Governor announces board appointments

Governor Announces Appointments 

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has announced appointments to the following state boards and commissions. 

* The Asian Advisory Council was created to realize the benefits of connecting Ohio's diverse populations to the state's resources. 

Pratima Bekal, of Cincinnati, has served as the secretary for the Asian Community Alliance since 2008 and as a board member for the Seven Hills School since 2007.  She previously served as a board member for the SuperSaturday Program and as a staff accountant for the Manufacturers Hanover Bank. Bekal received a bachelor’s degree from the Ohio State University in 1989. 

Michael Byun, of Akron, currently serves as the deputy director of Asian Services In Action. He previously served as a member of the steering committee for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and as a member of the advisory committee for the National Institute of Health. Byun also serves as a member of the steering committee for the Ohio Health Disparities Collaborative and as the chair of the Ohio Asian American Health Coalition. He received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Washington in 1997 and 2002, respectively.  

Charles Castro, of Dayton, currently serves as the chairman of the Asian-American Pacific Islander Project at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and as the president of the Filipino-American Political Association. Castro also serves as a member of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations and as the president of the Philippine American Association of Greater Dayton. He received a bachelor’s degree from St. Paul’s College in 1960. 

Vi Huyuh, of Richmond Heights, currently serves as the operations manager for clinical investigations for the Heart & Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. He also serves as a member of MotivAsians of Cleveland and as a member of the United Way’s Community Health Investment Committee. Huyuh received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina in 1999 and 2001, respectively.  

Ronald Katsuyama, of Dayton, currently serves as an associate professor of psychology at the University of Dayton and as the chair of the Federation Against Intolerance and Racism. He previously served as the president of the Asian Advisory Council in Dayton. Katsuyama received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California and a doctorate from Vanderbilt University. 

Yung-Chen Lu, of Upper Arlington, currently serves as the chair of the Ohio Asian American Health Coalition and is the founder of the Asian Festival.   He also serves as a board member for the Central Ohio Diabetes Association and the Greater Columbus Arts Council. 

Cora Munoz, of Worthington, currently serves as a professor of nursing at Capital University. She previously served as a professor at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing and at Ohio Wesleyan University.  Munoz serves as a national trainer for health care professionals in transcultural nursing. She received a bachelor’s degree from St. Paul’s University and a master’s degree from Columbia University. 

Stephen Ong, of Copley, has served as the vice president in the Supervision and Regulation Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland since 2001. He has served in a variety of roles for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland since 1988.  Ong is active in MotivAsians of Cleveland and serves as a member of the board of trustees for the Federation for Community Planning.  He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron. 

Ramesh Srivastava, of Dayton, currently serves as the manager of evaluations systems at the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board.  He also currently serves as the president of the Asian Advisory Council of Dayton. 

Jonathan Telentino, of Cincinnati, currently serves as a pediatrician at the University of Cincinnati Hospital and at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He received a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and a medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. 

* The Bureau of Workers Compensation Board of Directors establishes overall administrative policy at the BWC and submits reports to the Governor, Senate President and House Speaker. 

William J. (Bill) Lhota, of Worthington, has been reappointed as the chair and the representative for self-insuring companies.  Lhota has been president and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) since 2004. Lhota previously spent 37 years at American Electric Power, where he served in various management positions. Lhota also created and managed AEP's corporate compliance program in the early 1990s and served as chief compliance officer until his retirement in 2001. Lhota received a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in 1964 and earned a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1978. 

Alison L. Falls, of Port Clinton, has been reappointed as one of two investment and security experts. Falls operates a practice in Port Clinton that serves financial services institutions, mid-cap corporations and non-profits. She previously served as a managing director for Banc of America Securities, Inc. from 1994-2002. Falls is a former board chair for the United Way of Greater Toledo. She earned a bachelor's degree from SUNY Binghamton in 1970 and a master's degree in economics from The Ohio State University in 1972. 

James W. Harris, of Gahanna, has been reappointed as the representative of employee organizations. Harris currently works part-time for the United Auto Workers on workers’ compensation legislation. He retired in 2003 after more than 20 years on UAW’s international staff. Harris also served as the director of the Ohio Department of Industrial Relations from 1983-1991. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University in 1980. 

Charles A. Bryan, of Columbus, has been reappointed as the actuary. Bryan has 35 years of experience as a casualty actuary. His actuarial career spans several companies including Nationwide Insurance, Ernst and Young, United Services Automobile Association (USAA) and Allstate Insurance. He is the founder and current president of CAB Consulting, a property-casualty insurance consulting company. Bryan serves on the boards of Medical Mutual of Ohio, Safe Auto and Tower Insurance Group. He earned a bachelor's degree from John Carroll University in 1968, a master's degree in mathematics from Purdue University in 1969 and an MBA from Golden Gate University in 1976. 

