Ohio Senate President Keith Faber Announces Senior Staff

Release:

COLUMBUS – Ohio Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina) announced today his senior staff for the 130th General Assembly.

“I have the privilege of working with the most talented and experienced legislative staff in the nation,” said Faber. “They not only help us craft important public policy, but they also manage a complex network of offices and services that impact millions of Ohioans every day. More importantly, they provide our members with invaluable institutional knowledge in an era of term limits. I’m grateful for their commitment to our members and, more importantly, to the people of Ohio.”

Jason Mauk will continue to serve as Chief of Staff, advising the President and overseeing the administration of the Senate’s 33 member offices and more than 100 employees. He previously served as Chief of Staff to Senate President Tom Niehaus.

Liz Connolly has been named Senior Advisor to the President in addition to her duties as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy & Administration. She will advise the President and Chief of Staff on strategic policy initiatives, as well as oversee the daily management of majority caucus operations. She has served in the Senate for 27 years.

Brian Perera has been named Deputy Chief of Staff for Budget and Finance. He will serve as the Senate President’s chief financial officer, as well as advising the chairman of the Finance Committee and overseeing the development and analysis of all Senate fiscal policy. He has served in the Senate for 22 years.

Angelika McClelland will continue to serve as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Constituent Services. She will manage the President’s appointments to state boards and commissions, as well as oversee special projects, member support, employee training programs and constituent engagement efforts.

Vincent Keeran will continue to serve as Clerk of the Senate, managing the chamber’s operating budget, payroll, human resources, office infrastructure and record-keeping obligations under the direction of the Chief of Staff. He has been Senate clerk since 2007.

Frank Strigari will continue to serve as the Chief Counsel to the Senate President, advising the majority caucus on all legal issues, including policy development, ethics law compliance, parliamentary procedure and administrative rules. He will also assist the Senate’s civil and criminal justice committee chairs.

John McClelland has been named Director of Communications and Public Affairs. He previously served as Press Secretary for the Senate Majority Caucus before directing a private sector public affairs firm. In addition to assisting with policy development, he will manage all external communications and messaging strategies, including media relations, digital media platforms, coalition outreach and public liaison.