Jason Smith Email & Phone Number

Columbus, Oh, Us

Ohio, United States

• Cultivate and sustain strong relationships with community members, local businesses, and organizations to generate interest and support for the solar project.• Develop and implement outreach strategies to educate the community on the environmental and fiscal benefits of the solar project.• Recruit, train, and manage a team of dedicated volunteers to assist with canvassing, outreach to local officials, and event planning.• Plan and host community events, workshops, and information sessions to engage residents and stakeholders in discussions about the solar project and its benefits.• Design and execute advocacy campaigns to influence local policies and regulations that support solar energy adoption.• Partner with the communications/PR team to create engaging content for social media, newsletters, and local media outlets to keep the community informed and motivated.

Columbus, Ohio

● Community engagement, government advocacy, and media relations for Open Road Renewables, focused on permitting and developing utility-scale solar projects in Ohio.● Partnership between William “Bootsy” Collins and All Elite Wrestling, LLC to highlight the stories and contributions of AEW’s African-American athletes during Black History Month 2022, placing the Bootsy Collins Foundation in front of millions of viewers on AEW’s weekly TBS, TNT, and YouTube shows each week.● Launched successful campaign to help promote and assist client Blucone, an independent pop band, to win Relix Magazine’s Road to Summer Camp Music Festival, which secured them a booking at the nationally recognized Summer Camp Music Festival in Illinois.● Developed and implemented a campaign that resulted in hip hop artist and client Trek Manifest successfully being booked for the prestigious artist industry showcase event South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, including an earned media profile in the Columbus Dispatch, and being selected for a headlining performance at the prestigious Columbus Jazz & Rib Festival.● Event planning and production for over thirty successful live events.● Former public policy clients include Advocacy Communications Solutions, LLC and the Ohio 8 with a focus on K-12 education policy reporting, analysis, training, and advocacy.

Columbus, Ohio

● Reorganized AARP’s Ohio advocacy volunteer team and processes to significantly increase advocacy wins, including more than doubling 2019 metrics, with 19 legislative advocacy wins during the 2020 legislative session.● Awarded the Compass Award by Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, recognizing organizations and individuals across Ohio working to advance financial literacy and empowerment.● Partnership with Secretary of State Robert Sprague recognized as a best practice by the NationalAssociation of Secretaries of State and implemented nationally throughout AARP.● Planned, produced, and moderated more than 20 virtual tele-townhall events with elected officials such as Governor Mike DeWine, Senator Sherrod Brown, former Senator Rob Portman, Attorney General Dave Yost, Secretary of State Robert Sprague, members of the United States Congress, and members of the Ohio General Assembly.● Served as Interim State Manager from May 2020-April 2021.

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Columbus, Ohio Area

Developed and successfully implemented an advocacy strategy for the state operating budget to secure $118 million in funding for early childhood education programs to provide preschool opportunities for an additional 9,800 children in Ohio and $40 million targeted toward supporting Step Up to Quality.● Secured an additional $440,000 in grant funding from various foundation partners to support Groundwork Ohio’s mission and goals.● Successfully developed and implemented a “brand refresh” for the organization, including a new logo,website, and promotional materials, to increase brand awareness of the organization.● Completed and published Groundwork Ohio’s Early Childhood Financing Project in the report "The Dollars and Cents of Early Learning: Investing in Success."

Columbus, Ohio Area

● Successfully advocated for a number of key legislative initiatives championed by the Board of Education such as a waiver from Supplemental Education Service requirements to reallocate funds to support the third grade reading guarantee; the defeat of a provision to mandate sell of vacant buildings to community schools for one dollar; and passage of the Columbus Plan (HB 167).● Consulted with the Board of Education to create and oversee a number of significant reform measuresincluding a full revision of the Board of Education’s district policy manual; and the creation of the Finance & Appropriation Committee and the Academic Achievement Committee, two new Board oversight committees.● Planned and executed an extensive community engagement initiative called the Moving Forward: Dreaming Big Listening Tour that helped lead to the successful passage of a school levy after failing with voters in 2013.● Selected to conduct the Board of Education’s national search for a Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer;and consulted in the national search for a Chief Executive Officer & Superintendent.

Columbus, Ohio, United States

● Served as senior policy advisor on state and federal tax policy, state operating budget, and economicdevelopment issues for Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio Tax Commissioner Richard Levin, successfullyleading the legislative team advocating for the creation of tax program to create hundreds of alternativeand advanced energy jobs; the creation of Ohio’s film tax credit; and the expansion of the state’s jobretention, historic building and preservation, and venture capital tax credit programs.● Proposed and developed legislative strategy to successfully enact a highly publicized income tax-rate freeze policy to balance Ohio's budget during the Great Recession of 2008.● Appointed to Governor Strickland's select working group responsible for creating the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the statutory framework to implement casino gambling as authorized by Section 6(c), Article XV of the Ohio Constitution.

Columbus, Ohio, United States

- Staff committee hearings, meetings and Senate session.- Research and prepare legislation for introduction into the Senate Journal, draft speeches, talking points and testimony for public hearings.- Prepare office communications, including newsletters, press releases, media quotes, and correspondence on behalf of the senator(s).

- Worked for Senators Ray Miller and Dan Brady.- Coordinated research and staffing for tax policies as a member of the Senate Democratic Caucus's working group for HB 66, the state operating budget containing the phased-in reduction of the personal income tax, the phased-in elimination of the corporate franchise tax and tangible personal property tax, the creation of the commercial activity tax and various other tax-related policies.- Track and research pending legislation affecting state policies on education, environment and natural resources, elections and local government, and finance.- Manage constituent inquiries and work with state agencies to address constituents' concerns.

- Manage and oversee service for 50+ full-time AmeriCorps volunteers, including community service projects, professional development training and retreats, and social justice and diversity workshops.- Publicly speak on behalf of City Year to potential donors, service partners, school groups, and members of the media.- Director of Camp City Year, a Spring Break day-camp for 400+ Columbus Public elementary students, providing assistance to parents with childcare issues.- Recruit volunteers, coordinate logistics, and implement programming for Young Heroes, a service-learning program for 100+ middle school students.- Developed and implemented social justice and diversity training programs for the City Year program, several being adopted at various City Year sites around the United States.- Created and administered the Junior Team Leader program to recruit high school students to assist in leadership roles within the Young Heroes middle school program.

Master Of Public Policy & Administration, Public Policy & Administration

Ba, History, Government

Activities and Societies: Member of University Honors Program, Phi Alpha Theta Historical SocietyGraduated Summa Cum Laude Completion.