Our CREW

Executive Board

Sarah Young, president

Sarah is an Environmental Manager at IRG Realty Advisors, a national commercial real estate management firm. She has been working in the environmental industry for over 20 years with experience managing due diligence for acquisitions, long-term investigation and remediation projects, and comprehensive regulatory compliance reporting. She earned her bachelor’s degree, with a focus in Environmental Management, from Indiana University. She was born and raised in Northeast Ohio and lives here with her husband, three beautiful children, and two dogs. 

LIana Lake, Vice President & Real Estate Forum Chair

Liana Lake is a principal with architecture firm Arkinetics. She creates and implements the firm’s marketing strategies and oversees business development. She keeps the team focused on their core market strengths and ensures maximum exposure in the hotel, industrial, office, dealership and brand rollout industries. She has been marketing in the AEC industry for over 20 years.

Liana is a regular attendee of networking events and national conferences, including SPECS, Hunter Hotel Conference, and the Phoenix Lodging Conference. She is a past president of the Northeast Ohio Chapter for Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and an active member of Urban Land Institute and the Women’s Leadership Initiative.

corey warren, Second Vice President

Corey is a graduate of The University of Toledo where he earned his BBA, majoring in Professional Sales and Marketing. He has worked as a Sales Representative for Schindler Elevator since 2016. Corey is responsible for handling sales of elevator and escalator maintenance agreements, repair estimates, monitoring account activity and being the general point of contact for his customers who include property managers, building owners and facility professionals. His territory spans from Mansfield to Youngstown, with the majority of customers based in the Akron area where Schindler’s office is located off Main Street at Canal Place.

Corey and his wife, Tina, moved to Fairview Park from South Bend, IN, in 2019. In 2021, their daughter, Haley was born. In their free time, they enjoy taking their dog, Lily, hiking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and spending time with friends and family.

Denise armstrong, Treasurer & crew fOUNDATION

Denise Armstrong has been in real estate for over 40 years and is currently a Regional Director –Property Manager for McKinley Commercial Services LLC. Denise manages 494,291 square feet of class A office space in downtown Akron, Ohio including Akron Centre and the 222 S. Main buildings. In the past, Denise managed the FirstEnergy building in Akron of 335,907 S.F. and Southgate Shopping Center which was over 2,000,000 square feet. Denise has been the Treasurer of the Special Improvement District for the City of Akron for the last 13 years and is a member of Downtown Akron Partnership which she has served on various committees. Denise has been the treasurer of CREW for the past 2 years. Denise has taken management, leasing and marketing classes through the International Council of Shopping Center and is a Notary Public. Denise supports and volunteers for various non-profit agencies.

Lori Sallaz, vice treasurer

Lori Sallaz is the Manager, Bond Finance Programs for Development Finance Authority of Summit County. She is responsible for managing the Jobs and Investment Fund (rated A- by S&P). Lori helps structure new deals from inception through bond issuance and manages all post compliance activities. She works with private borrowers and local public and community officials to facilitate closings. Lori also manages all conduit bond activity of the Authority which encompasses tax-exempt private activity bonds and sales tax capital leases.  She is responsible for various activities to promote economic development in the region.

Lori is a Development Finance Certified Professional with over 8 years’ experience in economic development financing and 30 years of management experience in both public and private sectors.  Furthering her education, she attended ITT Technical Institute and Youngstown State University. She currently serves as Board Secretary for the Ohio Council of Port Authorities and Assistant Treasurer for the Greater Akron chapter of CREW (Commercial Real Estate for Women).

katie Hauser, secretary

Katie Hauser, IIDA, NCIDQ, LEED AP joined the Interface sales team in May 2015 as an Account Executive, and along with her sales partner services her Northern Ohio customer base with tremendous enthusiasm and a tireless sense of top notch customer service. Katie's education and previous work experience as an NCIDQ Certified Interior Designer allows her to bring a pragmatic yet creative approach to her client's needs as they collaboratively work through the flooring selection and design process. In addition to CREW, Katie participates on the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Cleveland Akron Committee, currently serving as Student Relations Chair, where she is charged with cultivating relationships with and programming for five area college Interior Design programs. She was also recognized nationally as IIDA's Member of the Year for 2016 as a testament to her commitment to the field of interior design and volunteerism.

Brittany Michael, immediate past PRESIDENT & nominating committee chair

Brittany is an attorney working in the real estate field. Brittany earned her bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and her JD/MBA from The University of Akron. She has worked in the industry for ten years.

Membership Committee

The membership committee works to identify and recruit new members. The chairperson coordinates the application process and verifies qualifications and submits qualified members for vote by the Executive Committee for membership. 

The committee works to retain members and works to follow up on membership renewals each year with CREW National. The committee works with the Program Committee to organize New Member Events and other events for recruiting new members. 

Megan Dellapina, Committee Chair

Megan is SVP, Senior Corporate Banker at First Commonwealth Bank, a community bank that focuses on improving the financial lives of their neighbors and their businesses. She is responsible for the bank’s commercial and investment real estate portfolio for Northeast Ohio. Megan works with local developers and investors to secure financing for construction, renovation and acquisition projects.

