OverDrive - Team

Team

Here are a few OverDrive team players that are ready to discuss how we can be part of your team.

	Steve Potash is President and CEO of OverDrive, Inc., a company he founded in 1986. Under his leadership, OverDrive has become the leading provider of eBook technologies and Digital Rights Management solutions for publishers, retailers and libraries. OverDrive is a key technology supplier and distributor to Random House, Microsoft Corporation, AOL Time Warner, HarperCollins, McGraw-Hill and hundreds of US and international trade, education and academic publishers and retailers for their digital products. To read more about the founder of OverDrive, click here.

	Mike Vantusko, Chief Financial Officer Mike has more than 20 years of financial experience, most recently as a chief financial officer to public and private companies. A CPA and MBA, Mike's main roles at OverDrive include working closely with Steve Potash in the development and implementation of the company's strategic vision and capital structure.

	Lori Soukup, Chief Operating Officer and Controller Lori is responsible for Accounting, Payroll, and Office Administration. In addition, she plays an integral role in process improvements among all departments. Lori is a CPA, received her BS in Accounting from Bowling Green State University and her MBA from Baldwin Wallace College. Outside of the office, Lori spends her time with her husband and three children and if time allows loves to go outside for a long run.

	Loree Potash, Executive Vice President Loree has been with OverDrive since 1992. Prior to joining OverDrive, she worked as a librarian at Case Western Reserve University School of Law and as an attorney. She holds an MSLS from Case Western Reserve University and a J.D. from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. She enjoys reading and hanging out with her children.

	Melanie Lekan, Executive Assistant Melanie joined OverDrive as the Executive Assistant to CEO Steve Potash. She is a graduate of Miami University with a B.S. in Mass Communications and the University of Cincinnati with an M.S. in Criminal Justice. She enjoys spending time with friends, working out, and reading.

	Claudia Weissman, International Business Director Claudia joined Overdrive in early 2000 as International Business Director. She contributes to OverDrive's expansion of eBook services and DRM strategies in International markets and leads strategic partnerships and accounts in the US. She especially enjoys working with the library community by sharing information about new technologies and OverDrive's extensive experience in providing access to premium content. Prior to her career in ePublishing, she served as a city attorney in Germany with a law degree from Hamburg University. Besides books and reading, she loves world travel and has been to over 50 countries.

	Erica Lazzaro, General Counsel Erica manages the legal affairs for OverDrive including negotiating and drafting licensing agreements and strategic partnerships for the company's global technology and content services. She is actively involved in managing licenses and policies for Digital Rights Management services, patents, trademarks, copyrights, and eCommerce matters for the company. Erica has secured digital distribution rights for the distribution and sale of titles from dozens of leading book publishers, film and TV network studios, record labels, and audiobook publishers. Additionally, Erica works with numerous U.S. and foreign governmental entities to license OverDrive hosted library services which are in use by over 7,500 libraries domestically and abroad. An avid eBook reader, Erica is a graduate of Miami University and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Erica is licensed to practice law in state and federal courts in Ohio.

	Sonny Mazzolini, Legal Associate A graduate of Penn State and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Sonny joined OverDrive in 2007 as a Legal Associate. Sonny assists in the drafting and editing of licensing and distribution agreements. In his free time he enjoys watching sports, working out, and playing softball.

	Ileana Pacl, Human Resources Manager Ileana has been with OverDrive since June 2007. She is originally from Romania, and has resided in the USA since 1994. She is responsible for the OverDrive Human Resources Department. Ileana received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and Labor Relation/Human Resources from Cleveland State University. Outside the office, Ileana loves spending time with her husband and two children, cooking, and reading.

	Alissa Griesmer, Group Product Manager In her capacity as Group Product Manager, Alissa serves as the coordinator between the OverDrive development team and retail, library, and publishing partners on the development and feature-sets of OverDrive’s systems and applications. Additionally, she manages the award-winning Digital Library Reserve Support Team as well as the OverDrive Project Management Team. From Cleveland, Ohio, Alissa received her B.A. in History from the University of Akron and pursued graduate studies in Library and Information Science at Kent State University. When not PMing, Alissa listens to NPR. A lot.

	Laura Crowe, Project Manager Laura is an outstanding member of the OverDrive team. Her degree in Internet Information Systems makes her an excellent resource. Among her responsibilities, Laura provides training services and manages site design for several client accounts. Outside of the office, Laura likes to spend time with her friends and enjoys reading and writing.

