Who We Are

CHRISTINE NEITZKE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Christine Neitzke and her sons Matt & Sam

Christine Neitzke is an award-winning entrepreneur, marketer, and executive. An Ohio native and Miami University business graduate, Christine has put her skills in media relations, strategic planning, marketing, design, and events management to work in both the public and private sectors. Christine later tapped into her creative side by opening her own interior design practice, which maintained a thriving clientele of more than 30 private customers.


Like most, Christine and her husband Jim never thought their family would be affected by pediatric cancer. Unfortunately, in 2010, their 10-year-old son Matt was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Fortunately, Christine, Jim, Matt and Sam, who was 12 at the time, had the support of family, friends, and the community; many other inpatients/families were not as fortunate. Motivated by the lack of support some of Matt’s fellow pediatric cancer patients had in their lives, Christine, together with her best friend, created The Dragonfly Foundation. Today, Matt Neitzke is cancer-free and The Dragonfly Foundation has grown to support thousands and thousands.


Christine, a leading influencer in Cincinnati, OH, has been honored with multiple awards, including the Jefferson Award, Lead Magazine’s C-Suite Award, Venue Magazine’s Women of Influence and Civic Leadership Awards, and the Maureen Donnelly Courage Award.


Outside of her work at The Dragonfly Foundation, Christine enjoys spending time with her husband and their basset and bloodhound. She and her husband also relish every opportunity they have to visit their two boys at Miami University in Oxford, OH (Christine's alma mater).

AWARDS RECEIVED BY DRAGONFLY

Under Christine’s guidance, The Dragonfly Foundation has been recognized by Lead Magazine as recipient of the Emerging Business Award (2018), a finalist for the 2016 Business Awards in the Non-Profit Category by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Northern Kentucky Regional Chamber’s Emerging 30 (2015) Duke Energy Children’s Museum as a Difference Maker Award nominee in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014-2015.

Leadership Team

  • Chelsea Eifert

    Director of Events

  • Tori Hoffman

    Director of Marketing & Communications

  • Hannah Hopkins

    Director of Programs & Patient Relations

  • Megan Jackson

    Vice President of Development

  • Kendal Lindsey

    Director of Programs

  • Jessica Merar

    Director, Chicago

  • Silvia Dulsat Planas

    Manager of Programs and Patient Relations, Chicago

  • Lynette Rosati

    Vice President of Finance and Business Operations

Board of Trustees

  • Robert Brown, Chair

    Partner, Bricker Graydon

  • Brad Cates, Vice Chair

    CEO, 37th Parallel Advisors

  • Jack Brendamour

    Chief Executive Officer, Junk King Cincinnati & Dayton

  • Gina Bucalo

  • Bill Carigan

    Regional President, ProMark

  • Dave Cook

    Investor & Philanthropist

  • Corey Cover

    Partner & General Manager, American WeatherTECHS, LLC

  • Michael Fox

    Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP

  • Michael Hermes

    Vice President, Horan

  • Ryan Kelsey

    Major Market Sales Executive, Paycor

  • Laurel Markley

    Sr. Vice President, Investments, Raymond James

  • Melissa McCarey, SPHR

    Vice President, Global Human Resources, Meridian Bioscience

  • Jim Neitzke

    Business Consultant

  • Ahna Pai, PhD

    Director of the Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital & Professor of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine

  • Beth Reichert

    Inventory Control & Dealer Trade, Kings Toyota

  • Jason Sayers

    Director of Business Development, Relations and Philanthropic Endeavors, Pella

  • Marc Starks

    Bread of Life Ministries

  • Paula Scholz

    Senior Vice President, PNC Private Bank

  • Mat Whited, Partner, Treasurer

    Partner, Clark Schaefer Hackett

Advisory Board

  • Jim Browning

    CEO, Marsh Brand Partners

  • John Burns

    Founder & CEO, Encore Technologies

  • Peter Clayton

    Senior Director of Operations, Perioperative Services, Johns Hopkins Health System, Baltimore, MD.

  • Jeff Day

    Vice President / General Manager, Lamar

  • Tony Ricci

    Owner/Operator, Tony's Steaks & Seafood

  • Scott Seger

    Retired, CBTS

  • Wayne Speer

    Entrepreneur/Consultant at L.W. Speer& Associates LLC & Markley Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies and Corporate Innovation at Miami University, Oxford, OH

  • Steve Wanamaker

    Founder and CEO at Lead Tribune Media Group

  • Bob Wysocki

    Chief Technology Officer, Microland

  • George Vincent

    Managing Partner and Chairman, Dinsmore

  • Kim Vincent

    Realtor, Sibcy Cline

Emeritus Board

  • Marty & Amanda Brennaman

    Hall of Fame Broadcasting Legend, Voice of the Cincinnati Reds on Radio & Dragonfly Spokesman

Fundraising Committee

Jack Brendamour, Co-Chair

Corey Cover, Co-Chair

Dave Cook

Bill Carigan

Greg Elam

Jim Neitzke

Beth Reichert

Jason Sayers

External Relations Committee

The Dragonfly Foundation has created a committee of speakers and marketers to provide advocacy support.

Brad Cates, Chair

Michelle Altenau

Bill Carigan

Megan Ossenbeck

Jen Chung, MD

Lindsey Davis

Jennifer Faigle

Tom Fahey

Mark Fields

Jill Henry

Tory Kennedy

Kalonji Martin

Laura Scott

Annual Reports, IRS Forms, and Audited Financials

To view our Annual Reports, IRS Forms, and Audited Financials, click here.