Speakers

Kevin Saghy

Founder & Principal; Earned Impression

Kevin Saghy is the founder and principal of Earned Impression, a full-service consultancy that helps clients achieve their business and community goals by motivating audiences across owned, earned, and paid channels.

Prior to launching his own consultancy, Kevin served as a communications and marketing leader who guided teams to industry-leading results with several iconic brands.

Most recently, Kevin served as vice president of communications and public relations for the Cleveland Cavaliers, leading the team's communications strategy, planning, and execution.

Kevin joined the Cavs after developing a new functional area at The Ohio State University as head of audience engagement. In this role, he was responsible for driving creative engagements for stakeholders while strengthening their connection to the Ohio State brand. Before taking on this role, Kevin served as senior director of social media. In the first three years under Kevin’s leadership, the university improved from worst to first in its peer set for audience engagement and fourth in the nation among 405 colleges and universities overall.

Prior to Ohio State, Kevin led business and community public relations and social media for the Chicago Cubs for eight seasons. This included leading media campaigns for Wrigley Field’s $740 million restoration, Wrigley Field’s 100th anniversary celebration, and #FlyTheW postseason campaigns. Kevin developed and refined the team’s social media strategy to help the organization accomplish its business goals. In a 2017 social engagement study by SportsBusiness Journal, the Cubs were recognized as the top-performing baseball team and the only MLB club ranked among the top 25 global sports organizations.

Saghy began his career at Ketchum, a global public relations agency. He was responsible for digital and traditional media relations and influencer programs for a list of clients, including Best Buy’s Geek Squad, FedEx, Dyson, Kellogg Company, State Street Corp., and Ketchum’s visibility teams.

A list of industry and volunteer awards support Kevin’s work and leadership. He lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Stephanie, and two wonderful children.

Mandy Rice

Marketing and Public Relations Manager; Butler County Educational Service Center

Mandy Rice brings a unique blend of experience as a 7-12 social studies teacher for 10 years, owner of the online marketing business Teach On A Mission for four years, and now as the Marketing and Public Relations Manager for the Butler County Educational Service Center. Mandy’s passion for public schools drives her work, helping districts tell their stories and adapt their strategies in a competitive school choice environment.

Her extensive background in both education and marketing has equipped her with the skills to craft compelling narratives that resonate with stakeholders and build strong community relationships. Mandy is committed to showcasing the value of public education, working to ensure that schools are positioned effectively in an increasingly competitive educational landscape.

Dan Rajkovich

Communications and Marketing Coordinator; Fairview Park City School District

Dan Rajkovich has served as the Communications and Marketing Coordinator for the Fairview Park City School District since 2021 and has over 16 years of experience in K-12 public education communications and public relations. His responsibilities include managing digital and print communications such as social media, the district website, newsletters, and printed materials. He also has experience in school marketing, crisis communication, video production, and graphic design. Dan held various roles in school PR over the years, including as a video producer/director, public relations supervisor, and multimedia coordinator. He also served as a staff writer for the Gazette Newspapers in Northeast Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Writing from NYU and a master’s in Communications from Johns Hopkins University.

Krista Davis

Chief Communications Officer; Olentangy Local School District

Krista is a proven communications and leadership expert, with 34 years of increasing experience leading in public education and non-profit organizations. Krista has served as Chief Communications Officer for Ohio's fourth-largest school district, Olentangy Schools, for ten years. The district has over 24,000 enrolled students, 3,000-plus employees, and a budget of more than $500 million.

Krista’s extensive experience in school communications has helped Olentangy Schools strengthen its relationship with students, families, staff, and the community. She is committed to promoting the district’s successes and ensuring that stakeholders are engaged and informed. A long-time resident of central Ohio, Krista resides in Galena, Ohio.

Jake Potter

Director of Public Relations; Leavenworth USD 453

Jake Potter, APR, serves as Director of Public Relations and Outreach Services for the Leavenworth Unified School District (USD 453) in Leavenworth, Kan. The suburban school district rests on the northeastern outskirts of the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area (25 minutes from Arrowhead Stadium "How 'bout them CHIEFS?!?"), provides Pre-K through 12th grade educational services to approximately 3,400 students, and boasts the first public high school in the State of Kansas (1865) and the nation’s oldest student JROTC program.

Jake is completing his 15th year in the district, where he has led the public relations department, including facilitation and delivery of multiple strategic planning efforts, successful passage and delivery of a bond initiative, district podcasts and social media content management, creation and oversight of a summer student PR internship program, and various problems and crises addressed and resolved on the daily (enough to write multiple books about, if he were allowed to actually talk about any of them freely).

He has also championed Leavenworth’s implementation of MagicSchool/MagicStudent AI for classroom integration and leads the district’s professional development related to artificial intelligence challenges and opportunities in a K-12 teaching and learning environment. AI has become integral to Jake's work, and he serves as the conduit to district leaders and staff members eager to enhance their workflow.

Prior to school PR, Potter worked for a public relations firm in the KC area providing strategic communications counsel and support to a variety of local and state public sector agencies and federal organizations.