	Simon Miller, Project Manager Originally from London, England, Simon has vast experience with eJournals and has worked for EBSCO Information Services in both London & New Jersey. He is now part of OverDrive's Project Management Team. He enjoys spending time with his wife (newlywed, give him some time...), catching up with friends, listening to music, and watching movies.

	Ben Alcorn, Project Manager Ben is a Cleveland native who spent 10 years working for Case Western Reserve University Kelvin Smith Library before joining OverDrive. He attended the College of Wooster where he majored in Philosophy. When he is not at work, Ben is an avid reader and volleyball player, and enjoys being tortured by his beloved Cleveland sports teams.

	Cath Smith, Project Manager, Special Projects Cath was born and raised in the West of England. She comes to OverDrive after seven years in the Scottish National Health Service, where she gained considerable project management experience. In her spare time, she likes to indulge her geekish tendencies and enjoys writing, building web pages, and throwing pots (on a wheel, not at things).

	Daniel Carl, Project Manager Daniel joins OverDrive with over 10 years of experience providing project management, information services consulting, and other IT support for small businesses and non-profits in the Cleveland area. In his spare time, Daniel works with the Northeast Ohio Videogame Initiative, where he helps create video games with other independent developers in the region. He also spends a fair amount of time playing said video games--for research purposes, of course.

	David Burleigh, Director of Marketing David leads the branding and marketing activities for OverDrive. His background includes senior marketing leadership in high tech, professional services and healthcare, as well as an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University. A native of Maine, David enjoys many outdoor sports with his wife and 3 boys.

	Daniel Stasiewski, Marketing Associate Dan is a graduate of Penn State Erie, where he studied communication, public relations, and English. He joined the OverDrive marketing team after two years of managing media relations for nonprofits in his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania. In his spare time, Dan enjoys going to see movies, reading, and getting to know Cleveland.

	Renee San Jose, Marketing & Events Coordinator As a 2005 graduate of Miami University of Ohio, Renee studied Business Information Systems and Marketing Promotions. Renee joined the OverDrive marketing team to assist in the coordination and management of OverDrive's events and other marketing efforts. When Renee is not in the office, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and dogs, playing Cleveland intramural sports, and watching all Cleveland sport events.

	Karen Potash, Collection Development Specialist A graduate of Kent State University, Karen joined the team to help inform and update library partners of new eBooks, digital audiobooks, and other digital media. She is excited to be a part of the OverDrive team. In her free time Karen enjoys reading eBooks on her Pocket PC and traveling.

	Lindsey Levinsohn, Collection Development Associate Lindsey is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with degrees in both Popular Culture and History. She is currently working on obtaining her Master's of Library and Information Science from Kent State University. At OverDrive, she works as a part of the Collection Development team, assisting libraries with all of their Digital Media collection needs. In her spare time, she enjoys taking her boat out on the lake, reading, and all aspects of popular culture.

	Tom Scott, Business Development Representative, Southern States Tom joins OverDrive with over 15 years of experience managing library accounts for one of the nation's largest clearinghouses of trade manuals. A graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College, Tom has earned Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Business. At the end of the day, Tom enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, playing golf, and jet-skiing on Cleveland's beautiful Lake Erie.

	Mike Shontz, Business Development Representative, Atlantic States A sports buff, graduate of Penn State, and dedicated father of three, Mike leads our business development efforts for clients in the Atlantic states. A valued member of our sales force, Mike joins our business development team with over a decade of experience as a successful account executive. Mike has worked for many high-profile companies like MCI, Nortel Networks.

	Joe Dickinson, Inside Sales A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Joe joined the OverDrive team to assist with sales and to help inform partners of our current services. Joe loves reading, watching television, listening to music, and surfing the web. He also loves watching sports--especially hockey. In his spare time, he enjoys watching his tropical fish aquarium.

	Brian Potash, Account Representative A graduate of The Ohio State University, Brian studied business with a focus in marketing at the Fisher College of Business. At OverDrive, he is a member of the sales team where he assists with sales campaigns and building relationships with new and current customers and partners. In his free time, Brian is an avid golfer, listens to audiobooks, and enjoys going out to Cleveland hotspots.

