ABOUT US
From your heart to theirs, the Mirth Project is dedicated to lifting spirits and changing lives.
GIFTING OPPORTUNITY SINCE 2017
The Mirth Project is a non-profit organization working to inspire and support low income teens in pursuit of realizing their goals, dreams and passions.
Since 2017, our community, thanks to generous donations, has impacted hundreds of teenagers in need. From your heart to theirs, the Mirth Project is dedicated to lifting spirits and changing lives.
OUR TEAM
Robin McAllister-Zaas | Founder and CEO
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Some girls dream of being doctors or fashion designers, but Robin dreamed of being Santa Claus, and now, as the Founder of the Mirth Project, she actually is!
Robin is also the CEO and Head Life Coach at RMZ Coaching, where she coaches women who are ready to ditch stress and overwhelm, gain confidence and go after their goals like their life depends on it, because their happiness does.
An unshakeable optimist and powerbroker of encouragement, she champions her clients and the teens in the Teens with Dreams program to go after their goals and follow their dreams, which, in her opinion, is the reason we are all here to begin with.
When she’s not coaching or (being Santa), you will find her planning parties, testing recipes, riding her Peloton or lifting heavy in her garage gym.
Graduate of The Ohio State University with a BA in Broadcast Journalism, she is also the mom to 3 fabulous humans, one giant Great Pyrenees and 2 spoiled kittens. Her motto is “Your age is irrelevant. You are never too young, too old or too “anything” to go after what you want and achieve it.”
Alexandra Zaas | Vice President
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Aly is the Vice President and head elf of The Mirth Project. She graduated from Lake Forest College with a major in Politics and is now climbing the corporate ladder at Starbucks .
Aly has also been involved with Relay For Life as well as The Worthington Resource Pantry.
Her favorite part of being involved with The Mirth Project is collecting all the lists and catching up with some of her favorite teens!
Her other duties include matching donors with sibling groups, identifying families who may need some extra love via creative projects or Mirth Extras, communicating with some of the other elves and basically anything else Santa asks of her.
While Aly loves all things Mirth Project, summer is her favorite time of year because she loves visiting her friends, celebrating her favorite holiday, The 4th of July, and hanging at the pool with her brother!
Catherine Cawthon
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Catherine Cawthon is President and CEO of Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, joining OCCH in December 2020. An Ohio-based non-profit provider of equity and lending solutions for affordable housing, OCCH represents investors and lenders focusing capital in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Tennessee.
Having joined the company recently, Catherine brings 21 years of experience from her prior role as President of Fifth Third Community Development Company. Catherine managed the origination of over $4.5 Billion of equity investments in projects located in 12 states. Investments through LIHTC, NMTC, Historic and CDFI vehicles were the main avenues of deployment.
Catherine has served on boards including Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Council for Rural Housing in Ohio, Affordable Housing Investor Council, United Way, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Ohio Community Development Finance Fund.
Currently, Catherine serves on the National Association for Affordable Housing Lenders, Ohio Housing Council, Ohio Housing Council and Council for Rural Housing in Ohio’s Advisory Board and Chairs the Joint Columbus and Franklin County Housing Advisory Board.
Catherine graduated from Illinois State University and earned an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Nicolette Grohovsky
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Nicolette Grohovsky is a kindergarten teacher in the Worthington City School District. She has been an educator for 32 years, having taught kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and multi-age classes.
A graduate of The Ohio State University, she has many hours over her Master’s degree in Literature, Writing and Reading. Nicki has been able to educate hundreds of children over the years, leaving a positive impact upon each of them.
Always working towards making a difference in children’s lives, she strives to provide a vibrant, hands-on experience that inspires and develops lifelong learners and strong readers.
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tina Fisher
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Tina is currently the Co-founder & CEO at Givevia! Givevia’s mission is to amplify philanthropy by growing, empowering and connecting its participants.
Tina started Givevia with a mission to drive a new source of awareness and funding to the nonprofit organizations that touch all our lives and communities. Givevia partners with some of the most impactful nonprofits and their passionate supporters to amplify what a caring spirit can do for the cause.
Tina has served on several nonprofit boards in the central Ohio area – notably The Worthington Resource Pantry & Resource Center & The Dublin-Worthington Rotary, SocialVentures among others.
Tina is also an angel investor and has worked with and mentored many tech entrepreneurs both locally and around the country. Tina resides in Powell, Ohio with her husband Bob and goofy dog Gonzo.
Gabriella Kashmiry
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Gabriella has spent 15 years in pharmaceutical advertising, building extensive experience in project management, strategic coordination, and corporate leadership. She now works alongside her husband in their insurance agency, where their focus is rooted in serving the Powell community through support of local youth sports programs and a scholarship centered on community service.
Gabriella is deeply committed to philanthropy and believes that changing the life of one young person can create a ripple effect of lasting, positive change in the world. She currently serves as a Board Member and Publicity Chairman for the Friends of the Delaware County District Library, leading social media strategy while supporting fundraising and initiatives that promote literacy and lifelong learning. Earlier in her career, she led her company’s annual Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Light The Night Walk fundraising efforts for six years, helping raise over $20,000 in support of blood cancer research and patient care.
She is honored to serve on the Board of The Mirth Project and contribute to its mission of supporting low-income teens and form foster youth and bring meaningful impact to the community.
Jill Patterson
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Jill Patterson is an Agency Representative for Westcor Land Title Insurance Company and has over 20 years in the real estate industry. She has met several people through work and enjoys using a consultative approach in sales. This has allowed her to develop her relationships and to get to know her clients on a personal level. Jill graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and is a member of several Land Title Associations. Jill chairs the Workforce Development Committee with the Ohio Land Title Association and is a member of a few other committees.
Jill’s superpower is networking and connecting like-minded people and things. Besides using that superpower in a business capacity, she has used it to connect The Mirth Project with several people and associations that have been successful in moving the needle and gaining more support for the Mirth Project. Jill has been involved in Mirth since its inception.
For the last 6 years, Jill has jet-setted across the US, and occasionally abroad, while watching her son play soccer. Currently she follows him collegiately and attends as many games as possible. When not traveling for soccer, Jill enjoys group travel and her most recent adventure led her to Egypt where she rode camels and toured pyramids. Jill’s other hobbies include reading and enjoying the outdoors with her pups.
Jill resides in German Village, Ohio.
Lisa Federico
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Lisa Federico is a marketing strategist, publisher, and community connector based in Northwest Columbus. She is the Owner and Publisher of Northwest Columbus City Lifestyle magazine and host of the Inside Northwest Columbus podcast, where she elevates local businesses, nonprofits, and leaders through storytelling and integrated print and digital marketing. Through her company, Prestige Media Concepts, Lisa helps organizations increase visibility and build trust within their communities. She is proud to serve as a board member of The Mirth Project, supporting its mission to empower teens from low-income families and young adults aging out of the foster care system.
