Leadership Dayton Current Class

Robert is the Founder and Managing Director for 2 veteran owned technology startups, creator and Board Chairman for a non-profit, an entrepreneur, cyber evangelist, and supporter of social activism in K-12 education and STEM. His career has spanned the gamut from 1-person startups & incubators, small businesses to Fortune 100 companies! He loves education, technology, sharing ideas, mentoring young entrepreneurs, and meeting people with the same passion and energy to change the world. Robert works with all levels of stakeholders from front line engineers to Fortune 100 C-level executives and Generals.

Artist - Creative - Producer - Director - Playwright - Project Manager - Community Advocate & the Engagement and Learning Coordinator at The Human Race Theatre Company.

Amy Houghting is a second-generation Cox champion. While growing up, she heard stories from her aunt and uncle about their experiences working at the Dayton Daily News. She demonstrates her dedication to supporting the community through local journalism by creating healthy multi-media advertising campaigns for local, regional, and national businesses and developing confident sales talent.

Amy is an accomplished digital sales leader and coach with a laser focus on achieving strategic revenue growth. She leads through collaborative partnerships, building a high-performing team and aligning with the mission of her organization. She has successfully spearheaded the launch and development of highly profitable digital agencies for Paxton Media Group (Paducah, KY), the Toledo Blade and Cox First Media, delivering exceptional revenue growth and EBITDA performance.

Throughout her 28-year career, she has consistently introduced innovative digital marketing solutions, surpassing sales goals and growing revenue for sellers and clients. Amy fosters collaboration across markets and sales organizations to drive strategic revenue growth. She is passionate about ensuring that her clients succeed.

With a results-oriented and collaborative approach with both internal and external resources, she is a motivated leader who excels at problem-solving and exceeding objectives—and seeing that others do so as well.

Amy is a lifelong Daytonian. She attended Wright State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree with dual majors in Management Information Systems and Management Operations.

For fun, Amy loves to play cards. She will play euchre, spades, hearts, but she mostly loves playing poker. If she has free time and a poker room is near, that is where you will find her.

Stephanie Llacuna is first and foremost a mom two young adult daughters, a dog, and a cat. In addition to being a “horse-girl,” Stephanie is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) who is honored to serve as the Executive Director of the Therapeutic Riding Institute (TRI) in Spring Valley, Ohio, providing high quality and accredited equine assisted services in a safe, fun, and compassionate environment.

Since Stephanie joined the TRI family in 2022, her leadership has resulted in a remarkable expansion of services, benefiting nearly 80% more individuals, and a substantial 35% increase in revenue in under two years.

Before her tenure at TRI, Stephanie spent almost seven years fostering relationships and garnering philanthropic support for Dayton Children's Hospital. Her efforts secured over $7 million to ensure optimal health for children in the Dayton region and beyond. Prior to this, Stephanie held key roles at Clothes That Work and Discover Classical.

Stephanie is an active member of the Centerville Noon Optimist Club and the Toastmasters International Dayton United Communicators Club. She has a history of leadership, having served as the past-president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Dayton Region Chapter and the Toastmasters International Dayton United Communicators Club. Additionally, she played a vital role on the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Man & Woman of the Year Executive Committee from 2020-2022.

Beyond her non-profit executive role, Stephanie is a professional harpist and harp teacher. She is also a passionate advocate for clean beauty and lifestyle, educating both women and men on minimizing toxins in their lives to make safer choices and reduce chronic illness.

Stephanie is overjoyed to be in a role that seamlessly integrates her lifelong love of horses, her passion for health and wellness, and her extensive experience as a non-profit leader.

Gary believes that participation in the arts is an essential component of every person’s well-being. At Dayton Live, he has created many community-based arts initiatives including Superhero Girls Like Me, Radio Waves, and Guitars: A Bridge To Broadway. Gary also created the Miami Valley High School Theatre Awards (MVHSTAs), which is a Regional Awards Program for The Jimmy Awards®. He introduced “Sensory-Friendly” performances to Dayton Live, creating judgement-free spaces for people with autism, sensory sensitivities, or other social, learning, or cognitive disabilities. Gary also created the Dayton Live Creative Academy where students from all over the Miami Valley can participate in performing arts classes, camps, and intensives throughout the year. He also produces several shows at Dayton Live including the Unplugged series in the PNC Arts Annex, the MVHSTA Showcase, and an annual holiday cabaret. Gary also writes and stars in “Behind The Scenes,” a video series celebrating theatre facts, stories, and lore.

Gary is an award-winning director and movement/fight choreographer who graduated with an MFA in Theatre for Youth and Directing from Arizona State University. Gary also studied at the University of Houston and trained at the L'Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. Gary is the Past-President of the Ohio Arts Professionals Network (OAPN) and a Past-President of the American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE). He is a founding member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Arts Alliance (EPAA), a member of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA-USA), the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) and Theatre Communications Group (TCG). He has also toured extensively as an actor, director, and teaching artist through 48 of our 50 states with many professional theatre companies.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdwhitlock/