Who We Are
Leadership Cape Cod will make more of an impact by offering more programs and services to more people, businesses, and community organizations.
Leadership Cape Cod goals are:
- To provide the tools for leaders to thrive in their businesses and community.
- To enhance leadership and civic engagement (community service) skills.
- To cultivate connections and foster thoughtful conversations and collaborative skills.
- To offer a learning community network of friends and colleagues.
- To drive change and innovation while helping to shape the future of the Cape Cod region
Board Of Directors & Staff
Bob Cody
Executive Director
Throughout his career Bob Cody has a demonstrated record of leadership, problem-solving, organizational development, maximizing individual contributions, and continuous operational improvement. He brings over 25 years of leadership experience in corporate, academic and non-profit organizations.
In positions of vice-president of worldwide research, development and engineering, dean of academic and student affairs, board member and board chair, Cody has led organizations in innovation and growth specializing in developing new programs, products and services, while increasing revenue and organizational growth, leading change management transformations to take those organizations to new levels of performance. He is currently the chief executive partner of Innoreate, a business consulting firm and the Executive Director of Leadership Cape Cod.
More About Bob
A member of the Leadership Cape Cod’s CLI class of 2012, Cody brings a passion for community service with him to Leadership Cape Cod. He has previously been a member of the board of directors of Groundwork Bridgeport in Bridgeport CT, the Stratford CT YMCA where he also led a father-daughter youth program, and was a member and co-chair of the Stratford CT School District’s Board of Education. Under his leadership, the school district board received a statewide leadership award from the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. Since coming to the Cape, Cody has continued his commitment to the community by serving as a member of the board of directors of CLI, Open Cape, Cape Cod Technology Council and the Greater Hyannis Chamber of Commerce, where he is the board chair.
Jacob Stapledon
President (CLI Class of 2018)
Jacob is a Cape Codder who has worked in a variety of human service and education roles with individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Jacob received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and found his calling providing training and education to those supporting children and adults who have experienced trauma.
This passion of training, education and prevention lead him to Children’s Cove, the Cape & Islands Child Advocacy Center where he works to raise awareness of child abuse issues, provide prevention education for parents and caregivers, and conduct high quality training and education surrounding recognition and response to abuse of children for professionals. Jacob also coordinates the Teen TASK Force program in several local high schools.
More About Jacob
Jacob is a member of Cape Cod Young Professionals, a graduate of the Community Leadership Institute (2018), serves on the Board of Directors of Leadership Cape Cod is a partner to a wonderful woman, a father of incredible twins, and a craft beef enthusiast.
Jeni Wheeler
Vice President (CLI Class of 2019)
Jeni Wheeler is the Owner/Chief Culinary Artist of Jeni’s Joy, a boutique prepared meals and catering company focusing on people with specific food preferences/needs such as Vegan, Keto, Gluten-free, etc. She also serves as co-founder of the Family Table Collaborative, and was previously the Executive Chef and Program Director of Faith Family Kitchen, a ministry of the Cape Cod Council of Churches which feeds the homeless and food insecure.
More About Jeni
Jeni has a MBA, with a focus on social entrepreneurship, from Babson, and has extensive background working in start-ups, non-profits, and the political sector.
Kara O’Donnell
Secretary (CLI Class of 2019)
Kara currently serves as the executive director of the MassHire Cape & Islands Workforce Board.
More About Kara
More about Kara:
Martin “Marty” Brummel
Treasurer (CLI Class of 2012)
Marty has a strong and extensive business background. He spent 32 years as an entrepreneur as owner of Prestige Valet Parking. In addition, he has worked for a variety of businesses on the Cape in and around tourism, hospitality, and radio. In addition to his business experience, Marty has volunteered his time to serve on community boards. He is a past board member of the Cape Cod Hospitality Marketing Association, Dennis Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Hyannis Chamber of Commerce. He previously served as the President of the Board of Directors for both Leadership Cape Cod and The Cape Cod Community Media Center. Marty is passionate about helping businesses and looks forward to supporting local businesses along that path to success.
Rob Cushing
Director (CLI Class of 2019)
Raised in Hyannis, Rob Cushing spent his high school years in Iowa. Upon graduation, he entered into the Navy for 6 years, serving during the Persian Gulf War and at duty stations in Florida, Italy and Virginia.
