Leadership
Beth A. Lucas, MNA
President & CEO
blucas@ucpcleveland.org
Beth Lucas became the President & CEO of UCP of Greater Cleveland in 2022 after serving as UCP’s Chief Operations Office and Director of Development since 2008. She has spent her entire career in the nonprofit sector, first specializing in fundraising and marketing. Beth’s passion for program development and sustainability drove her to pursue the operational and administrative sides of the agency and, under her direction, UCP of Greater Cleveland and those they serve have benefited. Beth has a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll University and a Bachelor of Arts from Baldwin Wallace University. She is a graduate of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities Leadership Academy and is certified as a surveyor for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). In addition to her engagement in advocacy, outreach and fundraising efforts for UCP, she also sits on the Board of Directors for Frontline Services and Dress for Success Cleveland.
Celeste A. Isom, MBA
Chief Financial Officer
cisom@ucpcleveland.org
Celeste Isom joined UCP of Greater Cleveland in July 2019 as Director of Finance & Administration and was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 2022. She played a critical role in securing over $6 million in COVID relief funding, helping to guide the agency through a period of significant uncertainty. Her leadership has strengthened UCP’s long-term financial health and positioned the organization for continued stability and growth. With over 25 years of experience as an accountant and auditor, Celeste brings deep expertise in both tax and financial accounting. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Ursuline College and an MBA from Cleveland State University. Outside of work, Celeste enjoys reading and spending time with her children.
Jude Klak
Director of Major Gifts
jklak@ucpcleveland.org
Jude Klak joined UCP in June of 2025 as Director of Major Gifts. He has spent 15 years in nonprofit fundraising and strategy development, mostly working with higher education and community service organizations. Jude has a Master’s of Science in Positive Organizational Development and Change from Case Western Reserve University. As a lifelong Clevelander, Jude is dedicated to opportunity access for everyone in the community. In his spare time he enjoys live music and learning from his two young children.
Paul J. Soprano, MA
Director of OakLeaf Services
psoprano@ucpcleveland.org
Paul Soprano became the Director of OakLeaf Services in 2014 after serving nine years as Director of Vocational Services and three years in Residential Services at UCP. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from John Carroll University and a Master’s from Bowling Green State University. Paul has 30 years of experience in the Developmental Disabilities and Vocational Rehabilitation fields. He is deeply involved in advocacy efforts, and currently serves as the co-chair of the OPRA Employment Services Committee, a board member of the DDPC, and a member of the OPRA Core Policy Committee. Prior to UCP he was Supervisor of Work Evaluation, Facility Supervisor and Vocational Evaluator for a leading vocational rehabilitation provider in Cleveland. Paul is an avid world traveler and aviation enthusiast, volunteers as a Cleveland Hopkins Airport Ambassador, and loves trying new restaurants.
Intesar A. Taye, OTR/L
Director of LeafBridge Services
itaye@ucpcleveland.org
Intesar Taye joined UCP in 1993 as an Occupational Therapist and Clinical Coordinator and became the Director of LeafBridge Services in 2003. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Cleveland State University as well as certification in Threshold Electric Stimulation and is NDT trained. Intesar continually participates in workshops on issues relevant to her work, including spasticity management, sensory processing, Therasuit, neurodevelopment treatment and vision impairment. Her experience as an OT include screening, evaluating and treating children with a variety of motor disabilities and developmental delays. She oversaw the expansion of our Alternative Education program to a new location and assisted in the development of the research protocol and monitoring the research development of the Steps to Independence program. Intesar enjoys spending time with her four children, as well as doing puzzles and brain teasers.
Ali Weissert
Director of Human Resources
aweissert@ucpcleveland.org
Ali Weissert, Director of Human Resources, joined UCP in 2024 with an extensive background in HR. She currently leads our HR functions for over 170 team members and supervises our HR Generalist. Broadly speaking, “we are the people that help the people that help the people.” She sees her position as fulfilling three roles: coach, mentor, and trainer.
Prior to UCP, Ali spent many years in the nonprofit world. Of her many accomplishments as the Director of Human Resources at the Cleveland Sight Center, she developed peer recognition programs, empowering all employees to have their voices heard, as well as co-leading the organization’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic. She also served as Senior Director of Human Resources at Catholic Charities – Diocese of Cleveland, Human Resources Manager eat The Centers for Families and Children, and Employment Specialist III at Case Western Reserve. Ali has her professional in human resources certification and has also completed diversity training and micro-messaging training at the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio. Ali comes to UCP with a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Cincinnati.
Sarah E. Zarcone, MNAL
Director of Development
szarcone@ucpcleveland.org
Sarah Zarcone joined UCP of Greater Cleveland as the Director of Development in February 2024. She has 15 years of experience in fundraising, communications, and nonprofit management, many of which focused on organizations serving individuals with developmental disabilities. Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Administration and Leadership from Cleveland State University and has a strong track record of leading initiatives that drive revenue growth, enhance community engagement, and expand mission visibility. In addition to her nonprofit leadership experience, Sarah worked with a digital marketing agency, where she partnered with both nonprofit and for-profit clients to execute strategic campaigns across digital communications, advertising, and web development. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys cooking, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with her husband and four children.
Kate Adkins-Dix, MRC, CRC
Associate Director of Community Employment
kadkins-dix@ucpcleveland.org
Kate Adkins-Dix began her career with UCP of Greater Cleveland in 2014 as the Community Employment Manager and progressed into her current role as Associate Director of Community Employment in September 2022. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Rehabilitation Counseling from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counseling Certification. Kate has 16 years of experience in this field across various settings. Prior experiences include residential service provider, job coaching and career planning. Kate enjoys spending time at local museums, parks and zoos throughout Northeast Ohio with her two young daughters and her husband.
Hester Brown, QIDP
Associate Director of Community Inclusion
hbrown@ucpcleveland.org
Hester Brown started as UCP’s Associate Director of Community Inclusion in September of 2022. Hester has been with the agency seven years serving as Program Manager and Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional in Residential Services. Previously she held various management and programmatic roles over a career of 21 years in the field of Developmental Disabilities. She has worked as a Direct Support Professional. Hester also serves as a Guardian and Advocate for an individual in the community. She brings a love of person-centered planning and services to the community inclusion role.