Login | October 15, 2026
New MCBA Foundation president Rebecca M. Gerson discusses her agenda
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: October 15, 2026
Green Haines Sgambati Co. partner Rebecca M. Gerson spent the last 30 years serving on various nonprofit boards in her Mahoning Valley community and beyond.
Now, she’s on a mission to give back specifically to the legal profession as the new president of the Mahoning County Bar Association Foundation (MCBAF).
Gerson, who has been a member of the board of trustees since 2024, began her yearlong term after outgoing MCBAF President Sam Amendolara passed the torch during the June 29 election banquet at the Youngstown Country Club.
“My goal is to raise awareness about the many ways in which the foundation assists the legal community,” said Gerson. “Most people are aware that we provide scholarships to future law students, but we contribute so much more in the way of discreetly assisting lawyers who have fallen on hard times and just need a caring group of established lawyers in their corner.”
Mahoning County Bar Association President Joe Ohlin said he’s excited to see what Gerson accomplishes during her time as president.
“While I have not had the pleasure of litigating cases with attorney Gerson, I have heard nothing but great things about her abilities as an attorney and her plans for the foundation,” said Ohlin, a partner at Hartwig & Ohlin.
“The attributes she has demonstrated in her legal career will certainly translate to strengthening the foundation and its impact within the community,” said Ohlin.
Linda Martin Saunders, who serves on the board of the Mahoning County Bar Association Foundation and chairs the events committee, said Gerson is “an excellent leader,” who hit the ground running.
“She listens to everyone’s input, delegates well and stays on top of everything,” said Martin Saunders. “I’m thrilled to have her serve.”
A native of Youngstown, Gerson received her bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University, where she majored in American studies and minored in international economics.
“I was planning on being a lawyer at five years old,” said Gerson. “I was inspired by my uncle, Leo Ascherman, who had a tremendous practice which enabled him to serve the Cleveland community.”
In fact, she began working for Mahoning County attorney Thomas Wellman when she was 17, further solidifying her interest.
“He was a family friend and was the managing partner in his workers’ compensation firm,” said Gerson.
After earning her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in January 1992, she opened a practice in Youngstown, where she focused on trademark, labor and employment and construction law.
Gerson joined the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office in 1998 as an assistant prosecutor, handling welfare and childcare fraud.
From 2009 to 2011, she was a part-time acting judge and magistrate at Girard Municipal Court.
Then in 2011, Gerson became the first assistant law director for the city of Youngstown.
She was promoted to deputy law director in 2015, focusing on labor and contract matters.
After taking a brief leave of absence to care for her ailing parents, she said it proved challenging to return to private practice.
Instead, she accepted a position as an administrator in the childcare unit of the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services, where she was a co-negotiator in various union matters.
In 2024, she joined Green Haines Sgambati Co. as an associate, making partner nine months later.
“We handle labor and employment law, personal injury and workers’ compensation, and we represent public sector labor organizations like the Ohio Education Association and police, fire, city and county unions.
“This was always my dream firm because of attorney Dennis Haines, who was one of, if not the best, labor lawyer in the area.
“He’s been my mentor for most of my legal career even though through the years we found ourselves on opposite sides when I represented management,” said Gerson, who is also the vice president of the firm and manages the labor and employment section.
“I’ve always had a special affinity for union work,” said Gerson. “I started on the management side, but my grandfather worked in the Youngstown steel mills for many years.
“When the opportunity arose to make the switch from management to union representation, I welcomed the chance.”
Gerson is a member of the Mahoning County Bar Association and the Ohio State Bar Association, where she serves on the OSBA’s Public Service Attorneys Committee.
She is also the president-elect of the Ohio Public Employees Lawyers Association (OPELA) and was a former instructor for the Youngstown State University Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Program.
Gerson has been very active in the community, including serving on the board of trustees of the Butler Institute of American Art for nine years and chairing the organization’s Long-Range Planning Committee.
She is a former president of the board of D&E Counseling Center (now known as Alta Behavioral Healthcare), and was on the boards of the Youngstown Symphony Guild, the Junior League of Youngstown (now the Junior League of Mahoning Valley) and the Children’s Mental Health Circle of Friends.
She also served on the board of the Case Western Reserve University School of Law Alumni Association.
In 2006, she was recognized as one of the top five young professionals in the Mahoning Valley at the Community Foundation’s 40 Under 40 awards.
Beyond raising awareness about the bar foundation, one of Gerson’s top priorities is overseeing the ongoing speaker series, which this year features Youngstown’s own former World Boxing Association Lightweight World Champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini.
The event, which is free and open to the public, takes place on Oct. 21 at the DeYor Performing Arts Center in Youngstown.
“This is the fifth year of our series, which highlights individuals who have reached great success and have often been forced to overcome great odds,” said Gerson.
“The event is designed to educate and inspire the legal community and the public, which is an integral part of our mission.
“Last year, former Major League Baseball pitcher Dave Dravecky drew the largest crowd yet, so we decided to invite another local sports figure known on a national level,” she said.
Gerson is also working to identify new sponsorship opportunities for the foundation.
“The foundation is not well known outside of the legal community,” said Gerson. “However, its good deeds merit attention. Once people become familiar with the work of the foundation, people generously contribute.
“My goal is to spread the word and work of the foundation throughout the local business community and the Mahoning Valley so that more people know we are here to help,” said Gerson.