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5500 Glendon Court
Dublin, Ohio 43016
Phone: 6145654267

Donny began his career in the unemployment industry in 1996. His experience encompasses numerous roles, including the training and management of claims representatives, as well as over 15 years in Sales and Account Management delivering value to customers of all size and scope. Donny is responsible for unemployment claims management product strategy, business development, and assists with client experience design for existing clients.

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30 West Spring Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 466-7090

Susan Willeke is an accomplished government - relations professional with more than 20 years’ experience in public affairs, communication and public speaking.  Susan joined the Ohio Ethics Commission in 2005 as the Education and Communications Manager where she oversees and conducts educational and communication outreach.  In that position, Susan presents approximately 200 speeches annually, develops information strategies regarding agency programs and represents the Ethics Commission to Ohio citizens, the media and the Ohio legislature.  Prior to joining the Commission, Susan served in the communications office at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and as a legislative aide in the Ohio House of Representatives.   

Susan is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio.  In 2011, she was selected to present at TEDx Columbus, a conference for “Ideas Worth Sharing” and identified as one of Central Ohio’s “Leading Thinkers and Doers.”

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5100 Darrow Rd
Hudson, OH 44236
Phone: 330-655-5522

Tom is recognized as a leader in municipal communications. He possesses a deep understanding of the issues that impact local governments and has developed and implemented communication strategies to help communities reach their goals.  

Tom has successfully managed dozens of municipal outreach and school district information campaigns throughout Ohio. Marketing based on proven research methods ensures a public engagement is on the right track. Tom’s background in political science and qualitative and quantitative research techniques provides clients with an in-depth understanding of the audiences they are trying to motivate.  

Tom specializes in:

• Winning (Community Engagement Initiatives – Campaigns)

  • ·      Writing (He has had a lifelong passion for the written word)
  • ·      Government and corporate (internal/external) communications
  • ·      Qualitative and quantitative research and polling
  • ·      Crisis communications
  • ·      Political strategy and campaign management
  • ·      Organizational Strategic Planning and Guidance
  • ·      Executive Leadership

Tom received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Ohio University and his Master of Arts in Political Science from The University of Akron. Tom, his wife Shannon and their 2 children reside in Kent.  Tom is a history buff and a fitness nut. He has a passion for ancient and modern history, and has written his first novel “Hannibal – The Forging.”

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277 East Town Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-222-0011

Karen E. Carraher

Karen Carraher is executive director of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System. She joined OPERS in December 2002 as director of finance, and served as interim executive director from February 2010 to August 2010.

Prior to joining OPERS, Karen served as the executive director of business services for the Ohio Education Association and controller for both Mount Carmel Health and Riverside Methodist Hospitals. Karen began her career as an audit manager with the accounting firm Ernst & Young.  

Karen earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from The Ohio State University and her Master of Business Administration from Capital University. She is a certified public accountant.

Karen is a founding member, and currently serves as president, of the Public Pension Financial Forum (P2F2), a national organization representing the financial operations of public pension systems throughout North America. 

OPERS plays a critical role in supporting Ohio, infusing billions of dollars into the state’s economy. Nearly 90 percent of OPERS retirees live in Ohio, and one out of every 12 Ohioans relies on OPERS for retirement, disability and survivor benefits. In more than 80 years, OPERS has always made its benefit payments.

With assets of $90.6 billion, OPERS is the largest public pension fund in Ohio and the 12th largest public pension fund in the U.S. It serves more than 1 million members, including more than 208,000 retirees and beneficiaries. 

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30 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 6147282035

Bridget Coontz is Chief of the Ohio Attorney General's Constitutional Offices Section. In that capacity she oversees and appears in litigation filed against Ohio's statewide elected officials including the Governor, Attorney General, Auditor of State, Secretary of State and others. Bridget has acted as lead counsel in jury trials in state and federal court, and in hearings in which she sought, and defended against, requests for emergency injunctive relief. She has also written appellate briefs and has orally argued in front of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Tenth District Circuit Court of Appeals of Ohio. In addition, Bridget oversees the Office's Public Records Unit, which annually publishes the AGO's Sunshine Law Manual, provides three hour certified public records training for elected officials, responds to public records requests, and litigates public records cases. Bridget also supervises the Attorney General's Records Management Section, Library and Litigation Support Unit. Before joining the Attorney General's Office in 2006 Bridget was an assistant city attorney with the Columbus City Attorney's Office.

