Lisa Fulton
Lisa Fulton is the Founder and President of Operation Surprise Attack (OSA), a Northwest Ohio nonprofit dedicated to bringing love, encouragement, and tangible support to children facing serious and complex health challenges and their families.
Lisa has built a longtime professional career around caring for children and families, primarily as a professional nanny. She has also served as an assistant director of a childcare center and previously owned and operated a nanny referral service.
The idea for OSA began soon after her nephew was born with significant medical needs. Knowing he could face surgeries and extended hospital stays, Lisa imagined how meaningful it would be to surprise him with cards from friends, family, and even strangers to remind him that people were cheering him on. That simple thought soon became a Facebook group. If she could do this for her nephew, why not do it for other children, too? What began as a small act of kindness continued to grow year after year, reaching more children, bringing more people together, and creating a community centered around encouragement and support. In November 2021, Operation Surprise Attack officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Today, Operation Surprise Attack serves children and families throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan and has supported nearly 100 families since becoming an official nonprofit. In the early days, a child might receive 25 or 50 cards. Today, some OSA children receive more than 1,000 cards filled with love and encouragement from people near and far. OSA has also grown far beyond cards, providing personalized gifts and financial assistance to help ease some of the everyday burdens families face while caring for a child with significant medical needs. This may include groceries, gas for travel to and from treatment, basic necessities, and smaller medical expenses.
Under Lisa's leadership, what started as one aunt's desire to make her nephew feel loved has grown into a community of people coming together to make sure children facing difficult health journeys, and the families walking beside them, know they are seen, supported, and deeply cared for.
Areas of focus
- Recipient applications and family calls
- Campaign flyers and school outreach
- Sponsorships and partnerships
Kevin Strayer
Kevin Strayer is the Internal Audit Manager at Directions Credit Union and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). He earned his bachelor's degree in Business Accounting from the University of Toledo and brings extensive experience in financial management, auditing, and organizational oversight.
Kevin has a strong commitment to serving his community. He regularly volunteers at community events through Directions Credit Union and has been a longtime Board Member of Bethel Assembly of God in Perrysburg, where he currently serves as a volunteer financial consultant, assisting with the church's financial management and reporting.
For the past four years, Kevin has proudly served as Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors for Operation Surprise Attack. In addition to overseeing the organization's finances, he is an active part of OSA's programs and events. Kevin assists with card campaigns, including reviewing cards, participates in family deliveries when needed, and lends his experience as a former professional caterer to help coordinate food service and logistics at OSA events.
Kevin and his wife, Tanya, have been married for 35 years and are the proud parents of four children, three adults and one currently in high school.
Kevin is grateful for the opportunity to serve Operation Surprise Attack and to use his professional experience, practical skills, and heart for service to support the organization's mission and the families it serves.
Areas of focus
- Finances and reporting
- Card review before deliveries
- Food and logistics at events
Melanie Lamb
Melanie Lamb is a licensed social worker with more than a decade of experience serving children, adolescents, and families across behavioral health, education, and community-based settings. Throughout her career, she has specialized in trauma-informed care, youth mental health, program development, staff leadership, and family support.
Melanie is also the mom of two daughters who navigate life with chronic illness, so she is passionate about connecting and supporting other families experiencing the isolation and hardships of medical complexity.
As a board member, Melanie is passionate about advocating for children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families. She is committed to helping ensure that every child receives compassionate, holistic care while supporting initiatives that provide comfort, dignity, hope, and meaningful resources during life's most challenging moments.
Areas of focus
- Trauma-informed family support
- Youth mental health
- Board records
Czaria Packer
Czaria Packer serves as a Board Member and Special Projects Coordinator for Operation Surprise Attack, where she supports special projects, event preparation, creative initiatives, community outreach, and other efforts that help further OSA's mission. She remains actively involved in board meetings, fundraising efforts, events, and organizational projects throughout the year.
Czaria currently serves as a Mental Health Specialist with Growth, Health & Wellness, supporting youth development through social-emotional learning (SEL), mentorship, and enrichment programming. Her work focuses on strengthening self-awareness, emotional regulation, communication, accountability, confidence, decision-making, and other skills that contribute to healthy personal and social development.
The commitment to youth development extends into Czaria's role as a youth cheer coach, where she provides young ladies with mentorship, structure, discipline, and encouragement while fostering confidence, teamwork, leadership, and accountability. Her approach balances expectations with compassion, creating an environment that encourages young people to recognize their potential and grow both individually and collectively.
Her background in community development, outreach, and resource management includes her work with Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union and the LISC AmeriCorps Economic Mobility Corps Program. Through this experience, she has contributed to connecting individuals and families with resources, strengthening community relationships, supporting economic mobility, and coordinating programs and events centered on community engagement.
Czaria holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Toledo, complementing her professional experience and understanding of social systems, human behavior, and community development. With a multidisciplinary background spanning mental health, youth development, nonprofit service, administration, marketing, community engagement, and creative consulting, she is passionate about empowering youth, strengthening organizations, and contributing to the continued growth of the communities she serves.
Areas of focus
- Special projects and creative initiatives
- Event preparation
- Community outreach
Jennifer Sudlow
Jennifer Sudlow is a seasoned healthcare leader with more than 25 years of experience across hospital, long-term acute care hospital (LTACH), and durable medical equipment (DME) settings. As a General Manager, she has developed extensive expertise in healthcare operations, respiratory care, leadership, and patient-focused services.
Throughout her career, Jennifer has remained committed to improving the quality and accessibility of care while supporting patients, healthcare professionals, and clinical teams. Her diverse background across multiple areas of healthcare gives her a well-rounded understanding of patient needs, operational excellence, and the challenges families can face while navigating complex medical needs.
As a Board Member and Events and Community Outreach Coordinator for Operation Surprise Attack, Jennifer brings a unique combination of healthcare leadership, organizational expertise, and genuine compassion for medically complex children and their families. She plays an active role in planning and organizing OSA fundraising events, including coordinating event details, raffle items and gift baskets, decorations, and other behind-the-scenes logistics. Jennifer also assists with community outreach, serving as a point of contact for area schools and helping expand awareness of Operation Surprise Attack and its mission.
Jennifer is passionate about using her professional experience, leadership skills, and heart for service to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the children and families served by Operation Surprise Attack.
Areas of focus
- Fundraising events
- Raffles and gift baskets
- School outreach
Terry Crosby
Terrance "Terry" Crosby, a Toledo native and former NBA player, is not just a local sports legend but a philanthropist. Achieving All-Ohio honors in football and basketball, Terry's 17-year pro basketball career spanned countries with record-breaking performances.
Beyond sports, he actively participates in civic engagement, notably as the Community Ambassador for the Taylor Automotive Family.
Terry's impact extends to community and youth work. As a board member and Community Engagement Liaison for Operation Surprise Attack, he continues to develop our relationships with the many schools in Toledo and channels his passion for philanthropy into making a positive impact on our community.
Areas of focus
- Relationships with Toledo schools
- Community ambassadorship
- Corporate partners
