NEXUS Pipeline Settlement and Impact on Funding

Becky Princehorn is a partner in Bricker & Eckler's Public Finance group. Her practice emphasizes school and local government law. She served as bond counsel for the first Ohio income tax-backed school district bonds; the first publicly offered Public Library Fund-backed library notes; the first Ohio K-12 state co-funded (OFCC) project on a state university campus; the first sale of Ohio school district bonds to the USDA; the first Ohio general obligation bond issue with a local government fund pledge; the first Ohio municipal general obligation bond issue for housing; and the first Ohio school district minibond issue.

Alan was raised in Louisville and had public service as a calling from an early age. After a career in banking and in small business, he was elected to office in November of 2010. Alan is an active member of many community organizations, including United Way, Buckeye Council – Boy Scouts of America, and St. Michael’s Catholic Church. He has participated in the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Stark County (23rd Class) and Government Academy (2nd Class).

Alan has a Master of Business Administration degree from The Ohio State University (2003); a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Union College (1998); and is a graduate of Louisville High School (1994). He and his wife, Dr. Suzanne Harold, live with their two children, Caroline and Andrew, in Avondale.

Katie Johnson is the Deputy Executive Director of Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO). As Deputy Executive Director, Katie serves as the advocacy lead for the association and as in-house legal counsel, keeping staff and members abreast of legal and regulatory compliance issues in school business. In addition, she develops curriculum to support OASBO’s strategic plan and the Ohio school business profession.

Prior to joining OASBO, Katie represented school districts as a public finance attorney, focusing her practice on serving as bond counsel and underwriter's counsel in debt and lease financings and as general counsel for Ohio political subdivisions. Specifically, Katie worked with school districts on bond issues, note issues, leases, tax levies, public records and other matters of concern to school business officials.

Katie also serves on boards and committees focused on public finance, including serving as a member on the Finance and Appropriations Committee for Columbus City School District, as Treasurer of the Confluence Community Authority, and as President of the Ohio Chapter of Women in Public Finance. 

Dr. Kevin Miller was a public educator for 36 years. He was an English teacher and principal at Wayne Trace Jr./Sr. High School before becoming Superintendent of Hicksville Village Schools in Defiance County. While at Hicksville, Dr. Miller worked with the community on the design and construction of a new Pre-K through 12 school building. During his tenure there, Hicksville Schools were rated “Excellent with Distinction” by the Ohio Department of Education and received national recognition from the Southern Regional Education board as a “High Schools That Work” Pacesetter School.   

Dr. Miller served as superintendent of Ottawa Hills Schools from 2010 to 2019. Ottawa Hills Schools are considered among the very best in Ohio and the nation. In 2015, Ottawa Hills became the first district in Ohio to earn all A’s on its district and building Local Report Cards issued by the Ohio Department of Education. The district repeated that feat in 2016, ’17, ’18, and ‘19—the only school district in Ohio to do so. Ottawa Hills has received statewide and national recognition by Forbes, US News and World Report, Newsweek, the Washington Post, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

On August 1, 2019, Dr. Miller became the Director of Governmental Relations for the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA). In that position, he lobbies on behalf of public school districts across Ohio and serves as a liaison between the Statehouse and Ohio’s superintendents.   

Dr. Miller lives in New Albany with his wife, Carla, and their four sons: Yale, Collin, Breckin, and Sterling.     

Will Schwartz serves as deputy director of legislative services for the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) where he advocates on behalf of Ohio's public school district boards of education at the state and federal level. Prior to joining OSBA, Will spent eight years drafting legislation and conducting education research on behalf of representatives and senators of the Ohio General Assembly.