Executive Committee

JOHN R. ALLER, PCC, LICDC, Executive Director of the Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery, has a bachelor of arts in Psychology and a master of education in Community Counseling from Kent State University and currently holds both Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (L.P.C.C.) and Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor III (C.C.D.C. III) credentials. He has extensive experience in diagnosis and treatment of chemical dependency and mental health issues and has experience with focus on dual-diagnosed population. He has expertise in the holistic care of clients including implementation of treatment plans, diagnosis of clinical disorders, appropriate clinical interventions, short/long-term therapy and consultation and collaboration with appropriate community resources. Mr. Aller sits on various local and state committees and was recently appointed to the Governor's Advisory Panel for Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.

Mr. Aller joined the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board of Stark County in January 2002 as the Director of Program Services and in May 2006, was appointed the Executive Director. On January 1, 2008, the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board combined with the Mental Health Board to form the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Stark County and Mr. Aller was appointed as the executive director to lead the new board. John brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience of the behavioral health system and a compassion for quality that will be instrumental in helping the new board meet its goals.

WILLIAM GREEN is the superintendent of the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities. “Bill” has over 30 years of progressive experience supporting people with intellectual disabilities.

As superintendent, he provides leadership, management, and supervision to ensure 4,000+ people with developmental disabilities receive the services and supports they need across their lifetime.  Stark DD’s mission is “supporting choices and creating opportunities for people with disabilities and their families.” He, his Board, and the 375 employees work together each day to ensure that people with disabilities are healthy, safe, and living the life they desire.  

He has a bachelors in Liberal Studies from Ambassador University and a masters in Public Administration from The Ohio State University.

DEBORAH FORKAS, M.Ed., is the Executive Director of Stark County Job & Family Services (SCJFS).  Deborah has over 30 years of extensive experience and commitment to children, including previous employment as Director of Children, Youth and Families in Fairfax County, Virginia; Director of Children and Family Services for Cuyahoga County, Ohio and Deputy Executive Director for Social Services for Summit County, Ohio.  

As the Executive Director of SCJFS, she is responsible for a triple combined agency that includes Human Services, Child Support and Children Services.  The agency provides a variety of programs and services including Medicaid, Food Assistance, Child Care, Ohio Works First, establishment, enforcement, collection and disbursement of child support orders, assessment of child abuse and neglect, foster care and adoption services. Deborah is active on many committees and boards at the local level, including a board member of Stark County Family Council and Stark County Community Action Agency.

Deborah grew up in Lakewood, Ohio and graduated from Lakewood High School.  She earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Toledo, and a Master’s in Education from John Carroll University.  Deborah is married to Ronald A. Perger who is also from northern Ohio.

Angela Perisic currently serves as United Way of Greater Stark County’s (UWGSC) President and Chief Executive Officer.

Perisic graduated from The Ohio State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Business. From 1997 through 2018, she served in multiple fundraising roles at UWGSC including resource development, donor relations and campaign fundraising. In 2018, she graduated from the Advanced Leadership Program – a CEO preparation program at United Way Worldwide.  In her current role, she oversees fundraising for the organization and the strategic investment of the programming needed to create economic mobility.

Her natural talents include community collaboration, relationship building, and uniting teams. Her deep understanding of our community’s challenges, passion and experience provides continuity for the many that United Way serves – community partners, volunteers and donors.

“I strongly believe in the mission of the United Way and the work we do. We have an incredible team and a compassionate community behind us – one that’s invested not only in the United Way, but also in the idea of making Stark and Carroll Counties stronger. We have a strong legacy we need to honor and looking to the future, a great opportunity to reduce childhood poverty through investment into health, education and financial stability programming.”

In her off-time, she can be found in her hometown of Carrollton, spending time with her son, Ben, playing with her two dogs, Copper & Zoey, and enthusiastically supporting baseball, football and many other sporting events.

JUDGE HOWARD retired on December 31, 2016, after 12 years on the bench of the Stark County Court of Common Pleas, Family Court Division.

Judge Howard first served the Court from 1974 to 1979 as an Intake Officer and law clerk for Judge W. Don Reader. He returned to the Court in 1991 to serve as Magistrate and was elected Judge in 2004.

