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01Our board

The people who said yes first.

Toledo Baker Project is governed by a board of six — judges, healthcare leaders, business owners, and community advocates who answered the call early. Each one brings the same thing to the table: experience meeting young people where they are, and a refusal to give up on them.

03Full bios

The work, in their own words.

Judge Nicole Khoury

Toledo Municipal Court Judge

After attending a “Continuing Legal Education” Seminar at Mansfield Correctional Institution in June of 2024, Judge Nicole Khoury was inspired by a panel of inmates who spoke to a panel of judges about their prison experiences. While there, Judge Khoury heard from Inmate Leroy Baker, who, while serving two life sentences, has used his time in prison to gain education and in turn try to deter the youth from making the same mistakes that he did as a teenager. After communications with Mr. Baker via letter and Zoom, Judge Khoury reached out to several community leaders and officials in the Judicial System and The Baker Project was born. This project focuses on our community leaders being mentors for our youth using their various skills and knowledge to guide students into a better future.

Education

2001

J.D., University of Toledo College of Law

1998

B.A. cum laude, Hillsdale College

Recognition

2012 & 2013

Ohio State Bar Foundation District and Statewide award recipient for Community Service (lawyers under the age of 40)

2015 & 2016

Jefferson Award nominee

2016

Top 20 under 40

2016

Best Female Attorney

2017

Maumee Chamber of Commerce ‘Hometown Hero’ (Maumee River) Award

2017

Lucas County ARC Philanthropist of the Year

2020

Jefferson Award recipient

2021

YWCA Milestone Award

2022

Bethesda Community Award

2022

Maumee Elks Distinguished Citizen Award

2026

Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA) of Toledo Community Recognition

Champions for Change Recipient

Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union African American Parade Honoree

Community involvement

Mentor

Mom’s House (Sisters-in-Law Program)

Board

Pride of Toledo Foundation

Board

Toledo Bar Association Foundation

Board

Valentine Theater

Supporter

Lucas County D.A.R.T., Toledo Buffalo Soldiers, Veterans Matter, Little Eric’s Foundation, Caly Cares Foundation

Performer

Public musician in the Toledo area for over 25 years

Jacob Spellis

Founder & CEO, Vital Health

Jacob Spellis is the Founder and CEO of Vital Health, a behavioral healthcare organization based in Northwest Ohio focused on integrated mental health, substance use, and family support services for children, adolescents, and adults. Drawing from his own lived experience overcoming addiction, incarceration, and educational barriers, Jacob has become a passionate advocate for recovery, youth mental health, and community-based care.

Under Jacob’s leadership, Vital Health has expanded access to trauma-informed behavioral healthcare by providing therapy, psychiatry, case management, substance use treatment, and after-school support programs designed to help vulnerable youth and families thrive. His work emphasizes restoring dignity, reducing stigma, and creating systems of care that treat the whole person — not just symptoms.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Toledo and completing graduate studies in social work at the University of Michigan, Jacob dedicated his career to helping individuals facing the same challenges he once experienced. He is also the founder of More Than A Statistic Academy, an initiative focused on empowering individuals to overcome adversity and societal labels, and the founder of the Beyond the Label Podcast — a platform dedicated to real, raw, and inspiring conversations with people who have risen above the labels placed on them.

Jacob is widely recognized for his authentic leadership, commitment to second chances, and advocacy for underserved youth. Through partnerships with schools, families, nonprofits, and community organizations, he continues to champion innovative solutions that improve mental health outcomes and strengthen communities across the region.

Dr. CarnellSmith

Scott High School Principal

[Bio coming soon. Edit this widget to add 3–4 paragraphs about this board member — their professional role, what drew them to TBP, and what they bring to the work. Match the tone of the other bios above.]

Tina Butts

The Movement Team Lucas County

Tina Butts has been known for helping anyone that needs help.  It did not matter what your socioeconomic status in life was, if you asked for help, Tina would gather all her resources to make it happen.  Many of the individuals Tina helps are hard to serve due to barriers such as incarceration, homelessness, substance abuse or joblessness.  The need continued to grow and so The Movement Team Lucas County Inc. was birthed. 

 

The Movement Team is a grassroots non-profit organization that is focused on providing tools to the members of our community so that barriers can be removed, and they are able to live a more sustainable and productive life while learning to pay it forward by sowing seeds and introducing someone to the same assistance as was given to them.  The Movement Team focuses on our civic and advocacy responsibility for the members of our community.

 

Civically, The Movement Team feels that voting is the most important right and responsibility that a U.S. citizens have.  About 150 million Americans citizens are qualified to vote.  Unfortunately, many do not vote.  They give up on a chance to choose leaders and representatives who will do things that are important to them. Voting is your voice.  The Movement Team has acted by educating the community and its leadership while registering over 40,000 voters (to date).  It is crucial to learn about the candidates and issues before you vote in any election and get out and vote.

 

Advocacy, The Movement Team assist the underprivileged by aligning them with community resources.  The Movement Team has over 3,000 partners who help to volunteer and provide valuable resource information that will help those in need.  The Greenbelt Apartments is an example of our work to help the underserve whose voices are ignored and/or silenced and living in unsuitable living conditions.  We have also been able to provide jobs to some of the same individuals we serve who have not been able to obtain a job due to their criminal record.

 

The Movement Team has partnered up with Connecting Kids Meal to Meals on Monday & Wednesday in which we oversee 70 & 75 Kids’ lunches per week in the community room at The Greenbelt for the Summer months.  We have also provided holiday food baskets and have donated turkeys to community churches to assist with their food give-a-way programs.  We work with TPS and provide bookbags and school supplies for children going back to school.  Covid-19 has affected all our environments.  Tina and her team have canvassed Toledo getting people vaccinated.  To date, 35,000 individuals (Adults and Children) received their vaccinations. 

