Ohio Secretary of State-Elect announces additional key individuals who will serve

[Kolesar]

JENNIFER BRUNNER ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENTS

For Immediate Release

December 22, 2006 - Columbus, Ohio – Jennifer Brunner, when she takes office January 8, 2007.

“My transition team continues to make great progress in preparing for a transition from a Blackwell to a Brunner administration of the Secretary of State’s office,” said Brunner. Brunner named additional senior staff members this week—professionals with strong backgrounds to help Brunner work toward her stated goals.

The following individuals have accepted senior positions in the Brunner administration:

Director of Information Technology – Bob Mangan

-Mangan has served in the Secretary of State’s office for over 20 years, most recently as an enterprise data architect. As Chief Information Officer, Mangan will be responsible for the oversight of all technology operations for the office and will develop new systems and technologies to improve services to the 88 county Boards of Elections. Mangan will provide a wealth of knowledge and experience to Secretary-Elect Brunner serving as CIO.

Director of Business Services – Debora Batta

-Batta joins the Brunner Team with over 15 years of state government experience, including serving as vice-chair for two terms on the State Personnel Board of Review. Batta has served as a government and public affairs officer, human resources officer and training officer for several state agencies. Batta will head up the Business Services Division of the office.

Director of Finance – Veronica Sherman

-Sherman joins the Brunner Team most recently as Deputy Director of Finance and Management for the City of Columbus. As the new CFO for the Ohio Secretary of State, Sherman brings 14 years of experience working with state finance issues at the executive and legislative levels, including a stint as assistant director of the Ohio Department of Budget and Management. She also holds experience in nonprofit administration with the Ohio Hospital Association.

Elections Counsel – Erick Gale

-Gale joins the Brunner Team from the Jones Day law firm in Columbus where he has served as a trial attorney representing clients in all stages of litigation. Gale has volunteered in the area of voter protection and served as a judicial law clerk to Chief Judge James Carr for the U.S. District Court in Toledo Ohio.

Elections Specialist – David Niven

-Niven, who holds a Ph. D., joins the Brunner Team most recently serving as a visiting professor to the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy at The Ohio State University. Niven previously served eight years as a professor of political science at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. He served as a volunteer for voter protection in 2006 and is the author of the best selling book, The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People, (Harper, San Francisco), selling 500,000 copies in the U.S. and translated into 30 languages.

Corporations Counsel – Beth Laliberte

-Laliberte joins the Brunner Team from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP in Columbus where she has served as a litigation and intellectual property associate representing clients in all stages of litigation. Laliberte’s background in privacy and compliance issues will well suit her for working with corporate and business filing responsibilities of the office.

Assistant Corporations Counsel – Trudy Casper

-Casper currently serves the business and legal communities in the Business Services section of the Secretary of State’s office for more than six years. Casper’s legal knowledge and daily work equip her to provide effective counsel for the Business Services section and will prove to be a valued contribution during this time of transition and as the administration moves forward.

Ohio voters made Jennifer Brunner Ohio’s first woman elected secretary of state on November 7, 2006. Jennifer Brunner, a former Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge, brings a unique perspective and uncompromised credentials to be Ohio’s top election official. Her service as Legislative Counsel for the Secretary of State’s Office, 13 years of election law private practice experience, including serving as a special prosecutor for election fraud, and past experience as a member of the Franklin County Board of Elections clearly demonstrate her ability to be an effective and fair secretary of state.

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Media contact: Patrick Gallaway, Director of Communications – Jennifer Brunner Committee, at [phone], [e-mail]

[NoBushSpokenHere]

1. I was hoping to see Sherole Eaton's name

She would be an awesome addition to the Brunner team.

[Kolesar]

2. You have been following the story better than I

Brunner had sent out a previous email with her primary picks. It covered all of the departments outside of election management, such as information security.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

3. I didn't see or hear of the previous email do you mean that

Sherole will be a part of the team?

[Kolesar]

4. Dec 8 press release by Brunner

I don't see Sherole. I started a thread or a post on Dec 8. But you can see for yourself.
http://www.jenniferbrunner.com/cgi-bin/news.cgi?mode=story&id=75