Columbus Monthly – January 2025

COLUMBUS MONTHLY

HOW ABOUT GETTING A PERSONAL TRAINER?

BEHIND THE SCENES OF MARTINI’S REFRESH

WE TRIED IT: RAGE ROOM

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PAGE 72

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HOW TO BE HAPPY

HOW TO BE

HAPPY Advice from a relationship counselor, self-help author, pastor, executive coach and physician on living a fulfilled, connected and peaceful life.

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JANUARY 2025

JANUARY 2025

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JANUARY 2025

contents

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FEATURES 28

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Advice from a relationship counselor, physician, pastor, self-help author and an executive coach.

Business leaders are turning to positive psychology and a Columbus company’s program to improve lives.

HOW TO BE HAPPY

THE POWER OF POSITIVITY

ON THE COVER: Relationship counselor Meghna Mahambrey. Above, Dr. Jaynine Vado, of Walk with a Doc, and Lily.

Photos by Tim Johnson

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contents VOLUME 50 | NUMBER 1

70 06 PRELUDE 80 CREATIVE SPACE

Front & Center 10 THE OUTSPOKEN REVEREND As Rev. Tim Ahrens departs First Congregational Church after decades as its pastor, the staunch social justice advocate shares his vision of the Columbus we could be.

14 FRESH AIR CLASSROOMS Columbus Academy’s head of school, Melissa Soderberg, shares what makes a school special.

16 MAROON ARTS GROUP The Black-owned arts organization has moved into a historic theater it purchased on Mt. Vernon Avenue.

18 EVERYDAY KINDNESS HEROES Honoring 18 people and one dog who make life better in Central Ohio—a recap from our Dec. 4 event.

20 EVERYDAY KINDNESS PROFILE Kari Lindberg and her sister are building an “agrihood” in Delaware County bringing homes, a community farm and a market together into one community.

24 PEOPLE Photos from our Fall Cocktail Competition and BLAST, COSI’s Sneaker Ball.

26 DATEBOOK

Home & Style 62 HOME PEACE HOME A Dublin renovation made the owner’s home a haven of rest as she battled cancer.

66 GINGER & LU A mother-daughter duo finding joy in wallpapering.

67 TOP 25 HOME SALES

Food & Drink 70 RESTAURANT REVIEW: PELINO’S PASTA An ever-changing menu that brings a little Italy to King Avenue.

72 THE NEW MARTINI Behind the monthslong effort by the team at Cameron Mitchell Restaurants to remake Martini Modern Italian.

76 FALL COCKTAIL COMPETITION Meet the team at The Lion in Bexley who created the winning cocktail for our November event—and get the recipe.

77 LET’S EAT Out monthly directory of where to dine.

Special Ad Sections 36 SELF-CARE Should you get a personal trainer?

38 TUNING OUT FOOD NOISE Semaglutide injections help people lose weight for the long term, according to expert physicians at Donaldson.

41 SUPER LAWYERS A list of top attorneys in Central Ohio, as recognized by their peers.

Columbus Monthly (ISSN 2333-4150) is published monthly by Gannett. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © Gannett Co., Inc. 2025, all rights reserved.

Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials. Known office of publication is 605 S. Front St., Ste. 300, Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Columbus Monthly, PO Box 521, Williamsport, PA 17703.

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PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

12 WE TRIED IT: RAGE ROOM The Wrecking Company has opened on South Fourth Street in Downtown Columbus, and visitors have been letting off plenty of steam.

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COLUMBUSMONTHLY.COM PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR Tim Johnson

OPERATIONS MANAGER Michelle Crossman EDITORIAL EDITOR Katy Smith FOOD & DRINK EDITOR Linda Lee Baird ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lucy Clark CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Amy Bodiker Baskes, Virginia Brown, Jeff Darbee, Nicholas Dekker, Chris DeVille, Randy Edwards, Emma Frankart Henterly, Kathy Lynn Gray, Donna Marbury, Jill Moorhead, Laura Newpoff, Steve Stephens, Peter Tonguette DESIGN & PRODUCTION PAGE DESIGNERS Kathryn Biek, Kelly Hignite, Kaity Morrow, Hannah Patton

PRODUCTION DESIGNER Rebecca Zimmer MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER Lauren Reinhard LETTERS: letters@columbusmonthly.com ADVERTISING: advertise@ columbusmonthly.com SUBSCRIPTIONS/CUSTOMER SERVICE 760-237-8505 columbusmonthly@pcspublink.com EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING OFFICES 605 S. Front St. Ste. 300 Columbus, OH 43215 614-888-4567

DIGITAL EDITOR Julanne Hohbach

PHOTOS LEFT TO RIGHT: DORAL CHENOWETH, COURTESY DONNA MARBURY, COURTESY SHANNON SHELTON MILLER

ADVERTISING MULTIMEDIA SALES MANAGERS Heather Kritter, Adam Trabitz

CONTRIBUTORS

Erica Thompson The former writer and editor for the Columbus Alive and Columbus Dispatch talked to wellness experts on the not-so-secrets to being happy for our cover story. Thompson is now with the Chicago Sun-Times.

Donna Marbury The Columbus writer and marketing pro brings us an update on Maroon Arts Group, which recently bought a historic theater on the Near East Side to create a Black arts lab and community space.

Shannon Shelton Miller The Dayton journalist who has worked for the Detroit Free Press, among other publications, spoke with the creators of Positive Foundry, a company that uses positive psychology to uplift people.

THE BLUE JACKETS SEASON NEVER ENDS AT

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Prelude FROM THE EDITOR

CONTACT US

The Simple Secrets to Happiness

Send letters to: Editor, Columbus Monthly, 605 S. Front St., Ste. 300, Columbus, OH 43215. Or email: letters@columbus monthly.com. A letter must include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. Letters will be edited for length and clarity. All letters sent to Columbus Monthly are considered for publication, either in print or online.

CORRECTIONS

COMMENTS

As proposed, the Capital Line urban pedestrian trail is 2.1 miles.

A story in the December issue contained an incorrect trail length.

The annual New York City art fair for folk/self-taught artists is the Outsider Art Fair. A story in the December issue referenced an incorrect name.

Laila Latif is co-owner of Lavash Cafe. A story in the December issue used an incorrect surname.

The Bexley Chamber of Commerce left a Facebook comment on our story about the winner of our Fall Cocktail Competition, held Nov. 20: “Congratulations to Justin, Oscar and team for winning the favorite cocktail award. The secret is out now about The Lion.”

Brandt Gallery shared its excitement on Instagram following our December feature story on the new arts district taking shape at Gay and High streets

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Downtown: “We are embarking on a new journey! After 15 incredible years we’re relocating to the heart of Downtown Columbus as Brandt Gallery.

Immensely grateful to @katysmith4242 for helping us share this news with our community this morning— we’ve been beyond excited to reveal it!

Our future location at 76 N. High St. in the lively Gay and High Corridor is set to open on Jan. 11.”

Columbus Monthly @ColumbusMonthly @ColumbusMonthly Web: ColumbusMonthly.com Email: letters@ columbusmonthly.com

Gallery owners Michelle Brandt, Duff Lindsay and Margaret Wunderlich at the corner of Gay and High streets Downtown, where they are moving their galleries.

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

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for kindness; a window he recipe for a happy into the glee of smashing life seems simple— things to bits and pieces; prioritize relationadvice from a nationships, treat yourself kindly, ally recognized private move your body and give school leader on building yourself permission to rest. a great education culture; Of course, executing the recthe story of growth for a ipe is the challenge. Many of Katy Smith Black-owned arts group; us are making resolutions this katy@columbusmonthly.com and the exercise in self-remonth to do better in one— flection that is rebranding or even all—of those areas. a longtime restaurant.

And to embrace an existence that is peaceYou may notice this issue is Volume 50, ful, connected and fulfilling, it’s also crucial Number 1. The magazine is entering its 50th to cultivate positivity. That’s the takeaway year, having been founded in 1975. This June, from this month’s cover package by Erica we’ll celebrate with a special issue reflecting Thompson, who talked to five wellness exon how far we’ve come and highlighting the perts, and Shannon Shelton Miller, who propeople who make this community special. filed Positive Foundry. The Columbus comIf you have memories of Columbus through pany is growing a following among business the years to share, or funny or poignant anecleaders for its program that helps employees dotes having to do with the magazine, please flourish in life, not just at work. reach out. I’d love to hear your stories.

Gratitude, forgiveness, optimism, resilience, mindfulness, purpose—you’ll find these tenets from the greater wellness conversation throughout this month’s issue of Columbus Monthly.

We bring you parting thoughts from a reEditor, Columbus Monthly tiring pastor known for his righteous quest

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Marching through a testicular cancer diagnosis

A few weeks before finals in the spring of 2024, Grayson Niemi began feeling pain, then a lump in his groin. His parents scheduled an appointment with his primary care doctor, and the test results led them to The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). There, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Niemi was 19.