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has announced appointments to the following state boards and commissions. 

* The Asian Advisory Council was created to realize the benefits of connecting Ohio's diverse populations to the state's resources. 

Pratima Bekal, of Cincinnati, has served as the secretary for the Asian Community Alliance since 2008 and as a board member for the Seven Hills School since 2007.  She previously served as a board member for the SuperSaturday Program and as a staff accountant for the Manufacturers Hanover Bank. Bekal received a bachelor’s degree from the Ohio State University in 1989. 

Michael Byun, of Akron, currently serves as the deputy director of Asian Services In Action. He previously served as a member of the steering committee for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and as a member of the advisory committee for the National Institute of Health. Byun also serves as a member of the steering committee for the Ohio Health Disparities Collaborative and as the chair of the Ohio Asian American Health Coalition. He received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Washington in 1997 and 2002, respectively.  

Charles Castro, of Dayton, currently serves as the chairman of the Asian-American Pacific Islander Project at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and as the president of the Filipino-American Political Association. Castro also serves as a member of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations and as the president of the Philippine American Association of Greater Dayton. He received a bachelor’s degree from St. Paul’s College in 1960. 

Vi Huyuh, of Richmond Heights, currently serves as the operations manager for clinical investigations for the Heart & Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. He also serves as a member of MotivAsians of Cleveland and as a member of the United Way’s Community Health Investment Committee. Huyuh received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina in 1999 and 2001, respectively.  

Ronald Katsuyama, of Dayton, currently serves as an associate professor of psychology at the University of Dayton and as the chair of the Federation Against Intolerance and Racism. He previously served as the president of the Asian Advisory Council in Dayton. Katsuyama received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California and a doctorate from Vanderbilt University. 

Yung-Chen Lu, of Upper Arlington, currently serves as the chair of the Ohio Asian American Health Coalition and is the founder of the Asian Festival.   He also serves as a board member for the Central Ohio Diabetes Association and the Greater Columbus Arts Council. 

Cora Munoz, of Worthington, currently serves as a professor of nursing at Capital University. She previously served as a professor at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing and at Ohio Wesleyan University.  Munoz serves as a national trainer for health care professionals in transcultural nursing. She received a bachelor’s degree from St. Paul’s University and a master’s degree from Columbia University. 

Stephen Ong, of Copley, has served as the vice president in the Supervision and Regulation Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland since 2001. He has served in a variety of roles for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland since 1988.  Ong is active in MotivAsians of Cleveland and serves as a member of the board of trustees for the Federation for Community Planning.  He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron. 

Ramesh Srivastava, of Dayton, currently serves as the manager of evaluations systems at the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board.  He also currently serves as the president of the Asian Advisory Council of Dayton. 

Jonathan Telentino, of Cincinnati, currently serves as a pediatrician at the University of Cincinnati Hospital and at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He received a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and a medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. 

* The Bureau of Workers Compensation Board of Directors establishes overall administrative policy at the BWC and submits reports to the Governor, Senate President and House Speaker. 

William J. (Bill) Lhota, of Worthington, has been reappointed as the chair and the representative for self-insuring companies.  Lhota has been president and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) since 2004. Lhota previously spent 37 years at American Electric Power, where he served in various management positions. Lhota also created and managed AEP's corporate compliance program in the early 1990s and served as chief compliance officer until his retirement in 2001. Lhota received a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in 1964 and earned a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1978. 

Alison L. Falls, of Port Clinton, has been reappointed as one of two investment and security experts. Falls operates a practice in Port Clinton that serves financial services institutions, mid-cap corporations and non-profits. She previously served as a managing director for Banc of America Securities, Inc. from 1994-2002. Falls is a former board chair for the United Way of Greater Toledo. She earned a bachelor's degree from SUNY Binghamton in 1970 and a master's degree in economics from The Ohio State University in 1972. 

James W. Harris, of Gahanna, has been reappointed as the representative of employee organizations. Harris currently works part-time for the United Auto Workers on workers’ compensation legislation. He retired in 2003 after more than 20 years on UAW’s international staff. Harris also served as the director of the Ohio Department of Industrial Relations from 1983-1991. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University in 1980. 

Charles A. Bryan, of Columbus, has been reappointed as the actuary. Bryan has 35 years of experience as a casualty actuary. His actuarial career spans several companies including Nationwide Insurance, Ernst and Young, United Services Automobile Association (USAA) and Allstate Insurance. He is the founder and current president of CAB Consulting, a property-casualty insurance consulting company. Bryan serves on the boards of Medical Mutual of Ohio, Safe Auto and Tower Insurance Group. He earned a bachelor's degree from John Carroll University in 1968, a master's degree in mathematics from Purdue University in 1969 and an MBA from Golden Gate University in 1976.