If approved, six will serve four-year terms and three will serve two-year terms
Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced his nominations for the Community Police Commission (CPC) ahead of nine vacancies that are expected next month. Six commissioners’ two-year terms will expire and three commissioners, with unexpired four-year terms, previously notified the City that they will resign for various personal reasons. The nominations were based on recommendations made by the Selection Advisory Panel – consisting of community leaders and City officials – and were sent to City Council on November 1. Council will set a date for a hearing where their Mayor’s Appointments Committee will consider the nominations before sending to the full Council for final approval.
“It’s critical that these vacancies be filled by dedicated residents who genuinely want to move this work forward and do what is best for our community,” said Bibb in a statement accompanying the announcement.
The City sought applications for the upcoming vacancies in August. After the application period closed, all applications were screened for eligibility prescribed by the Charter and evaluated with input from community stakeholders to determine which candidates to move forward for interviews. All candidate interviews were livestreamed and recorded. The Selection Advisory Panel made final recommendations to Bibb, who sent his nominations to City Council. Background checks are part of the vetting process. If approved by Council, the new commissioners would be sworn-in shortly thereafter.
“The selection advisory panel evaluated all applications and selected the best candidates to be interviewed to serve our community,” said LaTonya Goldsby, President of Citizens for a Safer Cleveland. “We have compiled an excellent list of candidates for the community police commission who understand the critical task of civilian oversight and the need for transformational reform.”
The CPC is a 13-member Commission that was established in November 2021 when Cleveland voters passed Issue 24. Under the Charter, the CPC is “an independent municipal commission… [that] will respond to community needs and concerns regarding regulation of the City’s police force and community-police relations…” The powers, duties, and responsibilities of the CPC, and the eligibility criteria to serve on the Commission, are outlined in the Charter.
"The work the CPC will tackle in this upcoming year is critical to fulfilling Charter 115-5. In these first two years the Commission has awarded community grants, reviewed several police policies, held numerous community forums, and revised police trainings,” said Dr. John Adams, current Commissioner and Co-Chair for the CPC. “With the arrival of new commissioners, we look forward to hearing our first cases addressing police discipline and working to ensure that the drone technology policy is completed, as well as implementing a new corrective action policy."
According to the Bibb administration, the nine nominees, along with the four current commissioners, “represent a broad spectrum of lived experience and subject-matter expertise, and together, create a balanced oversight body that reflects the racial, social, economic, and cultural diversity of the city, which fulfills the intent of Charter Section 115-5.”
Nominees:
Sheila Mason · retired Chief of Police for the Village of Woodmere. Before that, she made her way through the ranks at Cuyahoga Community College Metro Campus where she supervised and coordinated daily operations of patrol shifts of up to 80 officers, conducted ongoing performance evaluations, and advocated for professional development opportunities. Mason is also a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Greater Cleveland Chapter.
Tera Coleman · A career litigator who is currently Of Counsel for Baker & Hostetler LLP. Coleman has 10 years of experience serving on boards and commissions including Teach for America – Ohio, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, Recovery Resources, and UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Foundation. She has received numerous recognitions including Crain’s Cleveland Business Notable Women in Law as well as The National Black Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40.
Imoh Umosen · Currently a Project Manager at PNC Fairfax Connection, he has held various roles at PNC Bank focused on Operations and Human Resources. He currently oversees all adult programming, focuses on outreach and engagement with various community institutions, and has collaborated on audit and compliance work. He has an undergraduate degree from Cleveland State University and an MBA from Louisiana State University.
Shandra Moreira-Benito · Director of Human Resources for Preterm, where she is responsible for hiring, onboarding, training, relationship management, professional development, employee evaluations and discipline. Moreira-Benito has provided more than 800 hours of in-person advocacy to over 200 survivors of diverse backgrounds and identities. She is a licensed social worker who also founded a grassroots volunteer group that raised and distributed over $800,000 in supplies to 8,000 families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maya Kincaid · The Glenville High School graduate has an array of experience across the banking and hospitality industries working for Marriott, Fifth Third, PNC Bank, and multiple restaurant groups. She has worked in leadership roles helping modernize operations, implement training, and other management duties. Maya was also a Development Manager for the ACLU of Ohio where she worked on marketing campaigns and fundraising activities helping increase awareness and attract donors to achieve funding goals.
Maura Garin · a Human Resources professional, Garin is currently an HR Business Partner for a local anti-poverty nonprofit organization that provides support to low-income individuals and families through programming, training, and other resources. Her responsibilities have included recruitment, training, coaching, and her years of experience in employee relations, labor negotiations, and arbitration management have helped settle grievances and resolve disputes.
Sharena Zayed · an experienced community organizer, Zayed has worked for multiple nonprofits, including Neighborhood Connections where she currently is a Network Steward tasked with facilitating community meetings, coordinating canvassing efforts, and organizing other outreach efforts to connect residents with local resources, make service referrals, and improve neighborhood-institutional partnerships. Zayed also has worked as a mental health specialist in recovery-oriented rehabilitation services and as a Patient Care Nursing Assistant at the Cleveland Clinic. She is Board Chair for Stop the Pain, Inc. – a local organization that provides resources to address gun violence in the community.
Michael Nelson · an attorney and former judge with more than 44 years of experience serving on numerous boards and commissions including President of the Cleveland NAACP Board of Directors, President of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Vice Chair of the Cleveland Civil Service Commission, President of the Central State University Foundation. He is currently a member of the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation Board of Trustees. The lifelong Cleveland resident began his career as an elementary school teacher and also worked for a local CDC helping support its housing rehabilitation program before graduating from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law. Michael has received numerous recognitions including the Norman S. Minor Bar Association’s Trailblazer Award, the Thurgood Marshall Fund Alumnus of the Year, and has also been inducted into Central State University’s Alumni Achievement Hall of Fame.
Untaya Miller · currently a Student Success Specialist, Miller has held various roles over more than a decade at Cuyahoga Community College supporting both new and returning students in numerous areas including admissions, registration, mentoring and financial aid. She is also responsible for college-wide training and provides input on all recruitment, hiring, and performance management activities. Miller has a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Affairs and a Certificate in Public Management from Cleveland State University, a Master’s in Organizational Leadership, and multiple Associate’s Degrees in law enforcement and criminal justice.
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