
Staff

Cindy Barber, Executive Director
Phone: (216) 702-8358
Cindy Barber began working in the local music industry just out of high school. She did inventory control for MCA, bookkeeping at WEA and was assistant buyer at the ABC branch. After earning college degrees Media and Communications, she co-founded the Cleveland Express newspaper in the late ‘70s, in addition to managing local bands. In the ‘80s, Barber became production manager for Northern Ohio Live magazine, a job which included editing program guides for Playhouse Square and other arts organizations. Barber started her own publishing consulting business in 1986, and also co-wrote a music column for the Cleveland Edition with fellow music journalist Anastasia Pantsios. In 1992, she helped launch the Cleveland Free Times as assistant publisher and was moved into the editor’s position three months later. During her six years in that position, the paper won many awards including awards for Barber’s own writing. During this time she served on the national board of the Association for Alternative Newsweeklies. After the Free Times, she spent a year as editor of Northern Ohio Live. She then turned her energy to her own North Collinwood neighborhood, where she co-founded the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern in March 2000, a concert venue that has become a favorite stop to hundreds of national touring bands. She has served as president of the board of her local CDC, Northeast Shores Development Corporation, and was also president of Arts Collinwood, when the organization won a Northern Ohio Live Achievement Award in Economic Development for its work in North Collinwood. Ms. Barber has also served on the City of Cleveland’s Fair Housing Board, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, and the former Cleveland Music Group. In 2007, she was honored with a Cleveland Arts Prize for Distinguished Service to the Arts.

Maura Rogers, Programming Manager
Maura Rogers is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University, where she studied voice and received a degree in English and Theater. She started her artistic career at Great Lakes Theater Festival and spent nearly a decade invested in directing and acting. In the last decade, Maura has worked as a singer-songwriter in Cleveland and has released five albums since her solo debut in 2010. Her band, Maura Rogers and The Bellows, have built a supportive fanbase in Cleveland and have toured throughout the United States sharing their unique Americana sound with appreciative audiences.

David Kennedy, Music Incubator Programming Manager
David Kennedy has been helping musicians and music professionals achieve their goals for twenty years, through education, production, collaboration, planning, technology, and networking. David was program manager of Recording Arts and Technology at Cuyahoga Community College for a decade and his graduates have gone on to make #1 hits and record gold and platinum records, and work on national and international tours with Beyonce, Jay-Z, The Who, The Black Keys, Rhianna, Madonna, Panic! at the Disco, Death Cab for Cutie, Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Future, Drake, Eminem, Widespread Panic, and many more. David produces and records constantly, writes electronic music, provides advice for dozens of music pros, and continues to teach recording and production as an adjunct professor.

Ryan Laubenthal, Video and Live Streaming Manager
Ryan has a background in audio and photography and runs his own studio, Onion House Productions. He is involved with many of the technical aspects of the CRPPF stream and video documentation efforts. As a part-time performer before the Covid days, he is personally invested in the effort to keep local venues alive and to make sure that as many career musicians as possible weather the storm and come out on the other side.

Kim Henderson, Marketing Graphic Designer
Kim is a graduate of Ohio University, where she holds a bachelor’s degree in Visual Communications with a minor in art and journalism/marketing. Her early experience includes design and marketing roles with Music Today, Germain Amphitheater, Beulah Park Racetrack and Event Center and Sherwin Williams. Over the past decade and then some, she has worked in the publishing industry while also serving the local community with their graphic design, web design, branding, and marketing needs. Her passion for design and marketing have led to freelance clients spanning a plethora of industries including music, life coaching, automotive, agriculture, tourism, city programming and more. Kim has been a dedicated volunteer for the Cleveland International Film Festival since 2012. On the weekends, this proud Clevelander can be found at various local festivals slinging Cleveland-centric apparel for her small business or enjoying live music at one of the many amazing local venues.

Sarah Kennedy, Strategy and Operations Consultant
Sarah Kennedy is the Founder and Principal of SKG Consulting. Sarah’s background includes extensive experience in corporate communications, publishing, non-profit governance, and new project start-ups. From helping to launch a multi-million-dollar international imprint, to founding Collinwood’s Waterloo Arts, Sarah has worked on projects large and small that brought together resources, teams and creative approaches for maximum impact. Sarah provides a range of responsive solutions for non-profits and start-ups, including strategic planning, coaching, and full-service development assistance – from grant writing and research to marketing and communications.
Sarah puts her passion for community building and engagement to work helping organizations of all sizes achieve successful transitions. From building a new business model to launching a new event, reconnecting with constituents to jumpstarting a stalled board, Sarah is happiest when she’s helping groups work well and achieve their mission.

Lisa Paul Sierk, Fund Development Consultant
Phone: (216) 926-1702
Lisa has worked with non-profit organizations as a volunteer for decades, and began her professional development career after being recruited from one of her volunteer positions in 1995. In 2000, Lisa relocated to Dallas, Texas to manage the Komen Race for the Cure® Series (100+ 5k events, nationwide). At Komen Headquarters, Sierk focused on developing and maintaining relationships with high-level corporate sponsors, coordinated media buys, designed and implemented training programs for affiliate volunteers and coordinated representation, attendance and evaluation of race day activities, all with an eye to serving the corporate partner. Next Sierk returned to Cleveland to serve as the first fundraising professional hired for The Gathering Place. Here, she provided staff leadership on a successful $3 million capital campaign, expanded individual donor base and increased the annual fund campaign, established a planned giving society and secured estate planning gifts, and oversaw special events as well as cause-related marketing initiatives and the public relations plan.
Since 2005, Lisa has worked in support of local organizations looking to broaden their support and public awareness, in both the for profit and not-for-profit sectors. She has served grass roots organizations with annual budgets of less than $1M to national affiliates; client highlights include American Red Cross, Cleveland Kids In Need, Journey of Hope, Neighborhood Alliance, and YWCA Greater Cleveland. Her clients most appreciate her vision, plan creation and excitement at executing the plan.