Board of Directors
The Plain Local Schools Foundation and Alumni Association is led by a volunteer board that represents alumni, parents, community members, former educators and advocates for public education.
The foundation is always looking for individuals to serve on event committees, alumni initiatives and community outreach. If you are interested in serving on a committee, contact us today!
Board of Directors
Suzi Lantz
PresidentBoard member since November 2019.
With a background in secondary education, coaching, and curriculum development Suzi has been active in helping individuals, teams and organizations reach their potential throughout her entire career. Suzi is a Partner and Leadership Consultant at GiANT (http://www.giantworldwide.com/). She has worked with organizations across industries to develop leaders who know how to identify and multiply leadership health and core competencies. She believes in empowering everyone to have a voice and has partnered to build GiANT’s DEI Inclusive Leadership program. Suzi and her husband Jason have two children in the district: Caris, who is a junior, and Joshua (JJ), who is a freshman. Both students are actively involved in cross-country, track, and various clubs and activities offered by our wonderful district.
Emily Palmer
Vice-PresidentBoard member since November 2019.
Emily’s background has allowed her to grow and serve students and teachers in social studies, AP, IB, gifted, athletic and academic programs in the Plain Local School District since 2000. She graduated from the University of Akron with a B.A. in Secondary Education and an M.A in Administration and a M.A. in Assessment, Program Evaluation and Data Analysis. Emily currently serves as the Director of School Improvement, Curriculum and Gifted Education at Strasburg-Franklin Local School District. Emily and her husband Chad, a high school STEM teacher, reside in Plain with their children, Isabella, a seventh grader at Oakwood and William, a fifth grader at Glenwood. Isabella and William enjoy participating in various school and community sports including Oakwood Cross Country, Nemesis Swimming and Akron Canton United Eagles Select Soccer.
Danielle Harper
SecretaryBoard member since January 2023.
Danielle has been a Plain resident for over 20 years. She loves Plain’s commitment to excellence and being community-minded. She has a background in education with a B.A. from Walsh University. She has worked in coaching, team development, community connections, and system development.
Danielle enjoys connecting to her community. She leads Love Local, which is an initiative that helps students and families with over 170 backpacks of food each week, holiday meals, and gifts. She also has been the president of a local booster club for eight years and currently is a fundraising director for Cheerville Athletics Ohio.
Danielle has two GlenOak alumni and two current high school students: Brandon who is actively involved as a captain of the cross country team, and participates in ski club and track, and Holly who is heavily involved with cheer and also participates in ski club.
Danielle loves connecting and coaching people by equipping them to pass on to others what they learned. She believes you only need to be one step ahead of someone to lead and equip them to make a difference and grow.
Tori Bell
Administrative AssistantAssistant since January 2022.
Tori Bell graduated from Malone University in 2014 with degrees in Early Childhood Education and Intervention Specialist. Tori taught in public schools for four years and coached volleyball before transitioning to staying at home with her children. She taught 3rd grade at Barr Elementary and loved the community and commitment to excellence.
Tori and her husband Rico live in Plain Township where they are raising their two little ones, Isaac (4) and Audrey (1). Tori is excited to still be able to help make an impact on the students’ lives in Plain and also help build a good foundation for her own children in the future.
Board Members
Denise Evans
Alumni Association Co-ChairBoard member since 2017.
Denise (Yohe) Evans graduated from GlenOak High School in 1982 and earned her A.A.B. in Business Management from Stark State College in 1984. She and her husband, Dan, have two sons that they are very proud of, Brad (GO 2014) and Brian (GO 2018). Denise is a full-time realtor with Cutler Real Estate for 18 years and is in the top 2% of Realtors in the state of Ohio. Denise loves to volunteer and is very involved in the community, including the Rotary Club of Plain Township, Plain Township Parks, and twirling with the GlenOak Alumni Band. Denise is very proud to be a GlenOak alumni and Plain Township resident and strongly believes in supporting locally owned businesses. Denise and her family give two scholarships each year to GlenOak seniors furthering their education in Video Production and American Sign Language.
Denise loves to travel with family and friends, visiting new places and exploring new adventures. Denise enjoys being social with friends, walking the many local trails with her husband and her dog, Pixel, and learning new skills and hobbies.
Melinda Wiles
Alumni Association Co-ChairBoard member since early 2021.
