People and Partners
Sara Tillie, Director
Sara joined the Cleveland Tree Coalition in July 2024 with a commitment to center equity and focus in on the connection between urban forestry and public health. She has previously served in the public sector at the City of Cleveland Department of Public Health and Lorain County Public Health. In her current role as the Executive Director, Sara advocates for equitable tree planting and maintenance, with a focus on genuine community engagement and empowerment. She has a Masters in Public Health from Case Western Reserve University and a Masters in Urban Planning and Development from Cleveland State University. Her favorite places to be among trees are on the Cleveland Metroparks trails and in the Adirondacks, in upstate New York.
Ryan Grzybowski, Communications Specialist
Ryan joined the Cleveland Tree Coalition in January 2026 with a passion for storytelling in the nonprofit sector, photography, and a commitment to the outdoors and trees. He has previously worked as an intern for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and Canalway Partners in Cleveland. With a focus on visual storytelling, he has his Bachelor's in Photojournalism from Ohio University and is currently pursuing a Master's of Business Administration in Strategic Marketing from Baldwin Wallace University. He loves to travel to the East Coast for vacation and explore national parks.