Judge Howard is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and The University of Akron School of Law. He was a Certified Public Accountant and Senior Tax Manager at the international public accounting firm of Deloitte in Seattle, Washington. While living in Seattle, Judge Howard was a volunteer Guardian ad Litem for abused and neglected children.

Judge Howard is past chair of the board of the United Way of Greater Stark County and of the Early Childhood Resource Center. The Judge also serves on the Care Team executive committee and the board of the Stark Education Partnership.

Judge Howard serves on the Advisory Boards of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the Center for Resilient Families at Arizona State University, the National Native Children’s Trauma Center at the University of Montana, and the Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice at the University of Connecticut.

Judge Howard co-authored “Children Who Have Been Traumatized: One Court’s Response” which appeared in the Fall 2008 special edition of the Juvenile & Family Court Journal, and “Development and Pilot of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Trauma-Informed Juvenile Court Self-Assessment” which appeared in the Summer 2019 special edition of the Juvenile & Family Court Journal.

DAN GICHEVSKI Is the Executive Director of Stark County Family Council. Dan became the Executive Director in October 2017. The vision of Stark County Family Council is that, “All children and families thrive and succeed with healthy communities.” Dan has the responsibility to serve the Board of Trustees and oversee the planning, direction and implementation of all Family Council programs and policies. Dan is tasked with providing leadership and guidance to the work of Stark County Family Council. The Stark County Family Council is a leader in community planning, working to promote a system of care that protects and enhances the well-being of children and families by building community capacity, coordinating systems and services, and engaging and empowering families.

Dan earned a Masters of Arts in Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll University. He completed his undergraduate studies, also at John Carroll University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Criminology Concentration. Dan is a graduate of the Spotlight Stark County program.

Dan has worked in the non-profit field since 2005, where he began his career as a program manager for men returning to their community from prison. In 2008, he began employment with Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority as the Section 8 Supervisor. As he continued in subsidized housing, Dan was appointed as the Executive Director of Harrison Metropolitan Housing Authority in 2012.

Dan is committed to many state and local committees that work towards providing opportunities to youth and their families and help to build a stronger, healthier community.

DAN LOWMILLER has worked in the field of education for more than 20 years and currently serves as the Executive Director of Teaching, Learning and Community Partnerships at the Stark County Educational Service Center.  He began his career in the Columbus City Schools serving as a classroom teacher and reading specialist.  Dan then worked for a non-profit foundation as a literacy trainer/consultant before moving back to Canton and accepting a principal position with the Canton City School District.  Dan was the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for the Green Local Schools in Summit County prior to joining the Stark County ESC as Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

Dan holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Kent State University and a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Cincinnati.  Mr. Lowmiller serves on various boards and committees for community organizations and enjoys traveling in his down time.

KIRKLAND NORRIS KIRKLAND NORRIS believes in open communication between the public, clients, customers, and community partners to achieve the betterment of health and safety within the Stark County community.  Kirkland has experience in collaboration, consultation, team building, professional development, strategic planning and implementation, and health planning.  Kirkland has over 28 years of public health experience and first started as a front line inspector working his way up through the ranks to Stark County Health Commissioner at the Stark County Health Department.  Kirkland holds an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and a Masters of Public Health through the Northeast Ohio Universities College of Medicine consortium – The University of Akron.

DR. JOHN RICHARD became president of the Stark Education Partnership (SEP) in 2021, leading the non-profit organization through a strategic planning process. Before joining SEP, he served as Deputy State Superintendent at the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) in Columbus for five years, previously serving as a senior executive director and associate superintendent for the ODE. He was the Associate Executive Director for OASSA overseeing professional development of principals across Ohio and served as Superintendent of Perry Local Schools in Stark County from 2005 until 2013. He also has been a part-time instructor at The University of Akron in the principal licensure program.

The education leader is enthusiastic about increasing the capacity of quality leadership to prepare students for their next step after high school and is an experienced speaker and facilitator, effectively working with diverse groups. He often facilitates leadership teams or groups through one- or two-day retreats. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mount Union, a master’s degree from Cleveland State University, and earned his doctorate at The University of Akron.

He has served on various boards, currently serving on the Strengthening Stark Governance Committee and University of Mount Union Alumni Association and M Club (athletics). He is involved at his local church and participates in a weekly multicultural Bible study. He enjoys running, hiking, boating, and traveling. He and his wife Kim have five children and an ever-increasing number of grandchildren!