Media contact:
Leah Spellman
APR Director of Communications
Columbus College of Art & Design
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) is pleased to announce the appointment of seven new trustees to its Board of Trustees and that Jeni Britton, Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, will take the helm as Chair. The new trustees were elected during a CCAD Board of Trustees meeting on June 22, 2021 and are eligible to serve three-year terms, effective July 1, 2021. Britton will serve a two-year term as Chair.
The seven new trustees are:
- Darci Congrove, Managing Director, GBQ Partners
- Leigh Householder, Managing Director, Strategy, Syneos Health
- Jana Litsey, Senior Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
- Pete Mattingly, Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase
- Urvi Patel, Founder, CEO & Leadership Coach, Urvi Patel Coaching
- Neil Shah, Vice President, Finance, Cardinal Health
- Primus Suffren Jr., Project Executive, Continental Building Company
“These seven new trustees represent the breadth of impact CCAD has in our community, the importance of the creative economy to our region, and the diversity of talent in leadership positions across Columbus,” says Dr. Melanie Corn, President of CCAD. “I'm excited for what they will bring to the Board as key supporters of and advocates for the college.”
The CCAD Board of Trustees is charged with the stewardship of the college and the responsibility of assuring that the institution remains strong, viable, and among the leaders in art and design education. The 28-person board operates with thoughtful oversight of the college's academics, finances, and facilities and their management by the college’s administration. Trustees are cultural, community, and business leaders who serve as volunteers, contributing their time, treasure, and talent to CCAD.
"I got my creative start at Columbus College of Art & Design as a kid attending Saturday Morning Art Classes, and I've been a champion and supporter of the college ever since,” says Britton. “Jeni’s, as a company, has benefited from CCAD and its graduates and so has Columbus and the world. Our city is the thriving hub of culture and commerce that it is because of generations of CCAD artists, designers, and entrepreneurs. I'm thrilled to continue to support the college and the next generation of creative thinkers through this new role as chair."
The new trustees bring a range of perspectives and lived experiences, reflecting CCAD’s ongoing commitment to intentional inclusivity and the work of the Presidential Commission on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. CCAD educates an increasingly diverse population of students from around the world who are poised to shape culture and commerce at the highest level. Cultivating an equally diverse and dynamic group of trustees will ensure that CCAD remains one of the leading art and design schools in the nation.
