Question 1

Speaker Bios

Accepted Answer

Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio

As the President of Groundwork Ohio, Lynanne Gutierrez is at the forefront of our statewide mission, spearheading a powerful early childhood movement. As a dedicated child advocate, Lynanne oversees the development and implementation of Groundwork’s policy agenda and shapes priorities and strategies through effective communication, advocacy, research, and data analysis.

A pivotal figure in Groundwork's strategic growth and transformation over the past seven years, Lynanne played a crucial role in expanding the organization's Statehouse footprint, relationships, and reputation across the state. Additionally, her efforts were instrumental in the successful transition to a standalone 501c3 in 2021.

Recognized as a respected early childhood expert in Ohio and nationwide, Lynanne is frequently sought out to address diverse audiences on early childhood policy advocacy. Appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council, she has served as a member since 2019.

Lynanne's professional journey includes prior roles in advocacy and private law practice focused on children and families. Before becoming a licensed attorney, she served as a Senior Legislative Aide in the Ohio Senate. A distinguished alumna of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctorate from Capital Law School, Lynanne is also a 2023 graduate of the prestigious Leadership Ohio program.

Lynanne, a resident of Columbus, Ohio, shares life with her husband Anthony and their two young children. She is an avid reader and amateur quilter.

Dr. Ray Bignall, Chief Diversity and Health Equity Officer, Nationwide Children's Hospital

O. N. Ray Bignall II, MD, FAAP, FASN is the Chief Diversity and Health Equity Officer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He also serves as Director of Kidney Health Advocacy and Community Engagement for the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. A graduate of Howard University and Meharry Medical College, Dr. Bignall completed his general pediatrics residency, clinical fellowship in nephrology, and NIH post-doctoral research fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

As a physician-advocate, Dr. Bignall’s work addresses the social determinants of kidney, child, and community health through community-based scholarship, engagement, and advocacy. He has served as a member of The White House Health Equity Roundtable Series on Access to Care; serves as the Inaugural Chair of the American Society of Nephrology’s Health Care Justice Committee; and is a member of the Council on Medical Legislation for the National Medical Association. Dr. Bignall is a recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Award; a John E Lewy Fund Advocacy Scholar of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology; and was named a 40 Under 40 Leader in Minority Health by the National Minority Quality Forum and the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust.

Charleta B. Tavares, President and CEO, Primary One Health

Charleta B. Tavares assumed the Chief Executive Officer of Columbus Neighborhood Health Center (CNHC), Inc. position in February 2015. The mission of the organization is to provide access to services that improve the health status of families including people experiencing financial, social or cultural barriers to healthcare.

Charleta is a local, state and nationally recognized, health, human services, cultural competence and health equity advocate and policymaker. Tavares previously served as the Executive Director of the Multi-ethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence (MACC), a statewide non-profit membership organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of care in Ohio’s health care system and to incorporate culturally competent models of practice into the systems and organizations that provide services to Ohio’s diverse populations.

During her tenure, the organization conducted the first ever statewide cultural competence mental health needs assessment for thirteen racial, ethnic and cultural communities (2006, 2008 and 2010); and she initiated and worked with eleven departments and agencies in Ohio to adopt the first in the country statewide cultural competence definition. In addition, she created the Somali Rapid Response System Service Coordination Team to help agencies with interpretation and cultural understanding and assist Somali individuals/families learn to navigate the various local systems of care and service. The organization developed a bi-lingual guide on “How to Navigate Social Services in Ohio” for both the Somali and Latino communities.

Tavares previously served as a member of the boards of: Community Research Partners (former chair and founding member); Access Health Columbus; Columbus Compact; the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (President); and National League of Cities’ (NLC) Advisory Council (past chair). She also served as a member of the Board of the NLC, chair of the NLC Human Development Committee and as a Commissioner of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health. She served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives (1993-98) and Columbus City Council (1999-2010). She presently serves as a member of the Ohio Senate (2011-present) where she serves as the Assistant Minority Leader.

Tavares is providing leadership in several collaborative efforts throughout the state and region to address health and other human service disparities among racial, ethnic and cultural communities. The collaborations include the Ohio Statewide Health Disparities Collaborative, Region V Health Equity Council, SAMHSA Community and Faith Initiative, Franklin County Community Conversations on Mental Health to name a few. In addition, she served as founding member and chair Emerita of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. She currently chairs the National WAND Education Fund board.

Ms. Tavares has served at the local, state and national levels as a trainer, policymaker, administrator, and/or elected official specializing in cultural competence, behavioral physical health, social services, child welfare, housing and criminal justice issues. She has presented workshops, lectures and presentations on cultural competence, health disparities, behavioral and physical health integration, social and criminal justice etc.

Senator Stephanie Kunze (R-Dublin)

Senator Stephanie Kunze is currently serving her second term in the Ohio Senate representing the people of the 16th Senate District, which includes a portion of Franklin County and all of Madison and Pickaway counties. She is Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Prior to her service in the Ohio Senate, she was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2012, where she served two terms. Before her time in the Ohio Legislature Senator Kunze was elected to Hilliard City Council in 2009.

