Quarterly Membership Luncheon - Ohio State Legislature Panel

Inside the Statehouse: How Ohio’s Legislative Agenda Impacts Central Ohio Business

Join us for an engaging conversation with members of the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio State Senate — in a panel discussion moderated by Doug Petcash, 10TV News Anchor.

Our panelists will provide insight into the state legislature’s agenda and what it means for Central Ohio businesses and communities. Topics will include:

• Economic & Workforce Development: initiatives to attract, retain, and prepare talent.

• The State Budget: key investments and their local impact.

• Infrastructure: priorities shaping growth and connectivity across the region.

• And more: legislation that business leaders should be watching in the months ahead.

This luncheon offers business owners, employers, and community leaders a valuable opportunity to hear directly from state lawmakers, ask questions, and better understand how upcoming policy decisions will shape our economic future.

Don’t miss this chance to connect with peers, gain valuable insights, and prepare your business for what’s ahead at the state level.
 

Meet the Panel!

State Representative Munira Yasin Abdullahi (D - House District 9) grew up in the heart of Columbus, graduating from Columbus Alternative High School (CAHS) and receiving her Bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Relations from The Ohio State University. She began her public service career working in a nonprofit, advocating for and promoting youth development, leadership, and community service.

As a person with type-1 diabetes, Representative Munira Yasin Abdullahi's foremost policy passion is Affordable Healthcare. She aims to ensure all citizens, especially those with disabilities, chronic illness and diseases, have access to vital medications, medical attention, and rehabilitation without financial burden. Her other policy passions include Equitable Education and Community-Building Infrastructure in Conjunction With Affordable Housing.

Representative Abdullahi is the eldest of 9 children, 8 of them being girls! Her hobbies include weightlifting, martial arts, reading, and soccer. She is excited to serve on the 135th GA of the Ohio House of Representatives and continue her passion and commitment to community work as the representative of OH-D9.

State Representative Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D - House District 4) is serving her first full term in the Ohio House of Representatives, for Ohio’s 4th House District. She serves in House leadership as Minority Whip. Rep. Brown Piccolantonio serves on the following committees: Children & Human Services, Education, Finance, Rules and Reference, Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, and as ranking minority member of the Workforce and Higher Education committee. 

Rep. Brown Piccolantonio has built a strong career in public service. A graduate from Ohio Dominican University and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Rep. Brown Piccolantonio has devoted her professional career to enhancing the lives of her community. For over twenty years, she worked as an attorney for the state of Ohio where she held many roles. Rep. Brown Piccolantonio presided over administrative hearings, worked in the human resources and legal departments as the Director of Labor Relations, and served as chief ombudsperson for Ohio’s workers’ compensation system.

Much of Rep. Brown Piccolantonio’s focus has been spent on labor relations, where she prioritized workers’ rights and strived to create an equitable workplace for those she serves. 

In 2016, Rep. Brown Piccolantonio joined the Gahanna-Jefferson School Board, where she served as President. Her passion for ensuring that every student in Ohio has the ability to pursue their dreams by receiving a high-quality education and her love for the Gahanna community motivated her to run for this position. As a dedicated public servant, parent, and a longtime resident of Gahanna, Rep. Brown Piccolantonio felt that joining the school board was a way to give back to her beloved community. In her first meeting as an active school board member, she was asked to lead the Board as president and held that role through the entirety of her tenure on the board.  Rep. Brown Piccolantonio’s experience as an attorney dealing with labor relations and mediation helped her excel in this position.

Rep. Brown Piccolantonio is a lifelong Ohioan who resides in Gahanna with her husband and three sons. She is excited to serve her community at the state level and work to build an Ohio that puts people first.

 

State Senator Dr. Beth Liston (D - Senate District 16) is serving her first term in the Ohio Senate after serving three terms with the Ohio House of Representatives. She represents northern Franklin County including Hilliard, Dublin, Worthington, Westerville, New Albany, Gahanna, and parts of the City of Columbus. 
 
She began her career in medicine, earning her MD and PhD at the Ohio State University and subsequently training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Yale New Haven Hospital. Upon completing her residencies, Dr. Liston joined the faculty at Ohio State in 2006. Since that time, she has worked clinically as a hospitalist caring for adults and children in the inpatient setting. She is a Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine and Pediatrics with significant involvement in medical student education and advocacy.

Senator Liston first ran for office in 2018 to bring a better understanding of the impact of policy on health and wellness to the Ohio General Assembly. She is passionate about ensuring access to affordable high-quality health care for everyone.  Senator Liston believes in public education, economic opportunity for all Ohioans, and a state government that works for people. 

Senator Liston is the ranking member on the Health and Medicaid Committees. She also serves on Agriculture & Natural Resources, Financial Institutions & Insurance, Rules and Reference, Small Business and Economic Opportunity, Ways & Means, and Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee. 

In the community, Senator Liston is past-president of the Columbus Medical Association. She lives in the Dublin area with her husband and their two children.

 

State Representative Brian Lorenz (R - House District 60) is serving his first full term in the Ohio House of Representatives. He represents the 60th Ohio House District, which encompasses parts of Delaware County, and includes Delaware, Powell, and portions of Dublin and Westerville. In addition to serving as Vice Chair of the House Development Committee, Lorenz serves on the Insurance, Local Government, and Transportation committees.

Lorenz was previously Mayor of Powell and most recently he served on the Powell City Council, in addition to his job as a city and regional planner. 

Representative Lorenz is very involved in the community.  He is a parishioner of St. Mary’s in Delaware as well as a member of the Knights of Columbus, and a volunteer at the YMCA.  He also represented Powell as a member of the Powell Community Improvement Corporation and served on the planning and zoning commission for six years. 

As a native of Mansfield, he graduated from Lexington High School in 1991. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Planning from the University of Toledo in 1996, and a Master's degree in City and Regional Planning Program (MCRP) from The Ohio State University in 1999. 

Lorenz and his wife, Sue, have one son, Henry, and triplet girls, Annie, Betsy, and Charlotte.
 

Meet Our Moderator!

Doug Petcash joined the 10TV team in 2023 as Political Reporter and Anchor of the Sunday morning public affairs show "Face the State."

Doug was born and raised in a suburb of Pittsburgh and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism at Penn State University in 1990. He came to Columbus from 10TV's sister station in Boise, Idaho, where he was most recently the afternoon and evening anchor and host of the public affairs show "Viewpoint." Doug has been awarded eight regional news Emmys, as well as two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, among others.

He started his career in the State College bureau for the NBC affiliate in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He then followed his passion for television journalism to stations in Pocatello, Idaho and Cadillac, Michigan. Then it was back to Idaho in Boise and now in Columbus.

Doug says two of his most memorable stories were flying with the Navy Blue Angels and spending three days on a Great Lakes cement freighter to tell the stories of the hardworking people onboard.

During his time in Boise, Doug volunteered at the Meridian Food Bank for 12 years and served on its board of directors. He looks to continue that same type of community involvement right here in Ohio's capital city.