Government Relations​
Nonprofit Development & Management
Jon Thomas Consulting is a full service consulting firm experienced in government affairs, grant writing, association management, and marketing strategy services. We provide all services necessary for an organization to increase its bottom line and achieve its goals through a specially tailored approach to meet each client's specific needs.
Each of our consultants has worked on both sides of the political aisle, providing the framework of Jon Thomas Consulting's bipartisan approach. This marriage of theory to practice is critical to our strategic approach. Combined, our consultants have over 75 years of combined hands-on problem-solving expertise. That is a lot of problems and even more solutions.
Jon Kozesky, Principle & Founder
Amber Toth, Chief Operating Officer
Steve Fannin, General Counsel
Nick Sanford, Senior Development Manager
Esther Bardo, Development Manager
Lindsey Queen, Government Affairs and Development Manager
Shane Winnyk, Development Manager
Emily Lafferrandre, Development Manager
Melissa Peterson, Development Coordinator
Anna Blanton, Development Associate
Jessica DeNunzio, Development Associate
Lily Knott, Development Associate
Breanna Kinsey, Development Associate
Humanity Depends on Philanthropy
Since our founding, we have connected nonprofits across the globe with the resources, knowledge and expertise necessary to tackle the greatest challenges facing humanity. From the beginning, we've pioneered a more flexible model of service to the nonprofit industry – combining the benefits of both intensive staffing and high-level strategic counsel customized to the needs of each client.
1750 Pennsylvania Ave. Suite 27187
19885 Detroit Rd. Suite 245
Kozesky
With over 15 years of experience in development and fundraising in both the public and private sector, Jon started his career in politics working in the Ohio Statehouse and later in the office of U.S. Congressman Steven LaTourette, as well as then-United States Senator and former Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton. After leaving Capitol Hill, Jon pursued his passion of helping neighborhood nonprofits secure the resources they needed to best serve their constituents. This passion led to his founding of Jon Thomas Consulting, a boutique nonprofit management and development firm serving organizations across the United States and throughout the Caribbean in streamlining their processes and maximizing their revenue growth.
Before entering politics, Jon served his community as a firefighter and water rescue diver. For his efforts in assisting the nonprofit community, Jon was recognized by Cleveland Magazine as a 2020 25 Under 35 award recipient, as well as a 2017 recipient of the Greater Akron Chamber's 30 Under 40 award. In his personal time, Jon is a champion competitive sailor and is a self-described "adrenaline hunter", having skydived and bungee jumped on 6 of the 7 continents.
Amber Toth
Amber is a strategic, results-oriented leader with 8+ years of experience raising funds to help nonprofits fulfill their missions. She specializes as a fundraising leader in the areas of grant writing, individual and corporate giving, and event planning. Amber is also a multi-talented graphic and web designer, and social media and marketing professional.
Amber is originally from Northwest Ohio and attended The Ohio State University College of Nursing prior to launching her career in social service. In her spare time, she is an avid marathon runner, a world traveler, a competitive sailor, and a strong supporter of small businesses as she serves on the board of directors of numerous Chambers of Commerce.
Amber is the ultimate visionary. She keeps the team on task, motivated, and moving forward. Growing the company (and your bottom line) is her life goal and she is determined to lead that mission.
Nick Sanford
Nick began his foray into the professional realm over 15 years ago as a civil engineering student at Youngstown State University, interning with a municipal engineering consultant group in the Mahoning Valley, and quickly adopted the belief that client trust is earned through commitment to and confidence in their objectives and long-range organizational vision. A native of Conneaut, Ohio, Nick knows first-hand the meaning of the need for long-term planning and funding strategy, and has made it his career's work as a municipal engineering consultant and as a former department head of his County's water and sewer utility to prioritize need and identify funding sources to catalyze revenue streams and see projects and programming into fruition. Likewise, Nick had previously served on Conneaut City Council, the Conneaut Foundation Board of Trustees (a 501(c)(3) organization committed to strategy and catalyzing local small businesses and startups), the Conneaut Human Resources Center Board of Directors, and the Conneaut Arts Center Board of Directors; and he continues to serve as an organist and cantor for the Corpus Christi Catholic parish in Conneaut, now into his twentieth year of service.
Coinciding with his work with the team at Jon Thomas, Nick is currently a project engineer with a publicly-traded water utility in northeastern Ohio and resides in Madison with his wife Jennifer and their Golden Retriever, Frankie. There they thoroughly enjoy the fruits of northeastern Ohio vinifera, good food, and the company of family and friends, and can be found on any given Saturday at one of the plentiful estate wineries along State Route 307.
Esther Bardo
Esther Bardo is a Development Manager with Jon Thomas Consulting. She has worked in development for 10+ years, helping to advance the missions of varying organizations ranging from higher education to public policy. Bardo holds a Master's degree in Information Science from Kent State University and is also a graduate of Malone University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Psychology. Like all good mid-westerners, she enjoys baking and the great outdoors, as well as traveling and weight training.
Lindsey Queen
Lindsey Queen is the Manager of Government Affairs and Development at Jon Thomas Consulting. A native of Decatur, Georgia, Lindsey came to Ohio to earn her Bachelor's degree in Politics and Government at Ohio Wesleyan University.
Lindsey has experience in both state and local government, as well as public affairs and
government affairs for organizations within numerous industries, including economic development, retail, manufacturing, environmental, technology, and K-12 education. In the last 10 years of her professional career, she has successfully advocated for causes on local, state, and federal levels of government.
Prior to her position with JTC, Lindsey served as Legislative Aide and Clerk of the House Ways and Means Committee during Ohio's 129th General Assembly. Lindsey is also a graduate of the Jo Ann Davidson Ohio Leadership Institute, which is a program dedicated to providing extensive training for women leaders in business and government.
Outside of work, Lindsey is passionate about giving back to her community whether it's serving at her church or keeping active in several community organizations and boards. Lindsey is Councilmember At-Large with the Ohio Children's Trust Fund's Central Ohio Regional Prevention Council, where she represents Franklin County. She also sits on the Health Policy Institute of Ohio's ACEs Advisory Group.