Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio brings school board president background to Ohio Statehouse

COLUMBUS, Ohio — JANUARY 10: Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, D-Gahanna, is greeted by members of the House shortly before being sworn in as a member, January 10, 2024, at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.)

The newest member of the Ohio House of Representatives is no stranger to the Statehouse.

Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio , D- Gahanna, would often testify on various education bills in her role as Gahanna-Jefferson School Board President.

“There was so much happening and I started to feel like if I wanted to be where these conversations were originating that I needed to be in the Statehouse,” she said. “I needed to take the experiences and the knowledge that I had and bring that directly to where those conversations were originating.”

Her previous experience working for the state also gave her a good understanding of the state budget and how state government works. She previously served as the chief ombudsman for the state workers’ compensation system since 2013 and worked with the Industrial Commission of Ohio for more than a decade.

“I have a first hand view at how things work and how things don’t work,” she said.

Piccolantonio recently filled former Rep. Mary Lightbody’s vacancy for Ohio’s 4th House District . Lightbody, who was first elected to the Ohio House in 2018, announced on Jan. 3 she would be resigning from her post. Piccolantonio was sworn in by father former Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Brown during Jan. 10’s House Session.

“( Piccolantonio) has certainly worked within the system and understands the need for us to work together,” Rep. Daniel Troy, D-Willowick, said during Jan. 10’s House Session.

Members of the Democratic Caucus formed a screening committee and had four applications for the vacancy.

Piccolantonio was originally planning to run for the House seat in 2026 — when Rep. Lightbody would have been term-limited.

“My decisions will always recognize the dignity and worth of every Ohioan as together we strive toward our shared promise of a more perfect union and our shared American dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Piccolantonio said after being sworn in during Jan. 10’s House session.

Rep. Latyna Humphrey , D- Columbus , is confident Piccolantonio will serve her district well.

“We certainly believe that she is readily prepared to do that,” Humphrey said during Jan. 10’s House Session. “ We know that she is going to focus strongly on public education. She is going to focus strongly on healthcare justice and health care equity and she is going to focus strongly on workers rights.”

Piccolantonio and her husband Andy moved to Ohio’s 4 House District nearly 25 years ago when they were starting their professional careers and their family.

“I’ve had a lot of opportunities to get to know my wonderful community and its amazing people and I will continue to work hard every day for all of us in the district,” she said during Jan. 10’s House Session meeting.

Ohio’s 4th House District represents Westerville, New Albany, Gahanna and parts of Columbus’ Northeast Side and Blendon, Jefferson, Plain and Sharon townships.

Piccolantonio grew up in the Cleveland area and her family moved to Columbus when she was in the 10th grade. Both of her parents were elected officials, serving in various roles over the years.

Her dad Eric Brown served on the Mayfield School Board for 15 years and then he later served on the Columbus City Schools School Board (Eric and Beryl were both elected to their respective school boards during the 2015 election). He was elected to the Franklin County Common Pleas Court in 2004 and was the Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice for part of 2010.

Her mom Marilyn Brown was elected as a Franklin County Commissioner in 2006 and served until her resignation in 2021.

“I feel like I grew up with two incredible models of public and community service,” Piccolantonio said.

Gahanna-Jefferson School Board President

COLUMBUS, Ohio — JANUARY 10: Newly sworn in State Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, D-Gahanna, speaks during the Ohio House session, January 10, 2024, at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.)

She served as the Gahanna-Jefferson School Board President since 2016, but had to vacate her position due to her new legislative responsibilities.

During her time as school board president, the school district went on a six-day strike in 2021 after disputes over a new contract that centered on what classrooms would look like when in-person school resumed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That experience reaffirmed for her the importance of relationships and finding common ground.

“Having direct conversation, even when it’s difficult, is incredibly important,” she said when asked about lessons learned during the strike. “I also learned how important it is to, even when things feel very personal and the instinct is to feel defensive, I learned that’s when it’s maybe most important to take a breath and really think hard about what is prompting the other person or people to behave in the way that they’re behaving.”

Time in the Statehouse so far

She wants to focus on education issues during her time in the Statehouse.

“I do think that there are at least some who were actively working to dismantle our system of public education, so I would like to do everything that I can to prevent that dismantling,” she said. “I think that if anything, our system needs, help and support and resources and, in some ways, to be left alone.”

Over the summer, Ohio lawmakers expanded private school voucher eligibility to 450% of the poverty line — or a household income of $135,000 or less for a family of four.

Piccolantonio also wants to help close the gaps in the medical support system since she has advocated for her younger sister’s health issues.

“I know I’m not a doctor, I’m not a medical professional, but I do have a pretty good view both from helping my sister navigate but also from my years spent at worker’s comp,” she said. “There are holes in our support systems. There are gaps. If I can do anything to narrow those gaps, or close those gaps while I’m here, I would very much like to do that.”

She is on four committees — commerce and labor, pensions, primary and secondary education, and technology and innovation — and she has had at least one meeting so far in each committee.

“I feel like I think I knew all of the things about the Statehouse that were frustrating,” she said. “We knew that ahead of time, so the only surprises that I’ve had have been good surprises. … It’s not like I don’t understand that I’m in an extreme minority. I fully understand it. … but you’re with colleagues standing there together .”

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