	Deb Halinski, Library Liaison Deb is a member of DLR's Partner Services Group. With 7 years experience in IT and consulting, her role is to help maximize the value of DLR for library partners and their patron communities. At this moment you may find Deb tucked away in the training room delivering web-based training for some of our newest partners. In her off-hours, Deb is active in the video production community as an editor and media artist. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Wayne State University.

	Shannon Mangan, Manager of Library Partner Services As a member of the Partner Services Team, Shannon helps DLR libraries promote digital media. Shannon is a recent graduate of Heidelberg College and received a bachelor's degree in Communications and Public Relations. In her spare time, Shannon enjoys playing volleyball, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

	Ann Denison, Partner Services Associate Ann's role is to instruct librarians in the use and features of the digital library products. Ann is a graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts. In her free time, she enjoys making jewelry, playing volleyball, and baking.

	Megan Greer, Partner Services Associate A graduate of the University of Toledo, Megan received her bachelor's degree in Communications with a focus in Broadcasting and PR. As a member of the Partner Services Team, she assists DLR libraries to promote digital media. She joins the OverDrive family after working at WKYC-TV Channel 3 for the past year. In her spare time, Megan enjoys going to the movies, reading, writing screenplays, and hanging out with family and friends.

	Lisa M. Coreno, Partner Services Associate As a member of the Partner Service Team, Lisa helps DLR libraries promote digital media. In 2006, Lisa graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in Corporate Communications and Public Relations. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys traveling, exercising, spending time with her family and friends, and supporting her Cleveland sports teams.

	Maria Arsenieva, Accounting Manager Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, Maria has over 8 years of experience in accounting both in Russian and US companies. She joined OverDrive in 2005 and is very proud to be a part of the great OverDrive/DLR team. Her main duties include working with publishers and vendors on financial matters, management and analysis of cash flows, and preparation of accounting reports. Maria holds an MS in Economics and Management from St. Petersburg Marine Technical University and a BS in Accounting and Auditing from College of Economics, St. Petersburg, Russia. Outside of the office, besides reading, Maria enjoys traveling, theatre and arts.

	Christen Oleska, Accounting Associate Christen works in the Accounting Department. In her spare time she likes to do scrapbooking, card making, shop, and country line dance.

	Cliff Hirsch, Financial Analyst Cliff has 15 years of experience in Accounting and Finance. He is a CPA and received his BBA in Accounting from Cleveland State University. Cliff spends his free time with his wife and two daughters. He also enjoys reading and playing basketball.

	Mark Johnson, Assistant Product Manager With a background in management and mechanical engineering, Mark brings a unique perspective to the product team. He has experience with ISO 9000 and QS 9000 quality standards and a love of flowcharts, statistics, and process improvements.

	Rick Patterson, Network Administrator Rick has many years of experience managing network systems and infrastructure in start-ups as well as large companies. He served as director of operations for Internet service provider, CyberGate, currently known as NTT Verio.

	R. E. Lewis, Jr. Network Administrator After obtaining an associates degree in Computer Networking Technology, R.E. joined the OverDrive team. His love for computers and graduating with a 4.0 at Remington gives him much encouragement at OverDrive. When R.E. is not in the office, he enjoys fixing his friends computers and teaching martial arts.

	Chris Satola, Jr. Network Administrator With the experience of a vast IT background, Chris Satola brings his passion for technology to OverDrive and its customers. Chris enjoys spending time with friends and playing computer games.

	Ben Donovan, Project Manager Ben is OverDrive's novelty British employee. He has a degree in computer science from the University of Leicester and frequently handles "special projects" (the really difficult ones that no one else wants!). Ben is currently working with audiobook technology.

	Alexis Wiles, Content Reserve Integration Specialist Alexis joined OverDrive in 2001, and has become an essential and much-appreciated part of the Content Reserve team. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University with degrees in English and Sociology, Alexis also has a background in digital publishing and eBook conversion.

	Jen Petric, Content Reserve Integration Specialist An Ohio native, Jen joined the OverDrive team in 2006. After graduating from the University of Akron with degrees in Mass Media and Computer Programming, she worked in Chicago for two years before moving back to Cleveland. She spends her days working in Excel, prepping metadata for hundreds of titles. After hours, she enjoys catching up with family and friends, running, writing and playing softball.

