Leadership

David Gilbert,
President & CEO

David Gilbert took over the top spot at Positively Cleveland, the region’s convention and visitors bureau, in 2011. He simultaneously serves as president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, which pursues amateur athletic events.

Gilbert earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing from The Ohio State University and an M.B.A. from Cleveland State University.

Earlier in his career, Gilbert helped plan and market Cleveland’s lakefront district as executive director of North Coast Harbor, Inc. He also worked as director of corporate development for The Cleveland Play House. During an earlier stint at the visitors bureau, Gilbert developed two new, full-service visitor information centers and a nationally recognized welfare-to-work, hospitality career training program.

He serves on numerous boards, including for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.

When not busy extolling the virtues of Cleveland, Gilbert likes to travel, train for marathons and hang out with his family.

Hannah Belsito,
Director of Destination Development & Community Affairs

Hannah Belsito leads a team focused on improving visitors’ experiences through wayfinding and connectivity efforts, programs that engage the hospitality community and residents and a variety of other development initiatives.

Belsito holds a master’s degree in Urban Planning, Design & Development with a specialization in historic preservation from Cleveland State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from John Carroll University. Belsito has over 10 years of experience in civic engagement. Prior to joining Positively Cleveland, she was Program Director of The Cleveland Leadership Center’s Cleveland Bridge Builders program and worked for two programs of The Cleveland Foundation.

She’s lived in the Cleveland area for nearly 15 years and is a member of Lakewood’s Planning Commission.

Michael Burns,
Senior Vice President of Convention Sales & Services

Michael Burns oversees a sales team charged with bringing meetings and conventions to Cleveland.

Even though he joined Positively Cleveland in March 2012, Burns comes to the organization with three decades of experience. He’s got guru status when it comes to the hospitality industry.

Burns spent 22 years with Conferon (now Experient), a nationally known meeting planning company, as well as several years as executive vice president with DMI Hotels.

Born in Chicago, Burns moved to the Cleveland area in 1984. He’s an active member of the Professional Convention Management Association.

Leslie Graf,
Vice President of Finance & Administration

Leslie Graf is responsible for keeping tabs on all financial aspects of the organization. She also oversees Positively Cleveland’s finance, human resources and information technology staff, and oversees the administration of a 30-member board of trustees.

Before joining Positively Cleveland in 2007, Graf worked as an audit manager, specializing in the not-for-profit industry, and as a litigation consultant for Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Cohen and Company and Deloitte and Touche.

A lifelong Clevelander, except for a period when she lived in Atlanta and Roanoke, Graf earned her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Cleveland State University.

Colette Jones,
Vice President of Marketing

What makes Cleveland special? And how can the Positively Cleveland best spread the word? Colette Jones thinks about these things on a daily basis.

She came to Positively Cleveland after working as a marketing consultant for small, local businesses, and in sales and brand management for large corporations such as KeyBank, ConAgra Foods and the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.

Born in Shaker Heights, Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from Miami University in Oxford, OH, and an M.B.A. in Marketing from The Ohio State University. She’s an active member of The Historic Gateway Board and the Advisory Board for Campus International School, a Cleveland Metropolitan School District Innovative School.

Michael Mulhall,
Director of Partnerships

Mike Mulhall joined Positively Cleveland in 2012 and is charged with overseeing a team in charge of recruiting partners and spotting synergistic opportunities.

Before joining the organization, he spent 11 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, most recently as the senior director of ticket sales. Before that, Mulhall spent more than 10 years in the theme park industry, including time as a general sales manager and marketing director for Six Flags.

Born in Euclid the youngest of eight children, Mulhall earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from John Carroll University.

Bruce Akers
Former Mayor
City of Pepper Pike

Ron Berkman
President
Cleveland State University

Campbell Black
General Manager
InterContinental Hotels Cleveland

Julie Boland
Executive Director of Advisory Services
Ernst & Young

Art Falco
President and CEO
PlayhouseSquare

Karen Gahl-Mills
Executive Director
Cuyahoga Arts and Culture

Marcus Glover
General Manager
Horseshoe Casino

Greg Harris
President and CEO
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Marc Jacobs
General Manager
Sheraton Airport Hotel

Nathan Kelly
Deputy Chief of Staff, Development
Office of the County Executive Ed Fitzgerald

Jerry Kelsheimer
President and CEO
Fifth Third Northeastern Ohio

Len Komoroski
President
Cleveland Cavaliers

Evan Koppel
Regional Sales Director
United Airlines

Joe Kubic
President
The Adcom Group

Mark Leahy
General Manager
Cleveland Convention Center &
Global Center for Health Innovation

Ari Maron
Partner
MRN Developers

Paul Matsen
Chief Marketing Officer
Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Valarie McCall
Chief of Government Affairs
City of Cleveland

Bob Megazzini
Area General Manager
Cleveland Marriott Downtown

Tim Meyer
General Manager
Hyatt Regency at the Arcade

Jon Pinney
Partner
Kohrman, Jackson and Krantz

Chris Ronayne
President
University Circle Incorporated

Alec Scheiner
President
Cleveland Browns

Baiju Shah
CEO
BioMotiv LLC

Mark Shapiro
President
Cleveland Indians

William (Bill) Summers
Director and Advisor

Deborah Sutherland
Mayor
Bay Village

Rachel Talton
CEO
Synergy Marketing Strategy & Research

Jason Therrien
President
Thunder::tech

Daniel Walsh
Regional President
Huntington Bank

Brian Zimmerman
Executive Director
Cleveland MetroParks