TuscBDD Board Member Stephanie Wilson Elected Ohio Association of County Boards Trustee

PRESS RELEASE

TuscBDD Board Member Stephanie Wilson Elected Ohio Association of County Boards Trustee

New Philadelphia, January 4, 2021: At a virtual convention this month, members of the Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities (OACB), a statewide advocacy and trade group representing all 88 county boards of DD, elected Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities Board Member Stephanie Wilson to serve on the OACB board of trustees. “This is exciting news for Ms. Wilson, our agency, and our county,” expressed TuscBDD Superintendent Nate Kamban. “This is the first time in nearly 30 years that Tuscarawas County has been elected to serve at the state level in this capacity. We are fortunate to have Ms. Wilson representing the region; her kind and supportive leadership style is a benefit to all in our local system.”

OACB’s board of trustees consists of 12 county board of DD members and six superintendents from across Ohio. Wilson will fill an at-large seat on the board for two years beginning January 1. As a trustee, she will take part in monthly board meetings, help determine the association’s priorities for 2021 and 2022, and help represent county boards to statewide political leaders. She will serve concurrently as an OACB trustee and TuscBDD board member.

Ms. Wilson has been a member of the TuscBDD Board for 10 years and has served as President and Vice President. During that time, she steered the agency in a direction that emphasized the importance of allowing for more service opportunities for people served. Additionally, as a professional in the mental health field, Ms. Wilson is passionate about serving individuals with co-occurring mental health diagnoses and provides TuscBDD leadership with insight on how to navigate the mental health service system. Ms. Wilson previously served on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio for 15 years.

As an OACB trustee, Ms. Wilson looks forward to helping coordinate statewide initiatives for people served by both the developmental disabilities and mental health systems. Individuals with dual-diagnoses often find themselves in a gap between these systems when seeking residential or therapeutic options. This population is a priority as is evidenced by the DeWine administration's emphasis on multi-system youth and the Ohio Superintendents of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities association's strategic planning efforts focused on individuals in crisis. Ms. Wilson's expertise and passion will allow her to contribute to these important discussions that are currently taking place.

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by Kerri Silverthorn , Community Relations/Special Projects Director Tue, Jan 5th, 2021