A CEO and a volunteer board of directors lead KidsOhio.org. The board consists of civic and community leaders from Ohio.

Mark Real, President and CEO

Attorney Mark Real is the founding president of KidsOhio.org. He has chaired Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman’s Education Advisory Committee, headed Governor George Voinovich’s Head Start Task Force, and was a member of Governor Bob Taft’s Commission on Student Success, Governor Richard Celeste’s Commission to Reduce Teenage Pregnancy and Governor Ted Strickland’s Ohio’s College Career-Readiness & Policy Institute.

Abigail Wexner, Board Chair

Abigail Wexner is an attorney and the founding chair of the board of KidsOhio.org.  She is an advocate for women’s and children’s issues both locally and nationally.  Mrs. Wexner is the founder and chair of the boards of the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence and the Center for Child and Family Advocacy.  Additionally, she chairs the Board of Directors of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Inc./Nationwide Children’s Hospital and is the Vice Chair of KIPP Journey Academy.  KIPP is a national network of high-performing nonprofit charter schools.  Mrs. Wexner also serves as a trustee of the United States Equestrian Team Foundation, the Wexner Center for the Arts, the Board of Directors of Limitedbrands, Inc., and is the past chair of the Governing Committee of The Columbus Foundation.

KidsOhio.org Board Members

Dale Heydlauff, President of American Electric Power Foundation and Vice President of Corporate Communications, American Electric Power

Chad Jester, Vice President for Corporate Citizenship, Nationwide Insurance and President, Nationwide Insurance Foundation

Linda Kass, Community Leader
Past President and member, Bexley School Board.
Founder of the Columbus Montessori Center.
Has honored 15 Champions of Children, supporting accessible, quality child care since 1993.

Jeff Lyttle, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Chase

Frederick L. Ransier, Esq., Partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP
Former Member, Columbus City Council.
Founding Chair of the Columbus Works employment training program.
Past Chair, Board of Trustees, Central State University.

Ilana Horowitz Ratner, Attorney
Owner, Integrated Visions, a planning and coaching consulting business.
Board Member, Voices for Ohio’s Children.
Co-creator, Emmy-Award winning Television series on children in Northeast Ohio, produced by WKYC-TV3 Cleveland.

Elizabeth Ruppert, M.D., Pediatrician
Past President of the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Past Chair, United Way of Greater Toledo.

Barbara Trueman, Businesswoman, Retired Educator
Past Board Member, Children’s Hospital, the Columbus Zoo, and Recreation Unlimited.
Member, Governing Board, The Columbus Foundation.