At Cape Cod Community College he served as Vice President of the Student Senate and as part of the WKKL Radio Club. He graduated with an associate’s degree in Information Systems, and then to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for his bachelor’s degree in 2000. Rob has run a digital marketing company since 2014 and is an active participant in the local Cape Cod community.
More About Rob
For over 15 years Rob had worked in the field of technology project management with various Fortune 500 companies before starting his own company, Port & Starward Digital Marketing. Port & Starward specializes in digital marketing including reputation management. search engine optimization (SEO), social media management, and web design/business development.
Rob is an active member of Cape Cod Young Professionals and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. He is also a musician and has toured throughout the country with music having been featured on MTV. Rob spends his free time with his 9-year-old son Leo, working on his music, enjoying and exploring the Cape, and on genealogy.
Liz Hartsgrove
Director (CLI Class of 2008)
Liz has nearly 20 years of professional experience working in various managerial capacities for municipalities on Cape Cod: Provincetown, Wellfleet, Yarmouth, and presently serves as Director of Licensing and as Assistant Director of Planning & Development for the Town of Barnstable. She was born and raised in the suburbs of Washington DC and was a professionally trained dancer with the internationally renowned Maryland Youth Ballet. She studied, interned, and performed with both American Ballet Theater and Joffrey Ballet Company in NYC and in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center. Upon graduation from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX with a Bachelor in Fine Arts, Liz decided to change course and was hired by the National Park Service as a Park Ranger for Yosemite National Park and Boston National Historic Park.
More About Liz
Known for utilizing her versatile background, naturally creative, innovative talent and down-to-earth authenticity, Liz’s inside/out and empowering leadership techniques have gained steadfast recognition; expanding her strategies from department to town-wide, presenting at international and regional conferences and institutes, and volunteer consulting with local municipalities.
In her “down-time” Liz avidly studies various leadership methods from random sources of inspiration; serves on the Town of Yarmouth Planning Board as Vice-Chair, and on the Community Preservation Committee; is a program developer for Cape Women’s Coalition; is a certified leader through Climate Reality Project and Disney Institute; volunteers for local performing art institutions; currently pursuing her MPA through Suffolk University, and; alongside her husband and their two daughters, constantly and creatively explores, finding adventures wherever life takes them.
Chris Hedetniemi
Director (CLI Class of 2016)
Chris Hedetniemi was born and raised in Gloucester, MA. He attended St. John’s Prep, then on to study Management at Bentley University. Chris worked in event management for Bentley and Brandeis before coming to Cape Cod fourteen years ago.
Upon his arrival, Chris became employed at the Dan’l Webster where he was for 2 years, then moved to Asst. Store Manager for American Eagle Outfitters, and finally onto insurance with HUB International where he is still employed today. Chris was originally hired as a Branch Assistant in HUB’s North Chatham office. Within an eight month period, he obtained his insurance licenses and was promoted to a Client Relationship Manager position in the Employee Benefits Division. Three years later, he branched into Commercial and Personal Insurance while remaining at HUB. Most recently back in 2016, Chris was promoted to Assistant Vice President and Account Executive, continuing to offer clients his expertise across all lines of insurance. Chris is now approaching his eleventh year with HUB.
More About Chris
Chris really enjoys keeping busy with non-profits. He is currently Vice President and Education Coordinator for the Cape Cod Insurance Agents Association and a Director on the board of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce. In 2015, Chris was Co-Chair of the Cape Cod Young Professional’s largest annual event, The Back to Business Bash. He was also in the CCYP’s Mentor Exchange Program, Class of 2016 and a Mentor for the class of 2017. Chris was in the CLI (Community Leadership Institute) Class of 2016 where he and a group had volunteered at Children’s Cove, the Cape’s local child advocacy center. He has assisted the Community Health Center of Cape Cod in getting a YP group formed, intended to get more young people involved at the center. Chris also teaches the insurance portion of the First Time Home Buyers class through the Community Development Partnership in Eastham. He also has a passion for animals, being an owner of multiple cats and dogs, he volunteered for the MSPCA in Centerville organizing a linen drive and Chairing their Annual Walk for Animals fundraiser. Chris’s involvement doesn’t stop there as he was also a board member of Sail Cape Cod, an organization dedicated to making sailing affordable and accessible to all, including those with disabilities, given another passion he has, bringing people out on the water to experience the beautiful ocean seascapes that surround our everyday life.
