CLEVELAND, Ohio — The new nonprofit organization designed to promote development of downtown Cleveland’s lakefront has hired a Cuyahoga County official who previously worked as a campaign staffer for Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne.
Zoe Toscos was hired as project management director for the North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation, the city announced late last week.
Cleveland created the organization last year to support lakefront development and better connect downtown Cleveland to Lake Erie. It has the authority to raise private and public funds to push through major projects across government and election cycles.
Real estate manager Scott Skinner was appointed the first director in March.
In her new role as head of project management, Toscos will oversee “short-term activation efforts, community engagement, stakeholder coordination, fundraising and organizational operational tasks,” a press release said.
Since January 2023, Toscos has served in Ronayne’s office as Cuyahoga County Special Projects Manager, working with various county councils and commissions and is tasked with implementing Ronayne’s policy priorities.
Previously, Toscos served as field director for Ronayne’s 2022 County Executive campaign. And before that, she served as West Side field director for Bibb’s 2021 mayoral campaign.
Skinner said in a new press release that Toscos has been “successful at getting things done in Cleveland” and praised her “initiative and creativity,” qualities Skinner said are needed to make the lakefront plans a reality.
Ryan Puente, Bibb’s deputy chief of staff, said Toscos’ experience in community engagement “will help provide Cleveland residents and organizations with the opportunity to play their part in creating an accessible and equitable lakefront.”