Jake has served the Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA) in various capacities since 2016, including as president for the 21-22 school year. He also serves as the SouthCentral Region Vice President of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA)’s Executive Board, representing Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. He has presented at chapter, statewide, and national conferences, including the NSPRA National Seminar and the National Association of School Boards.

Jake is a champion for the accreditation process via the Universal Accreditation Board, and his favorite aspects of RPIE are the P(lanning) and I(mplementing). He serves as the NSPRA board liaison to the Accreditation Committee.

Marie Kressin

Writer for SchoolCEO

Marie Kressin is a writer for SchoolCEO, a magazine dedicated to helping school leaders take control of how their communities think and feel about their districts. Prior to working as a writer full-time, Marie taught English at her alma mater. Before that, she worked as a teaching assistant in Kuopio, Finland. Marie is a published poet who tries to spend as much time outside as possible. One of her dreams is to be an artist-in-residence at a national park.

Christa Lokiec

Director of Communications and Community Relations; Lorain City Schools

Christa Lokiec, MA Ed., brings a distinctive blend of private sector marketing expertise and educational leadership to her role as Communications Director. Her professional journey began in Cleveland, Ohio, where she served as Graphic Design and Marketing Supervisor for a mid-sized company, developing comprehensive marketing strategies and creative solutions. Following her passion for education, Christa transitioned into teaching, earning her Master's in Education and establishing herself as a Computer Science educator at Lorain High School.

Throughout her decade-long tenure with Lorain City Schools, Christa has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the community she serves. Starting as a Computer Science teacher before moving into administrative roles and now as Communications Director, she has consistently worked to strengthen the connection between schools and families. Her current position represents a perfect synthesis of her marketing acumen and educational expertise, allowing her to bridge the gap between classroom innovation and community engagement.

Christa's deep-rooted pride in the Lorain community and her diverse professional background enable her to tell the district's story with authentic passion and strategic insight, making her a valuable advocate for Lorain City Schools' mission and achievements.

Lisa Roberson

Associate Director of Communications; Lorain City Schools 

Lisa Roberson is the Associate Director of Communications for Lorain City Schools, where she leads strategic storytelling, community engagement, and marketing initiatives. She spearheaded the district's website redesign and launch, enhancing accessibility and engagement for users. Lisa also develops and executes marketing campaigns to drive student enrollment and staff recruitment. This year, she helped launch Titan Talk, one of three new podcasts of Lorain City Schools that strengthen the district's outreach and connection to the Lorain community. With a journalism and public relations background, Lisa brings expertise in media relations, crisis communication, and digital strategy to tell the story of what makes it great to be a Loran Titan.

Michael Paciotti

Multimedia Production Coordinator; Lorain City Schools

Michael spent 16 years in television news, mastering the art of visual storytelling before transitioning to focus on the stories that deeply resonate—the ones that inspire.

While not following the traditional path of a school PR professional, Michael brings an outsider’s perspective to the field, emphasizing authenticity, cinematic storytelling, and the technical excellence necessary to enhance a district’s brand.

Mario Codispoti

Director of Communications and Workforce Development; Lorain County JVS

Fueled by curiosity and inspired by measurable impact, Mario Codispoti brings 10 years of experience in Marketing, Communication, and Workforce Development in both private and public sectors. A strategic leader and thought partner, Mario drives creativity through collaboration, diverse perspectives, and bridges industry expertise across domains. Mario leads the largest CTE high school with a 9-12 grade model in Northeast Ohio, leveraging Greater Cleveland's vibrant business community and rich assets to expose young leaders to innovation, technology, and high-wage career pathways.

Andrew Setters

Director of Communication and Community Engagement; Loveland City Schools

Andrew Setters is the Director of Communication and Community Engagement for Loveland City School District. Andrew joined the district in 2020, after more than 20 years as an award-winning local news reporter and anchor for Cincinnati-area radio and TV stations.

Kristen Cash

Communications Coordinator; South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools

Kristen began her career in corporate marketing but discovered her true passion in school communications (some might even call it obnoxious enthusiasm). Kristen spent three years working with an exceptional team at Shaker Heights Schools before joining the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Schools, where she is creating a communications and engagement framework for this NE Ohio district. Her focus is connecting with school families and communities, meeting them where they are, and finding ways to meaningfully connect to ensure everyone is afforded the same opportunity to be a partner in student success. She holds a BA in Communication Studies from Baldwin-Wallace College and an MA in Strategic Communications from Bowling Green State University.

Meghan Lawson

Assistant Superintendent; Sycamore Community Schools

Meghan is the author of Legacy of Learning: Teaching for Lasting Impact. She is a blogger, speaker, self-proclaimed joyologist, and a lover of learning who believes in the goodness of people. With disciplined intentionality, Meghan works to cultivate spaces that honor the humanity of all people. Her passion for creating kinder, forward-thinking communities of action has led her to study and create the conditions and systems needed for transformational change. A true believer in leading through others, Meghan promotes storytelling, the exchange of ideas, and risk-taking in schools. Lawson began her career in the English Language Arts classroom, so, inevitably, her mantra is “Words matter.” Meghan has worked in all levels of K–12 education as a teacher, school administrator, district administrator, and educational consultant.