Board of Directors

Board Members

Effective at the end of June 2018, City of Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan appointed Marco Sommerville to fill the vacancy on the AMHA Board left by the retirement of Leonard Foster. AMHA welcomes Marco to the board and is grateful to have his extensive experience, advocacy, and long-term commitment to the Akron community as part of the housing authority’s governing body.

Marco Sommerville has been a public servant and business owner for more than a quarter of a century. His first political experience was working on Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign. Three years later, in 1987, he ran for his first political office and was elected to serve as the Council Representative for Ward 3. In 2000, his peers elected him as Akron City Council President. He served as both President and Ward 3 Council Representative until the end of 2012, when he resigned to accept his appointment as Akron’s Planning Director.

Notable accomplishments as Council President and Ward Councilman include a $60 million neighborhood redevelopment in his ward that encompassed Edgewood Homes, Helen Arnold Community Learning Center, and the Akron Urban League; establishment of the Akron Criminal Expungement Program; youth anti-violence initiatives; legislative support for community policing; legislative support to retain Goodyear and Firestone; international recruitment of foreign businesses; and legislative support for local businesses and first- time homebuyers.

Throughout his political career, Sommerville also owned and operated Sommerville Funeral Services, which he founded in 1982. He turned the business over to his daughter, Margo, when he accepted the Planning Director’s position. His daughter was also appointed by City Council to complete his term as Ward 3 Council Representative.

Marco Sommerville’s contributions to the Greater Akron community also include Chairmanship of the Joint Board of Review, the oversight committee for Akron’s $900 million school rebuilding project; Board of Trustees of the Akron Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau; President of the Downtown Akron Partnership; Akron Branch NAACP; and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.

During Ms. Aber’s 25 year tenure as CEO of Planned Parenthood of Summit, Portage and Medina Counties, she was a leader in the successful merger of five affiliates. She continues her commitment to improving health and social services for the residents of Summit County through her volunteer service as a member of the Summit County Social Services Advisory Board, the Visiting Nurse Services Board, and the Akron General Health Systems Board. She is also a member of the League of Women Voters Akron Area Board. Ms. Aber is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and received an MBA in Health Services Management from Boston University. She and her husband have lived in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood since 1982.

Mr. Fickes is an attorney. He has practiced law in our community since 1985. After graduating from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Mr. Fickes earned a Bachelor of Arts from John Carroll University in Cleveland, a Master of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Detroit, and his Juris Doctor from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. His legal work is in all forms of dispute resolution, from legal counseling through trial and appeals, in both the state and federal court systems. Mr. Fickes is a member of the leading professional associations for lawyers.

Mr. Fickes’ family has lived in the Akron area since the 1920s. His grandparents established the Akron Bearing Company, Inc. in 1940, and the family continues to own and operate the company. He is the eldest of six children, all raised in the Firestone Park area, and the father of three adult daughters. Mr. Fickes resides in the University Park neighborhood of Akron and belongs to St. Vincent de Paul Church. He is an active member of the community. In addition to his tenure on AMHA’s Board of Directors, he has been nominated twice as a candidate for the Common Pleas Court in Summit County. Mr. Fickes has served as president of the Humane Society of Greater Akron, is a member of the Leadership Akron Alumni Association (Class XVI), and currently sits on the Blossom Board of the Cleveland Orchestra and the board of the First Friday Club of Greater Akron.

A native of North Carolina, Ms. Hudson has been the Akron Civic Commons Neighborhood Fellow since 2018. One of the key components of Akron Civic Commons is civic engagement and relationships with neighbors about how to activate and enhance our civic commons spaces for all citizens.  Working in partnership with neighborhood residents, as Akron Civic Commons Neighborhood Fellow, she has assisted with projects in Summit Lake and Ohio & Erie Canal Park. Some of the projects and programs include neighborhood and community events at Summit Lake and Ohio & Canal Park. Summit Lake Community activities include a community Harvest Festival and a community Christmas Party.
In addition to her role with Akron Civic Commons, Ms. Hudson is Chair of the Summit Lake Community Development Corporation and a Board Member of Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority and the GAR Foundation’s Community Voices Committee.  The Summit Lake Community Development Corporation exists to promote housing, strengthen economic development, and revitalize growth efforts in the Summit Lake community.

