WARREN, OHIO—NOVEMBER 12, 2025—The Raymond John Wean Foundation announced Wednesday the addition of Zachary Thomas as Program Officer for Capacity Building. In this role, Thomas will lead efforts to integrate capacity building and learning into the Wean Foundation’s grantmaking programs. Working with community partners and staff, Thomas will identify appropriate tools for assessing organization leadership, develop and coordinate learning opportunities, and promote value-add resources to bolster the capacity of nonprofit leaders and organizations in the Mahoning Valley.
Thomas brings deep experience in nonprofit leadership and community building to the role. He is the co-founder and former executive director of Writers in Residence (WIR), a nonprofit dedicated to teaching creative writing to youth who are incarcerated, empowering them to find their voice and assisting their re-entry into society. Born out of Thomas’ volunteer experience at the Juvenile Detention Center in Cleveland, WIR got its start in 2017 as a student-led, all-volunteer organization at John Carroll University. In 2018, Thomas received a Cleveland Foundation Fellowship, which enabled him to transform the student organization into a nonprofit. WIR has supported 12 cohorts of incarcerated youth led by teaching artists from across Ohio. More than 1,500 youth have participated in the transformative program, producing over 2,500 creative pieces distributed through chapbooks, or small booklets.
Thomas also serves on the board of Zygote Press, a nonprofit community printmaking studio, gallery, archive, and education center that supports artists through residency programs, studio access, and artistic development. Thomas received a bachelor’s degree in creative writing, professional writing, and English literature and a master’s in nonprofit administration from John Carroll University.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Zach to the Wean team,” said Wean Foundation President Jennifer Roller. “In just a few months, he’s already shown the compassion, generosity and deep appreciation for community that define the Mahoning Valley. His talent for engagement, along with his genuine character and drive, make him a great fit to advance our mission across the region.”
“I’m looking forward to learning from all the resident-led groups, new nonprofits and established organizations in Warren and Youngstown that make this region healthy, vibrant and equitable,” Thomas said. “As the co-founder and former executive director of a nonprofit arts and justice organization, I understand what grantees must navigate. I want them to know I’ve been in their position before. I want to be as knowledgeable about and supportive of their cause as possible.”
About The Raymond John Wean Foundation
Established in 1949, the Wean Foundation is dedicated to community building in the under-resourced communities of Warren and Youngstown in Ohio’s Mahoning Valley. The Wean Foundation leverages a dynamic combination of grantmaking, capacity building, convening and partnerships to provoke new thinking, strengthen communities and disrupt the status quo to achieve its vision: empowered residents creating an equitable Mahoning Valley. Visit weanfoundation.org to learn more.
Media Contact
Sara McCarthy
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