Besides thinking about his diagnosis and his future fertility — he’s had the same girlfriend since his freshman year in high school — Niemi had another big concern: Would he be able to try out again for Ohio State’s marching band?

The tryout was a couple of months away, but all summer, marching band hopefuls attended practice sessions to get ready.

“I didn’t know how chemo was going to go,” says Niemi, a sophomore. “I didn’t know if my arms were going to be strong enough or my legs would be strong enough to get through the tryout.”

As a high school student in Marysville, Ohio, Niemi played alto saxophone for his school’s marching band, but The Ohio State Marching Band doesn’t have alto saxophone players. So, he learned the cymbals and made it onto the band his freshman year at Ohio State. Still, each summer, everyone who wants a spot has to try out again.

Catching testicular cancer early

Testicular cancer is a young man’s disease.

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Testicular cancer typically responds well to treatment. On average, five years after diagnosis, 95% of people survive.

“How soon the cancer is diagnosed is the most important factor in the outcome of testicular cancer patients,” Shabsigh says. “Grayson was attentive to changes he saw and sought immediate help, which is the way to go.”

By the time Niemi was diagnosed, his cancer had already spread to the lymph nodes in his chest area and a couple on his lungs. .

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But even when testicular cancer spreads to other organs, treatment is still very effective at stopping it, says Paul Monk, MD, an OSUCCC – James medical oncologist who also treated Niemi.

“Our treatment team was impressed with what we saw in Grayson, a settled resolve to take on an uninvited challenge,” Monk says.

While Niemi and his parents discussed a schedule for chemo with Monk, Niemi scrolled on his phone for the dates of the band tryouts. He’d finish his last round of chemo on the last day of a two-day tryout.

“Good,” he thought. “That’s do-able.”

Scan the QR code to learn more about testicular cancer care at the OSUCCC – James.

Ringing the bell of victory

On the morning of the final day of tryouts, Niemi and his mom watched a movie while he had chemo. He got lucky. After 21 infusions over a couple of months, his last infusion didn’t take long, and he felt pretty good.

Afterward, he pulled a short rope, ringing a bell announcing that he had finished his last round of chemo. Then, rather than celebrating like some do, he rushed out. His mom dropped him off at the band tryout, and for the rest of the day, he was mostly outside marching, a five-pound cymbal in each hand and a bandage on his arm where the needle for the infusion had been.

To get ready for tryouts, Niemi made most of the summer’s practice sessions. Some days, his feet swelled so much from steroid medications that he came home with a collection of blisters. Mostly, he felt drained.

Hours after tryouts were over, Neimi stood with all the other band hopefuls when his name was called out from a long list. He had made it.

Not everyone in the percussion section of the band had known about his cancer until that day. All the drummers and cymbal players gathered in a large circle. Each said their name and one interesting fact about themselves.

“I did my last day of chemo today,” Niemi said.

Even after the season began and Niemi had a second surgery, he was back a couple of weeks later, marching down the ramp onto the field, knees high, toes pointed down.

Although he’ll regularly be checked for cancer for several years, his prognosis is good, his doctors say.

Neimi wasn’t thinking about the future or about how hard the summer had been when he stood before all 200-plus band members and its leaders after a recent concert. The band had just voted him the year’s most inspirational member.

“Should I have prepared a speech?” he asked his mom just before the event. He hadn’t.

So, he winged it and kept it brief, thanking everyone and letting them know what motivated him all summer long: that he loved nothing more than being in the band.

Scan the QR code to learn about direct, expedited diagnostic testing at The James Cancer Diagnostic Center.

12/6/2024 1:35:27 PM

Tell Us About Your

Everyday Kindness Heroes Kindness

is all around us.

Sometimes the beneficiary is a stranger. Sometimes it’s a friend, acquaintance or colleague.

We look to honor those who perform extraordinary selfless acts to improve, heal and unite our community.

Consider lifting up the volunteer quietly aiding their neighbors or the community member tirelessly advocating for change. We need your help to recognize the kind, selfless heroes among us.

LOOK FOR MONTHLY STORIES IN COLUMBUS MONTHLY CELEBRATING KINDNESS IN CENTRAL OHIO.

The Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation has partnered with The Columbus Dispatch to highlight those making our community a better place. Help us inspire kindness by suggesting people, initiatives, or organizations for Reporter Sophia Veneziano to profile. She can be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com.

Learn more at ColumbusMonthly.com/Kindness.

Sophia Veneziano Human Kindness Reporter The Dispatch/Columbus Monthly/Columbus CEO

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Nominate your heroes:

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front & center

A Place to Create Maroon Arts Group’s new space in a historic theater on Mt. Vernon Avenue is a dream realized for the Black-owned organization.

Learn more about their journey, Page 16.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

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Front & Center | The Convo

Rev. Tim Ahrens at the Washington Gladden Social Justice Park next to First Congregational Church

Parting Words—For Now Upon retirement, one of the city’s staunchest social justice advocates shares his vision for a better Columbus.

By Katy Smith

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lition that brings together congregations from around Columbus to engage public officials and other leaders in solving problems like crime, discrimination and the disintegration of our neighborhoods.

With a retirement celebration of more than 400 people at the Columbus Museum of Art and a robust and growing congregation, Ahrens sat down with me on his last day of service to reflect on his time at First Church.

This conversation has been condensed and edited for length and clarity.

What made you decide now is a good time to retire? Being a pastor is a 24hour, seven day a week job. And it really is a calling. I’ve been doing it for 40 years,

and that seemed like a good time to call it quits. I’m young enough that I can try some new things [Ahrens will turn 67 in February]. There are things I want to do with my nine grandchildren—the ninth one was born yesterday.

What work do you feel you must do now? One thing I must do is complete the book that I’ve started on Washington Gladden, the seventh senior minister of this church. I’m the 15th senior minister, and I feel like he’s a kindred spirit, truly one of the most significant American religious figures that’s ever lived. I want to learn to fly. I’ve always dreamed of being a pilot, and so I’ve begun steps to do that.

I also serve on four boards of directors,

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

One of the foremost Columbus voices in social justice activism has gone quiet for now, but we’ll be hearing from Rev. Tim Ahrens in the future. The senior minister at First Congregational Church on East Broad Street Downtown retired on Oct. 20 after 25 years with the church.

During his 40 years in ministry, he was a regular columnist with The Columbus Dispatch (a sister publication to Columbus Monthly) and the Columbus/Dayton African American Journal, calling upon the community to uphold the values of his abolitionist congregation. In 2022, he published “The Genius of Justice,” which tells the stories of 53 very different people all working toward justice.

Ahrens is a founder of BREAD, a coaCOLUMBUS MONTHLY JANUARY 2025

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so I want to honor my place there more fully [Jewish Family Services, Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, the Community Editorial Board for The Dispatch, and Center for Community Solutions in Cleveland].

How can we best navigate the major change we’re seeing in Columbus?

With the mayor declaring this is an Opportunity City, in every other breath we need to ask, and who doesn’t have the opportunity? Where isn’t there growth, and what is not functioning or serving us well? There is a shadow side of the beauty and the growth and the development of a large city—the growth of people who are homeless, who we see all around this church all the time. The growth of people who are not receiving the education they need—the numbers are staggering of kids literally not returning to school since COVID. The success of any city is measured by how they care for the poorest of the poor and those who are forgotten and unseen and forsaken by the majority.

We’ve got to figure out how to bridge the gap where housing costs get so high that

‘‘

The success of any city is measured by how they care for the poorest of the poor and those who are forgotten and unseen and forsaken by the majority.

—TIM AHRENS

people are driven from an apartment to a car to a tent.

I’ve always believed you can’t say you’re a great city and be surrounded by the kind of gun violence we see. We should watch how we pat ourselves on the back.

What Columbus, what Ohio, do you want to see in 2025? The legislature needs to come to grips with the reality that the most important issues for our children are not the eight to 10 kids who may

be transgender [and the few who may be in sports]. They need to look around and see that we have children who are showing up regularly at school who can’t read. Our schools are failing. They need to put tremendous resources into paying teachers an equitable wage. They have to take care of childcare costs, which are so through the roof for young families that they can’t afford to feed themselves.

The state needs to be aware that whether rural or urban, the issues of our day have nothing to do with the politicized culture war issues that [the legislature has] taken on. They have to do with work and love and life and prosperity for every child and family in this state.

I also have concerns about police issues. [The number of police shootings in Columbus] is a shame on our name.

Instead of sending officers to crisis situations, we need a community response team—that’s been a concern of mine for a long time. Other places have done it.

We can do it, too.

There are things that we are this close to fixing, if we can trust that the citizens who are raising the questions are doing so for the welfare of the city. ◆

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Front & Center | First Person Emma Frankart Henterly takes a swing at bottles at The Wrecking Co. on Fourth Street in Downtown Columbus.

