Steven Acosta: "Supporting the community has always been a passion for me. Like many Latinos, my parents migrated to the United States from Colombia to find a new beginning and opportunities. I grew up with lots of love from my family, but financially we struggled. Their sacrifices have allowed me to grow as an individual. I believe in paying it forward. I moved to Cincinnati in May of 2019. Now that I have been here over a year, I was ready to look for ways to give back. Santa Maria Community Services is an incredible organization that I share similar principles with. Mainly, their vision that speaks of creating a self-sustaining community for Greater Price Hill grabbed my attention. Forty percent of those that benefit from Santa Maria’s services are of Latino descent. I found my way to give a helping hand to the Latino community, and that is by joining the board of directors of Santa Maria Community Services." 

Leah Bluemel, Treasurer: Leah is a CPA and has experience in manufacturing, real estate, retail, and hospitality. She is currently the Controller for The Salyers Group, Inc., located in Covington, Kentucky. She grew up and currently resides on the west side of Cincinnati. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and baking. Leah holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting and a minor in Management Information Systems from Miami University of Ohio. She said, “I love being able to contribute to such a dynamic and collaborative organization that is helping so many people right here in Cincinnati.”

Christopher Hart: “It is an honor for me to represent Santa Maria Community Services as a newly elected member of the board. I was raised in Price Hill just a few miles north of the organization’s original location on Warsaw Avenue and have witnessed over the years the expansion of Santa Maria’s facilities and services to better serve Greater Cincinnati’s Price Hill families. My family has a long history with Santa Maria. My parents, Tom and Mary Rose, were supporters of many Santa Maria fundraising activities. My wife, Linda, was Program Director at Santa Maria for a brief period. And finally, my sister, Mimi, is a former board member. I attended Hanover College, moved to Texas after graduation, and spent many years overseas as a technology consultant. I am blessed with a wonderful wife of 34 years and two great children – Haley and Brandon. At my current employer, First Financial Bank, I have held numerous leadership roles in IT and Risk Management. I believe in Santa Maria’s vision for a vibrant, thriving, and self-sustaining Greater Price Hill community, and embrace their efforts to ‘help families help themselves’ through education, resources, coaching and support. I welcome the opportunity to serve Santa Maria and help it continue to grow and succeed in the community where I grew up.”

Jorge Seda: “After serving on the SMCS Board for 11 years, I learned the amazing value of all the initiatives undertaken by the organization for the benefit of the Price Hill community. I want to join this outstanding Board team again to help develop the vision and deliver the next life-changing improvements for the community. As an outsider to Price Hill, I am at awe with the quality of professional services provided by SMCS at a great value."

We are hoping to present our annual fundraiser, The Sharing Table, in person on September 30, 2021. Keep your fingers crossed! In order to set the table for that event we are going to present an online-only event called, appropriately enough, Setting The Table! Mark your calendar for April 19 - 23, 2021. We will be sharing a new video every day that week, highlighting our program participants and sharing their favorite recipes. You can preview the site at http://stt21.givesmart.com. More to come!

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