Presenters
William Eugene Blake, B.S.
William Eugene Blake is a dynamic creative professional with a passion for music, media, and storytelling. As the Director of Programming for the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival, he curates performances and events that bring community together, celebrating culture through music. With over a decade of experience in live audio production, photography, videography, and journalism, he has worked on projects featuring artists like Morris Day & The Time, Ledisi, Tony! Toni! Toné!, 2 Chainz, PJ Morton, and more. Beyond the stage, William is a craftsman at creating engaging content and inclusive programming. His expertise in media and production extends to the art and science of podcasting, where he helps others refine their voices—both on the mic and behind the scenes—through his work with The Cue Media. His dedication to community impact is evident in his leadership roles with organizations such as the Akron Black Artist Guild, Summit County Arts & Culture Inclusion Council, Akron Urban League Young Professionals, the Akron Branch NAACP, Tiretown Golf Club, and Xi Chi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. With a keen eye for innovation and collaboration, William continues to develop meaningful experiences that inform, inspire, and connect audiences everywhere.
Duane Matthew Dodson, M.A.
Duane Dodson is an Assistant Professor of English at Stark State College in North Canton, Ohio, and a recent recipient of the Board of Trustees Strategic Excellence Award. In addition to teaching, Duane enjoys writing and reciting poetry, singing, directing, acting, and public speaking. Recurring engagements include serving as the annual judge for the Massillon Public Library's Annual Poetry Contest and Read-in as well as performing in "One Stop on the Road to Freedom," an annual dramatic presentation about the Underground Railroad, which is staged at Massillon's Spring Hill Historic Site.
Duane Dodson has been a first-place winner of the Massachusetts State Poetry Society’s National Poetry Day Contest, Margaret Reid Poetry contest for Traditional Verse (most Highly Commended, and Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest 2012, Finalist. Other publishing credits include AIM (America’s Intercultural Magazine), The Lyric, Poetry Guild Magazine, Abandon the Shadows, Winning Writers (Website), and Poets Collective.
Ace Epps
Ace Epps is a community builder, certified facilitator and business counselor who specializes in workforce development, financial literacy, and business creation. With over 23 years of working in the nonprofit sector and community outreach, Ace also hosted a weekly radio show on WAKR for 7 years. Ace produces local podcasters through his own company called The Self Advancement Center LLC/ Be You Podcasting Company.
Ace served as a Community Manager and Fellowship Director for Akron BMe Community, a national organization leading in Diversity, Inclusion and Equity. In 2019, Ace created a workforce development curriculum for a local nonprofit organization called OPEN M.
From 2019 through 2022, Ace also served as the Director of Inclusive Entrepreneurship for Akron based entrepreneur hub called Bounce innovation Hub.
Ace currently serves as the Community Manager for Chase Back covering the Akron Market and released his first book in 2023.
Mark Greer, B.M.
An Akron native, Mark Greer is an economic and community development professional and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Akron Bicentennial. Greer recently served as the City of Akron’s Great Streets Administrator and Small Business Manager.
He is the Founder and Principal of Ulysses McNeal Consulting, a full-service consultant firm specializing in economic and community development, neighborhood planning, urban renewal & spatial justice, strategic planning, and organizational culture.
As a public speaker, Mark enjoys engaging audiences through personal experiences and historical accounts of courage, ingenuity, adversity, redemption, and triumph.
Greer graduated from Bowling Green State University with a B.M., magna cum laude, in Music Performance, and Kent State University with a M.M. in Piano. An avid writer, historian, and documentarian, Mark maintains a private piano studio in Greater Akron, and serves as Assistant Pastor at The Family Church, a non-denominational ministry in Akron’s University Park Neighborhood.
Steve Kaufman M.Ed.
Steve has been an instructional designer for 19 years and is a Senior Instructional Designer and Strategic Initiatives Coordinator at the University of Akron. He serves as Chair of the Quality Matters Ohio Consortium, overseeing quality assurance initiatives statewide, and serves as Chair of the QM Instructional Designer Association, providing guidance on educational technology and online pedagogy.
Through his experience, he has been able to help grow online programs as well as provide insight and guidance into the course development process. He specializes in working one-on-one with faculty members to help them create dynamic, well-designed, objective-focused courses and frequently coaches faculty on the use of AI in academia.
Dave Lieberth, J.D.
Dave Lieberth is the President of the Akron History Center and the Executive Secretary of the Akron Bicentennial Commission. He is overseeing plans to celebrate Akron’s 200th birthday in 2025. From 2002 to 2012, he was Deputy Mayor of Akron. He is chairman emeritus of the Summit County Historical Society. He is a founder of the Leadership Akron program and chairs the Community Engagement Committee of Summa Health. He is a founding member of the LeBron James Family Foundation Advisory Board. In 2019, the Akron Community Foundation selected him to receive the annual Bert Polsky Humanitarian Award.
Alex Rieke
Alex Rieke is a student at the University of Akron, pursuing a degree in financial planning, and has his sights firmly set on becoming a financial advisor with Edward Jones. Towards that end Alex is already making strides interning as a branch office associate at Edward Jones and is loving the hands-on experience in the financial industry. On campus, because he has an identical twin who also attends Akron University, he is often times believed to be in two places at once. Beyond academics, Alex enjoys skiing, golfing and traveling. His passion for helping others extends beyond finance, as he hopes to become a community leader, making a lasting impact both professionally and locally.
Fredrick Nana Asomani Yeboah
Fredrick Nana Asomani Yeboah is an international student from Accra, Ghana with a deep passion for medicine and community leadership. He began his academic journey at Accra College of Medicine, where he pursued a Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB). In 2023, Fredrick relocated to the United States to reimagine his academic future and joined the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Akron, where he is now studying Biomedical Sciences as an honors student.
In addition to his demanding academic pursuits, Fredrick is the President of the Students of African American Brotherhood (SAAB), a position that demonstrates his dedication to community involvement and leadership. His path is characterized by tenacity, inventiveness, and an unwavering commitment to revolutionizing healthcare, with goals of enrolling in medical school and specializing in cardiology.
Dr. Sheldon Wrice
Sheldon Wrice is currently the Vice President for Community Engagement, Opportunity, and Belonging. He also serves as the Director of Pan-African Studies and Professor of Technical Writing and Composition. Prior to his present role, he served as Associate Dean for Multidisciplinary Studies and Education in the Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences, Chair of the Department of Associate Studies and Professor of Technical Writing and Composition at The University of Akron’s Summit College. He teaches Composition, Technical Writing, Diversity in American Society, and The Black Experience. He has also served as an adjunct graduate faculty member in the School of Library and Information Science at Kent State University.
He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Inc., 100 Black Men of Akron, Inc., and Sigma Pi Phi Inc.
Dr. Wrice was the inaugural chair of the DEIA Advisor Board for ARTS NOW, a member of the Board of Directors for Legacy III, Portage Path Behavioral Health and a former member of the Board of Trustees for Greenleaf Family Center.
Dr. Wrice received his Doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration from The University of Akron in May 1995. He also holds a M.A. in Urban Studies, an M.S. in Technical Education, a M.A. in Multicultural Education, a Master of Library Science degree, a MPA in Public Administration and a B.A. in English.
Dr. Wrice is a graduate of S.C. State University, Clark-Atlanta University, Georgia State University, The University of Akron, and Leadership Akron.