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17 S. High Street
Suite 750
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 224-4411

Jonathan Downes has over 30 years of experience in practicing labor and employment law in Ohio and has successfully negotiated over 500 labor agreements and has presented over 100 impasse proceedings and 100 arbitrations. He represents cities, townships, counties, school districts, and public officials throughout the State of Ohio. Jonathan also represents private employers in employment matters. He has argued cases before the Ohio Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Jonathan is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. Jonathan is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Jonathan has been selected as one of the “Best Lawyers in America – Employment and Labor Law” every year since 2010, as an “Ohio Super Lawyer” every year since 2004, one of “Central Ohio Top Lawyers” since 2009, and received the OHPELRA “Award of Excellence” in 2016. He is also certified by the Ohio State Bar Association (“OSBA”) as a Specialist in Labor and Employment law.  He lectures frequently on many topics including state and federal employment and labor law developments, civil rights, civil service, arbitration, and collective bargaining. Jonathan served on the Civil Service Review Commission for the State of Ohio, authored “Civil Service Law in Ohio,” and edits the Westlaw annual publication of the “Ohio Civil Service and Collective Bargaining Laws and Rules Annotated.” Jonathan was a member of the OSBA’s Board of Governors for the Labor and Employment Law Section, is a member of the Ohio Management Lawyers Association, and a charter member and past president of the Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association. Jonathan volunteers in his community in various capacities including serving on boards of a public library and two charter schools and advises a high school mock trial team.

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100 East Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-738-2109

David J. Robinson is the Principal and Founder of the Montrose Group, LLC and provides economic development planning, lobbying, corporate site location consulting and legal services.  Mr. Robinson brings 20 years of experience as a lobbyist, lawyer, economic development, telecom and public relations executive before the Congress, Statehouse, state and federal agencies and local governments to serve his customers, lead the creation of over a dozen economic development strategic and Downtown redevelopment plans, and negotiated over $150,000,000 in economic development incentives for a range of clients.

David J. Robinson is the national economic development expert, adjunct professor at the Ohio State University and Bowling Green State University and author of two economic development textbooks published by Palgrave-MacMillan.   Prior to forming the Montrose Group, he worked:

Mr. Robinson is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a B.A. Political Science, a law degree from the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University, and an Advanced Management Certificate from the Fisher College of Business at the Ohio State University.

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88 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 42315
Phone: (800) 345-2519

David B. Thompson, CPA, graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in accounting.    He is a Certified Public Accountant and has over thirty five years of governmental experience. Most of that experience is with the office of Auditor of State dealing with complex accounting, budgetary and reporting issues of local governments in the State of Ohio. Dave also served as Chief Project Manager of the Southwest Region of Local Government Services for over twenty years. 

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77 South High Street
PO BOX 1001
Columbus, Ohio 43216
Phone: 6147180961

Megan Meadows joined the Ohio Department of Development in March 2016, as the Assistant Deputy Chief in the Office of Community Assistance (OCA) and most recently as Assistant Chief for the Community Services Division. Meadows oversees federal and state programs geared towards helping improve the lives of low-income Ohioans, the efficiency of their homes, improve Ohio communities and help businesses reduce their energy costs.

Prior to joining the Ohio Development Services Agency, Meadows was the Director of Planning and Operations for the Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Agency.

Meadows has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Wheeling Jesuit University.

n/a
88 E. Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: zzz.zzz.zzzz

Teresa Hicks is a Quality Assurance and Technical Specialist in the Center for Audit Excellence Division of the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office.  She has held various other positions as well in her over 21 years with the Auditor’s office, ranging from intern to Assistant Audit III.  Teresa’s areas of specialty include federal grants, Agreed Upon Procedure Engagements and Basic Audits. She is currently the Center’s Single Audit Coordinator. 

Teresa has a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the Bethany College and a Master degree in Business Administration from Franciscan University of Steubenville.   She is a member of the Central Ohio Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) and the AICPA. Teresa is also a member of the Single Audit Committee for the National State Auditors Association (NSAA).  

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88 East Broad Street 5th floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 18004439275

tbd

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100 South Third Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-227-2346

Jeff Knight is an education attorney with experience litigating on behalf of, and providing counsel to, colleges, universities and other public entities. His practice is varied and includes assisting clients in navigating various data governance regulations, including FERPA, HIPAA, FCRA and GDPR, as well as matters arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title IX. Additionally, Jeff has successfully led clients through investigations initiated by state and federal agencies.