 

Tina is also the CEO of Here’s My Turning Point LLC. Organized to address Alcohol and Substance Abuse and Mental Health issues. Tina understands that our environments can either support or drain us depending on what we allow into them. Environments include not only our physical living and workspaces, but also our personal relationships.  To begin removing barriers, you must begin to make changes to your environment to create a more inspiring space. 



Robert J. Chromik, Jr.

Captain – Lucas County Sheriff’s Office

Robert J. Chromik, Jr. is a dedicated law enforcement professional with nearly three decades of service to the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of leadership and operational roles, including Corrections, Booking, Administrative Services, the Drug Abuse Response Team (D.A.R.T.), Professional Standards and Training, Jail Security, and Investigative Services. In his current role as Captain over Field Operations and Investigative Services, he oversees critical public safety functions while continuing to demonstrate strong leadership, professionalism, and a commitment to serving the community.

Known for his calm demeanor in emergency situations, sound judgment, and team-oriented leadership style, Chromik has built a reputation for fostering positive relationships both within law enforcement and throughout the community. His experience includes supervising personnel, managing complex investigations and operations, developing training programs, and promoting professional standards across the Sheriff’s Office. He is also recognized for his effective communication skills, social media engagement, and ability to connect with diverse populations.

Chromik earned a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree from the University of Toledo in 2025, following an Associate of Applied Science in Law Enforcement Technology. He has completed extensive professional development and specialized law enforcement training in areas such as criminal investigations, internal affairs, crisis intervention, public information, instructional skills, and corrections supervision. In addition to his law enforcement responsibilities, he serves as a board member for St. Paul’s Community Center, reflecting his commitment to community engagement and service beyond the badge.

His distinguished career has been recognized through numerous awards and commendations, including the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office Leadership Award, Distinguished Service Award, Sheriff John Tharp Award, and multiple Best of Toledo recognitions. He has also represented the Sheriff’s Office through television appearances, documentaries, speaking engagements, and local and national media coverage, helping to educate the public on law enforcement and community issues.

 

Joe Peterson

Community Hub Director (New Concepts) at Jesup W. Scott High School

Joe Peterson is a dedicated community leader, educator, and advocate for youth development serving as Community Hub Director (New Concepts) at Jesup W. Scott High School in Toledo, Ohio. A proud Scott High School graduate from the Class of 2001, Joe has spent his career building meaningful connections between schools, families, and the broader community to create opportunities that help students thrive.

With a background in Human Ecology from The Ohio State University and years of experience in youth and family engagement, Joe brings a people centered approach to leadership. Before serving at Scott, he spent nearly a decade working with the YWCA’s Reducing the Risk (RTR) and Teen Outreach Program (TOP), strengthening his commitment to empowering young people and supporting families.

At Scott High School, Joe leads initiatives focused on student success, attendance, mentoring, family engagement, community partnerships, and creating pathways for life beyond graduation. His work includes developing innovative programs, coordinating large scale community events, and building partnerships that provide students with access to educational, career, and personal growth opportunities.

Outside of his professional role, Joe is a husband, father of five, community volunteer, and event DJ. Whether organizing school traditions, mentoring students, or creating spaces where young people feel seen and supported, Joe remains committed to leaving a lasting impact on the Toledo community and inspiring the next generation of leaders.

Chelsea Meister

Assistant Public Defender, Toledo Legal Aid Society

Chelsea Meister is a local attorney who has been with the Toledo Legal Aid Society, Public Defender Division for over eight years. Through that service she has demonstrated significant dedication to helping indigent clients get the best possible legal outcomes while also going above and beyond to improve their life circumstances whether it be connecting clients with mental health/substance abuse treatment, helping clients get a valid driver’s license, or connecting clients with other community resources. Not only has she been a lead attorney responsible for the entirety of a criminal docket and supervising junior employees, but she has also helped pioneer the office’s Operator’s License program which aims to reduce the amount of unlicensed drives amongst the Toledo Population. Chelsea also conducts regular training to new attorneys and interns on the issues of licenses and other traffic related matters. She has also participated in the presentation of Continuing Legal Education to fellow attorneys that focused on license issues.

 

Chelsea is a native of Northwest Ohio graduating in the top 10 from Liberty Center High School in 2009. She went on to play volleyball at Thiel College and graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Political Science with minors in Legal Studies and Psychology, summa cum laude. Her academic career continued at the University of Toledo College of Law where she graduated in 2016 with her Juris Doctor. During law school, Chelsea worked for the Toledo Fair Housing Center and in 2015 was awarded “Outstanding Community Volunteer” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She was also a part of the Trial Advocacy team at the Law School and was voted “Best Advocate.”

 

In May of 2017, Chelsea passed the Ohio Bar Exam and began a solo practice focusing on juvenile and domestic relations work. In April of 2018, she started part-time with the Toledo Legal Aid Society Public Defender Division and in 2023, was elated at the opportunity to pursue a full time career advocating for clients who need it the most and are some of the most vulnerable populations in the community.

 

Chelsea spends much of her free time continuing to pursue community engagement volunteering on other boards in the area such as Area Office on Aging Foundation, Human Ohio, and Children’s Rights Collaborative. In addition to these roles, Chelsea is a wife to the Honorable Judge James H. Anderson, a volleyball coach, and dog mom to  Cooper, Sugar, Baby Boy, and Brutus.