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

  • Ally Brokaw

    Treasurer, Director of Business Operations

  • Kathy Doering

    Finance Manager (Part-time)

  • Carrie Ellis

    Director of Patient/Hospital Programs

  • Zak Geier

    Director of Family Relations

  • Amy Hafner

    Manager of Student Programs (Part-time)

  • Jessica Merar

    Director of Programs, Chicago

  • Mary Tignor

    Community Relations Manager

  • Greg Vehr

    Senior Vice President of Development

  • Mike Witham

    Property Manager

Board of Trustees

  • Laurel Markley, Chair

    Sr. Vice President, Investments, Raymond James

  • Robert Brown, Esq, Vice Chair

    Attorney, Graydon

  • Dwayne Emerson, Secretary and CTO

    Chief Technology Advisor, Worldwide Technologies

  • Jack Brendamour

    Chief Executive Officer, Junk King Cincinnati & Dayton

  • Bill Carigan

    Regional President, ProMark

  • Brad Cates

    CEO, Prosource

  • Jennifer Chung, MD

    Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, The Christ Hospital Health Network

  • Peter Clayton

    Executive Director, 
Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati/UC Health

  • Dave Cook

    Investor & Philanthropist

  • Corey Cover

    Partner & General Manager, American WeatherTECHS, LLC

  • Greg Elam

    Co-Owner at Agra Greenhouse Group LLC

  • Tom Fahey

    Central Region Territory Manager, Lamar Advertising

  • Jim Neitzke

    Business Consultant

  • Megan Ossenbeck

    Transaction Manager at Cushman and Wakefield

  • Beth Reichert

    Inventory Control & Dealer Trade, Kings Toyota

  • Jason Sayers

    Business Development for Pella Windows and Doors

  • Mark Starks

    Bread of Life Ministries

  • Paula Scholz

    Senior VP & Senior Banking Advisor, PNC Wealth Management

Advisory Board

  • Jim Browning

    CEO, Marsh Brand Partners

  • John Burns

    Founder & CEO, Encore Technologies

  • Trish Elam

    President, Midwest Cactus & Pandy Cotton Candy

  • 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

  • Tom Stieritz

    Executive Director/COO, The Christ Hospital

  • 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

Greg Vehr

Annual Reports, IRS Forms, and Audited Financials

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