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About Us

Executive Core


The work of the Ohio Leadership Advisory Council is guided by the following education leaders that serve as the Executive Core.

Ellen Adornetto - Education Policy & Practice Consultant, Ohio Education Association

Suzanne Amos, Founder, Collective Wonder Communications

David Axner, Ph.D. - Executive Director, Buckeye Association of School Administrators

Eugene Blalock, - Superintendent, North College Hill City Schools

Craig Burford - Executive Director, Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA)

Debbie Campbell - Search Consultant, K12 Business Consulting

Demetrice Davis - Ed Policy & Practice Consultant, Ohio Education Association

Cynthia Dewey - Director, Office of Innovation and Improvement, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Kathy Demers - Director of Member Development, Buckeye Association of School Administrators

Earl Focht - Consultant, Office for Exceptional Children, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Tim Freeman, Ed.D. - Executive Director, Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA)

Jim Gay, Ph.D. - Project Support, Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC)

Nick Gurich - Director, Educational Policy, Ohio Education Association

Barb Hansen, Ph.D. - Director of Graduate Programs of Education, Muskingum University

Victor Harris - Teacher Leader, Sycamore Community Schools

Kathleen Herrmann, Ph.D. - Assistant Director, Office of Educator Effectiveness, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Chad Hilliker, Superintendent, Hamilton County Educational Service Center

Rebecca Hornberger, Ph.D. - Executive Director, Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators (OAESA)

Cathy Johnson - Board of Trustees, Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA)

Meryl Johnson - Board Member, District 11, Ohio State Board of Education

Paul Johnson, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor, Ed. Admin. and Leadership Studies, Bowling Green State University; Board Member, Bucyrus City Schools

Mark Jones - Member Services Director, Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators (OAESA)

Cathy LaForme - Consultant, Ashlan Consulting

Jim Lloyd, Ph.D. - Superintendent, Olmsted Falls City Schools

Gale Marsh - Deputy Superintendent,ESC of Central Ohio

Krista Maxson, Ph.D. - Assoc Vice-Chancellor, P16 Initiatives, Ohio Department of Higher Education

Amy R. McGuffey, Ph.D - Assistant Professor of Education, Wittenberg University

Carly McVey - Program Director, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI)

Kim Miller-Smith - Senior Student Achievement, Ohio School Boards Association

Karel Oxley - Project Support, Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC)

Julia Simmerer - Senior Executive Director, Center for the Teaching Profession

Sheila Smith - Assistant Director of Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI)

Julie Turner - Project Coordinator, OLAC

Michael Tefs, Ed.D. - Superintendent, Revere Local School District

Deb Telfer, Ph.D - Director & Research Associate, University of Cincinnati Systems Development & Improvement Center

Michael Trego - Program Director, Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC)

April Washington - Professional Issues Coordinator, Ohio Federation of Teachers

Jo Hannah Ward - Director, Office for Exceptional Children, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Chris Woolard, Ph.D. - Senior Executive Director, Center for Accountability and Continuous Improvement, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce