Women's Endowment Fund welcomes new advisory board members

The Women's Endowment Fund is excited to welcome four new advisory board members in 2024.

Marie Brilmyer

Marie Brilmyer is a partner in the Assurance practice at Cohen & Company in Akron, Ohio. She has over 20 years of experience in public accounting and specializes in working with private companies and not-for-profit organizations. Her areas of expertise include: helping private companies with technical issues like revenue recognition, accounting for complex debt and equity instruments, and business combinations; consulting on accounting standards, internal control, and audit readiness; and performing audits in accordance with the Uniform Guidance.

Marie lives in Akron with her husband and their three children. They spend each weekend cheering on their kids at swim meets, baseball games and soccer matches. Marie is also an avid volunteer in the Akron community and for the accounting profession at state and national levels. Her professional advocacy focuses on the advancement of women in the accounting profession.

Holli Mallak

Holli Mallak is a nonprofit professional who thrives on building community and making a difference wherever she goes. Serving others has always been her purpose in life: improving lives and communities through grants and scholarships, board service, art shows, book clubs, neighborhood engagement and the practice of yoga. Her background consists of over 30 years of experience in the nonprofit world in Northeast Ohio and Shanghai, China.

Holli currently works at Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority in the Real Estate Department. She has a master's degree in Nonprofit Organizations from Case Western Reserve University and a bachelor's degree in Women's Studies from Bowling Green State University. She is a graduate of Leadership Akron Signature Class 20 and Leadership Ohio Class 7. She currently serves on the board of Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio, is a member of the Summit County Historical Society Women's History Project, and volunteers for the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

In her spare time, you can find Holli reading a book for one of her many book clubs, running on the towpath with friends, or perusing a local art gallery. She is married to Greg Wurgler.

Jen Meade

Jen Meade is originally from Rossford, Ohio and moved to Akron in 2013 to attend The University of Akron. She graduated in 2017 with a degree in Education and loves being a Zip! She has now called Akron home for the last 11+ years and is a Middlebury resident. 

As a sophomore at UA, she founded a non-profit program called Akron Hope that she ran as a volunteer for 4+ years. She then was presented an opportunity to bring the Akron Hope program to The Well CDC in 2018 to serve students and families at Mason CLC. She managed and executed the Akron Hope program while working part-time at the Knight Foundation as a Program Assistant. Jen has worked at The Well CDC for 6+ years and is currently the Fund Development Director and a member of its Leadership Team. 

Jen serves on The University of Akron Foundation's Stewardship & Women in Philanthropy Committee and is an Associate Board Member of the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition. She has also been selected as a Top 10 Senior from The University of Akron, was the first student recipient of the Elizabeth Buchtel Award from The University of Akron, received the Greater Akron Chamber's 30 for the Future, and the 5 Under 35 Alumni Award from The University of Akron.

Jen is excited to bring her well-rounded philanthropic perspective to the Women's Endowment Fund's board, while continuing to learn, grow, connect and lead with other powerful women.

Renee Scherick

Renee Scherick serves as Foundation Relations Officer for the Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at Kent State University. In this role, she is focused on relationships with foundations, locally and nationally, to increase grant revenue to support university priorities.

With over 20 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, she has held roles from Administrative Assistant to Income Development Manager at the American Cancer Society and Major Gifts Officer at Akron Community Foundation. 

Renee holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in management from Kent State and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). She is an active board and committee member for various organizations, currently serving as immediate past president for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Northeast Ohio Chapter, and is a member of Athena Akron.

Beginning early as a Gold Award Girl Scout, Renee is passionate about women's and girls' initiatives, especially the work of the Women's Endowment Fund and the community organizations it supports, and is a proud supporter of the Circle of Empowerment. 

In her free time, Renee enjoys spending time with family and friends traveling, exploring and spending time outdoors.