— ABOUT
Meet Our Board
The Board of Directors that support and believe in the PGNO mission
Kelly Garza, LSW, LCDC III-GAMB, OCPC, TTS
Board President
Meet Kelly
Kelly is the Manager of Peer and Specialty Services at Harbor. She has developed nationally-recognized prevention programs including problem gambling prevention services, holistic wellness programs, and youth-led prevention with high school and college-age students. She provides training in Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid to community members, and recently joined the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio Board.
Jess Stewart
Board Vice President
Meet Jess
Jess has been an advocate for those with gambling issues since 2017, having personally dealt with the issue himself most of his life.
He joined PGNO as a member in 2018 and joined the Board of Directors the following year. Jess has presented or spoken at 4 Ohio Problem Gambling Conferences.
He has given multiple interviews to media of all types on the issue of gambling disorder, and about his recovery that began in 2016.
He continues to work toward bringing consumer protections and support to those whose lives are impacted by this issue.
Jen Bierer
Board Treasurer
Meet Jen
Jennifer is the Manager of Communications at PreventionFIRST! She is responsible for all agency marketing strategies and coordinates problem gambling prevention.
She has over 20 years of public health experience — in health promotion and prevention, focusing on chronic diseases, obesity, traffic-related deaths/injuries, mental health, and substance use/misuse.
Steve May
Board Secretary
Meet Steve
In May 2022, Steve joined the team at Gaming Laboratories International ("GLI") as a Client Services Executive, a specialized team formed by General Counsel Kevin Mullally. At GLI, Steve works with regulators, casinos, and gaming manufacturers, consulting on all forms of gaming and the unique regulatory responsibilities for each sector.
Abdullah Mahmood, LSW, LCDCIII-GAMB, ICGC-I, OCPS, ICPS
Board Member
Meet Abdullah
Abdullah Mahmood, LSW, LCDCIII-GAMB, ICGC-I, OCPS, ICPS, started working with clients at Maryhaven several years ago, before becoming the Administrative Coordinator of the Gambling Intervention Program. He has worked extensively in prevention, treatment, administration, as well as having direct services with clients on MAT, clients with substance use disorder, and clients with disordered gambling. Abdullah attended Columbus State Community College for his associate’s degree and attended The Ohio State University, where he recently completed a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. He is currently working towards his master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Cleveland State University.
Stephanie Geer, LPCC, ICGC-II, OCPS
Board Member
Meet Stephanie
Stephanie is the Gambling Program Coordinator at Meridian HealthCare. Meridian HealthCare has maintained a Problem Gambling Program since 2001 and has served the community in providing gambling specific screenings, assessments, individual and group counseling, family consultations, and prevention.
Samuel Porter
Board Member
Meet Samuel
Samuel H. Porter III serves as a partner in Ice Miller’s Public Affairs Group and Ohio Government Law Group.
Before joining Ice Miller, Sam was the regional director of compliance for Penn National Gaming, Inc. (“PNGI”) in Columbus. He oversaw all compliance operations for the Ohio Hollywood Casinos, Racinos and Racing to ensure adherence to all federal and state regulatory requirements, PNGI policies and compliance with responsible gaming.
Cara Brown, LISW-S, LICDC-CS
Board Member
Meet Cara
Cara joined the PGNO Board in July 2025. She began her career supporting underserved families and children in Butler County while pursuing her master’s in social work. During her training, she worked with youth and adults in inpatient behavioral health settings. Cara has a background in developing mental health programming, working with clients within inpatient, outpatient and hospital settings, as well as providing supervision to staff as a Director of Outpatient Services for an addiction’s recovery agency.
Cara is a life-long Butler County resident and a graduate of Fairfield High School. In her free time Cara enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, Bulldog and English Mastiff. Cara enjoys organizing, minimalism, reading a good book and serving at her local church.
Creola Rice, MA, M.Ed.
Board Member
Meet Creola
Creola Rice is a compliance and quality assurance professional with extensive experience guiding organizations through accreditation and regulatory processes. As a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) Surveyor Consultant, she ensures programs meet national standards of quality, accountability, and service delivery.
She is the founder of EduNet-Technology, a nonprofit advancing digital inclusion through IT training and workforce development for adults and youth. Under her leadership, EduNet has implemented innovative programs focused on technology, career readiness, and lifelong learning.
Ms. Rice holds two M.Ed. degrees in Adult Learning and Development and in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Educational Technologies—as well as a Certification in Nonprofit Management. Her expertise includes compliance, program development, nonprofit governance, and workforce training. In 2025, she joined the Board of Directors, bringing her leadership and commitment to organizational excellence and community impact.
Rebecca Young
Board Member
Meet Rebecca
Rebecca Young is a higher education and public health leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing student well-being through prevention science, wellness programming, and cross-sector collaboration. She currently serves as Director for the Office of Student Wellness at Miami University, where she leads a comprehensive portfolio addressing mental health, substance misuse, harm reduction, sexual violence prevention, problem gambling prevention, and responsible decision-making among young adults.
Rebecca is recognized for translating research into practice, building sustainable prevention infrastructures, and securing resources to support large-scale initiatives, having obtained more than $2.5 million in competitive grants and philanthropic funding. She is a member of the Butler County Problem Gambling Action Coalition and actively collaborates with state and community partners on emerging issues related to sports betting, behavioral health, and youth risk prevention.
Throughout her career, Rebecca has represented higher education in regional and statewide coalitions focused on mental health, suicide prevention, and substance misuse, and she mentors institutions across Ohio on prevention strategy and evaluation. She is the recipient of the Rachel Hutzel Prevention Partner Award and an Ohio Senate Proclamation recognizing her contributions to collegiate mental health and community prevention. Rebecca holds a Master of Education in Health Promotion and Education from the University of Cincinnati.