We Tried It: Rage Room The cathartic release of smashing things into smithereens.

Mötley Crüe is blasting against white plywood walls. I hoist a crowbar in both hands, savoring its heft before winding back. My friends are cheering. I set my jaw and put all my power into a swing that shatters the hurricane vase before me into a million pieces. The crash can be heard over the din of “Kickstart My Heart.” My friends fall silent, stunned.

“Oh my God, Emma,” someone murmurs.

And then, for the first time in days, I laugh.

It’s the Thursday after the election, and I—a queer, neurodivergent person with a uterus—have been crying quite a lot.

When I booked this rage room session 12

at The Wrecking Company (234 S. 4th St., Downtown) earlier in the week, I had joked about whether it’d be a silly tryst or a necessary catharsis. I didn’t want to need the catharsis, but I sure was glad to have it.

That first smash is astonishing, even knowing we are in a space designed for the express purpose of smashing things.

There’s something inherently transgressive about breaking glass, an oh no feeling of something that cannot be undone.

But, at least for me and two friends, that sentiment quickly gives way to a breathless eagerness for the next piece to destroy, and the next one, and the next.

Over 30 minutes, we reduce three milk crates of breakables and a computer

monitor to rubble. Plates, bottles, even old Cisco office phones—it all falls to our fury. And it feels good.

It’s a common reaction, says Kate Zenger, who owns The Wrecking Company with her husband, Chris. Many clients come in meekly. But, almost without fail, the people who exit the rage room are not the same people who entered.

“Something transformative happens in that room,” Zenger says. Sullen to chatty.

Seething to laughing. Shy to empowered.

“It’s awesome to see, every single time.”

A copywriter for a national beauty brand by day, Zenger first had the idea for this nontraditional side hustle nearly a decade ago.

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

By Emma Frankart Henterly

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“There were so many days where I felt like, man, if I could just go break something real fast, just take 15 minutes of my lunch break and come back, I think I’d be a better person, a better employee,” she says. “I thought, what a cool business idea. … I started looking into it and realized, they’re all over.”

Everywhere, it seemed, except Columbus. But Zenger kept the idea on the back burner until 2022, when she registered the name and got to work.

A rage room business model is unique; early in her search, no insurance companies would take her on, so she found one that specializes in rage rooms and axe-throwing facilities. She and her husband sourced breakables through donations—still very encouraged, Zenger notes—and government liquidation sites. They got safety gear (each rager wears provided coveralls, gloves and a helmet with a face shield) and smashing tools (in addition to that crowbar, we saw bats, billy clubs and golf clubs). They found glass and e-waste recycling companies to deal with the aftermath and a space to lease, giving it a vibe that Zenger compares to “a clean, sort of feminine auto body shop from the ’70s.”

That The Wrecking Company had its soft launch just days before an intensely heated election was not intentional, Zenger says, but it has been excellent for business: The rooms booked quickly through early January. She’s even building out a membership program.

“I did not realize the number of people who would want to do this,” she notes, adding that most of the clientele have been women or had feminine names.

“I think that women have been told to … hide their anger,” Zenger says. “It’s so important that women know they can come here. They’re not judged. They’re not even given permission. They’re encouraged to scream and to let it out and to rage and to hit something. We keep saying, ‘Go feral.’ But really, go feral, and then you can return back to your life.

This is your one space where you can just let go, and it’s really therapeutic.”

And it is. Something has shifted in me over our 30-minute session, though I’m not sure I can say what. When we left that room, we could barely see the rubber flooring through shards of metal, plastic and broken glass. Mixed among the debris was every drop of despair and shock and—why not, rage—I’d been feeling. I was thankful to leave it behind. ◆

Take a listen to The Dispatch A wide variety of podcasts are available to stream or download in your preferred podcasting app. Check them out!

Hear the latest interviews from news-makers, politicians, artists and musicians.

Give us 15 minutes a week, and we will give you all the Ohio politics news you need to sound smart and impress your friends.

A weekly podcast on Ohio State football featuring Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman and Rob Oller.

Discussions of important cultural and social issues relating to race, culture, gender and equality.

The Learning Pod is a podcast on everything education from The Columbus Dispatch.

A roundtable discussion on the Blue Jackets with reporter Brian Hedger and columnist Michael Arace.

A weekly podcast on Ohio State basketball featuring Adam Jardy.

A podcast about the Crew with columnist Michael Arace and photographer Kyle Robertson.

dispatch.com/podcasts

JANUARY 2025 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Front & Center | Education

Melissa Soderberg talks with Columbus Academy students Audra Hall, left, and Ella Lovera during a class in the Maker Space at the school.

Breathing Fresh Air A leader on the national independent school scene, Columbus Academy Head of School Melissa Soderberg talks culture, great spaces and what it’s like coming from a family of educators.

Melissa Soderberg is a third-generation head of school and the first woman to lead Columbus Academy, which was founded in 1911. Here, we get to know a bit about her background, the key differences between public and private schools, what might surprise people about the academy she joined 12 years ago, and what she does to create culture.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

What are the key differences between public and private schools? Free, public education is hugely significant and im14

portant for our democracy, so we don’t have a sense that all education should be privatized. But private schools are not organized geographically, they’re organized by a philosophy. If a school can control its own funding, it can control its own destination. That’s what independence is. So, we are constantly asking ourselves, “How can we create a tight-knit community, where kids respect and care about the people who teach them and each other?”

We work really hard at that.

Tell us about how you approach culture at Columbus Academy. When you

walk into a good school, you feel it. It’s like breathing fresh air, and you get the sense that students have an energetic, relaxed productivity. We do a lot to create that kind of environment. We can control student-teacher ratios. We make lunch a special moment.

We have students from 52 ZIP codes, and 48 percent of our students are not white. That’s hugely important, because we want our kids to be comfortable in this world. Being around people with different ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds will give them skills they can go out into the world and use for good.

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

By Katy Smith

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What’s also really important is that we have our youngest kids, who are 3 years old, and our seniors, who are 17 and 18, all on one campus. They interact with each other a fair amount, so it’s a little more like a family. Students who are younger look up to older kids and are more likely to be influenced by how they operate. We try to capitalize on that.

How did your family prepare you to be a head of school? My grandfather was a headmaster at Nichols School in Buffalo, New York, and my father went to his school and grew up on his school’s campus. My father was a head of school at a boys’ school, and I have two older sisters who also work in independent schools.

I just love schools like this. I grew up in a school in Kansas City that was very strong, and I understood the relationship a school can have with its city.

Tell us a bit about your background and the ways you contribute at the national level. I taught history at a boarding school in Newport, Rhode Island. I also did college counseling for a while, and then we moved to Minneapolis, where

my husband pursued his Ph.D. He’s an archeologist. I became a dean of students, and then I became a college counselor and upper school head. I’ve also taught crisis management for new heads of school through the National Association of Independent Schools for five years, and I’m the treasurer of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States. I also lead accrediting teams throughout the Midwest.

You’re the first woman head of school at an institution that was formerly all male. What’s the benefit of being a coed school? Students learn mutual admiration, particularly in high school, because that’s natural for the age. And we have boys and girls leading in every way, and they lead well together, and there’s a real sense of support.

Can you describe some changes you’ve led at Columbus Academy in your 12 years? We have added 60 students in 10 years, and we plan to add 60 more in the next 10. The focus has been on how to take the strong bones of the institution and make it more innovative

and creative. We focus on getting out into the city and expanding opportunities for kids to interact curricularly and in service opportunities. We have new initiatives around technology in our Maker Space, and physically, we’ve changed. We have created spaces with ping pong tables and other places where kids can enjoy each other’s company.

When I arrived, the buildings were organized as if learning only took place in the classroom, and now everything’s been opened up. I think excellent facilities not only attract families, but they attract faculty.

What should parents think about when considering private school for their children? Parents should examine a school’s focus. What is its campus like? What kind of athletics do they have? Do they provide art in the way you want your child to experience art? It’s very different from attending a school simply because of the neighborhood you live in. And then, because families chose the school, they’re embedded in the interest of the child’s success. Sometimes that can be a differentiating factor. ◆

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Front & Center | Arts

Manifesting The Maroon

Sheri Neale and Marshall Shorts at the new home for the Maroon Arts Group on Mt. Vernon Avenue.

Maroon Arts Group has opened the doors to its new home celebrating Black artists.

By Donna Marbury Photos by Tim Johnson In 2020, Sheri Neale received a text from a friend with a link to a property for sale. That text sparked a big idea in Neale, leading to the acquisition of a historic theater in the heart of Columbus’ Black community.

Located at 867 Mt. Vernon Ave. in the King Lincoln-Bronzeville district, The Maroon (formerly known as the Pythian Theater), opened in October with a blessing ceremony from the city’s elders.

“We are the next stewards of this space, and we want to use it to foster community and village, as this area is getting more and more expensive for Black folks and is quickly changing,” Neale says of the Near East Side.