When time permits, Chris likes to have BBQ’s at his home in Dennis Village, go boating with friends and his dogs to Sandy Neck, Provincetown, and Crowes Pasture, travel to new places, and fish from his boat in Cape Cod Bay.
Mike Solitro
Director (CLI Class of 2019)
Mike graduated from Syracuse University and Suffolk University Law School and now serves in several capacities in the Cape Cod area as an attorney, an associate broker with Kinlin Grover, and as the founder of AccomplishedRE.
More About Mike
Mike lives in Sandwich with his amazing wife, two young sons, and their energetic dog. They love the outdoors and everything Cape Cod offers. Mike is also a member of Cape Cod Young Professionals and EforAll Cape Cod Spring 2021 Accelerator.
David Troutman
Director (CLI Class of 2015)
David Troutman has worked in the restaurant industry for over 46 years; the last 32 of which were spent as co-owner of Scargo Cafe.
A 1976 graduate of Barnstable High, he received his bachelors degree from Suffolk University in 2006 and is a graduate of the class of 2015 Community Leadership Institute.
He is a founding member and immediate past Chair of Calmer Choice and as such was the United Way recipient of the Ron Reed award for dedication to a board. David is also an active member of the YMCA “Achievers” steering committee, an active Trustee on The Cape Cod Chamber board, member of the PAWs advisory board as well as recently becoming a member of the board of WE CAN.
More About David
With volunteerism as a primary passion, David has been featured in recent years as a dancer for Cape Wellness Collaborative’s “Dancing With the Docs”, a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters as well as a presenter for several of SCORE’s educational seminars.
David lives in West Barnstable with his beautiful wife Pam, and his lovely daughter Kate.
Vana Trudeau
Director (CLI Class of 2018)
Vana Trudeau graduated from Barnstable High School and Cape Cod Community College before receiving her Bachelor of Arts in English summa cum laude from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. She completed her Master of Arts in Drama at Tufts University and spent several years producing corporate “theatre” for Infinium Software, a pioneer in the SaaS (Software as a Service) industry.
In 2004 she founded Essential Rentals, a full-service vacation equipment rental company. Now employing more than a dozen people from May to October, it is the largest vacation equipment rental company in the region.
Vana joined CCCC as an adjunct faculty member in 2010 and served as Performing Arts Coordinator before becoming the Tilden Arts Center and College Events Coordinator in 2016. She is a member of the leadership of the Cape Cod Theatre Coalition, the Vice Chair for Region 1 of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, a former member of the Dennis Port Revitalization Committee, and former Chair of the Dennis Arts and Culture Council.
More About Vana
She is a frequent collaborator with arts and culture organizations across the region, serving on various committees and initiatives.
Vana also spent time as an amateur competitive cyclist and triathlete, completing more than 15 triathlons, 2 marathons and 2 full Ironman triathlons. She loves traveling with her husband and daughters, aged 16 and 18.
Mike Redfield
Ex-Officio / Consultant (CLI Class of 2017)
Mike Redfield was born and raised in West Yarmouth. He received his Bachelors degree in Business from Bryant University in 2004. Mike spent 9 years living in San Diego from 2007 to 2016 enjoying the ocean and the outdoors year round and experienced immense professional growth by seizing on an opportunity to start a niche business within the construction industry. He grew his business year over year and sold it in 2016 so he and his wife Robbi could move to the Cape to settle down and start a family. Mike is currently the Sales Manager of the Personal Insurance Team at Rogers & Gray Insurance Agency and is an active member in the community.
More About Mike
Mike is an alumnus of the Community Leadership Institute class of 2017 and is happy to be involved with the organization on the Alumni Committee and as Board Treasurer. Mike lives in Plymouth with his wife and cute 1 year old daughter Charlotte. In his free time you will find him enjoying time with his family and being active outdoors.
Mike loves participating with Leadership Cape Cod as it enables him to connect with likeminded individuals who are passionate about their own personal growth and the growth of their community.