Board of Trustees

Robert Mecum

Board Chair

Robert Mecum has served as CEO of Lighthouse Youth and Family Services for 41 years, and is now an organizational consultant, working with non-profit organizations. He served The Crossroads Center as its Interim CEO and served as Interim CEO of the Center for Addiction Treatment. Bob and his wife Mary Kay are the happy grandparents of six grandchildren.

Dr. Babette Plummer Craig

Board Vice Chair

Dr. Babette Plummer Craig is a native Cincinnatian. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University in 1974 and her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 1989. Her years of clinical training included work at the Children’s Hospital of Cincinnati, the Pauline Warfield Lewis Center (formerly, Longview State Hospital), The Millcreek Psychiatric Center for Children, the Court Psychiatric Center of Hamilton County, and the Rollman Psychiatric Institute.

Dr. Craig retired, in 2012, from the Cincinnati Veterans Medical Center after more than twenty-three years of employment. In her semi-retirement, Dr. Craig continues to work in private practice at Legacy Psychological Services in North College Hill. She treats people with mood disorders, trauma issues, substance abuse problems, family discord, and cross-cultural issues.

Dr. Craig has held professional memberships with the American Psychological Association, the Ohio Psychological Association, the Association of Black Psychologists, the Cincinnati Psychological Association, and the Cincinnati Association of Professional Psychology. An advocate of strong families, Dr. Craig has served on various boards in the community focusing on issues of children’s advocacy and domestic violence. Some of the boards have included Women Helping Women and the Citizen Advisory Committee of Wyoming, Ohio. Dr. Craig is an active member of Zion Baptist Church and serves in various ministries, such as the Trustee Board, the Usher Board, the Sunday School Ministry, the ZBC Memorial Scholarship Committee for high school graduates, and the chairperson of the ZBC Health and Wellness Ministry. Dr. Craig is married. She is the mother of two sons and three grandchildren.

John Affleck-Graves

Board Secretary and Treasurer

John Affleck - Graves is a professor of Finance at the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. He has been on the faculty of Notre Dame since 1986 and served as Executive Vice President of the University from 2004 to 2019. Before joining Notre Dame, he was on staff in the Department of Mathematical Statistics and the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town from 1974 to 1986. He previously served on the boards of several public companies, and other non-profit Boards.

James Kirtley

Board Finance Chair

James Kirtley graduated from Marshall University (BBA-Banking and Finance) and Xavier University (MBA-Accounting Concentration). After serving with the US Army, he began a career with General Motors, retiring as an Executive, Supply Chain Management. Jim began a second career as an accounting instructor at several colleges and universities, retiring from Northern Kentucky University in 2020. During this time, provided Audit, Accounting, and, Tax Services to local Home Owner Associations and social organizations.

Jim has served on the Board of Directors for the United Way of The Mahoning Valley, the United Way of Trumbull County, and the Youngstown Symphony Society.

Jim and his wife Georgann have been married 55 years. They have four sons, one who is deceased. His youngest resides in London, England. 

Mary Kay Brown

Board Member

Mary Kay Brown was the Coordinator of the Regional Autism Advisory Council (RAAC) of Southwest Ohio for nine years. She has nearly fifty years of experience working for children and families within the child welfare, juvenile justice, developmental disabilities, and mental health community. Her work has included developing, implementing, and administering services for a multi-system service delivery system for children with intense needs, including children with autism spectrum disorders. Her special interest is in dual diagnosis (developmental disabilities/mental health). Much of Kay’s experience has been in developing collaborations with public and private systems to better serve children and families in the Hamilton County, Ohio community. She was the parent of an adult son with multiple disabilities and an adjunct instructor at the University of Cincinnati School of Social Work on disability issues. Although retired, she remains active on several boards and committees.

Charles Wright

Board Member

Charles is currently leading his own consulting company (Wright Direction). Consulting work focuses on advising businesses and facilitating methods to improve organizational performance, implementing change management, and evaluating for better performance.

With 23 years of experience at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Charles Wright has a wealth of knowledge and expertise. He began in Community Impact, where he was responsible for Outcome/Evaluation Systems, Program Investment, and Supporting Integration. His last four years were spent in an executive role as Chief Strategy and Operating Officer. Charles's contributions were recognized with the staff excellence award, and he served on several task forces for United Way Worldwide – including Standards of System Excellence.