The light of possibility twinkles in Neale’s eyes while walking the four floors of The Maroon—plays and concerts in the theater, intimate performances in rooms etched with Masonic artifacts, events and parties in the ballroom renamed “the gathering spot,” spaces for artist reflection and collaboration, multiple libraries, and innovative ways of preserving history.

Neale, board chair and founder of Maroon Arts Group, believes she and the arts organization can continue to cultivate Black culture in their new 27,000-square-foot creative lab.

Upon entering The Maroon, artwork

by Aminah Robinson, Walt Neil, April Sunami and Marshall Shorts greets patrons. The building has stood for almost 100 years, and Maroon Arts Group is planning to update technology and modernize the space to be more open to the community.

“It houses a theater, but this will be a place for collaboration and a vehicle for artistic liberation,” says Shorts, vice chair of the board and creative director for Maroon Arts Group. “The whole building is a gallery.”

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A Building for Generations In 1926, the Pythian Theater opened, funded by a Black division of the Knights of Pythias fraternal organization. Designed by Black architect Samuel Plato, the theater showed movies and performances by Black entertainers on its first floor. Other floors housed a ballroom and private space for Black masonic organizations to conduct meetings.

“This building was built to last for generations,” says Shorts.

The theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

In 1987, the theater was renovated to connect to the King Arts Complex, and the cultural organization leased the space from the York Masons, a Black fraternal organization.

When that lease expired in 2019, the building was vacant, and word started to spread that the theater would be for sale.

With Opportunity Zone redevelopment in the King Lincoln-Bronzeville community contributing to higher housing and business costs and leading to rapid shifts in the neighborhood, the theater was listed among the city’s most endangered sites by Columbus Landmarks in 2021.

Because of its historic status, many

cosmetic elements of the building cannot be changed, Neale says.

“The people who built this building had the audacity to produce a Blackowned arts space in the 1920s. Just the process of how this building was built gives us the blueprint to take on this responsibility,” Neale says.

Shorts says renaming the theater “The Maroon” extends the brand Maroon Arts Group is building in Columbus. The arts organization also operates events at Box Park, an outdoor venue featuring a shipping container gallery, stage and pop-up restaurant space in eyeshot of the theater at 925 Mt. Vernon Ave. It also launched the Deliver Black Dreams project with a mural in the Milo-Grogan community.

“We have territories that we are building out,” Shorts says. “Autonomy is important to us.”

Supporting and Funding Black Dreams Founded by Neale and a group of cultural enthusiasts she calls “the village” in 2016, the Maroon Arts Group hosts a spectrum of arts and cultural events and programs aimed at educating the community about Black arts and responding to social justice activism. Shorts says it’s important that the nonprofit

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Sheri Neale looks over recent artwork at The Maroon

organization have a decentralized model of governance, ensuring that creativity and the needs of the community drive the mission and vision.

“We are adamant about how we staff and structure the organization and how we build this organization for the future,” Shorts says. “We are looking at ways that we can operate nimbly for the sake of the community.”

Purchasing the theater wasn’t easy— it’s the largest project that Maroon Arts Group has attempted. Shorts says once he heard the theater was for sale, he believed it should stay Black-owned and controlled.

“This project is more than a testament of our ability to raise money or build a Black arts institution,” Shorts says. “It is really about the community saying, ‘We want to come together to be stewards of history and make sure that lives on.’”

Maroon Arts Group began talks with the Pythian Theater owners to purchase the space in 2020. After months negotiating, managing lease-to-own terms and securing funding, Maroon Arts Group completed the purchase of the space in December 2023 for $2.9 million.

To support this project, the group received $1.5 million from the City of Columbus Community Development Block Grant Fund. Fifth Third Bank also provided $700,000 as part of a $20 million commitment to the Near East Side through its Empowering Black Futures Neighborhood Investment Program.

“We have partnered with our friends at PACT (Partners Achieving Community Transformation) and Maroon Arts Group for many years, devoting time,

Visitors leave notes sharing their memories from when the group’s building was called the Pythian Theater.

talent and treasure. Our thoughtfully structured approach aims to help solve real-world systemic issues and help preserve the essence of neighborhoods—including preserving the arts,” says Francie Henry, regional president of Fifth Third.

Sheldon Johnson is a Columbus native and has fond memories of attending events at the Pythian Theater. Now the executive director of PACT, he says it was important for the organization to support the Maroon Arts Group’s project.

“Owning real estate is revolutionary,” Johnson says. “Commercial real estate that has a community focus, to be owned by a Black organization that celebrates Black art in a Black neighborhood, is a powerful testament to what the future of this community can be.”

Looking Toward the Future The total cost of purchasing the theater, operational expenses and making HVAC and other technical and cosmetic renovations will be around $9 million. Neale says the organization has secured about

$5 million and wants to raise an additional $4 million. During a community open house in October, the Columbus Foundation announced a $500,000 gift in support of the project.

Neale says it was important for the space to be blessed by community elders before releasing a full schedule of events for 2025. The open house included a blessing from African drummer Tony West, who died just a few weeks later in November. The Maroon hosted his funeral on Nov. 16.

“We have a particular way of how we begin things,” Neale says. “There couldn’t be too much that went on in this space without us having the elders come through, and so that is what happened with the open house. It was very strategic about us saying the purchase is done, and the elders have affirmed it.”

In December, the theater was to host Kwanzaa celebrations and a community town hall. It also was set to screen the documentary “Building Open Spaces” and host a signature Maroon Arts Group event called PitchBlack, a grassroots pitch competition for small businesses and solopreneurs. The group will continue strategic planning in the beginning of the year, while both community and Maroon Arts Group programming will roll out through spring. Shorts says the group is interested in hosting the community in the way that it needs.

“Collaboration is a big part of our motto,” Shorts says. “The cultural lab is first and foremost. Culture is economy. The building is a means to an end—not just a financial end, but an end for all of us to dream.” ◆ JANUARY 2025 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Front & Center | Everyday Kindness Heroes Everyday Kindness Heroes finalists Nicole Hebert-Ford, Tracy Davidson, Jane Jacquemin-Clark, Lisa Woodward and Ric Grubaugh

Champion of Kindness The founder of a nonprofit to support people fighting cancer has been named the 2024 Everyday Kindness Hero.

“Everyone’s a winner tonight,” Jane Jacquemin-Clark said to the room filled with teary, attentive faces the evening of Dec. 4 at the Everyday Kindness Heroes awards ceremony held at COSI. Just moments before she was named from among five Central Ohio finalists as the 2024 Everyday Kindness Hero Champion and given a $5,000 award from the Columbus Foundation’s Center for HumanKindness, Jacquemin-Clark acknowledged the four other finalists and 13 semifinalists.

She also shared what inspires her as the founder of Hope Hollow, which provides lodging and support to people fighting cancer—a fight Jacquemin-Clark knows all too well, having twice survived the disease after losing multiple family members to it.

The four other finalists—Lisa Woodward, Ric Grubaugh, Nicole Hebert-Ford and Tracy Davidson—each were given a $1,000 award from the Center for HumanKindness.

The program by The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus Monthly and Columbus 18

CEO is sponsored by the Center for HumanKindness at the Columbus Foundation, AEP Ohio, COSI and the United Way of Central Ohio.

A panel of six judges including representatives from sponsors and The Dispatch/Dispatch Magazines voted on who would be the final winner.

The five finalists took to the podium to share their stories of working for kindness in the Columbus community, with Woodward recognizing her own mother as she described her nonprofit to support single mothers, Motherful.

Grubaugh, a retired Columbus teacher, said his work at Star House serving homeless youth inspired him as he was mourning the loss of his wife. He says the selflessness of kids experiencing unimaginable hardship helped him through his own.

Davidson described the way her community came together behind her to create The Big Bus, a mobile classroom in the Westerville City School District.

These six community members were “all-in since day one,” she said, after she discovered a need to provide extra help

to immigrants in the district.

Hebert-Ford, the founder of a nonprofit created to help students with unmet needs, Student Success Stores, said her mission extends beyond providing students with the things they need.

Last year, Student Success Stores provided 43,368 basic-need items to over 2,000 different students in grades 6-12.

However, on a greater scale, it is a mission of hope.

“Hope is what we try to provide to kids. Hope is greater than SAT scores and ACT scores,” Hebert-Ford said.

Thirteen semifinalists were also recognized, along with a therapy dog, Fiona.

Each semifinalist was awarded a $250 grant to an eligible nonprofit of his or her choice.

Along with the kind canine, the 2024 semifinalists included Cody Ballard, Renny Tyson, Dottie Odrosky, Jill Cottone, Rick and Lisa Gawronski, Margaret “Peggy” Kasten, Jim Burns and Mary Casey, Mike Uetrecht, Chet Ridenour, Denise Kilgore and Fiona’s partner, Sally Malaret. ◆

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

By Sophia Veneziano

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RALEIGH PITTSBURGH COLUMBUS Home to 16 Fortune 1000 headquarters and 5 Fortune 500 companies.

