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Welcome, Zoo Society Board of Directors Class of 2026!
Posted on Monday, January 5th, 2026
In addition to a new Board of Directors Chair, the Cleveland Zoological Society is proud to welcome our new Board of Directors class!
Joining our dedicated Board in 2026 are: Shanna Keown Calcei, Pat Covey, Matt Embrescia, Kathy Golovan, Kevin Soflkiancs, and Jason Taylor. The Board of Directors is the governing body of the nonprofit Cleveland Zoo Society. These new Directors bring with them a wealth of expertise and advocatory spirit, and we look forward to seeing how they help drive our mission to raise philanthropic dollars in support of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Read more about our new Board of Directors members below.
Shanna Keown Calcei
favorite animal: gorilla
Shanna is a Senior Grant Writer at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). A lifelong advocate for wildlife and conservation, she earned a Master's in Public Health from Columbia University where she focused on environmental health and climate change impacts on human health and spent more than five years working for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) headquartered in the Bronx Zoo in New York City. Shanna lives in Shaker Heights with her husband, Dr. Jake Calcei, son, and dog and loves traveling, walking to coffee shops, soccer, running, and tennis.
Pat Covey
favorite animal: bears
Pat is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Davey Tree Expert Company based in Kent, Ohio. Pat is responsible for all Davey Tree operations throughout North America, including residential, utility, and commercial services, Davey Resource Group, and the Davey Institute. He has been with the company since 1991 in a variety of leadership roles and also serves on several mission-aligned boards including Environmental Design, Inc., Bandit Holding Company, and the Arbor Day Foundation. Pat Covey resides in Hiram with his wife, Susie.
Matt Embrescia
favorite animal: lion
Matt serves as President of Second Generation Ltd., leading the strategic growth and entrepreneurial direction of the family-owned investment and management firm. His leadership has shaped the firm's diversified investment portfolio spanning media, technology, advanced manufacturing, real estate, and digital infrastructure. Committed to industry advancement and community leadership, Matt previously served on the boards of Collaborent (successfully acquired) and Cleveland HeartLab, Inc. He has also held numerous influential roles within the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). Matt lives in Hunting Valley and has three teenage children.
Kathy Golovan
favorite animal: giraffe
Kathy Golovan is Chief Administrative Officer at Westfield, ensuring accountability and overall execution of corporate capabilities and functions that contribute to the company’s success. Kathy joined Westfield after almost 24 years at Medical Mutual of Ohio, where she held many roles and was most recently Chief Health Officer. She is a licensed attorney and certified internal auditor and currently serves on the board of Business Volunteers Unlimited, In Counsel and serves on the Corporate Visiting Committee at Case Western Reserve University. Kathy Golovan resides in Chagrin Falls with her husband, Dan, and they have four children.
Kevin Soflkiancs
favorite animal: gorilla
Kevin has spent the last 10+ years in roles of increasing responsibility at The Sherwin-Williams Company, and is currently serving as the Vice President of Audit, Loss Prevention and Security. He currently serves on the Board for Project NICU as well as the Baldwin Wallace Accounting Advisory Board. Kevin resides in Olmsted Township with his wife Jessica, their two sons Cayden (5) and Bryce (3); along with their two rescue dogs, Brodi and Buster, and experienced the positive impact of the Zoo firsthand from growing up in Northeast Ohio and now visiting with his own children.
Jason Taylor
favorite animal: black-footed cat
Jason is a seasoned executive with nearly 35 years of experience in the corporate technology sector, recognized for his visionary leadership, operational excellence, and insatiable curiosity. As Chief of Staff at MCPC, a Cleveland-based provider of managed endpoint computing and sustainability solutions, Jason drives enterprise-wide alignment across strategic planning, sales, marketing, operations, and human capital management. Jason is deeply committed to conservation, education, and community engagement, and is a passionate advocate for the National Parks System. Jason Taylor resides in Aurora with his wife, Sarah.
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