Leadership Ohio appoints southwest Ohioans to 2025 class
Leadership Ohio is proud to announce its newly chosen Class of 2025.
Following a fiercely competitive process that attracted more than 230 nominations from around the state, 35 trailblazing leaders have been chosen to explore Ohio’s most pressing challenges and opportunities while strengthening the state’s civic health and prosperity. Nine of those fellows are from the southwest Ohio area and include the following individuals.
Cincinnati MSA
• Dan Driehaus, President and CEO, Driehaus Insurance Group and City Council Member, City of Wyoming
Dayton MSA
• Darius Beckham, Candidate, Dayton City Commission
• Jennifer DeFrancesco, DHA, FACHE, Medical Center Director and CEO Dayton Veterans Affair (VA) Medical Center
• Barbara Doseck, Director of Law, City of Dayton
• Adam C. Kempf, Director of Operations, Mental Health Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Madison Counties
• Jack Omer, President and CEO, Society for the Improvement of Conditions for Stray Animals (SICSA)
• Geraldine Pegues, Assistant County Administrator, Montgomery County.
Springfield MSA
• Claire Linkhart, Associate Director, American Petroleum Institute
• Manuel Lopez Ramirez, Program Manager, LexisNexis and Chairman, Ohio Commission on Latino Affairs.
“This is an outstanding group of accomplished individuals from across Ohio,” said Lisa Duty, Ph.D. and Executive Director of Leadership Ohio “At a time when effective civic leadership is paramount, we are thrilled to welcome this dynamic, cross-sector group into our prestigious fellowship.”
These distinguished Fellows represent a broad spectrum of Ohio’s professional sectors — from business, healthcare, law and science to government and public service. Notable affiliations include the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Latino Affairs Commission, Coalition for Appalachian Development, American Petroleum Institute, and the Transportation Research Center, Inc. The roster is further enriched by influential elected and appointed officials, including the mayors of Barberton, Gahanna and Upper Arlington.
Throughout an intensive year of groundbreaking sessions addressing critical issues such as talent retention, national security, the judiciary and affordable childcare, the Fellows will forge deep connections and engage in symposia that blend diverse ideological perspectives, across party lines. These experiences promise to elevate Ohio’s civic health and prosperity to unprecedented heights as these leaders step out into their communities after the Fellowship experience.
Shon Christy, President of the Board of Trustees, added, “We are ecstatic to welcome the Class of 2025. These distinguished leaders are the embodiment of progress, uniting to pave the way for a stronger, brighter Ohio.”
For more information about Leadership Ohio and its transformational programming, please visit www.leadershipohio.org. Nominations for the Class of 2026 will open in autumn 2025.
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