Discover why at yesColumbusRegion.com

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Front & Center | Everyday Kindness Heroes

Kathy Robinson and Kari Lindberg

Dreaming of The Shire Kari Lindberg envisions donating a farm plot on her Delaware County property to a local entrepreneur.

Many dream of acquiring a plot of land and living on it with their closest friends and family members, getting back to meaningful, simple living amid the chaos of 21st century life.

For Kari Lindberg, this dream has become a reality. The retired Columbus firefighter and K9 handler purchased and developed what she calls an “agrihood” in Delaware County, along with her sister, Lisa Lindberg, to combine living on the land with family and community involvement.

The group hopes to set an example of a different way of living—one of building a close community connected to food sources and harmony with nature.

Originally from Delaware County, the Lindberg family left the area due to the construction of the Alum Creek Dam in the early 1970s. Returning to the area was always a dream, and it came to fruition in 2021, when the sisters beat out a 20

large development company to purchase the 11-acre property.

They closed on the property on Kari’s birthday in May 2022.

However, the journey to seeing The Shire, as they plan to call it, come to life has not been without obstacles. A few months later, Lisa’s husband, Duncan Work, died from complications of Parkinson’s disease.

“They had been together over 50 years, so it was just heartbreaking,” Kari Lindberg says.

Named after the quaint hobbit community from the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien classic, The Lord of the Rings, The Shire will include six tiny homes on the property with a community center created inside a reclaimed barn. Located on Cheshire Road near Alum Creek, Lindberg says the property named itself.

Lindberg wants the impact of the space to extend beyond her family and close friends.

She has registered the property’s gardens as a nonprofit, Shire Gardens, and hopes to use the land to help a young person or family launch a farming business. The 1-acre garden with a hoop tunnel could give someone the ability to earn income growing produce for small markets, such as farmer’s markets.

“Part of what we want to do is help give back and help other people,” Lindberg says. “We’ll help with a lot of the infrastructure. We’ll help maybe split the water bill. We’ll help do work, but we just don’t want to do it and run it.”

Starting out, the family would ask only for some of the crops in return—not rent. “We’re big believers that growing local food is becoming more and more important,” Lindberg says.

Unexpected delays in the Lindbergs’ story continued after Work tragically died. While breaking ground on the land in 2023, Lindberg was diagnosed

PHOTO: SOPHIA VENEZIANO

By Sophia Veneziano

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with ovarian cancer. In what she describes as the worst days of her life, her canine partner, Jackson, passed away four days before she had surgery.

Still, in the spirit of The Shire, her community came together.

Peter Robinson, a close friend who will live on the property alongside the Lindberg sisters with his wife, Kathy Robinson, helped oversee the installation of the old barn from Mount Vernon Barn Company.

“I’m learning patience. It’s not always my strong suit,” Lindberg jokes. “Between me and Peter, we were able to keep everything going.”

Watching her husband and Lindberg partner to get the property ready for their families to move into the space, Kathy Robinson says it has been inspiring to see the greater community rally around the project. Following the vision of The Shire, she says there has been a push for smaller development projects in their area of southern Delaware County.

“There was some land for sale across the street, and we attended a couple of the zoning meetings,” Robinson says. “We heard several times, ‘Oh we want it to be

just like The Shire. We don’t want a big development. We want it to be quaint.’ ” As to involvement with the greater community, Lindberg has aspirations beyond the garden space. She hopes to host canning classes on The Shire’s large porch, and when the project is complete, Lindberg says she would like people to stop by.

“We want people to come and see this and see how to do something like this,” she says.

Lindberg invites individuals or families who are interested in joining The Shire to launch a small farm to reach out at lindberg29shire@gmail.com.

“You can grow so much in a hoop tunnel. You can grow so much on an acre. It’s going to be fabulous,” Lindberg says.

This article was made possible by support from the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation, which has partnered with Columbus Monthly to profile those making our community a better place. Help us inspire kindness by suggesting people, initiatives, or organizations for Reporter Sophia Veneziano to profile. She can be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com.

Learn more at Dispatch.com/Kindness. ◆

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PHOTO: SOPHIA VENEZIANO

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Front & Center | The Big Picture

Buckeye Paws founding therapy dog Shiloh, second from right, and his coworkers try to get in line for a photo. The group gathered Nov. 8 to promote Shiloh to the honorary military rank of captain.

PHOTO BY COURTNEY HERGESHEIMER/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Front & Center | People

Columbus Monthly’s Fall Cocktail Competition Columbus Monthly held its Fall Cocktail Competition on Nov. 20 at Vitria on the Square. Over 300 guests sipped samples of cocktails made by 18 local bars and restaurants while enjoying live jazz music performed by the Hayden Huffman Trio. Noble Cut Distillery was the liquor sponsor for the event. The top five cocktails, listed in order from first to last place as chosen by the audience, were: Peachy Keen

by The Lion; This Ain’t a Surfin’ Movie by The Whitney House Table & Tavern; Pani Puri by Rooh; Holy City Harmony by Hank’s Low Country Seafood and Raw Bar; and I Like it Weird by House of Spirits.

PHOTOS: TIM JOHNSON

1 Erin Flynn, Laura Castillo and Megan Randolph 2 Mike Leopold, Jaclyn Roscoe and Julie Lather 3 Samantha Henderson and Awa Awa 4 Emma Surgenor and Mackenzie Jennings 5 Eugene Wilson and Aaron Clouse 6 Tisha Welday and Kenna Schneider 7 Michael and Keisha Whitfield 8 Julie and David Whiting 9 Becky DiSalvo and Mary Breckenridge 10 Ishara Guruge and Deborah Lakshmikanth 11 Essence Goff and Sierra Samuels

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Front & Center | People

BLAST: COSI’s Sneaker Ball On Sept. 20, COSI hosted its signature annual fundraiser, BLAST. Over 700 guests wore evening apparel with their fanciest footwear to celebrate 60 years of science education. Attendees strolled through COSI while dancing to two different bands, savoring bites from local restaurants and sampling specialty cocktails. Performances from the People’s Circus and magician Eric Tait, as well as animal encounters and interactive science activities, added to the fun. Leah Pappas Porner and Channie Mize chaired the event, which benefits COSI’s science education and community programs.

1 Argeri and Eugenia Lagos, Chrissa Morris and Frank Zonars 2 Erica, Aaron, Lonnie and Jack Conroy 3 Bryant Young and Tracy Cloud 4 Janica Pierce Tucker and Anthony Tucker 5 Frederic Bertley, Leah Pappas Porner and Quinn Porner 6 Donika and Keith Key 7 Luis and Cookie Rivera 8

PHOTOS: 1-7 COURTESY KEVIN SEYMOUR, 8-11 COURTESY ANNA TRANKINA

Nadia Beam, Theresa Pompey, Wendy Blanco, Alanna La Primadonna, Marli Koppel and María De Lourdes Manoel 9 Jason and Becky Tharp 10 Reuben Green, Nichelle White, Timothy Parker and Jasmine Green 11 Jenny Saunders and Theresa Harris

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JANUARY 2025

datebook A CURATED LIST OF THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN COLUMBUS

JAN. 4-5 | Brick Fest Live Brick Fest Live is coming to the Greater Columbus Convention Center for families and brick fans alike. Participate in hands-on building activities, see and create brick displays, race your creations on a 35 foot track and meet the stars of Fox’s LEGO Masters and more. brickfestlive.com

Wonderball

GIVE BACK Jan. 18 Casino Night at Vue Support Music Loves Ohio, which will host its fifth annual fundraising benefit.

The theme is Casino Night, and will include games, prizes, music, refreshments, a silent auction and more. musiclovesohio.org

JAN. 11 | Found Footage Festival Celebrate the 20th year anniversary of the Found Footage Festival at the Wex, which will feature the best of Joe Pickett (The Onion) and Nick Prueher’s (The Late Show) collection of more than 13,000 VHS tapes. Tour the craziest tapes in their collection. foundfootagefest.com JAN. 23-FEB. 16 | Nine: The Musical Enjoy the dramedy of Federico Fellini’s classic film “8 ½” in this Tony Award-winning musical adaptation. Leading man Guido Contini is a renowned director dealing with the stress of writing his newest film while also being confronted by the various women in his life. shortnorthstage.org/nine JAN. 25 | Langhorne Slim and Oliver Wood Singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim will perform alongside Grammy-nominated Oliver Wood of the Wood Brothers.

