Our Board Of Directors
Board Chair
JEFFREY HECK
Lexington, Ohio
Jeff Heck, one of 33 Forever’s co-founders and Board Chair, is a civil trial lawyer in Mansfield, Ohio. He is Dani Leedy’s step-father. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University and The University of Florida College of Law. He has over 35 years of extensive courtroom and other legal experience and is admitted to practice law in both Ohio and Florida, as well as several federal courts.
Prior to 33 Forever, in addition to his law practice, Jeff has put his energy behind many other non-profit organizations. He has recently been elected to the Board of Directors of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation and presently serves on the Richland County (Ohio) Suicide Prevention Coaltion. He is also a member of NAMI – Richland County. He has previously served 16 years as a member of the Lexington (Ohio) Local Schools Board of Education, is the Past Board Chairman of Renaissance Performing Arts Association and the Rehabilitation Services of North Central Ohio, Trustee and Secretary of the Richland County Foundation and past President of the University Club of Mansfield and the University Club Educational Foundation, among many others. He also provides and has provided legal services to many local non-profit organizations over the years as well as numerous other volunteer activities.
Professionally, he has served as the Secretary of the Richland County Bar Association and as the Litigation Chair of its Certified Grievance Committee and was a 22 year member of the Ohio State Bar Association’s Council of Delegates. He is a Fellow of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Ohio State Bar Association. He has served on numerous OSBA committees and task forces, the Executive Committee of the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys and is currently a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Ohio Association for Justice, the Richland County Bar Association and the Florida Bar.
Jeff and his wife, Donna (33 Forever’s co-founder and President/Treasurer), make their home in the Mansfield, Ohio area. They have 6 adult children and 7 grandchildren.
President/Treasurer
DONNA HECK
Lexington, Ohio
Donna Heck, 33 Forever’s co-founder and Board President, is also Danielle Leedy’s mother, the inspiration behind 33 Forever. For over 40 years, Donna Heck has been supporting the advancement of business and professional women. She attended Holy Name High School in Cleveland, Ohio and Kent State University before beginning a career in sales in 1979.
Professionally, Donna began as an area supervisor and sales manager for Gloria Marshal Figure Salons in Cleveland, Ohio. Early in her career, she was personally mentored by Jenny Craig, founder and owner of Jenny Craig, Inc., a nutrition, fitness and weight loss program originally for women, and her daughter, Denise Bourcq, and they helped to shape her own goals in helping, motivating and training women to success in their own careers.
More recently, Donna worked for several years as an account executive with Time Warner Cable and iHeart Media. In both of these roles, she exceeded her sales goals while assisting area businesses in marketing their companies, growing their businesses and expanding their brand awareness.
Donna enjoyed staying home with her kids when they were preschool age. While her children were still in school, Donna worked as the assistant to the Treasurer of Lexington Local Schools. In that position, she was the insurance liaison for over 300 district employees, assisting them with their health insurance and liability insurance coverages. At the time, she also worked with district’s finances, helping the school maintain a balanced budget.
Her years of managing a large number of staff members, company finances, sales and insurance claims prepared her for her current roles as the CFO and Office Manager for The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. and as 33 Forever’s President and CEO.
Donna is a a Member of the Board of Directors fo NAMI – Ohio as well as a Member of NAMI Richland County and the Richland County Suicide Prevention Coalition. She has volunteered on Lexington Local Schools Levy Campaigns and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She has long supported efforts for Mercy Multiplied, a nonprofit Christian organization that works with girls and young women ages 13-32 struggling with anxiety, depression, unplanned pregnancies, eating disorders and drug addiction. Her other volunteer efforts have been as a church youth group leader for high school students, a girls youth soccer coach, church children’s ministry and vacation bible school, church adult small group leader and in elementary school classrooms.
Donna and Jeff, (33 Forever’s co-founder and Board Chair), make their home in the Mansfield, Ohio area. They have 6 adult children and 7 grandchildren.
Board Vice Chair
JOSHUA LEEDY
Ontario, Ohio
Josh Leedy is the 33 Forever Vice Chair and is Dani Leedy’s older bother. He is a graduate of Heidelberg University with a Bachelor’s degree in business.
Professionally, Josh is an accomplished executive sales representative for a medical device company covering Ohio, winning multiple sales-based awards over his career. In 7 years with his previous medical device company, he took one of the lowest producing territories in the country to one of the top in that company.
Josh is also an entrepreneur at heart. Before his medical device sales career, he was an integral part in two start-up companies using his passion for marketing, sales and building business relationships. He currently serves as an advisor for a mental health start-up app called “Meet Gina.” Meet Gina matches its users with mental health support — including peers, health coaches, therapists and other wellness services.
Josh and his wife, Kim, live in the Mansfield, Ohio area with their two young sons.
Educational Programming Chair
SARA BENNETT
Grove City, Ohio
Sara Bennett is a 33 Forever Board Member and serves as its Educational Programming Chair. She is also Dani Leedy’s younger sister. Sara is currently a high school social studies teacher in Ashville, Ohio for the Teays Valley Local Schools, where she has taught for over 10 years. She is a graduate of Ohio University with a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Master’s degree in Cultural Studies in Education.
