The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has announced an organizational staff restructure, after several years of significant growth, to better align the organization in the service of its civil liberties and civil rights mission.
Executive Director J. Bennett Guess announced the changes on March 21, after consulting with the Board’s Executive Committee. All current personnel are being retained in the new structure and individual work portfolios and responsibilities continue largely uninterrupted.
“The ACLU of Ohio is more than twice the size it was when I started here eight years ago,” Guess said. “With the added personnel, the changes reflect an identified need to both broaden program coordination and oversight, while better aligning our integrated advocacy -- a unique pillar of the ACLU’s strength –- across all of our advocacy areas: legal, policy, community organizing, lobbying, public education, and fundraising and member engagement.”
The changes were also precipitated by the announced retirement of Deputy Director Ann Rowlett on August 1, who is stepping down after 30 years of top-level leadership at the ACLU of Ohio. “Ann’s upcoming retirement, while well deserved, will leave a significant hole in our organization that will take multiple good people to try to fill. She will be sorely missed,” Guess said.
Elizabeth Chasteen Day, former Organizing Director, has been named Chief of Staff, a new position. The Chief of Staff is a strategic partner that supports the Executive Director in leadership of the entire organization with effective decision-making, project management, personnel coordination, board relations, and execution of strategic initiatives. Chasteen Day will lead a more cohesive Administration Team to offer more cross-training of essential admin functions and responsibilities.
Jocelyn Rosnick, former Policy Director, has been named Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer. She leads and directs our affiliate's now-unified policy, advocacy, legislative, and organizing efforts, developing and implementing strategies to influence public policy and shape government actions, while also representing the ACLU of Ohio to various stakeholders, partner organizations, and directly impacted communities. In this expanded role, Rosnick is now our affiliate’s chief political strategist.
Celina Coming, former Communications Director, and Cindy Tomm, former Development Director, co-lead a new unified Public and Donor Relations Team. Coming assumes the title of Chief Public Relations Officer, and Tomm assumes the title of Chief Donor Relations Officer. The new larger department unites our former communications and development staff and is now focused more wholistically on community engagement and organizational advancement.
Freda Levenson assumes a new title as Chief Legal Officer / Legal Director and continues to lead the affiliate’s robust litigation docket alongside Managing Legal Director David Carey.
Guess, along with the five departmental officers, form a new Executive Team, focused on strategic advancement, integrated advocacy, and program coordination.
The Leadership Team will continue day-to-day administrative and program management, and includes the Executive Team, plus Managing Legal Director Carey; Raphael Davis-Williams, Director of Equity, People, Inclusion, and Culture; Gary Daniels, Legislative Director; Collin Marozzi, Advocacy Director; James Kosmatka; Director of Finance and Operations; and Tom Parrish, Director of Information Technology and Security.
The ACLU of Ohio envisions a just and equitable Ohio where all people are fairly represented in a strong democracy, unoppressed by racism, and able to live their fullest lives.
With 32 staff members statewide and offices in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, the ACLU of Ohio has nearly 35,000 members and supporters in all of Ohio’s 88 counties.