Enjoy a night of live folk and jazz music inside the historic Athenaeum Theatre. celebrityetc.com/calendar 26

NOV. 20-MAY 4 | New Yorker Cartoons Don’t miss your chance to see a collection of cartoons designed by celebrated illustrator Edward Koren for The New Yorker, now on display at

the Billy Ireland Cartoon & Library Museum. This exhibition includes both iconic cartoons as well as more obscure early submissions dating back to the 1960s. cartoons.osu.edu/exhibits

Jan. 25 Wonderball The 11th annual Wonderball celebration at the Columbus Museum of Art will carry the theme of “reflection,” symbolized by turquoise, which will complement the traditional black-andwhite motif. columbusmuseum.org

PHOTO COURTESY MALLORY LANDIS

Jan. 20 MLK Day of Youth Service Seeds of Caring will host a MLK Day of Youth Service for children ages 2-12 at Ohio History Connections.

Kids will put together cleaning and breakfast kits, create sun catchers for seniors, design “Use Your Voice” posters and craft dream catchers. seedsofcaring.org

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WHO’S MOVING AND SHAKING IN CENTRAL OHIO? Find out when you become a Columbus CEO Insider Stay up-to-date with Columbus CEO’s mobile-friendly newsletter. Delivered straight to your inbox every other week, Columbus CEO Insider has the latest Central Ohio business news, executive profiles and happenings.

Sign up today at ColumbusCEO.com

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12/9/2024 2:49:53 PM

HOW TO BE

Five Columbus-based experts share their secrets to living a fulfilled, connected and peaceful life.

By Erica Thompson | Photos by Tim Johnson

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When Doug Smith was approached to teach a course at DePauw University in 2006, leadership was a fitting first choice for the subject matter After all, he had built his career as an executive, serving as the CEO of Kraft Canada and other major food companies.

But he expressed a desire to teach something else: happiness.

“There was silence on the other end of the phone,” laughs Smith, 78, of Upper Arlington.

But the class was approved, and it became one of the Indiana school’s most popular courses until he stopped teaching it in 2020. He had the perfect combination of lived experience and education. He had climbed his way out of depression amid a battle with leukemia. And he’d studied the literature of positive psychology, a field dedicated to flourishing. He has since written two books, “Happiness: The Art of Living with Peace, Confidence and Joy” and “Thriving in the Second Half of Life.”

According to Smith’s expertise, the foundation of flourishing is love. “I think what most people that are involved in positive psychology are trying to get across is, how do we make this world a better place by caring for ourselves, caring for others and caring for the world?” he says.

It’s easier said than done, especially in the current climate of political divisiveness and social media addiction. That’s why we sought out tips from Smith and other experts, including a relationship counselor, pastor, executive coach and physician. Here is what they say about achieving a fulfilled, connected and peaceful life.

Rethink Your Definition of Winning As an executive coach, Regan Walsh has had high-achieving clients who hit a wall and eventually ask, “Is this it?”

For example, one woman had gotten married, had kids and toiled hard to build a successful company. But she worked long hours, hardly spent time at home and was facing major problems in her marriage.

Walsh helped the client redefine what winning meant to her.

“It was making sure she put the right guardrails in the workplace,” says Walsh, 47, of the Short North, who also penned a self-help memoir, “Heart Boss,” in 2021. “It was hiring more people. It was delegating things. It was fully disrupting how she’s done business in the past to get her off of the hamster wheel and away from working 18-hour days. It was pouring into her family and having some non-negotiables.”

Scaling back is a typical way professionals change their approach to winning, Walsh says.

“Oftentimes it’s getting ruthless with saying no,” she says. “And, at least with the people that

Doug Smith

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Regan Walsh

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Choose Romantic Partners Wisely Prioritizing play also is a key component of being happy in a romantic partnership, says relationship counselor Meghna Mahambrey, who owns the SPARK relationship and sexual wellness company with her husband, Andy Kuss.

“The majority of the couples that come to see me say, ‘We feel stagnant. We don’t really feel like we know each other anymore. We don’t have any fun together. Everything is just logistics and parenting and cooking and cleaning.’”

Mahambrey encourages couples to be intentional about date nights. Instead of solely going to dinner, add an activity, such as a dance lesson or pottery class, she says. Even seeing a live show can foster a different type of engagement.

“These are things that push you out of your normal routine,” she says. “And it gets you out of your head. It gets you doing something fun and different and exciting. And those kinds of activities tend to generate a sense of emotional connection between partners.”

Mahambrey also advises couples to embrace conflict with a growth mindset.

“When issues arise, you can either see them as roadblocks or you can see them as opportunities for growth,” she says. “You learn things about your partner and their preferences, their feelings, their history, what triggers them. You

PHOTO COURTESY NATALIE FOLCHI

I serve, which are executive women, they often have the disease to please. And it is hard to disappoint people.”

When it comes to finding happiness during work hours, Walsh recommends considering intrinsic motivators, such as projects and causes that are inspiring and reflect the vision of the company. She also suggests ensuring the job aligns with your personal values.

“Most of us spend the majority of our lives working,” she says. “How you spend your days is how you spend your life.”

But when you’re not working, making time for fun is crucial, she says.

“The opposite of play isn’t work, it’s actually depression,” she explains. “Life is hard. I have an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old. I run a business.

My mother is 89 years old, she’s blind, she’s got early-stage dementia symptoms. And I am also trying to be a wife, and I’m trying to be a community member, and I’m trying to be a friend.

And the days are hard and there isn’t a lot of time to give to myself. Sometimes, I go and just jump on the trampoline with my daughters.

Sometimes it’s a walk, sometimes it’s a workout, sometimes it’s a book club. But we have to infuse play into our lives in order to show up as our best selves.”

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can use that as data to become a better partner, listen better, understand them and communicate better.”

But the ability to do so largely depends on who you choose as a partner to begin with, says Mahambrey, 40, of Clintonville. That decision not only determines the success of your relationship, but the trajectory of your life.

“I often tell people who are still single to be very diligent in dating,” she says. “Get really clear on what it is that matters to you, what your values are, what vision you have for your life, and what you want your lifestyle to look like. Because once you pick and you commit, for those who choose to only get married once, it’s very hard to make something better that wasn’t all that compatible in the first place.”

Meghna Mahambrey

Get Moving Romantic partnerships aren’t the only relationships that need to be nurtured. Healthy friendships are also conducive to a happy life.

Dr. Jaynine Vado has witnessed the bond between participants in Walk with a Doc, a free program featuring regular community walks led by doctors and other health care professionals.

Founded in Columbus by cardiologist David Sabgir in 2005, the initiative now has more than 500 chapters worldwide. Vado has guided walks in locations throughout central Ohio.

“A lot of our health comes from our ability to stay active physically and maintain our mobility,” says Vado, who specializes in internal medicine with a focus on hospice and palliative care.

“That’s the biggest thing that causes you to lose your independence. And then the next thing is staying socially engaged. And so Walk with a Doc gets at both of those. All of the participants just seem happier. They’re excited to see each other. They’re excited to see the doc and talk with them.”

Continuing to learn is also a significant part of maintaining health, Vado says. “I always tell people, keep your mind active and engaged, especially as we start to get near retirement age,” she says. “Do a new hobby. Learn guitar. Learn a new language. That’s so easy. You can do that at home on your phone. That’s one of the ways to keep yourself mentally engaged. And that’s going to help to maintain your independence as well.”

But being mindful of the negative effects of technology is a must, especially for younger people who tend to be more connected to their phones, Vado says.

“I tell people to put timers on their apps,” she says. “I tell people to limit the amount of news that they’re getting to once a day and preferably in the morning. Don’t look at that before you go

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to bed. It’s going to impact your sleep negatively if you see something that makes you feel anxious or worried. Power down 90 minutes before bedtime. Do something relaxing. Do your nighttime regimen, do meditation, yoga, read a book, straighten up or do your facial routine.”

For people of all ages, it’s important to remember that happiness must be created, says Vado, 40, of Grove City. For her mother, it’s participating in line dancing at Marion Franklin Community Center. For herself, it’s taking art classes.

“I actively seek it out,” she says. “It’s relatively inexpensive to do, and it’s once a week. Happiness is having something to look forward to.”

Dr. Jaynine Vado with her dog, Lily

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Trust in Something Bigger For Pastor Julius Lancaster, happiness is circumstantial, but joy is internal.

In other words, he explains, his mood can change with the weather, but his joy comes from trusting God. “A lot of things that I’ve tried to gain happiness from have failed me,” says Lancaster, who is the founder of All Nations Worship Assembly Columbus. “Relationships can be up and down. If I try to gain happiness from finances, they can be up and down. But I’ve found that the Lord doesn’t change. And so, that’s been the only constant for my life.”

But the road to that realization was a bumpy one for the 48-year-old East Sider, who is a husband and father of two children. He spent his 20s making poor decisions, eventually serving four years in prison for robbery and selling drugs. By the time of his release in 2010, he’d already begun pursuing a relationship with God. With a desire to preach, he and his wife grew their church in stages: first in a space at a YMCA, then in Franklin Park during the pandemic, and finally in a warehouse before securing their current building.