	Chris Weber, Catalog & Metadata Librarian Chris was born in New Hampshire and has lived in Vermont, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. He has had a lifelong interest in books and enjoys reading with interests in aviation, history, and anything that catches the eye. He has a B.S. of Technology from Kent State University and a M.L.I.S. in archives and records management from the University of Pittsburgh. His background includes public and university libraries, the metal casting industry, and university customer service. He joined OverDrive as Catalog & Metadata Librarian handling MARC records between OverDrive and OCLC, and working with content metadata. In his spare time, he is a member of a local aviation museum, enjoys web surfing, watching movies, taking care of his two cats, and keeping busy with anything that pops up.

	Joe Armenio, Metadata Specialist Joe Armenio is a native of Cleveland; he has a B.A. in History from Hiram College and an M.A. in American History from the University of Maryland. In 2007, he returned to the Cleveland area, after living in Maryland for eight years. Most of his work experience has been in archives and libraries; he also served as a teaching assistant while doing his graduate work.

	Jason Pokines, Production Artist A graduate of the University of Akron, Jason studied Studio Art and minored in Digital Imaging. He loves drawing, both on the computer and off. He also loves video games, and has entire websites devoted to his love of games. In his free time he likes to hang out with friends, take care of his cat, Avalon, and run 5k races.

	Jen Swyt, Production Artist Jen has been working as a graphic artist for seven years. After living in New York City for four years, she is glad to be back in Cleveland, where she was born and raised. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a major in Computer Art, and a minor in painting and creative writing. When not working, Jennifer enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, writing, and designing handmade jewelry.

	Andy Hird, Customer Support Manager With a widely varied background in desktop support, Andy is always working to assist our clients and customers to enjoy their digital books. He also helps perform quality testing. Being an avid reader, books are a big part of his life--even when away from work.

	Thadeus Davis, Customer Support Specialist A recent graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College, Thadeus has earned a Bachelors Degree in Computer Information Systems. Thadeus enjoys spending time with friends, watching movies, and reading.

	Daniel Potash, Customer Support Specialist Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Daniel currently balances his time between the Support Staff of OverDrive and finishing his degree in Computer and Information Sciences at Cleveland State University. Daniel likes to spend his time outside of work playing computer games, snowboarding, and talking to his girlfriend. Joining the team in 2006, he has since been a productive and enjoyable part of the OverDrive team and hopes the training and experience he gains here will aid him in the future.

	Justin Noszek, Customer Support Specialist Justin is a native of Cleveland, OH and a graduate of both John Carroll University and Computertraining.com. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids. To preserve sanity, he listens to copious amounts of music, reads, plays video games, and he plays guitar.

	James Nickras, Customer Support Specialist James joined the OverDrive team in 2007 and has several years experience related to Internet resources and books, most recently as a reference librarian. A graduate of the University of Akron and Kent State University, he enjoys reading and architecture in his free time.

	Jarell Thompson, Customer Support Specialist Jarell joined the OverDrive team in 2008 and has a bachelor's degree in Sports Management and Business Management. Outside of work, Jarell likes to spend time with his family, play sports, and relax.

	Jim Burke, Media Specialist Jim Burke came to Overdrive in 2004 with a background in broadcasting and is a member of the encoding team - processing the audiobook source material from the publishers so it can be enjoyed by all who listen to them. When not in the office Jim is racing around raising 5 daughters, writing, baking for his fellow teammates, and listening to audiobooks and music.

	Rob Bobic, Media Specialist Rob has just graduated from Kent State University where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics. He has joined the OverDrive team to help with video encoding, but also does quality testing. When not at work, Rob enjoys seeing movies with friends and reading.

	Jonah Oryszak, Media Specialist A graduate of The Art Institute Of Pittsburgh, Jonah studied Film/Digital Media and minored in Video Production. He loves composing and performing music, scripting and directing short films, reading, painting, and drawing both on the computer and off. In his free time he enjoys watching movies, playing video games, cycling, and traveling with friends.

	Jessy VanDivner, Media Specialist Jessy combines his love of audiobooks and expertise with digital media as a member of the OverDrive encoding team. He is a graduate of the Music Synthesis program offered at the Berklee College of Music, and enjoys scoring and sound designing. While audio is Jessy's primary forte, he loves creating visual artwork as well as aural, using digital technology as the primary vehicle for his creativity.

	Patrick Kahl, Media Specialist A recent high school graduate who took part in the Cisco vocational program, Pat joined the OverDrive encoding team in October 2007. In his spare time Pat likes to hang out with friends, watch movies, and play computer games.