Senator Kunze has been at the forefront of numerous pieces of important legislation as she brings commonsense, data driven solutions to issues facing Ohio. She has been instrumental in supporting economic strategies and sponsoring legislation to create opportunities for Ohioans to access employment. She is committed to serving children and chairs the Infant Mortality Commission and Children's Trust Fund Board.

She has championed bills that have helped survivors of human trafficking expunge their records in order to gain a certificate of qualification for employment and to access housing. Other legislation she has sponsored that have become law include increased penalties for promoting prostitution, domestic violence and hazing on college campuses. Her mission is advocating for Ohioans to have access to the tools needed to create the life they envision by removing barriers and supporting families.

Senator Kunze has earned numerous legislative awards for her work in the Statehouse, including the Ohio Humanities Hero Award, Ohio Domestic Violence Advocacy Award, and Legislator of the Year - Ohio Public Transit Association. She is also a member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Madison County Chamber of Commerce, Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce, The Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce, and Franklin County Farm Bureau.

Senator Kunze graduated with a degree in English from Indiana University. She and her husband, Matt, have raised two daughters and live in Dublin. Her greatest joy and accomplishment is her family.

Commissioner Erica Crawley, Franklin County

Commissioner Erica C. Crawley is a mother, advocate, and veteran. As the first Black woman Commissioner, her commitment to serving every resident, every day comes from her lived experiences and deep understanding of what working families need to thrive, and not just survive. Commissioner Crawley has always stood with the most vulnerable among us – working to ensure access to high-quality childcare, affordable housing, supportive addiction, mental health treatment, better maternal health outcomes, and first-rate veteran services for those who have bravely served our nation. She currently serves on numerous boards.

Like so many of her constituents, Commissioner Crawley has known what it’s like to fight and work hard to get ahead. Originally from Youngstown, Commissioner Crawley’s family reflected the story of successes and struggles that so many families share in our community. She is a first-generation college graduate, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, focusing on juvenile delinquency from Cleveland State University. She also holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Walden University and a Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School.

Crawley has spent much of her life making a difference by serving others and helping them find their voice. She served in the United States Navy earning the Naval & Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Additionally, she has advocated on behalf of children and families with the Cuyahoga County Job & Family Services, YMCA Head Start/ Early Head Start Program, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA), and the Black Child Development Institute.

In 2018, Crawley was elected to represent Ohio’s 26th House District, which included much of eastern and southeastern Franklin County. During her time in the legislature, her priorities focused on maternal health, infant mortality, birth-to-five initiatives, housing and food insecurity, and veteran issues. Crawley served on the House Finance Committee, Finance Subcommittee on Primary & Secondary Education, Primary & Secondary Committee, Armed Services & Veterans Affairs, Correctional Institution Inspection Committee (CIIC), and was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Infant Mortality, the Commission on Minority Health and was a founding member of Ohio’s Black Maternal Health Caucus.

Commissioner Crawley is the mother of twin girls. She enjoys spending time with them and traveling with family and friends.

Troy Hunter, Director of Research, Evaluation, and Performance, Groundwork Ohio

As Director of Research, Evaluation, & Performance Troy oversees the development and integration of the Early Childhood Data Dashboard and provides research and evaluation support across program areas. Troy’s work helps emphasize the impact of initiatives led by Groundwork Ohio on early childhood policy.

Troy’s has spent his career working in early childhood, mental health, and disabilities. Troy is a committed leader in the early childhood space and is dedicated to promoting positive outcomes for young children and their families. Troy has worked with families and young children in many roles, including as an early childhood educator, an early intervention provider, and a social worker. Troy is a licensed social worker and Ohio infant mental health practitioner. Troy is passionate about supporting families and has extensive micro and macro practice with early childhood systems.

Most recently Troy worked as Program Manager of the Ohio State University Nisonger Center’s Early Learning Program. In this role, Troy worked to support the inclusion of children receiving early intervention and special education services in general education programming. In addition to supporting children with and without disabilities, Troy worked to elevate equity issues within the early childhood workforce and the impact on quality early childhood education and care. Troy served as Social Work Faculty for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities training program through The Ohio State University Nisonger Center. Troy mentored and supported social work graduate trainees working in infant and early childhood mental health and developmental diagnostic clinics.

Troy received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from The Ohio State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a master’s degree in social work. Troy is currently a doctoral student of educational studies at The Ohio State University. Troy’s research interest lies in the intersectionality between social justice and education, and he is specifically interested in policy issues that impact early childhood education.

In addition to his role at Groundwork, Troy is a lecturer for The Ohio State University College of Social Work and serves on The Ohio State University College of Social Work Alumni Society Executive Committee. Troy is passionate about his community and serves as a board member for the Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children and volunteers as a committee member for the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio.

Mario Basora, CEO, Future Ready 5

Mario brings a career of passionate advocacy for children to FRC, with over 20 years of experience leading successful transformative change efforts in schools and school districts across Ohio.  His mission is to create a world where all children, regardless of their background, can dream big and achieve greatness in their lives.  
 
