About Our Board of Directors.
Tricia Buchert–Tricia came to the Ohio area from Michigan to receive her Bachelor of Science in Education from Miami University and then her Master’s Degree in school counseling from the University of Cincinnati. She has worked in education for the past 27 years and has two sons. She is currently the Director of Student Services for the Mariemont City School District, overseeing Special Education, Counseling/School Psychology and mental health programming, gifted education, Title I reading and intervention programs, ESL programs, health services, foster care, and is the 504 compliance officer. Tricia also serves as the Terrace Park Elementary school counselor on a part-time basis. Tricia started her career in the field of special education as an intervention specialist before becoming a school counselor at the junior high and then into administration. She hopes her experience in K12 education will positively impact 1N5’s mission and make a difference in our community.
Nancy Eigel-Miller–Founded the James W. Miller Memorial Fund in 2010 (now 1N5) after losing her husband Jim to suicide in 2008. She spent her career in the marketing/market research arena but the call to educate about mental health issues to the youth population pull her in that direction. Her mission is to change the conversation about mental health among the area’s youth.
Ellis D. Hummel-Currently engaged as a Principal and Senior Wealth Advisor with Bahl & Gaynor Investment Counsel, Ellis works primarily with families developing and managing investment strategies for long-term growth and preservation of capital for future generations. Ellis was born and raised in Cincinnati and, through his volunteer and board work with other non-profit organizations, has developed a passion for giving back to the community. His engagement with 1N5 represents his determined focus to educate our community about the importance of accepting mental health as a foundational building block for society. Start the conversations and END THE STIGMA!
Ginger Ittenbach (Treasurer)–Ginger serves as the Director of Tax and Account Services at Truepoint Wealth Counsel and is also a member of Truepoint’s Management Team. She has over 34 years of experience helping people navigate their tax lives and has enjoyed her work with small businesses, individuals, and multi-generational families. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Alabama and lived/worked in multiple states with her husband and three boys before settling in Cincinnati. Ginger has served as a volunteer/board member with many organizations over the years and is especially excited to focus her energy and skills to serve 1N5.
Anne Brooke Kelly (Chairman)–Managing Director, Leveraged Finance, Fifth Third Bank. Professionally, Anne has worked in commercial banking positions for 30 years, including Relationship Management, Credit Administration and Commercial Credit, and currently is a senior member and Managing Director in the Leveraged Finance Group at Fifth Third Bank. Anne has served on numerous non-profit boards. Her current passion and support is with the work of 1N5, an organization with a mission to the early identification of mental health issues in children through school administrators, teachers and counselors located in the Cincinnati area. She also was a longstanding member of the Mercy Health Partners Board of Trustees, having served from 1997-2009. In addition to her service to MHP, she served the Church of the Redeemer Episcopal Church in Hyde Park. Anne has a wonderful, blended family with David and their 5 children plus a new Labrador puppy, Skip.
Amara Kinney – Amara has a 12 year history working as a licensed social worker in the state of Ohio. She was most recently the director of an outpatient behavioral health program for Beckett Springs and the Christ Hospital serving community members all over Cincinnati and the surrounding areas. Amara earned her Bachelors in Social Work at the University of Cincinnati and is now pursuing her Masters in Public Administration at Northern Kentucky University. She currently works in Human Resources at The Christ Hospital. Amara’s passions are mental health and serving the community and she is looking forward to being able to use her skill set to contribute to continued success of educating our community in mental health with 1N5.
Kirk Koennecke–A veteran educational leader with 18 years of experience in administration and 27 years of service to students, Kirk began his 4th year at the Indian Hill Schools in 2022/2023 after serving previously at the Graham Local School District. He has worked as a principal at multiple districts and in addition to his vast experience as a leader in education, Kirk has also been a featured presenter nationally, and has published numerous articles within education publications. He earned his Master of Arts in Education and Superintendent Licensure from Wright State University; his Master of Science in Education from John Carroll University; his Master of Science in Sports Administration from Miami University of Ohio; and his Bachelor of Science in Education from The Ohio State University.
Mukesh Ram –Co-founded Pyramid in 1994. Pyramid provides software and electrical engineering solutions that automate distribution centers for retailers within the U.S. and Europe. Besides his engineering background, Mukesh brings experience with accounting/finance, marketing and sales, project management and solutions development that he attained in developing his business. Additionally, he has partnered in residential and commercial land developments. He is looking forward to his next chapter in life to support non-profits and hopes to make a positive impact within the local community. He is a graduate of WVU Institute of Technology and is married with four children.
Dr. Ann Saluke (Secretary)–is a graduate of the College of Mount St Joseph, the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and the Cincinnati Children’s Pediatric Residency Training Program. She practiced for over 30 years as a community pediatrician with Anderson Hills Pediatrics. After retiring from practice she worked for 4 years with the Children’s Home of Cincinnati doing behavioral and mental health evaluations in Cincinnati Public Schools.
Dr. Michael Sorter. In Memoriam.
Michael Sorter, MD, professor and former director of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s (CCHMC) Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, was a visionary leader for improving pediatric mental health in Cincinnati and beyond. His 35-year career included serving as a personal guiding light to thousands of youth in crisis, as a researcher whose 80+ publications helped advance the field, and as a systems builder who helped transform CCHMC into the nation’s largest provider of inpatient pediatric mental health services.
Dr. Sorter devoted his entire career to CCHMC. Shortly after earning his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1985 and completing his residency and fellowship programs there, he began practicing at Cincinnati Children’s. In 2003, he became the division director—a role he held for the next 21 years. He stepped down in Nov. 2024 from this position but continued his clinical work.
Throughout his career, Sorter never wavered in his mission to bridge the gap in youth mental health services. He was instrumental in the development and expansion of CCHMC’s College Hill campus, the introduction of neurobehavioral subspecialty care, and the establishment of Cincinnati’s first school-based mental health clinics, now available in 70 schools regionally. He also played a crucial role in launching several intensive outpatient programs including the Therapeutic Interagency Program (TIP), Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), and the 24-hour Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC).
Dr. Sorter served on the 1N5 Board of Directors until his death in 2025. He was a staunch advocate for 1N5 since its inception in 2016. He established relationships with community mental health organizations across the region and his unwavering leadership and commitment to community efforts addressing depression, suicide behavior and postvention work had a broad and lasting impact and on those1N5 serves. In 2024, Dr. Sorter inspired, and was the first recipient of, 1N5’s inaugural Visionary Supporter Award. He was a supporter, partner, and friend to 1N5 and we will miss him greatly.