Mark Tripodi

CEO & Founder

ABOUT ME

My wife, Christi, and I are the founders of Cornerstone of Hope. We experienced the sudden death of our three year old son, Bobby, in May of 2000. Our lives have been forever changed since that very day. Soon after, we felt God’s call to offer support to families who have experienced the death of a loved one. Cornerstone of Hope was founded in 2003. Since our inception we have served over 40,000 individuals of all ages through our core services: counseling, support groups, youth camps, retreats and education/training for professionals and lay leaders who serve the bereaved. I am passionate about introducing Cornerstone of Hope to families in need, to volunteers who want to make an impact and to companies and individuals who feel called to generously support this crucial mission.

FUN FACT

Cornerstone has a beautiful Treehouse. In 2014, we were blessed to gain national exposure during an episode of Animal Planet’s hit television series “Treehouse Masters”. Locally, the treehouse is known as Lisa’s Butterfly Treehouse in memory of Lisa Kurtz Luciano whose estate gift help construct this sacred space in the trees. You can watch this episode on Amazon Prime or iTunes, Season 2 Episode 4, The Wild Butterfly Escape.

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

"Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'” —John 11:25–26

Julie Iuliano, LISW-S

Clinical Supervisor

ABOUT ME

I moved to Columbus in 2018 and have been busy with my Social Work career! I have a background in crisis work, supporting survivors of trauma, and those who have lost loved ones. I have worked in different school and community and private settings throughout Columbus. I joined Cornerstone of Hope as a PRN in January of 2023. Shortly thereafter I became full-time as Clinical Supervisor, supporting the amazing clinical work we do at Cornerstone of Hope.

FUN FACT

I love to read and usually read over fifty books a year.

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.” - Pema Chödrön, The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times

Kim Turner, LISW-S

Coordinator, Mid-Ohio Traumatic Loss Response Team

ABOUT ME

I joined Cornerstone of Hope in Feb 2022, as the Mid-Ohio Traumatic Loss Response Team Coordinator. It is an absolute delight to be part of such an important mission & team, serving a unique population of people.

FUN FACT

Being a Lake Erie native has taught me “I can do hard things!”

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

"He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk discreetly with your God.”– Micah 6:8 

Melissa Ayotte, MA, ATR-BC

Support Group Facilitator

ABOUT ME

Having always felt a call to serve and having followed that call, I have worked in a variety of settings such as education, medical, social services and private practice for over 20 years. I feel blessed to have landed at Cornerstone of Hope in 2023. The work here is just as rewarding as some past experiences, but the “peace that surpasses all understanding” can be felt here. I received a BA in Psychology from Ohio University in 1994 and went on to get an MA in Art Therapy from St. Mary of the Woods College in Terre Haute, IN in 2014. I have two sons and live on a farm just outside of Columbus with my husband and two Labrador Retrievers.

FUN FACT

I believe art gives us access to that place inside us where God dwells. By engaging in art making, we are celebrating one of the most important ways we were created in His image – He as creator, and us, creating and playfully emulating our Father. 

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles but the Lord delivers him from them all. He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.” Psalm 34:18-19

Michelle Buckley, MSW, LSW

School Group Facilitator

ABOUT ME

After completing my Master’s degree in Social Work in 2005, I spent time working in the foster care system and then as a hospice social worker.  I joined Cornerstone of Hope in 2022 as a School Group Facilitator.  It is a gift to walk alongside people in their grief and I am grateful to serve in this manner.

FUN FACT

I love playing board games and a variety of sports with my children and spouse.

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

"The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." – Philippians 4:5-7

Annie Dalby, LISW-S

Clinician

ABOUT ME

I have worked in both medical social work (home care and hospice) and as a bereavement coordinator in hospice. I am also a spiritual director and have been seeing individuals privately since 2009. I have known of Cornerstone of Hope for a long time and am thrilled to now be a part of the team. I feel humbled and blessed to be able to journey with others as they grieve and heal.

FUN FACT

I’ve been married for 27 years and have two wonderful adult sons.

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

 “Lord, help me to live this day quietly, easily; To lean on Thy great strength trustfully, restfully.” - St. Francis of Assisi

Keshawn Harper

Support Group Facilitator

ABOUT ME

I received my bachelor degree from The Ohio State University in criminal justice and International studies. I then worked as a police officer for the City of Atlanta where I grew a love of talking with those in the community. This passion led me to go back to school and received my Master's in Social Work from The Ohio State University. Besides working as a Support Group Facilitator for Cornerstone, I also work as a school social worker at KIPP Columbus High School and am a community lecturer at OSU.

FUN FACT

I enjoy improv comedy and I practiced Kung Fu in college.

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

Elizabeth Kraska, LISW-S

Support Group Facilitator

ABOUT ME

By day I am a medical pediatric social worker with a focus on children and families in primary care from a trauma-informed perspective. I came to Cornerstone of Hope in 2015 initially providing clinical supervision and then my involvement spread to many roles at Cornerstone. I run grief support groups, provide individual bereavement counseling, provide crisis grief counseling, co-facilitate trainings and am a camp counselor for Camp Memory. For me, this is deep soul work, meeting people on their grief journey and abiding with them and partnering as we walk together with hope and healing.

The opportunity to work also at Cornerstone of Hope has been a gift in so many ways and I feel honored every day to be a part of this organization.

FUN FACT

I am Ohio born and Columbus is my home (Go Bucks) but my heart longs for the mountains and deserts of the southwest and is one of my favorite places to visit.

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

“Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.”

Molly O’Driscoll, LPC, GC-C

Clinician

ABOUT ME

Hello! I have been connected to Cornerstone of Hope as a community partner since 2012, and I officially joined the team in the fall of 2017, where my role has grown over the last few years. As a Bereavement Clinician, I am proud to serve others through individual and family grief counseling as well as by facilitating our trauma support groups, offering hope and encouragement to those who have lost a loved one to suicide or accidental overdose. You may also find me participating in various programming throughout the year, and overseeing Grief Matters, our monthly education series designed to engage, explore, and express grief in creative ways. Through my role here at COH and prior work in both funeral home and hospice settings, I have been humbled to walk with others along their grief journeys toward healing. I am inspired by the resilience of my clients every day, and I believe them to be my greatest teachers.

FUN FACT

I have visited five continents and walked the Camino de Santiago, also known as “The Way of St. James,” which is a 500-mile pilgrimage across Spain to the Cathedral where the Apostle James is buried.

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jenna Bechtel

Assistant Coordinator, Mid-Ohio Traumatic Loss Response Team

ABOUT ME

I was first introduced to Cornerstone of Hope at a First Friday event in 2022. I interned at Cornerstone of Hope while completing my Bachelor’s degree in Neuropsychology at Cedarville University. My Internship turned into employment, and I now work as the Assistant Coordinator for the Mid-Ohio Traumatic Loss Response Team. Helping others has always been a passion of mine, and I am so honored to be a part of an organization filled with people that have the same passion.

FUN FACT

I was adopted from Seoul, Korea at the age of two and I can sing my ABC’s Backwards.

HOW I MOVE FORWARD IN HOPE

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26