Center
Holly Klein
Executive Director
Anne Armao
SummaCare
Nicholas Browning
Humane Society of Summit County
Joleen Cichinelli
Retired, The Huntington National Bank
Elizabeth England
Kaz Company
Terry Glidden
Retired, Dominion Energy
Randy Godding
Knox Marketing, Inc.
Julie Gorecki
Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital
Jack Hinnenberg
Brennan, Manna & Diamond
Megan Kleidon
Red Oak Behavioral Health
Lori Lawrence
Oriana House
Beth Mullen
Ascension HR
Barb Palmisano
Retired, NEOMED
Peter Wiley
First Congregational Church of Hudson
Patricia Wyatt
North Hill Community House
Larry Young
L-Phire Properties and Improvement
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