Leadership Ohio Appoints 2026 Fellows
Pugh Named to Statewide Group Committed to Bipartisan Solutions and Statewide Prosperity
PRESS RELEASE
COLUMBUS – Leadership Ohio announces the members of its incoming Class of 2026. Following a rigorous selection process that saw nearly 200 nominees from every corner of the state, 35 visionary leaders have been tapped to examine Ohio’s most vital issues and collaborate on initiatives that bolster the state’s civic vitality and long-term success.
Leadership Ohio is a nonpartisan organization that cultivates leaders’ knowledge, perspective, and connections from a community to a state-wide level. It is Ohio’s first and most prestigious statewide leadership development program. Since its founding in 1992, Leadership Ohio has convened 730 Fellows who now serve in key roles across government, business, healthcare, education, law enforcement and nonprofits.
“This cohort represents some of the most dedicated and talented professionals in our state,” said Kevin Smith, the newly appointed CEO of Leadership Ohio. “As the need for effective leadership continues to grow, we are honored to welcome this cohort of talented, geographically and professionally diverse leaders into our fellowship program, each of them to be united by a commitment to community improvement.”
The 2026 Fellows hail from a wide array of professional backgrounds, spanning the private sector, healthcare, legal fields, and scientific research, as well as public administration. Key organizations represented include the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Public Safety, the Wooster Chamber of Commerce, and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. This year’s group is further bolstered by leaders from foundations, industry, education and corporate sales.
Meet the Leadership Ohio Class of 2026
Eastern Ohio Nonmetropolitan Area
- Jackee Pugh, Executive Director, Belmont County Tourism
Southern Ohio Nonmetropolitan Area
- Therese Egbert, Assistant Director, Scioto Foundation
- Carly Leatherwood, Chief of Staff & Special Assistant to the President, Ohio University
Others throughout the state are from MSA’s – Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) a geographic region with a population of at least 50,000 people, comprising a central city and surrounding communities.
Akron MSA
- Travis Bornstein, President and Businesses Representative Local No. 24, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- Steven Flaughers, Owner, Proforma 3rd Degree Marketing
- James Hill, Vice President of Sales, Evantic
- Carol Kilway, Mayor, City of Tallmadge
- Jody Rearick, Principal Real Estate Agent, Jody Rearick and Associates
- Janice Simmons-Mortimer, Executive Director, Portage Foundation
Canton-Massillon MSA
- Terri Peterman, Director of Special Projects, Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates
Cincinnati MSA
- Geoffrey Milz, Vice President, Midwest Region, Pennrose, Vice President of American Planning Association – Ohio Chapter
Cleveland-Elyria MSA
- Michael DeAloia, General Manager, Signal Ohio
- Abhi Goyal, Chief Executive Officer, Blink Signs, BlinkSwag and Blink Global
- Kathy Sullivan, Presdient and Owner, Talent Principles
- Katina Stone-Jones, Associate Director and Chief Operating Officer, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System
- Renee Willis, Executive Director, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
- Jason Zygadlo, Founder and President, build.your.own.brand.
Columbus MSA
- Parag Agrawal, Chief Mobility and Development Officer and Senior Director, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)
- Vanessa Butler, Senior Director of Community Relations, Groundwork Ohio
- Willie Cook, Assistant Principal, Bexley City Schools
- Maryann Crist, Executive Director, Midland Theatre
- Theresa Groth-Joynt, Strategy & Partnerships Manager, Ohio Air Quality Development Authority
- Ryan Heck, Director of Client Strategy, OnSite Partners
- Adam Hodnichak, Executive Director, Union County Foundation
- Asia Pope, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Buckeye Ranch
- Jasmine Ramaradjou, Chief Information Officer, Ohio Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Scott Satterlee, International Representative, Business Development, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
- Maggie Spear, Chief Human Resources Director, Ohio Department of Agriculture
- Taylor Tomu, Community Outreach and Engagement Specialist, America 250-Ohio Commission
Dayton MSA
- Brian Hays, Associate Director, Chief Operating Officer, Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC)
- Eric Henderson, Deputy Director and Deputy Chief, Dayton Police Department
- Toni Overholser, Director of Projects, Dayton Development Coalition
Mansfield MSA
- Samira Zimmerly, President & CEO, Wooster Chamber of Commerce
Youngstown MSA
- Dan Flanagan, National Director of National Channel Sales, Group Management Services, Co-Founder and President, Brain Enrichment Initiative
- Juan Santiago, Vice President and Community Development Officer, Farmers National Bank, Member, Ohio Fair Plan Underwriting Association
“I am deeply honored to be selected as a member of the Leadership Ohio Class of 2026,” said Jackee Pugh, Executive Director of Belmont County Tourism. “This opportunity to learn alongside leaders from across our state will strengthen my ability to serve Belmont County and Appalachian Ohio. I look forward to bringing back new perspectives, relationships, and ideas that will help us continue building a vibrant, forward-looking community.”
Over the course of the year, these leaders will participate in high-impact monthly sessions across Ohio with policymakers, industry leaders, and community organizations. They’ll focus on pivotal topics such as workforce retention, national security, the judicial system, and childcare accessibility. By bridging ideological divides and fostering meaningful dialogue, the program aims to cultivate a network of leaders capable of driving Ohio toward a more prosperous future long after their fellowship concludes.
For more information about Leadership Ohio and its transformational programming, please visit www.leadershipohio.org. Nominations for the Class of 2027 will open in Autumn 2026.
(Leadership Ohio press release)
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