For others who are searching for spiritual contentment, Lancaster has some tips: Seek counsel from someone you trust and find a church or a community of believers.

“The Lord is amazing, and he could maybe offer some advice through another person,” Lancaster says. “A lot of times, people don’t really disclose a lot of their true feelings because they don’t know if the space is safe or not. So, I think community is probably one of the other greatest benefits of connecting with the church.”

Lancaster also encourages people to establish spiritual disciplines, such as a regular prayer routine or Bible-reading plan.

In addition to religious faith, he cites mental health as a key to happiness. He even provides

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his congregants free sessions with a therapist.

“Our general context is African American in our church, and the reality is, just by being a Black man or a woman in America, there’s trauma associated with that,” he says. “And I think learning from some professionals how to properly address the trauma and not just over-spiritualizing everything is tremendously important.”

Forgive Yourself and Others A healthy mindset means having positive emotions, which contribute to flourishing, according to Doug Smith. And the key to positive emotions, he says, is forgiveness.

“It’s two very separate skills,” he continues.

“One is forgiveness of self, which is about releasing remorse and regret. The other is forgiving other people, which is the ability to release hate.”

Also important is gratitude, which works in the opposite way. “Gratitude brings good things into your life,” he says. “Forgiveness gets the crap out of your life.”

Smith suggests going for a gratitude walk in the morning and giving thanks for everything from being alive to being able to pay bills. “I could walk for 2 miles and every step think of something to be grateful for,” he says. “Doing that just raises your mood.”

Another key to flourishing is having a meaningful purpose, Smith says, reciting a quote attributed to the late author and minister Frederick Buechner: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

“What is it that really gives you gladness?”

Smith asks. “What is it you really like doing?

What are you skilled at? Where do you really have a deep understanding, or where could you develop a deep understanding? And what does the world need?”

Smith says he is skilled at being an instructor, and his deep gladness is in thinking about what allows people to flourish.

These days, he works as a consultant and teaches at the Canyon Ranch Resort & Spa destinations in Tucson, Arizona, and Lenox, Massachusetts.

He says his second book, “Thriving in the Second Half of Life,” is about focusing on cooperation instead of competition, and contributing instead of accumulating.

In fact, service to others is one thing Smith and the other happiness experts have in common. That must also be a secret to living well.

“I’ve never been happier than I have been in the last 15 years,” Smith says. ◆

Julius Lancaster

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Health & Wellness

Positive Foundry was created by husband-andwife team Laura and Chris Cooke, who have recently brought on Rachel Finney, right, as COO.

The Power of Positivity A new mindset can help people change their lives at work and at home.

Ten years ago, Laura Cooke found herself at a crossroads.

She was juggling the demands of her job as assistant head of The Wellington School and raising four daughters while her husband, Chris, traveled often for work. The stress took a toll on her health, leaving her battling illnesses she now recognizes resulted from a lifestyle she knew was unsustainable.

Cooke knew something had to change.

A lifelong learner, she immersed herself in the study of positive psychology and the science of happiness, and in turn, strengthened her desire to use that research to help others, especially in the workplace.

The Cookes took their interest in positive psychology even further. They earned certifications in the field, and Laura Cooke created a class on happiness at The Wellington School with the help of Doug Smith, a mentor and author of “Happiness: The Art of Living With Peace, Confidence, and Joy.” Those actions planted the seeds for Positive Foundry in late 2016, and Smith gave the couple their first loan.

Laura Cooke’s keynote speech with Smith during a 2017 IGS Energy confer34

ence, however, brought the consultancy to fruition. The success of that talk fueled the Cookes to quit their full-time jobs that day and commit 100 percent to their dream.

“We believe organizations can play an important role in changing the trajectory of well-being in the U.S. and help create thriving communities,” Laura Cooke says. “We knew we could do it by working with companies who believe people are their greatest asset.”

Practice Makes People Better Jeff Edwards, CEO of construction contractor Installed Building Products, was an early booster whose input helped lay the consultancy’s groundwork. Edwards’ children attended The Wellington School, and his familiarity with the Cookes’ work led him to ask for help to reach employees across 200-plus branches. He especially wanted to connect with installers who worked in the field.

“Everybody has their cross to bear, and it’s not exclusive to a job position, sex, race, religion or anything else,” Edwards says.

“If we’re going to do something like this, I knew we were going to do it for everybody.”

Edwards’ input and the Cookes’ research led to the development of BetterYet, a yearlong program of weekly 30-minute video presentations. The name emerged from the belief that humans can continue to get better throughout their lives, and Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck’s growth mindset approach of adding “yet” to the end of a negative sentence to create the possibility for improvement, as in, “I can’t do that, yet.”

To work across organizations of any size, Positive Foundry trains “champions”—employees within the organization who learn how to create a safe space for conversation.

Champions introduce the video presentations to smaller groups and introduce dialogue questions at the end. Although the content of each discussion might differ, each group engages in the same dialogue, creating a sense of connectedness.

“We find the magic happens when we introduce a concept like gratitude, and all of a sudden, you and I are having a conversation about gratitude and we talk about what we’re grateful for,” Laura Cooke says. “We’re connecting on a level we never would before.”

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

By Shannon Shelton Miller

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A Bigger Impact Positive Foundry clients have data showing increased employee engagement and improved retention, but they say feedback from team members provides a more meaningful gauge of success.

IGS Energy integrated BetterYet in 2020 when employees worked remotely during the pandemic. Requests from IGS Energy led the Cookes to add a monthly reinforcement module because employees wanted to continue the program after a year.

“It was a big investment for us, financially and in time,” says Jenni Kovach, chief people officer at IGS. “Four years later, we’re still investing in it. People have come forward and said this changed my life, this saved my marriage, this improved my relationship with my 16-year-old son. That, to me, is the return on investment.”

Highlights for Children implemented BetterYet in 2021. Julie Beckman, senior vice president for human resources and chief human resources officer, says the program was a perfect fit as they worked to enhance employee well-being after the pandemic.

“Positive Foundry, I think, is unique in curating a set of skills to help people thrive in almost any ecosystem,” Beckman says. “They teach skills to help you practice not only being a better worker, but a better human. I haven’t seen anybody in this space do it quite like Positive Foundry does.”

Cooke says Positive Foundry works with companies of all sizes, with pricing tiered depending on the number of employees, champions and products purchased. Companies can make requests tailored to their needs; for Installed Building Products, Positive Foundry produced videos in Spanish for its Spanish-speaking installers.

While success has come from word-ofmouth recommendations and existing contacts, Positive Foundry sees 2025 as the year to expand its reach. In August, the company hired Rachel Finney, the former CEO of Columbus Humane, as chief operating officer. Finney met Laura Cooke in 2018 when a Columbus Humane board member introduced them based on their similar interests—Finney writes and speaks about finding advan-

tages in difficult situations in her blog, The Advantageist.

Finney left Columbus Humane in June after 16 years because she was ready for a new journey, even if she, like Cooke years earlier, didn’t know where it would lead. Finney says she was drawn to Positive Foundry’s goals to reach more than 1 million people in corporate America by 2032 and to bring the program to the education sector. “It’s certainly a departure for me in that it’s not a nonprofit organization, but it’s still very much a mission-focused business,” Finney says.

“I still care passionately and deeply about the nonprofit space and community organizations. I know them, I love them, and I know they need help through these well-being skills.”

Cooke says she’s still on that journey of well-being herself, but now, she’s fully embraced a life where she can thrive.

“I feel like a different person today because of the personal growth I’ve experienced,” Cooke says. “I’m still growing, and I really love what I do because I get to learn every day, and because I get to learn from other people every day.” ◆

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SELF-CARE

SHOULD I GET A PERSONAL TRAINER? Committing to exercise and nutrition goals can be near-impossible if you’re on your own with no accountability. A personal trainer can keep you on track.

By Donna Marbury

Setting Expectations Personal training starts with a conversation about goals and current health and lifestyle issues. A trainer should take into account whether you’ve had any

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Alexandra Craig

prior injuries and your experience working out in a gym with equipment, says Jackée Mount, owner of J. Monet Fitness in Columbus.

From there, the trainer should develop a program that includes gym time and nutrition recommendations. Most importantly, a trainer will be there to give an extra push when the newness of goal setting starts to fade.

“This is a lifestyle I want my clients to understand. This is not for me to help you get into that bikini for a vacation, but this is for life,” Mount says. “I like to nudge my clients a little bit. Sometimes we get real with some tough love, but it’s only so that I can push you to that next level.”

Accountability from a trainer is key, but so is grace, Craig adds.

“Everybody can do a diet program

for 30 or 60 days, as long as they know there’s an endpoint. With a nutrition plan and lifestyle, you’re doing it forever, which means you’re not going to be perfect. And that’s OK. You can go out for a birthday party and have a piece of cake and it’s going to be fine, because you’re looking at it for the long haul,” Craig says.

