Groundwork Ohio Staff Spotlight: Mary Jane Sanese

Q. What’s your role at Groundwork Ohio, and how long have you been on the team?

A. I am the Communications Manager at Groundwork Ohio, and I have been on the team since April 2025. I help share Groundwork’s work across our different communications channels, from social media and newsletters to our website, media relations, events, advocacy campaigns, and more.

Q.  What drew you to this work and to Groundwork’s mission? What’s your “why”?

A.  I was initially drawn to Groundwork because of the mission. The first five years of life are incredibly important and can set the foundation for the rest of your life.

For me, that is also personal. When I was four years old, I learned I was legally blind in my left eye. Because it was caught before I turned five and my brain and optic nerve had developed enough, I was able to wear an eye patch over my right eye to strengthen my left while my vision was still developing. If it had been caught later, that same intervention may not have worked.

It’s a simple example of why those early years and early intervention matter so much. Every child deserves access to the care, resources, and opportunities they need to have a strong start.

Q.  What does a typical day look like for you in your role?

A.  One of my favorite things about communications is that there really isn’t a typical day. I could be writing a newsletter or blog, creating graphics or social media content, promoting a webinar or event, attending a committee meeting at the Statehouse, listening in on a policy briefing, or figuring out the best way to communicate new research or data. Some days, it’s a little bit of everything.

My background is in journalism, so I think that naturally carries into my work. I’m always thinking about what the story is, why people should care about it, and how we can make complicated policy issues easier to understand.

Q.  What’s a project or accomplishment you’re especially proud of?

A.  I’m especially proud of Family Voices at the Statehouse. There is a lot of work that goes into an event like that, but seeing hundreds of people- families, advocates, and partners come together at the Statehouse made all of it worth it.

One of my favorite parts of my job is finding ways to make sure families’ stories and experiences reach the people making decisions, and it was really meaningful to see families have the opportunity to share those experiences directly with policymakers.

Q.  What’s been a defining moment for you during your time at Groundwork?

A. One of the most defining moments for me was sharing my own story as part of Groundwork’s work around Medicaid. As a journalist, I am used to telling other people’s stories, so being the person sharing something personal was a very different experience.

It gave me an even greater appreciation for the families who trust us with their stories and reminded me how powerful storytelling can be in advocacy. Data can show the size of a problem, but hearing how a policy actually affects someone’s life can make people understand it in a completely different way.

Q.  What’s one thing you’ve learned from the families or communities we serve?

A. I’ve learned how important it is to listen. Every family and every community experiences these issues differently, and the people closest to a challenge often have the best understanding of what is working and what needs to change.

That has been especially clear during our Roadshow 2026. Traveling across Ohio and hearing directly from families, providers, community leaders, employers, and others has given me a much better understanding of how differently issues like child care, health care, transportation, and family supports can look depending on where you live.

Q.  What do you like to do in your free time?

A. I love traveling to new places with my husband, James, reading, and baking and trying out new recipes. I also love a good board game night and have recently gotten into refurbishing antique furniture.

Q.  If you could describe your role in three words, what would they be?

A. Creative, fast-paced, purposeful.

Q.  What’s your favorite memory or moment from working at Groundwork so far?

A. Some of my favorite memories have come from traveling around Ohio with our team. The Roadshow has given me the chance to visit communities I had never been to, meet the people doing this work locally, and see programs and organizations we might otherwise only hear about through an email or meeting.

There have also been plenty of long drives, interesting stops, and laughs with coworkers along the way, which have made some of those days especially memorable.