Mario earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Cal State Fullerton, a second bachelor’s degree in social studies education from Northern Kentucky University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Miami University, Oxford, and a School Superintendent’s license from Xavier University.  Before joining Future Ready Columbus, Mario’s career included service as a substitute teacher, junior high and high school teacher, assistant principal, principal, school law professor, senior vice president, and superintendent.

Throughout his career, Mario has been honored to work closely with educators and community leaders to achieve big things for children.  These include significantly increasing academic achievement for African American and economically disadvantaged children, creating and successfully implementing several strategic planning efforts, and establishing a training center for innovative learning practices.

Michelle Moskowitz Brown, President & CEO, Children’s Hunger Alliance

Michelle Moskowitz Brown has spent the past 27 years in the not-for-profit sector. Recently, as Executive Director at Local Matters (a non-profit organization located in Columbus, Ohio), Brown focused on growing organizational impact, increasing education and access to nutritious and affordable foods, and advocating for policies aligned with their mission of creating healthier communities. Her additional achievements while at Local Matters include developing a start-up organization into a renowned community anchor, leading the development of the Columbus & Franklin County Local Food Action Plan in partnership with Commissioner O’Grady and Councilmember Tyson, building headquarters and a community kitchen, advocating for food benefits like SNAP, supporting the growth of up-and-coming food organizations, and bringing a technology enabled produce prescription program to Columbus in support of families in the Linden neighborhood.

Brown is the immediate past chair of the Ohio Food Policy Network (OFPN), which she helped build as a statewide coalition dedicated to a food system that supports and serves all Ohioans. She is also a former member of the Columbus & Franklin County Local Food Board.

Prior to starting her work with Local Matters in 2011, she managed not-for-profit organizations and programs with a focus on arts and community development in her hometown of New York City, including Dancing in the Streets, BRIC Arts/Media/Bklyn, and the Foundation for Jewish Culture.

Brown completed a Graduate Certificate in Public Management at OSU’s Glenn College, holds a BA from Antioch College, and she studied Urban Planning at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service.

Dr. Kathy Lawton, PhD, BCBA-D, Director, Early Childhood Education at Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities

Before joining FCBDD, Lawton previously served as the Director of Early Childhood Education at the Ohio State University Nisonger Center, Assistant Professor of Special Education with OSU, Special Education Coordinator across all Upper Arlington school buildings, and, most recently, the Director of Burbank Early Childhood School (BECS) at Upper Arlington City Schools. She launched its first inclusive preschool model and significantly expanded the city’s peer modeling program for young learners.

On a personal level, Lawton’s family helped to found the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio (DSACO) to advocate for her brother and so many other families in the region. She remains active across Ohio on multiple statewide boards devoted to inclusion and early intervention.

Lawton received her PhD in Education from UCLA after earning multiple degrees at Vanderbilt University in Special Education, Child Development, and Psychology as an Ingram Scholar.

Christina Walls, Managing Director of Education, YWCA Columbus

Question 2

Take our Survey

Accepted Answer

We want to hear from you. Policymakers need to hear about your expertise and challenges. Help inform early childhood policy and take our brief survey today.

Question 3

Resources

Accepted Answer

Download our roadshow factsheet to learn more about our policy process.

Use county-specific data to help with your advocacy outreach.

Franklin County Factsheet

Request another county-specific data source by contacting us.

Question 4

Connect with Us Online

Accepted Answer

Engage with us online! We want to hear from you.

Use #GOListeningTour when tweeting during the day.

Sample post:
🚗 [Take a photo/selfie at the event] I’m with @GroundworkOhio on their 2024 Roadshow Listening Tour in #Columbus. We’re ready to make our #BIGVOICE heard by the state’s policymakers! @nationwidekids #GOListeningTour

Follow us online: @GroundworkOhio

Download our social media toolkit for easy posting.

Question 5

Schedule

Accepted Answer

8:00 am: Registration

Take part in our data engagement activity before the formal program begins. 
 
8:30 am: Welcome and Introductions

Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio
Dr. Ray Bignall, Chief Diversity and Health Equity Officer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital 
 
9:10 AM: Fireside Chat

Moderated by Charleta B. Tavares, President & CEO of Primary One Health:
Senator Stephanie Kunze (R-Dublin)
Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley
 
10:05 am: Early Childhood Experiences Panel

Moderated by Troy Hunter, Director of Research, Evaluation, and Performance at Groundwork Ohio, our expert panelists will include:
Mario Basora, CEO, Future Ready 5
Michelle Moskowitz Brown, President & CEO, Children’s Hunger Alliance
Dr. Kathy Lawton, PhD, BCBA-D, Director, Early Childhood Education at Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities 
Christina Walls, Managing Director of Education, YWCA Columbus
 
10:50 AM: Conclusion and Wrap-Up

Question 6

Partner Organizations

Question 7

Location and Parking

Accepted Answer

Nationwide Children's Hospital Conference Center - Room Allen A
520 Butterfly Gardens Dr • Columbus, OH 43215
Parking Information