Megan earned her Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance and Bachelors of Science in Hearing, Speech and Language Science from Ohio University. She, and her husband, Jesse, reside in Bainbridge with their two children, Giovanni and Giuliana. In their free time, they enjoy playing with their dog, Love, being outdoors, and enjoying the Northeast Ohio culinary scene.

Sponsorship Committee

The Sponsorship Committee shall work to secure Annual and Event Sponsors for each year. The chair person works with the Treasurer to invoice sponsors and confirm receipt. The committee works with the Programs Committee to make sure valued sponsors receive the recognition of sponsorship and the free tickets to events. 

The committee shall work to identify new sponsors and expand the opportunities for sponsorship. These efforts support the activities of the organization not covered by dues and event charges.

chris matejka, Committee Chair

Chris has worked in senior management for two large regional service-based companies for 30 years, holding various positions, such as Director of Life Safety and Security at a large Hospital System, Operations Manager, Business Development Manager, with sales totaling $10 Million annually, and Vice President. In November 2020, he founded Cleveland Corporate Cleaning, and is President and Owner.

He has studied Security Management at Cuyahoga Community College, and Business Administration at Cleveland State University. In Akron, Chris was a former Board Member of BOMA Greater Akron, and the Chairman of the BOMA Greater Akron Golf Outing. For over a decade, Chris oversaw the BOMA Akron’s Business Leaders’ Speakers Series, which saw the likes of former Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, Cleveland Indians VP of Public Relations Bob DiBiasio, and orchestrated an Akron Mayoral Debate at Portage Country Club, covered by the Akron Beacon Journal and WKSU, in a mayoral race that was ultimately won by current Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan. He is a former BOMA Greater Akron Member of the Year. In BOMA Cleveland, Chris is a founding member of the Sustainability Committee, and currently sits on the Education Committee. He is an active member of Building Service Contractors International (BSCAI).

He has been married for 28 years to Mary, and has a son, Christopher, and a daughter, Caitlin, both attending college.

Programs Committee

The Programs Committee shall work to provide various professional development events and networking events; both members only and open events for recruiting purposes. Subcommittees may be formed to coordinate some of the signature events; Coffee Talks, Bus Tour, Insiders Tours and Annual Forum. 

Lisa Cotten, COMMITTEE CHAIR

Lisa is Vice President with Real Estate Risk Services at Citizens Bank where she focuses on value-related risk issues of commercial/investment real estate in the New York and New England markets of the United States. She previously work in the Cleveland/Akron/Canton markets valuing commercial real estate for over 20 years.

 Lisa lives in Kent, Ohio where she spends spare time working with her own commercial investment real estate portfolio and enjoys playing tennis and cooking. She serves on the board of the Portage County Port Authority and is a member of the Ohio Council of Port Authorities. She also volunteers as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for children for CASA of Portage County.

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee of CREW Greater Akron is designed to promote and communicate the value of CREW membership to current and prospective members, as well as the value of the organization and its members to the community through our website and media initiatives.

June Ring Committee Chair

June Ring is the Owner and Managing Partner of Hudson Technology Partners, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2024. June has 30+ years’ experience in sales and business development and has focused the last 10+ years on technology in CRE and enterprise. June interfaces with owners, developers, contractors, architects and engineers to bring forward-thinking technology solutions to businesses across the U.S.

Bus Tour - Programs Sub-Committee

CREW Greater Akron hosts an annual bus tour that highlights recent, significant real estate projects in the local community. The tour provides insight into the development of the projects and affords participants an opportunity to tour facilities not generally available for public visits. The bus tour is open to members and non-members and has had a significant increase in participation over the past several years.

Ann Wehener, COMMITTEE CHAIR

Ann Wehener is a partner at Arnold, Gruber & Haren, Ltd., where she practices in the areas of real estate, commercial litigation and creditor’s rights.     As an attorney with decades of experience, her clients include large institutions, small businesses and individuals.   She is a former president of CREW Greater Akron.

jessica lozon, COMMITTEE CHAIR

Jessica is an Account Executive/Sr. Interior Designer for American Interiors in Cleveland.

American Interiors provides interior construction and furniture solutions for offices/hospitality/healthcare and learning environments.

Jessica has been a commercial interior designer with a focus on space planning and furniture specification since graduating from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA in 1997.

She moved to Cleveland in 2005 with her family and worked remotely for a company that worked exclusively with GSA customers for 16 years before starting with American Interiors in 2019.

She recently moved into a sales focused position which prompted her interest in networking and joining CREW Akron.

She lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, 2 children, dog & cat.

Holiday Event Program Sub-Committee

CREW Greater Akron hosts an annual holiday event, with net proceeds going to benefit a local non-profit agency. The event provides an opportunity for all to enjoy professional networking and fulfill philanthropic interests during the holiday season. Committee members work to select the organization receiving the proceeds as well as plan the event.

Tracy Skelly, COMMITTEE CHAIR

Tracy Skelly is a Business Banking AVP at Dollar Bank since 2014. Tracy is dedicated to partnering closely with small businesses to find solutions that best meet their banking needs, and specializes in commercial real estate financing.