Our Team
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Benjamin Levey
Executive Director Benjamin Levey is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Final Third Foundation (F3). He has over 9 years of experience in the nonprofit sports and development industry. In 2011, his passion for helping through sport developed when he founded the Likoni Community Football League (LCFL), based in Mombasa Kenya. For the past eight years Levey has managed and operated several sports and development nonprofit organizations, events and programs, including, Columbus East FC (CEFC), Columbus Nations Cup, F3 Soccer & Literacy Programming, and Columbus East Soccer Association (CESA).
Levey is a graduate from Fisher College of Business with a Masters in Business Administration. |
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Leiah Groom-Thomas
Director of Education Leiah Groom-Thomas is the Director of Education for Final Third Foundation (F3). She is responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation, and expansion of F3's Soccer & Literacy programming. Her expertise includes facilitating children's language and literacy development and identifying evidence-based practices to support reading and comprehension. Leiah is a Research Project Manager at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University where she works at the intersection of research and practice. Most importantly, she shares F3's goal of providing high-quality learning experiences for all students in the community.
Leiah holds an M.A. in Reading and Literacy in Early and Middle Childhood and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from The Ohio State University. Her background as a practitioner informs her work and scholarly interests. Leiah is in the final stages of receiving her Ph.D from Ohio State with a dissertation focusing on examining the language learning opportunities and outcomes of an early childhood education program aimed at closing the reading achievement gap. Leiah has worked with numerous educators, administrators, and school districts over the past 10 years. Prior to Brown University, Leiah was a Graduate Research Associate at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at Ohio State. Prior to Ohio State, Leiah was a teacher at Grace Christian School in Blacklick, Ohio, where she also assisted in organizing and operating various camp programs. Leiah currently lives in Upper Arlington with her husband, Jonathan. |
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Mwaliko Ahmed
Program Manager Most kids call him Captain Maliko (Malik). He was born and raised in Kenya, and migrated from Kenya to the United States at the age of sixteen. He attended Urbana University, where he received his Bachelors in Education and played for Urbana Men’s Soccer team for 4 years.
Malik migrated to the United States in April 2004, to Columbus, Ohio. In 2006, he moved from the North Side of the town to West Side (The Hilltop). He lived in Wedgewood Village throughout his High School and College career. There are more than two thousand youths in the Hilltop area who need mentors. Malik's goal is to uplift the Hilltop community through the work he does with F3. |
Board
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Jonathan Ramsden
Board Chairman Jonathan Ramsden has over twenty years' experience in senior executive roles with US public companies in the retail and marketing services industries. Since August 2019, Jonathan has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of Big Lots Inc. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Abercrombie & Fitch, where he led the development of a new strategic plan and was instrumental in the rapid and highly profitable growth of the company’s e-commerce and international businesses. Prior to joining A&F, Jonathan spent ten years as Chief Financial Officer of TBWA Worldwide, a global marketing services group operating in over 70 countries. Jonathan is a graduate of Oxford University, has served on multiple non-profit boards, and serves as an Adjunct Professor at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.
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Obinna (Obi) Moneme
Board Member Obinna (Obi) Moneme, MD, is a board certified neurologist with a subspecialty in Clinical Neurophysiology. His clinical interests include neuromuscular disorders, epilepsy and headache. He is also involved in the use of telemedicine to improve access to neurological care.
Dr. Moneme received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Ohio State University, where he completed his fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology and his residency in Neurology. While there, Dr. Moneme served as chief resident for the Neurology Department. Prior to attending medical school, Dr. Moneme was a professional soccer player for teams including the Columbus Crew, Milwaukee Wave and Cleveland Crunch. Prior to medical school, Dr. Moneme also completed his Master of Science degree in Molecular Genetics at The Ohio State University. Dr. Moneme lives with his wife, Allison, and their daughters, Sloane and Dylan in Bexley, Ohio. He enjoys exercising, playing and watching soccer, and reading. |
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Gary Blumberg
Assistant Board Chairman Gary Blumberg is an international sports business lawyer, consultant, and entrepreneur, with over 27 years’ experience. Born South African, he is a dual British and US citizen.
He worked for a leading South African law firm before joining a large commercial partnership in London in 1993. Soon after, he established his own advisory practice, now Blumberg & Co, specialising in sports business with a primary focus on soccer. He has advised and represented players, clubs, federations, promotors, event managers, sponsors and other professional firms. . He was an Associate Lecturer in Sports Law at Kings College, University of London and has spoken, lectured and presented widely on a range of Sports Law, Business, Marketing, and Sports Political topics. For 20 years, he has advised Lucas Radebe (the first African to captain a team in the English Premier League, Captain of South Africa at its first ever World Cups in 1998 & 2002, and the 2001 FIFA World Fair Play Award winner), a man Nelson Mandela called his “hero”. He has also represented the former US international and Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel, one of the most successful US players of all time, and the former Head Coach of MLS Club New England Revolution. |
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Charlie Gocken
Board Member Charlie joined the Final Third Foundation Board in 2018 and currently lives in Bexley with his wife, son and two dogs. Charlie is a proud Bexley High School and University of Michigan graduate and has enjoyed playing soccer from a very young age. He shares the Final Third Foundation’s passion for developing the game of soccer and giving back to the community. He currently works as a financial advisor.
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Joe Macklin
Secretary Joe Macklin has been with the organization from the start, having served as a coach in one of its programs. Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and a 2015 graduate of the Ohio State University, he is determined to find ways to give back to the city that has given him so much, investing his time and energy in the areas of community cohesion and youth empowerment.
In addition to his work with the Final Third Foundation, Joe is an active volunteer in the Harmony Project, an art and music organization that fosters connection and understanding across Columbus’ socioeconomic divide; is engaged in Big Brothers Big Sisters community-based mentoring program (Ohio’s 2019 Big Brother of the Year); and has been a rider and fundraiser for Pelotonia since 2014. In his day job at IGS, Joe works to promote a more sustainable energy future through financial analysis, development, and deployment of solar and other renewable projects across the United States. On most Saturdays in the fall and spring, you will be able to find Joe corralling, entertaining, and teaching the next generation of soccer stars as part of Columbus East Soccer Association’s Tiny Tots program. More often than not, he will have a big smile on his face. |