Our Team
Sharyna C. Cloud, M.P.A.
Executive Director | Community Strategist | Workforce & Economic Opportunity Leader
Sharyna C. Cloud is a nonprofit executive, public administrator, and community strategist with more than 25 years of experience advancing workforce development, housing justice, violence prevention, reentry, community development, and systems change.
As Executive Director of CleveLawn & Home, Sharyna leads a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to reducing poverty and strengthening communities by creating paid workforce training, employment opportunities, and career pathways for adults who face barriers to employment. Her leadership spans organizational strategy, fund development, partnerships, workforce programming, earned-revenue growth, operations, and community impact.
Before joining CleveLawn, Sharyna served as a Senior Program Officer with Enterprise Community Partners, where her work included supporting Cuyahoga County's 8-Point Housing Justice Plan and collaborating with government, nonprofit, housing, and community partners to advance equitable housing solutions.
Her career also includes serving as Executive Director of Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, where she led community-based violence prevention efforts and partnerships connecting residents with public safety, healthcare, court, and community systems. During her tenure with the City of Cleveland, she worked on public safety and community initiatives, including Operation Focus and the Community Relations Board.
Sharyna began her career with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, spending more than a decade working in parole, reentry, and services designed to help individuals successfully transition back into their communities. She also taught criminal justice at Bryant & Stratton College and ITT Technical Institute, bringing her professional experience into the classroom to prepare future practitioners.
In addition to her nonprofit leadership, Sharyna is the Principal Consultant of Akida Business Consulting L.L.C., providing strategic planning, board development, community engagement, organizational development, training, project management, and implementation support to nonprofits, public agencies, and community-based organizations.
Her entrepreneurial experience also includes founding and operating The Kandy Kupboard, a specialty retail business she operated from 2019 to 2021. That experience strengthened her understanding of entrepreneurship, small-business operations, customer service, and the challenges faced by emerging business owners.
Across each chapter of her career, one theme has remained consistent: turning ideas into practical solutions that create opportunities for people and strengthen communities.
Sharyna holds a Master of Public Administration from Cleveland State University and has completed leadership development through Business Volunteers Unlimited and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. She also serves in nonprofit governance and community leadership roles, including as Board Chair of NuPoint Community Development Corporation, Trustee of Saint Luke's Foundation, and a board member of Cleveland Mediation Center.
At CleveLawn, Sharyna brings these experiences together—combining workforce development, business strategy, community revitalization, and social enterprise to create pathways from training, to work, to long-term economic opportunity.
Devon Ventura
Program Manager | Workforce Development & Youth Programming
Devon Ventura serves as Program Manager at CleveLawn & Home, where he oversees the organization’s Workforce Training & Self-Development Program and coordinates its Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) programming. In this role, Devon helps create structured pathways that prepare adults and young people for employment, education, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, and long-term success.
Devon manages the day-to-day implementation of CleveLawn’s workforce programming, including participant recruitment, intake and onboarding, training coordination, attendance and progress monitoring, certification opportunities, and career preparation. He also facilitates workforce readiness and professional development activities designed to strengthen communication, teamwork, accountability, problem-solving, time management, and workplace professionalism. Program Manager
An important part of Devon’s work is connecting participants to opportunities beyond the program. He develops relationships with employers, unions, apprenticeship programs, industry professionals, and workforce partners to expand access to employment and career pathways. He also supports job placement and follows participant progress and employment retention after program completion. Program Manager
Through CleveLawn’s partnership with Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.), Devon coordinates youth onboarding, work assignments, attendance, and participant support, helping young people gain meaningful work experience while developing the professional habits and skills needed for future employment. Program Manager
Devon’s approach recognizes that successful workforce development requires more than technical training. He works directly with participants to identify barriers and connect them with supportive resources related to transportation, housing, education, legal assistance, and workforce needs while providing ongoing coaching and progress reviews. Program Manager
Devon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Cleveland State University. His educational background complements his work with individuals from diverse backgrounds and strengthens his approach to participant engagement, motivation, personal development, and behavior change.
At CleveLawn, Devon brings together program management, workforce development, youth engagement, employer partnerships, and participant support to help individuals move from opportunity to preparation—and from preparation to sustainable employment and long-term economic mobility.
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