Melinda is a 1994 graduate of GlenOak High School. Melinda and her husband, Scott, have two children in the Plain Local School District. Dylan is a sophomore and a passionate tennis player. Olivia is a freshman and participates in volleyball, choir, and gymnastics.
Melinda obtained her bachelor’s of nursing degree from The Ohio State University. She also has her master’s degree in nursing. She has previously worked at Aultman Hospital for 20 years. Here, she worked in the Birth Center as their Outreach and Bereavement Coordinator and then in the Center for Professional Practice office. Melinda is currently working as an Adjunct Faculty Member in the Department of Nursing at the University of Mount Union. She is involved and supports efforts for pregnancy and infant loss and has also been involved with St. Baldricks to support research for childhood cancer.
Amanda DeFays
Board MemberBoard member since January 2023.
Amanda has been a lifelong resident of Plain Local, and graduated from GlenOak in 1997. Although she never imagined she would return to her alma mater to be a teacher, Amanda’s joy is truly in educating young people. After high school, she enrolled at the University of Mount Union and majored in Accounting and minored in Secondary Education. During this time, she performed her French horn with the Mount Union marching band, symphonic band and brass choirs. Upon graduation from Mount, she accepted a non-traditional teaching position with the Ohio Department of Youth Services at Indian River School for boys, teaching Microsoft Certification and office technology. She completed her MBA at Ashland University in 2007 with a concentration in Finance. In 2005, she was named the DYS Teacher of the Year and in 2011 she was named the Ohio Correctional Educator Teacher of the Year. She is passionate about connecting her students with the resources they need to fulfill their dreams.
When she is not teaching, Amanda continues to perform music with the Alliance Symphony Orchestra, is hitting the mall (her favorite hobby), or keeping up with the stock market and other current events. She is married to Adrien, and they have two amazing daughters – Piper and Danica. They are proud to continue to call Plain Township home.
Daniel Dunnivan
Board MemberBoard member since January 2023.
Kim Van Nostran Perduk
Board MemberBoard member since 2013.
Kim Van Nostran Perduk is a 1979 GlenOak High School graduate and currently an English Learner teacher (ESL) and the district’s case manager for the program working with our newcomers at the high school level. She is married to Dr. Ambrose Perduk, Jr., whom she met at GOHS. Ambrose is on the Plain Local School Board and has been a chiropractor for 35 years with his practice in Dover, Ohio. Together, they have three sons who have also graduated from GOHS. When not attending Plain Local functions, Kim’s hobbies are reading, traveling, and gardening.
Ginny Spring
Board MemberBoard member since 2020.
Ginny has been a resident in Plain for 20 years and has two children in the district. Nate is currently a senior at GlenOak High School and Elliana is in 8th grade at Oakwood Middle School. She is a 1991 graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Her professional career was a merchandise manager for JCPenney and is currently a sales lead manager for White House Black Marker and mentor for Perry Middle School through Leader Edge. She has been involved in many Stark County community fundraisers including chair for the 2014 Angel Auction and the 2019 Refuge of Hope Gala. She’s happily married to Brian Spring, President of Brookwood Property Management Co. and Danbury Assisted Living.
Emily Weiss
Board MemberBoard member since May 2021.
Emily Weiss attended the Plain Local School District for most of her life and graduated from GlenOak High School in 2014. She also stayed close to home for college, graduating magna cum laude and with Honors from Kent State University in 2017 with a B.A. in Applied Communication. After interning with The Karcher Group (TKG) the summer before graduation, she was hired full-time as a Digital Marketer and has been there since 2018. While working at TKG, she has gained various marketing skills such as keyword researching, understanding and applying SEO (Search Engine Optimization), blog and webpage writing, social media scheduling and advertising, and general website maintenance.
When Emily’s not working, you can find her spending time with her friends, family, and fiancé, taking photos or performing at various community theaters, including Weathervane Playhouse, Avenue Arts, Jackson Players, Kent State University at Stark Theatre, North Canton Playhouse, and Players Guild. She has also volunteered for multiple organizations, including Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron for their annual Easter Egg Hunt and Murder in the Mansion, United Way of Greater Stark County and its Young Leaders Society, and on Kent State University at Stark’s Honors Advisory Board.
Emeritus Members
Deceased
