Peppler named executive director of nonprofit training organization

Nancy Peppler

Nancy Peppler, Cleveland Heights resident and president of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education (BOE), will become the new executive director of Cornucopia/Nature’s Bin, a nonprofit that provides community-based employment training for people with disabilities.

Peppler will begin her new position on March 9. She will succeed Scott Duennes, who has served as executive director of Cornucopia/Nature’s Bin for 30 years, and who will retire effective March 20. Duennes and Peppler will work together through the end of March to effect a smooth transition for the organization.

“On behalf of the board of directors of Cornucopia, I am delighted to welcome Nancy Peppler as the new executive director,” said Tony Rospert, board president. “The board of trustees conducted a regional search to find just the right person to step into this vital position. Scott Duennes has successfully led and grown Cornucopia and Nature’s Bin for the past 30 years and we believe that we have found in Nancy an energetic and creative leader to build on that success and take Cornucopia to the next level.”

“I look forward to leading this great organization and to working with the board and staff to expand community support for the quality services that Cornucopia provides,” Peppler said.

Peppler brings almost three decades of nonprofit experience to her new role, most recently as vice president of external relations at Beech Brook in Pepper Pike, the leading behavioral health agency in Cleveland serving more than 22,000 children, teens and families each year.

Peppler has served on the CH-UH BOE for two terms, and is currently president of the board.

As executive director of Cornucopia Inc., Peppler will oversee a $7.2 million organization that provides vocational training leading to employment for people with disabilities. Cornucopia programs serve those with a wide range of disabilities, including developmental disabilities, autism, mental illness, visual, speech and hearing impairments, and injuries resulting from accident or illness. Founded in 1975, Cornucopia may be best known for its social enterprise Nature’s Bin, an independent natural foods store in Lakewood that also serves as a training site for its unique and successful job-training program.

Prior to her work at Beech Brook, Peppler was the chief development officer for Community Care Network, a nonprofit providing administrative and management services to other nonprofits, and was vice president of resource development for ChildServ, a nonprofit that provides vital services to children and families in Chicago.

Peppler holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Case Western Reserve University and a master’s degree in social service administration from CWRU’s Mandel School.

Mary L. Johnson

Mary L. Johnson is assistant executive director of Cornucopia Inc./Nature's Bin.

Read More on Non-Profit & Groups
Volume 8, Issue 3, Posted 9:49 AM, 02.10.2015