Posted January 12, 20262:00 pm
In December, Legal Aid elected new board officers for 2026, and is pleased to welcome Joe Rodgers as President. Joe is senior vice president, Global Ethics and Compliance at Eaton, a global intelligent power management company. His full bio is available here.
Legal Aid is also pleased to announce four new board members who are beginning terms in 2026: Chip Chaikin (Blue Point Capital Partners); Vickie Johnson (Cleveland Clinic); India Pierce Lee (Cuyahoga Community College); and Trent Meyerhoefer. All bring different expertise that will enhance Legal Aid's work.
Legal Aid's new executive committee leadership on its Board of Directors for the term of January 1 - December 31, 2026 includes:
President
Joe Rodgers, Esq.
Vice President
Jason R. Bristol, Esq.
Vice President
Gwen Graffenreed
Secretary
Elizabeth Grove, Esq.
Treasurer
Daniel C. Urban, Esq.
We thank our previous Board President, Harlin Adelman, Esq., for his leadership and steadfast commitment to furthering Legal Aid’s efforts to extend justice. We are grateful that he will continue serving as a director on our Board in 2026 as president emeritus.
We look forward to working with the executive committee and board members to further Legal Aid’s mission: to secure justice, equity, and access to opportunity for and with people who have low incomes through passionate legal representation and advocacy for systemic change. Their leadership and guidance will help us build on the successes we achieved last year and make continued progress on the goals outlined in our Strategic Plan.
In addition, Legal Aid extends heartfelt appreciation to Erica Bacon, Quo Vadis Cobb, Esq., and Jan Roller, Esq. who concluded their terms on Legal Aid’s Board of Directors at the end of 2025. Over the years, these dedicated individuals contributed much to our organization and our community, and we are grateful for their service.
A full list of Legal Aid's Board Members and Executive Staff is available online: Board and Executive Team.