Alan Block

Alan Block joined the Board in 2022. A resident of Ashtabula since 2013, he has served on numerous boards throughout his career in Ohio and Wisconsin. He holds a BA in Literary Studies from Beloit College and an MA in Adult Education from Ball State University. Alan has spent many years as a senior leader, manager, and college instructor in the academic, financial services, and healthcare industries. He has been an active advocate for employee mental health services and benefits throughout his career and has personal experiences receiving and supporting mental health care services. Alan is also a strong believer in the healing power of nature and is an avid gardener, beekeeper, and homesteader.

Megan Burnarski
Ms. Brunarski was admitted to the practice of law in 2013 and has served as a full-time staff attorney for the Ashtabula County Public Defender’s Office since July 2016. Prior to joining the public defender’s office, Ms. Brunarski worked as a solo practitioner focusing on criminal and juvenile law. Ms. Brunarski understands the issues that contribute to her clients becoming involved with the criminal justice system and assists them in obtaining the recovery services that lead to successful behavioral change.

Deborah King

Deborah King earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from South University in Royal Palm Beach Florida and her Doctorate degree from Trinity International University of Ambassadors in Duluth Georgia. Deborah is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement |Award from President Donald Trump as well as Humanitarian award from Trinity International University of Ambassadors as an outstanding leader for her visionary guidance, exceptional leadership and world class humanitarian service.

Deborah is the CEO/ Founder of It Takes a Life to Save a Life organization whose primary focus has been to advocate for the sick and suffering, lost or dissuaded victims and or survivors of Mental Health, Addiction, Domestic Violence, Suicide Awareness and Prevention.

Deborah currently serves as a member of the Ashtabula County Community Corrections Board. Deborah’s intense passion and love for people has caused her to dedicate her life to being a change agent for the perseverance of life one person at a time.

Jason Tobie

Mr. Tobie is a current school administrator and high school career & college readiness teacher with nearly a decade of success leading innovative educational, health, and workforce development initiatives. Serving at Perry Local Schools and Global Connection Academy, he designed and executed student-centered programs that bridged academics, mental, physical, and emotional wellness, college readiness, and career readiness with meaningful community partnerships. He has been able to identify the needs of students ranging from at-risk to gifted populations and craft responsive, impactful programming for each unique individual. Has managed grant budgets, led hiring processes, facilitated advisory boards, and ensured all initiatives met compliance and outcome standards.

Mr. Tobie’s educational background includes degrees from Ohio University in Advanced Grant & Program management, Penn Foster in Forestry & Wildlife Conservation, The Ohio College of Mesotherapy in Kinesiology.

As an active public figure in the community, he has been able to maintain effective relationships, support critical problem-solving efforts, respond to inquiries, resolve issues in a professional and timely manner, and effectively communicate/collaborate with a diverse population.

Shannon Riley

Shannon Riley began serving on the board in 2026. She was born and raised in Ashtabula County, received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education from Bowling Green State University, and her Master’s of Arts degree in Counselor Education from The Ohio State University. She spent 28 years in Columbus, where she worked as a special education teacher and school counselor. She returned to her hometown 3 years ago and is the school counselor at Braden Middle School. Shannon’s passion is mental health awareness and wellness. She runs several student groups at Braden, including the Sources of Strength (SOS) program. SOS is a suicide-prevention and mental health program that takes an upstream approach to preventing negative outcomes while promoting well-being, help-seeking, resilience, healthy coping, and a sense of belonging. Shannon’s greatest accomplishments are her daughters, Ava and Claire. In her spare time, she enjoys exercising, reading, and spending time outdoors.

Gail Castrilla
After earning an Associate Degree at Mitchell College in Connecticut and a Bachelor’s Degree at Kent State University, Gail returned to Ashtabula County. As a Licensed Social Worker she served in a wide variety of settings over her 44-year career, including information and referral, program development, youth and adult detention, schools, mental health, and addiction.

Alexandra DeGeorge
Alex DeGeorge has been an Ashtabula County resident since childhood. In 2018, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a second major in Sociology from Ohio Northern University. Since returning to Ashtabula, she has worked locally in prevention, community engagement, education, and grant management. In 2021, Alex joined the Ashtabula County Educational Service Center team to support the connection of students, families, and school staff with local resources. In addition, she spends her time coaching soccer, walking her dogs, and enjoying Lake Erie with her husband. Alex began serving on the Board in 2024 and is proud to support the work done in Ashtabula County.

Joan Steidl
Joan Steidl has lived in Ashtabula County for 40 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Communication from The University of Akron. She has worked in a variety of positions in the field of public relations, program management, and community outreach. In 2007, she returned to school and earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from John Carroll University. She is a State of Ohio licensed mental health counselor. She has worked with people of different ages with a variety of mental health challenges. In 2023, she retired from Kent State University, where she had served as the lead faculty in the Ashtabula campus’s Human Services degree program. She is an avid reader who enjoys working on her 140-acre wooded property, which has been turned into a permanent conservation easement.