Leadership Ohio

Our own Kevin Smith joins , from for the Zenith awards !

of presents an outstanding session on what commitment and civic action looks like in the rebirth of a historic neighborhood- Middlebury- in our April Akron session. Change is not always swinging for the fences. The next big thing can be 200 small things.

The Board of Directors of Leadership Ohio is proud to announce Kevin Smith as the new Chief Executive Officer of Leadership Ohio.

Kevin brings more than two decades of experience developing leaders, building high-impact partnerships, and advancing mission-driven organizations across higher education, nonprofits, and for-profit companies.

Most recently, Kevin served as Associate Dean for External Relations at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, working in close partnership with the Dean and the executive branch of the central administration. His leadership focused on expanding external engagement, strengthening corporate and community partnerships, advancing philanthropic strategy, and aligning enrollment growth, fundraising KPIs, and strategic priorities with institutional mission and values. Most recently, Kevin was a core member of the leadership team in developing the $25 Million concept and gift for the Celia Weatherhead Leadership Institute at CWRU.

Previously, Kevin spent more than a decade at The University of Akron College of Business, where he held senior leadership roles. During his tenure, he:

⭐ Oversaw $2.3 million in leadership grants from The JM Smucker Company in addition to substantial organic revenue development

⭐ Built and scaled comprehensive leadership programs for undergraduate, graduate, and executive audiences

⭐ Launched global leadership immersion initiatives in Italy, Jamaica, New Zealand, Haiti, and Ghana

⭐ Developed corporate-grade leadership training and executive education, both domestically and internationally

⭐ Cultivated strong relationships with alumni, employers, and community leaders

Prior, Kevin served at Ohio University as the founding program director for the Amanda J. Cunningham Leadership Center, and additionally as Adjunct Faculty in the College of Business and Patton College of Education, teaching leadership at both the undergraduate graduate levels, and in business executive education. Kevin earned national recognition for leadership program design and additional awards for consistently top faculty evaluations. His work emphasized relational leadership, strategy, and global leadership development.

Kevin is proudly from Norwalk, Ohio and a graduate of The Ohio State University, Ohio University, and The University of Akron.

Kevin’s career reflects a deep commitment to leadership development, ethical decision-making, and building bridges between education, business, and community—making him an outstanding fit to lead Leadership Ohio into its next chapter.

Please join us in welcoming Kevin Smith.