Charles has other roles in the community. He served on the Board of the Southwest Ohio Workforce Investment Board and Chaired the evaluation subcommittee. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati (for the last 14 years) teaching Evaluation, Macro Communities, and Social Welfare Policy (both graduate and undergraduate).

Charles's academic and direct service experience has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the social welfare sector. He attended college at Wright State University for his undergraduate degree and the University of Cincinnati for his graduate degree. In 20010, he was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Cincinnati. Charles has ten years of working in direct service, including working as a child abuse investigator for Hamilton and Greene Counties, foster care case management, youth development leadership, and drug/alcohol prevention.

Jean Sepate

Board Member

Jean Sepate has been a Social Worker for over 40 years. She was the Chief Operating Officer at Lighthouse Youth Services for 30 years. In addition to many years of mentoring and supervising social work students, she also taught at the UC School of Social Work. In retirement she continues to be involved in the Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and serves on other nonprofit boards in addition to community volunteer work.

Charles Kelly

Board Member

With over 43 years of experience in leadership roles, Charles has held various positions such as Financial Analyst, Payroll Manager, Director of Planning and Development, Chief Administrator, and Executive Director. He has been actively involved in the community through coaching, managing, fundraising, sponsoring, and advocating for youth athletics and parental inclusion. Additionally, Charles has served on multiple boards and held offices on some of them, after receiving training at the United Way Project Blue Print. He has spearheaded community-oriented programs that promote diversity, inclusion, and social equity, with support from multiple businesses and individuals. Charles has also played a role in providing transitional housing for abused and homeless women and their children.

Sherwin Beatty

Board Member

Sherwin Beatty is currently Vice President of  PNC Bank, partners with companies throughout the mid-west to provide acquisition, working capital, and general commercial financing for businesses. He also partners to provide other financial services including Treasury Management, Wealth Management, Investments, Mergers & Acquisitions, Foreign Exchange, International Services, Derivatives, Equipment Leasing, Pension/401k, and Private Banking. He has worked in the Greater Cincinnati area for nearly thirty years. Sherwin has a wide scope of banking knowledge for commercial businesses. He has extensive experience with Manufacturing, Distribution, Service, Not for Profit, and Healthcare Companies. In addition to his wide scope of knowledge, Sherwin is a Certified Women's Business Advocate. Sherwin loves to golf and keep up with his favorite sports teams. He enjoys spending time with his wife and family.

Dr. Roberto Soria

Chief Executive Officer/Chief Medical Officer

Roberto Soria. MD is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer for The Crossroads Center. He has been with the agency since 2001. Dr. Soria has been involved extensively with academia, hospital systems, private practice, for profits, and non-profits, but his passion is community medicine. He completed his Residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin Internal Medicine. While there, he also completed a Fellowship in Addiction Medicine as well. Years later, Dr. Soria completed his second Residency at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s General Adult Psychiatry. Some of his past practice positions include Director for Clinical Development, Division of Addiction Sciences, University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine and later to Interim Co-Director, Division of Addiction Sciences, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He was also the Medical Director of the Bethesda Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs for TriHealth.

Marcia Cole

Board Member

Marcia Cole graduated from Wake Forest University (BA-Sociology) and Appalachian State University (MA-Community Education).  Marcia holds a 45-year career in not-for-profit management in North Carolina, having spent 15 years as Campaign Director for United Way of Forsyth County, 18 years as Blood Program Director and Executive Director for the Northwest North Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross, 4 years as the CEO of he Peaks to Piedmont Girl Scout Council and 8 years as President of Marcia Cole Consulting.  Among the recognition Marcia earned during her career are the United Way Outstanding Leadership Award, the American Red Cross North Carolina Leadership Award, the Making a Difference Award for her work following Hurricane Floyd and the Susan Ivey Women’s Leadership Award, Winston-Salem. 

Marcia served on many non-profit Boards during her many years in North Carolina, and in addition to Crossroads, currently serves on the Anderson Township Senior Center Advisory Committee and is President of the Eastside Newcomers Club.  Marcia and her husband, Rick, have been married for 30 years.  They have three grown children, two grown grandchildren, three pre-teen grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  They’ve lived in Anderson Township since moving to Ohio in 2019.