Officers & Board of Directors
Your organization will benefit from our eclectic blend of professional and educational experiences, which include social work, law, nonprofit administration, grant administration, business administration, accounting, marketing, fundraising, and education.
Jeffrey Fromknecht, MSW
CEO & Managing Attorney
Jeff is a lawyer, author, and speaker who has a passion for helping others. He is the the co-founder and Managing Attorney of Side Project Inc. Jeff is licensed to practice law in both Pennsylvania and Florida. He holds graduate degrees in both social work and law and has more than 15 years of experience working at nonprofit organizations in a variety of direct-service and management roles. View Jeff’s resume
Dave Brown
Treasurer, Board of Directors & CFO
Dave is the Controller at CLASS, a nonprofit organization that supports adults and children with disabilities. He has 13 years of accounting experience, working at both nonprofits and educational institutions. David has a B.S. in accounting and an MBA, both from Penn State University. He was born and raised in Erie, PA, and currently resides in the Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh with his wife, Sara, and their beagle, Hunter. In addition to being a number cruncher, David is an avid runner and craft beer enthusiast. View David's resume.
O: 800-330-5807
Arwen Lavengood Davis
Secretary, Board of Directors & COO
Arwen has nearly twenty years of experience as a leader in nonprofits. She earned her master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Public Administration, specializing in Nonprofit Management. Arwen lived and served the Pittsburgh region for over a decade, but now resides in Eugene, OR, with her family. Arwen's life mission is to authentically serve others, to be a Connectarian, and to spend as much time as she's able with her family, adventuring and exploring.
Adam Paul Causgrove
Chairperson, Board of Directors;
Director of Community Outreach - Pittsburgh
Adam is a founding member of Side Project Inc. Adam is a co-founder of Paws for Olympia Park, a community group that advocated for and helped develop an off-leash dog park in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Adam spends his time with his son Holden, his cat-and-dog squad, and enjoying as much time outside as he can. View Adam's resume.
O: 800-330-5807
Meghan Boehm
Board of Directors
​
Meghan is a lifelong inner city Pittsburgh native who is passionate about many things including dogs, food, and trying to do what she can to make her community a better place. In addition to being a board member for Side Project Inc., Meghan is on the executive committee for Promise Legacy - the alumni group of The Pittsburgh Promise, a mentor for Strong Women, Strong Girls and a volunteer with Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma. She earned both a Master's in Public Health and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from The University of Pittsburgh. Meghan spends her free time cooking, gardening, playing with her dog Axel and being outside as much as possible.
O: 800-330-5807
Steven Fetzner
Board of Directors
Steve is a member of the Side Project Action & Advisory Committee, helping out with projects in the Western PA area. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Syracuse University. Prior to law school, Mr. Fetzner worked in the television/film industry as a production assistant for in Los Angeles, and in broadcasting as technical director/editor at two network affiliates. Mr. Fetzner currently works for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), and resides in Erie, PA with his wife, Ashley, his son, Logan, and his dog, Pippa.
O: 800-330-5807
Daniel Fromknecht
Board of Directors
Dan is a member of the Side Project Board of Directors and also serves on the Fiscal Sponsorship Committee. Dan graduated with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in May 2018 and practices in Fort Myers, Florida. In his spare time, Dan enjoys running, golfing, and reading.
O: 800-330-5807
Nicholas Koch
Vice Chairperson, Board of Directors
A member in Frost Brown Todd’s Pittsburgh office, Nick is a litigator with a broad business litigation practice that spans two states and several industries. He represents companies in contract disputes, personal injury and property damage claims, class action suits, mass tort claims, and insurance coverage and bad faith claims in both state and federal courts. Prior to joining Frost Brown Todd, Nick worked at boutique firms that specialized in oil and gas litigation and asbestos and mass tort defense, respectively. The breadth of Nick’s practice is complemented by his experience; he has successfully defended clients in all phases of litigation, including trials and appeals.
​
Nick graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he served as an articles editor for the University of Pittsburgh Law Review. He is a member of both the Pennsylvania and the West Virginia State Bar Associations. He was selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Rising Stars® from 2014-2019 by Super Lawyers magazine, an honor limited to the top 2.5 percent of young attorneys in the state.
O: 800-330-5807
Emanuel "Dupree" Jackson Jr.
Board of Directors
​
Dupree is a Delray Beach native, father, mentor and the founder and CEO of Emanuel Jackson Senior (EJS) Project. He graduated from Boca Raton High School and then went on to Hibbing Community College where he studied communication and minored in psychology and obtained his Associates of Arts degree. Returning back home, Dupree took notice of the lack of mentors and services that catered to teens from marginalized communities. He channeled his observations into action with ambitions of someday being a pillar in the community through serving, edifying and assisting teens become the best versions of themselves this vision manifested into the EJS Project.
EJS Project is a 501(c)(3) dedicated and named after his late father, and focuses on their youth's strengths and power, assisting them in writing their own narrative through Collective Impact, Racial Equity, and Restorative Practices. Dupree and his team use these attributes to band the gap between marginalized youth and the world that they are often neglected and disconnected from. The EJS Project believes teens deserve equity of opportunity and that strong supportive relationships promote change in individuals, organizations and systems. The EJS Project acknowledges racial discrimination and the barriers it has created in communities of color.
Besides leading the EJS Project, Dupree also serves as the Co-Chair for Healthier Delray Beach, is a Board member of Community Greening, and is also involved and engaged in numerous community improvement efforts throughout the city. He resides in Delray Beach with his wife, Janay, and their two children, Jazlyn(10) and Kahlia (1).
O: 800-330-5807
Kelsey Ripper
Board of Directors
​
Kelsey is currently the Executive Director at Friends of the Riverfront whose mission is to enhance, connect, and expand the Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Pittsburgh. Prior to her current position, she was the Director of the Microenterprise Project at Volunteers of Legal Service where she provided pro bono transactional legal services to under-resourced small business owners and nonprofit organizations in New York City. Kelsey was also an Equal Justice Works Fellow at Lawyers Alliance for New York. She has served on the American Bar Association's Community and Economic Development Committee and the New York City Bar Association's Nonprofit Organizations Committee. Kelsey graduated from Fordham Law School in 2013.
O: 800-330-5807