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CLEVELANDINTERN.NET IS AN INITIATIVE OF
THE NORTHEAST OHIO COUNIL ON HIGHER EDUCATION (noche)
ANN WOMER BENJAMIN
Executive Director, NOCHE (Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education)
Ann Womer Benjamin, former Director of the Ohio Department of Insurance, is the newly appointed Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education (NOCHE). NOCHE represents the region’s 26 universities and colleges and links higher education with the business community through a variety of advocacy, work force, and economic development projects.
Ann has a deep knowledge of public policy and is well-known and recognized throughout the state as a consensus builder. Her experience running the Ohio Department of Insurance – a state agency with a $30 million annual budget and staff of 265 – as well as her keen appreciation for NOCHE’s pivotal role and new strategic direction uniquely qualify her to lead the implementation of NOCHE’s strategic plan.
In her most recent position as Director of the Ohio Department of Insurance, she regulated the insurance industry in
Ohio and protected consumers through one of the largest consumer protection units in the state. Additionally, she served eight years in the Ohio House of Representatives, serving on the Finance and Appropriations Committee, chairing the Criminal Justice Committee, and providing leadership on numerous higher education, work force and economic development issues.
Womer Benjamin received her Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from
Vanderbilt
University and her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and practiced law in Canton and
Cleveland . Recognized for her public service, Womer Benjamin was inducted into the Shaker Heights High School Hall of Fame and her law school honorary, Society of Benchers. She was chosen as Aurora’s Citizen of the Year in 2001 and was awarded
Ohio
University ’s Phillips Medal of Public Service in 2004.
A resident of Aurora in
Portage
County, Womer Benjamin was appointed to the State Board of Education as an at-large member by the Governor in December 2006 for a term ending on Dec. 31, 2010.
To contact Ms. Womer Benjamin: 216.420.9200 x224 or awomerbenjamin@noche.org
BRENDA J. DAVIS SMITH
Program Manager
Brenda J. DavisSmith is the Program Manager for NOCHE’s ClevelandIntern Initiative. Building on her extensive background in career services and information technology, she facilitates the increase of brain gain through the improvement and expansion of experiential learning opportunities in the region. Her strength in translating user needs into program design and function is appreciated by employers, schools, and students.
Prior to joining NOCHE, Brenda managed the John Carroll University Career Services databases. While at JCU, she was a key player in designing and implementing ClevelandIntern.net, the success of which led to expansion of the service region-wide, the move of the program to NOCHE in 2005, and the transition to NEOintern.net, which is currently in progress.
Brenda has been in the IT sector since before it was a standard career path. She was a distribution systems analyst for Cole National Corporation, assisting with the design, implementation, and management of a distribution/inventory control/P.O.S. system integration and ultimate upgrade.
Brenda’s commitment to life-long learning is exhibited by her many certifications in programming protocols and languages as well as content management systems and e-marketing technologies.
When not working on NOCHE initiatives, Brenda’s creativity is also in demand for freelance web design and content management. Additionally, she manages the engagements, promotions, and contracts for Stratos, her husband’s eclectic band.
To contact Ms. Smith: 216.420.9200 x223 or bdavissmith@noche.org
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