At Teays Valley High School, Sara serves as the F.O.R. Club Advisor, an organization that works to promote kindness, service and community within the district. She also is the Global Scholars Program Coordinator, which partners with the Columbus Council of World Affairs.
In addition to teaching, Sara puts her energy into her small business, The Ananda Edit. She is a part-time professional organizer and loves to assist her clients in achieving their residential goals.
Professionally, she has also previously been an independent content contributor to social studies textbooks for McGraw Hill, has been Assistant Swim Coach at Teays Valley and the Head Counselor at the Ohio State University Swim Camp.
Sara and her husband, Rusty, make their home in the Columbus , Ohio area. They have 2 young sons.
Volunteer Committee Chair
MANDY BRICKNER
Charlotte, North Carolina
Mandy Brickner is a Board Member and Volunteer Chairperson for 33 Forever, and is the sister of Danielle Leedy. She graduated from Lexington (Ohio) High School and earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, both in education, from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
Mandy taught middle school for 9 years eventually becoming a National Board Certified Teacher. She served on various educational committees, a grade level Team Leader and cheerleading coach for a number of years. In 2019, she was voted, by her peers, her school’s Teacher of the Year.
After her second child, Mandy decided to pursue a different career path that would provide her more flexibility for her family. She now owns two small businesses.
Mandy knows so many people who have struggled and continue to struggle silently, who feel alone, and feel like they have to bury their feelings associated with anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges. Her hope is that, through 33 Forever, these people and so many others can be a part of breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, acknowledging and opening up about their challenges, and seeking support.
As Volunteer Chairperson, Mandy has the privilege of working with volunteers in a number of capacities. Whether outreach, preparing for and executing events or various other tasks, Mandy is able to work with the generous 33 Forever volunteers to help to reach and impact as many individuals as possible.
Mandy and her husband, Sean Brickner (also a 33 Forever Board Member), live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their two young daughters.
Nominating Committee Chair
SEAN BRICKNER
Charlotte, North Carolina
Sean Brickner is a Board Member and the Nominating Chairman for 33 Forever. Sean is married to fellow Board Member, Mandy Brickner (sister of Danielle Leedy). He attended Hopewell-Loudon High School in Bascom, Ohio and is a graduate of Ohio University with Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. After graduation, the Brickners relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. After four years of practicing engineering, Sean became a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of North Carolina. He presently works for a multi-national forensic engineering firm from his office in Charlotte.
As the father to two young daughters, his passion in raising his children is what motivated Sean to join the 33 Forever Board. Through 33 Forever, Sean aspires to raise awareness, empower and comfort those struggling with the diseases of depression and anxiety. As Nominating Chairman, Sean’s role includes (among many things) identifying and recruiting new members for the Board of Directors that will not only help 33 Forever grow as an organization but help it continue to evolve into a world-class mental health advocacy group.
Sean, Mandy and their daughters call Charlotte, North Carolina home.
Finance Committee Chair
ALEX LEEDY
Columbus, Ohio
Alex Leedy is Dani’s youngest sister and a 33 Forever Board Member and its Finance Committee Chair. Alex is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work.
During her college years, Alex served as Secretary of the Social Work Student Organization, planning and organizing on-campus events like the “No More” campaign and others to benefit Richland Newhope Industries and The Richland County Humane Society. That organization also brought speakers to the campus on topics including mental health and sexual assault. She is also a professional photographer and did a photo series on quotes from rape survivors. This series was featured in Ohio State’s Conard Art Gallery.
Although Alex is still a licensed social worker, she has followed in the footsteps of her sister, Dani, by working for a start-up company as its Director of Operations and Economic Development Consultant. In this role, Alex has a direct impact on creating new jobs and encouraging capital investment in the geographic areas where her clients are located.
Alex resides in Columbus, Ohio with her dog.
Audit Committee Chair/Board Representative to Professional Committee
DENNETTE SANTAMARIA
Gahanna, Ohio
Dennette Santamaria is a 33 Forever Board Member and the Board’s representative to its Professional Advisory Committee. She also serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee. Dennette is Dani Leedy’s younger sister.
Dennette is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She is presently working on her Master’s Degree in Social Work, also at Ohio State.
Professionally, Dennette is a practicing Licensed Social Worker, currently working with survivors of human trafficking. Dennette has a strong interest in mental health and her involvement in 33 Forever is motivated both by her excitement to help carry out dream of Dani’s and to help her memory live on.
Dennette and her husband, Erik, live in Gahanna, Ohio with their young daughter.
Board Secretary
NICHOLAS ADAMS
Grandview Heights, Ohio
Nick Adams is 33 Forever’s Board Secretary. Nick was raised in Lexington, Ohio, where Dani Leedy grew up as well. He is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. During college, Nick was active with and involved in leadership with his fraternity, focusing in part on chartibale efforts. He also played college baseball at Ohio Wesleyan.
Professionally, Nick works as a sales represetative in the dental supply industry. His personal interest in mental health issues has become a passion for him as he has watched those close to him in his life with personal struggles.
Nick resides in the Columbus, Ohio area.
Get in Touch. Get Involved.
Send us your questions, comments, suggestions, volunteer, offer personal stories, experiences or offer professional assistance. We would love to hear from you.
1-800-SUICIDE
(1-800-784-2433)
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Text: MHA to 741741
From anywhere in the US