Heart to Heart Leadership remains committed to cultivating purpose-driven and values-based leaders and teams. Our unique Look Within Lead Beyond approach supports all of you as you care for your workplaces and the wider community.
This year’s Annual Breakfast holds special meaning for us. As Heart to Heart Leadership steps forward, this gathering marks a moment to reconnect, reenergize, and celebrate the strength of this community and the leadership values that bring us together. We are genuinely excited to begin this next chapter alongside you.
We look forward to welcoming you on May 12, 2026, from 7:30 am-9:00 am (Breakfast served at 7:00 am) at the John S. Knight Center.
Because of supporters and friends like you, the 33rd Annual Breakfast promises to be an inspiring morning as we focus on the good work we all do to make this community the wonderful place that we know it is and can be.
As Heart to Heart Leadership prepares to spin off from United Way of Summit & Medina, effective on or about April 1, 2026, we invite you to consider supporting us during this important new chapter. Your partnership helps ensure our mission continues to grow, connect, and serve leaders and teams across our region.
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Speaker Bio
Christine Amer Mayer, President, GAR Foundation
Christine Amer Mayer is president of GAR Foundation. She guides the foundation’s strategic direction and annual grantmaking which focuses heavily on education and economic development.
An Akron native, Christine practiced commercial litigation and business/nonprofit law for eight years with Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs in its Columbus, Cleveland, and Akron offices. She joined GAR Foundation in late 2001 as a part-time program officer. She was named president in 2012.
In 2021, Mayer was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to serve as a trustee for The University of Akron. She is now vice chair of the University of Akron board of trustees. She serves as trustee and Program Committee chair for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. She serves on the boards of the Downtown Akron Development Corporation, the Greater Akron Chamber, the Fund for Our Economic Future, and ConxusNEO. Previously Christine chaired the United Way of Summit & Medina and served on the founding board of ArtsNow.
Christine was named a Crain’s Cleveland Business Woman of Note and has regularly appeared on the Inside Business Power 100. She received the 2024 ArtsNow Visionary Leader Award, the Project GRAD Community Service Award, was named a finalist for the Athena Award, and received the Women’s History Project of the Akron Area’s Woman of the Year. She is a member of Leadership Akron Class XXIV.
Christine received a Bachelor’s degree in English from Duke University and a law degree from The Ohio State University.
The greatest blessing of her life is her family. When she is not spending time with her three beloved children, she can be found bird-watching, hiking, listening to podcasts, or digging away in her reasonably productive vegetable garden.
Believe it or not: Christine is a lifelong bookworm who is determined to write a novel before all is said and done.
