TaKeysha Sheppard Cheney, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Cheney has a combined thirteen years of project management and organizational development experience in the government, corporate and nonprofit sectors.

As the former executive director of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and the LEADER Institute, an award winning leadership development program for girls, TaKeysha lead the development and launch of organizational directories, newsletters and other materials to raise the profile and increase support for each organization.  Her background also includes serving as an Advisory Committee Member for The Academy for Leadership and Governance Publication, Women Leading the Way: Reflections on Life and Leadership. In 2003, TaKeysha was the recipient of the Business First of Columbus 40 Under 40 leadership award in recognition of her leadership and community service.

Julie Graber, Guest Contributing Editor

Graber is the Senior Associate for Strategic Planning in the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University, where she is responsible for leading the start-up work for the Institute on Women, Gender, and Public Policy, a new research center being established to track the status of women and girls in the state of Ohio.

Graber has been a professional consultant in the areas of strategic planning, organizational development and marketing. She is a frequent speaker on a wide range of topics, including business planning, marketing basics and strategic planning, customer service, and entrepreneurship for women.

Graber has been active in the community and served as a board member and officer of numerous organizations, including service as president of the boards of WELD (Women for Economic and Leadership Development), the Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce, the Columbus AIDS Task Force, the Columbus Metropolitan Club and the Columbus UPDowntowners. Graber was recognized by Business First as one of the community’s "40 Under 40" in 1995 and was recognized by the YWCA of Columbus as a “Woman of Achievement” in April 2007 for her research and advocacy work for women.

In addition to her role at Ohio State, Graber continues to serve as the facilitator for one of central Ohio’s chapters of the Women Presidents’ Organization, an international organization serving women business owners at the million and multimillion-dollar level for greater personal and professional success.For more information about the Institute on Women, Gender, and Public Policy, visit www.instituteonwomen.osu.edu

Shellee Fisher Davis, Photography Director

Davis is the owner of Art of Exposure.  She has been passionate about photography since high school.  After graduating, she seriously considered going to photography school in New York, but did not think she was good enough.  For years, she just accepted a role as the "official, unofficial volunteer photographer" for family and friends and corporate events.  Finally, after years of thinking about her unrealized talent for capturing life, she decided to follow her passion.  In December 2007, she closed her "sensible" 20-year office equipment business and jumped into her bliss.

Davis loves capturing people from afar in their natural unposed state, which she calls her “candid portraiture”.  She enjoys documenting all kinds of events.  To her, being in the background, watching and waiting for the perfect, natural and telling expression then nailing it, is exhilarating!  That’s the Art of Exposure.  

As a full-time professional freelance photographer, Davis has the opportunity to work with all types of people and companies to create memories or stir actions.  It's more than "making a living" for Shellee, it's putting her passion to work for the joy and success of others.

Visit Art of Exposure at www.aoephotography.com

Asha Tobing, Graphic Designer

Asha specializes in creative and technical print design.  For over 10 years, she has helped employers and clients develop brand identities, print collateral and market positioning strategies.  Her experiences range from content management, logistics coordination, internal and external administrative and communications expertise, to designing annual reports, brochures, advertisements, product packaging, catalogs, logos, billboards, and web pages.

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with parents from Indonesia and the Netherlands, Asha has had the good fortune of an international upbringing – living, studying and working in several different countries, as well as cities throughout the U.S. Such exposure to different cultures, language, people and land has given her a great fondness for travel, outdoor adventures, learning, and diversity in work projects.

Asha is very interested in eco-friendly practices and lifestyle, and enjoys doing green-friendly design work.  She is a graduate of The University of Minnesota School of Journalism.

Visit Tasha’s website at www.ashagraphix.com.

Jim Locke III, Technology and Visual Designer