Dr. Joan M. Williams serves as the Chief of Staff for Akron City Council, where she serves as liaison between the Office of the Council President and the Office of the Mayor, directing the overall operation of Council Leadership and Council-led Initiatives. A passionate advocate for community-centered governance, Dr. Williams leverages over 30 years of experience building sustainable partnerships across the non-profit, public, and government sectors.
Deeply committed to nonprofit empowerment and community service, Dr. Williams currently serves as President of the Bright Star Books Advisory Board, Trustee of the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority Board, Member of the Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center Board and Governance Committee, and Board Member and Vice Chair of the Governance Committee for the Akron Zoo. Through these roles, she is dedicated to ensuring that the nonprofit and civic sector have the resources, legislative advocacy, and support necessary to serve their constituencies with distinction and impact. Her commitment to community health and wellness extends to her work with the American Heart Association, where she has served in fundraising initiatives and as the Coach for the City of Akron’s Public Hearts in Motion Heart Walk team in 2025 and 2026.
As a Licensed Social Worker, Ordained Minister, and former Executive Director of a nonprofit organization, Dr. Williams brings distinctive expertise in social action and community impact. Her work continues to focus on advancing human services, improving health and wellness, eradicating food insecurity, combatting gun violence, reimagining community policing, and fostering economic development in impacted communities.
Dr. J, as she is affectionately called, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Colgate University, a Master of Science in Education from SUNY College at Brockport, a Master of Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work, and a Doctorate from Alliance Theological Seminary.

Board Meeting Calendar

Events

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    • AMHA Board of Directors Meeting

    Board of Directors – October 2026 Meeting

    The AMHA Board Meeting provides an opportunity for the Board of Directors to review agency updates, discuss strategic initiatives, conduct […]

    • AMHA Board of Directors Meeting

    Board of Directors – November 2026 Meeting

    The AMHA Board Meeting provides an opportunity for the Board of Directors to review agency updates, discuss strategic initiatives, conduct […]

    • AMHA Board of Directors Meeting

    Board of Directors – December 2026 Meeting

    The AMHA Board Meeting provides an opportunity for the Board of Directors to review agency updates, discuss strategic initiatives, conduct […]

    Request To Speak At the Board Of Trustees Meeting

    Procedure For Processing Public Request To Speak At Board of Trustees Meeting

    The Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority’s (AMHA) Board of Trustees meets on the last Thursday of each month at 8:00 a.m. at 100 W. Cedar Street in Akron. The following procedures have been implemented for all requests to address the Board of Trustees during a regularly scheduled board meeting:

    • All public requests and inquiries to speak at an AMHA Board of Trustees meeting will be processed by the Director’s Office.
    • Upon receiving a request to speak, a copy of these procedures and the “Request to Speak to the Board of Trustees” form will be sent to the requestor. These documents can be emailed, mailed, or picked up at the address listed above.
    • Requests to speak must be received by noon on the Thursday, one week prior to the regularly scheduled Board Meeting.
    • The Director’s Office will review requests and contact the requestor to ensure all information regarding their request has been obtained, as well as to confirm the date, time, and location of the meeting. This information is intended to assist in determining meeting room accommodations and facilitate efficient handling of the Board’s agenda.
    • If a request to speak has been received after the deadline, the requestor will be scheduled to speak during the next regularly scheduled board meeting the following month.
    • No speaker may address the Board more than twice in a calendar year, and no speaker is entitled to speak at consecutive Board Meetings.
    • Groups of individuals wishing to speak on the same or similar topic will be asked to identify a spokesperson to maintain efficiency in handling the Board’s agenda.
    • Employees making such requests will be processed in the same manner as the general public. If the meeting is during regular work hours, the time will not be compensated by AMHA, and permission to leave an assigned work location must be arranged in advance with the employee’s supervisor.
    • Speakers will be allowed up to five minutes to speak.
    pdfRequest Form to Speak to Board