Ohio University Alumni Association Board of Directors welcomes new members

The Ohio University Alumni Association (OUAA) is proud to announce the election of four new members to its Board of Directors.

The newest members of the OUAA Board of Directors are:

• Tony Charles ’81, ’98
• Amy Fleenor ’08
• Christine Simmons ’97
• David Terry ’90, ’92

These four Bobcats bring a wide range of knowledge and experience to the OUAA Board of Directors.

"One of the things I love most about our Board is that every member has a different OHIO story and a shared love for our alma mater," said Jenn Bowie, executive director of the OUAA and associate vice president for Alumni Relations. "Tony, Amy, Christine and David represent different majors, careers, generations and experiences, but they share a commitment to giving back to the university that helped shape them. Their willingness to serve is a powerful example of the Bobcat spirit, and we're fortunate to have them helping guide the future of alumni engagement at OHIO."

As the official organization representing Bobcats from around the world, OUAA connects, informs, and serves alumni and friends in support of the University's mission and vision. Comprising graduates from across OHIO’s colleges, decades of graduation, and geographic locations, the OUAA Board of Directors represents the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the more than 300,000 Bobcats worldwide.

Meet the new Board members

Tony Charles 

Image

Tony Charles BA ’98, serves as the director for client delivery at DHR Global, a premier executive search firm. In his role, Charles draws on his varied experiences to quickly assess talent capable of assuming critical leadership roles in companies’ dependent on strong relationship management in a competitive industry landscape. 

Charles previously served as a member of the Mayor’s Office of the City of Cleveland as the director of community relations, special assistant to the mayor and director of the Office on Violence Reduction and Crime Prevention. As co-author of the city’s Community Policing Program, Charles was also a consultant to the National Crime Prevention Council and guest lecturer for the U.S. Department of Justice. Charles also worked on several political campaigns and is the co-founder, vice president and principal of TQC Development Group, a real estate development firm.

Charles is a member of the Zeta Omega Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and was initiated at Sigma Psi Chapter, Ohio University. He presently serves as the Chair of the Conflict Resolution Committee for the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.  In this capacity, he oversees initiatives for Ohio and West Virginia, focusing on mediation, reducing incidents of domestic violence, sexual assault and gun violence. He has also been a volunteer for mentoring initiatives to provide support, friendship, reinforcement and constructive examples to children living without an active father figure.

A proud OHIO graduate who is very active with the University, Charles is married to Tonya Strong-Charles and has one son, Anthony Charles, Jr.  

Amy Fleenor

Amy (Strang) Fleenor, BA ’08, is deputy general counsel for lending and commercial banking at First Commonwealth Bank. Prior to joining the bank, she was a senior associate in the Banking and Finance group at Porter Wright Morris and Arthur LLP in Columbus.

While at Ohio University, Fleenor was president of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and assistant director of Students Defending Students. In appreciation of the opportunities, knowledge and experience she gained from these organizations and other pre-law programming that helped to shape her career path, Fleenor has been highly engaged with OHIO’s Center for Law, Justice and Culture (CLJC) as a mentor in the CLJC’s pre-law mentoring program and participant as an alumni panelist at Pre-Law Day and other events.

Fleenor is involved with several charitable and civic organizations, including as a board member and past president of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Mid-Ohio and current president of the Association for Corporate Growth’s Columbus chapter.

In 2024, Fleenor was recognized by Columbus Business First as a "40 Under 40" honoree and appeared as a contestant on the “Jeopardy!” television program.

Fleenor lives in Lewis Center, Ohio with her husband, James (BA ’08), whom she met at OHIO and married in Galbreath Chapel, and their dog, Brandy. She is the proud non-biological aunt of several nieces and nephews, whom she is trying her best to turn into future Bobcats.

Christine Simmons

Christine M. Simmons, BSEd ’97, is a business leader, fundraiser and community advocate with extensive experience in relationship building, philanthropy and organizational leadership. She is the co-owner and managing partner of Party Plus Event Rentals, LLC, and previously served as chief executive officer of United Way of Fairfield County.

In her role with the United Way of Fairfield County, she led fundraising efforts and cultivated partnerships among businesses, community leaders, nonprofits and individual donors to strengthen the community.

Prior to her nonprofit leadership, Simmons spent more than 26 years in the banking industry, where she held a variety of leadership positions focused on business development, customer relationships and community engagement. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her ability to connect people, build meaningful partnerships and inspire collaboration in support of shared goals.

After beginning her Ohio University journey at Ohio University Lancaster, Simmons earned her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education in 1997. As a member of the Ohio University Alumni Association Board, she is committed to strengthening alumni engagement across the University and serving as a strong advocate for regional campus alumni, ensuring their experiences and contributions remain an important part of the Bobcat community.

David Terry

David Terry BA ’90, MA ’92, is a proud two-time OHIO graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology/criminology and then a master’s degree in sociology from the College of Arts and Sciences. He currently serves as the discipline chair for correctional science at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. Terry has spent 20 plus years at the college, where he also teaches sociology and history. Prior to teaching at San Joaquin Delta, he taught 10 years at Chabot College teaching sociology, history and physical education. There he was a student-athlete, professor, assistant and later head football coach and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame.

Previously Terry also completed a 20-year career with Alameda County Probation in the San Francisco Bay area. A US Marine veteran, Terry served after graduating from Foothill High School in Pleasanton, then attended Chabot College and Ohio University. He served again just after the 911 attack as a reservist for another 8 years.

Terry is grateful to the outstanding, caring and engaging professors he had during his time at Ohio University as an undergraduate and graduate research assistant in sociology, such as Dr. Martin Schwartz, Dr. Francine Childs and Dr. Thomas Calhoun. He is also gracious to the mentoring he received in the two years he played for the OHIO Football Team from his Head Coach Cleve Bryant and assistants Larry Fields and Bob Kappes who were all part of the 1968 and 1969 Bobcat MAC football championship teams. That Bobcat spirit that all three displayed led Terry to eventually create four current scholarships at OHIO: The Cleve and Jean Bryant Hall of Fame Sports Administration, 99 Reasons, Stand Up for Ohio Football Coach Cleve Bryant and the David Terry Soc/Crim scholarships. He is also a regular contributor to both the Dr. Francine Childs and Urban Scholars scholarships and currently serves on the Dean’s Leadership Council for the College of Arts and Sciences. He and his wife, DeAndrea, reside in Manteca, California.

Lastly, Terry counts attending the 2024 MAC Championship victory over the “red” team in Detroit, Michigan with 15+ former Bobcats from all eras in a suite as one of his best Bobcat experiences ever. Go Cats Go!

Learn more about the Ohio University Alumni Association 

The Ohio University Alumni Association is always seeking dedicated Bobcats who are eager to give back and strengthen the alumni experience.

If you know someone who would make an outstanding board member, or if you are interested in serving yourself, please submit a nomination by Dec. 31, 2026, and help us continue building a vibrant alumni community.

You can learn more and submit a nomination here.