What Certifications Mean The state of Ohio doesn’t require certifications for personal trainers, but they are important to ensure the trainer knows how to keep their clients safe, Mount says.

“Some people really care about seeing that you have those credentials, but at the very minimal you need to be CPR certified, because you never know what can happen in the gym,” Mount says. “If

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

It’s January, and you arrive at your local gym. You’re wearing brand new gym wear, with laced up sneakers to match.

Your coordinating water bottle is filled and chilled, and your fitness tracker is charged. But when you walk through the doors, you freeze.

How long should you stretch? How much weight should you lift? How many minutes should you spend on the treadmill? How do you turn the treadmill on?

Fitness and weight loss are consistently top New Year’s resolutions, and though many people desire to improve their health, it’s hard to know where to start. A good personal trainer can help with setting reasonable and attainable nutrition and fitness goals. Mimicking gym moves from a TikTok influencer may not be the safest or smartest way to approach your goals. That’s where a certified personal trainer can provide direction.

“When clients come to us, I sit down and have a really good conversation with them about what are you willing to do?

What are you not willing to do? What’s your goal? What is the timeframe? I give them all the information and really see in their heart of hearts if they are ready to make a change,” says Alexandra Craig, owner of Personal Level Fitness in Columbus.

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 Betty Hill, 86, works out with personal trainer Mike O’Sullivan at Personal Level Fitness in Upper Arlington.

5 TIPS FOR WORKING WITH A TRAINER 1. SET REASONABLE GOALS “You can have that big goal, but a trainer can help you break it down,” Mount says. “Smart goals are specific, measurable, attainable and timely. We can set a three-month goal and once we reach that, I like to move the goalposts.”

2. CONSIDER SMALL GROUP TRAINING “The benefits are accountability and camaraderie. The participants will form stronger bonds and will be able to learn to root each other on while working out,” Dulin says.

3. ADD FITNESS TO YOUR SCHEDULE

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

your goals are beyond just weight loss, you may want to look into specific certifications in sports medicine or athletic sports.”

Craig says qualified trainers can have college degrees in health or exercise science, and many have certifications from national associations including the American College of Sports Medicine, American Council on Exercise, International Sports Sciences Association or ACE. “There are several certifications out there. I look for the organizations that have been around a long time,” Craig says.

Online vs. In-Person Training Trainers agree that finding time to work out is one of the biggest challenges to meeting long-term fitness goals. Though the availability of online training through live or recorded videos has increased since the pandemic, it’s important that novices understand how to train safely, says Dave Dulin, owner of Gym Guyz North Columbus.

“In-person training enables you to have that person-to-person communication

that can drive that relationship to a next level versus having that relationship with somebody on a screen or a device,” Dulin says. Gym Guyz is a mobile gym where a personal trainer comes to clients’ homes and businesses to conduct sessions.

“Online is the maximum convenience, but I’m biased,” Dulin says. “One of the reasons I got into this business is for that in-person communication.”

Investing in Results Expect to spend between $60 and $70 per session in central Ohio, and commit to working out three to four days a week to start seeing results in a few months.

“You need to commit that you are investing in your health and future self.

I tell potential clients, it’s kind of like putting money away now for a 401(k).

You don’t necessarily see the benefits of it today, but your future self is going to thank you,” Dulin says. “However, with working out it’s condensed, because if you hit it hard for six weeks, you can see and feel a difference.”

“Just like you schedule meetings or kids’ activities, schedule working out and commit to yourself,” Dulin says.

4. FOCUS ON NEW HABITS “A trainer will help you focus on the habit of starting to work out. Next, we might focus on portion control and then cardio,” Craig says.

“Whatever the client can do the best is where we start with them.

Whatever they feel the most confident that they can do and get a result, that’s where we start.”

5. ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE KEY “We do charge if clients don’t show up or if there’s a late cancel, so money can keep them accountable. But people will typically not let us down, because we’re waiting for them,” Craig says.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TUNING OUT FOOD NOISE Semaglutide injections motivate patients to achieve long-term weight loss.

Injectable GLP-1 agonists have gained popularity as a breakthrough solution for individuals struggling to shed excess weight. But more patients are finding that the drug’s hallmark appetite reduction effect isn’t the main catalyst for their success—it’s the elimination of “food noise” helping them reach their health goals.

“Food noise is a near-constant thought about food that results in patients planning their day around food and experiencing stress if they feel they’re going to miss a meal or won’t be home for a meal,” says Marguerite Weston, MD, the director of functional medicine at Donaldson in Columbus.

“It’s a reactivity cue within the body that can negatively influence mood and cause unhealthy physiological changes, including high blood pressure and increased heart rate.”

For many patients, fat-loss drugs like Wegovy and compounded semaglutide injections relieve these constant cues, helping them regain focus and enjoy a healthier relationship with food. This allows their health improvements to be more pronounced without the veil of food-based anxiety.

According to Dr. Weston, a clear picture of progress is another strong motivator.

“We watched our patients put in the effort to make positive changes but still struggle to see results,” she says.

“Semaglutide gives them a jumpstart; something to keep them going in the early stages. It is not a shortcut—it’s another tool in our toolbox we use to support patients in achieving healthy weight loss.”

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that promotes weight management, cardiovascular health and blood sugar regulation. Originally approved by the FDA in 2017 as a weekly injection to lower blood sugar under the name Ozempic, semaglutide was later approved in 2019 as a tablet form called Rybelsus to treat diabetes.

In June 2021, the FDA approved Wegovy, the first semaglutide drug specifically for weight loss, and in

38

March 2024, it gained approval to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in individuals with cardiovascular disease who are overweight or obese.

An Integrative Approach To Responsible Fat Loss With Minimal Muscle Wasting Many health care providers pair semaglutide with lifestyle interventions to create a broader approach to wellness and weight management.

“If patients don’t change anything about their lifestyle, they risk regaining the weight after they stop semaglutide,” says Dr. Weston. “Our patients not only receive access to semaglutide but also personalized plans that include nutrition education, workout routines and regular check-ins. This structured guidance reinforces a patient’s understanding of their progress and addresses weight concerns at the root.”

As semaglutide has become mainstream, so have anecdotal stories about undesired facial volume loss and muscle atrophy.

“Whenever you lose weight, you’re going to lose muscle in addition to fat,” says Dr. Weston. “To keep it to a minimum, we emphasize strength training, adequate protein intake and physical movement throughout treatment.”

Body composition tracking is another key to look for in a responsible fat-loss program. This can be especially important for individuals concerned about preserving muscle mass and avoiding common cosmetic issues, like hollow cheeks, sunken eyes and sagging jowls.

“At Donaldson, we can track how much muscle mass and body fat patients are losing to make sure they are hitting healthy benchmarks,” says Dr. Weston. “It’s healthier to lose weight slower, which is why none of our patients experience that ‘gaunt’ look.”

A Warning Against Unregulated Online Sources While semaglutide offers promising results, there’s a significant downside

to the rise in online providers selling the drug without medical oversight.

Patients risk complications—such as gallbladder issues or excessive muscle loss—especially when safeguards like proper prescriptions, medical evaluations, and follow-up care are absent.

“Red flags to watch out for include not needing any lab work, never meeting with an actual doctor and receiving no ongoing education or diet guidance,” warns Dr. Weston.

“Credentialled providers can also personalize titration and doses to the patient’s goals and needs.”

Another concern with unverified providers is the source of the medication. When obtained through uncertified pharmacies, the quality and legitimacy of semaglutide can’t be guaranteed.

“An alarming amount of online semaglutide purchases come from unreliable sources,” says Dr. Weston. “If you are seeking a compounded semaglutide solution, look for providers using pharmacies that are 503A or 503B certified, as these certifications indicate compliance with national pharmacy regulations. Without these safeguards, you can’t be sure you’re getting what you think you’re getting.”

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Donaldson patients often experience Certified Sources and Structured sustainable success with semaglutide, Lifestyle Plans Increase Semaglutide’s with some returning to the practice Effectiveness for cosmetic procedures to add the Semaglutide for weight loss can be finishing touches after achieving their prescribed to patients with a body desired weight. mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher or a “Massive weight loss often leaves BMI of 27 or more if accompanied by behind loose skin that doesn’t go away a weight-related health condition such on its own, requiring surgery to remove as high blood pressure, insulin resisand tighten the skin,” says Dr. Donaldtance, sleep apnea or high cholesterol. son. “During a tummy tuck or abdomiBeyond her one-on-one work with noplasty procedure, anywhere from 2 to individuals on their weight loss 15 lbs. of excess skin and fatty tissue journeys, Dr. Weston has collaborated can be removed, depending on the with board-certified plastic surgeons patient’s anatomy.” to optimize patient weight and overall With locations in Dublin and Lewis health before their procedure.

Center, Donaldson is committed to “A patient has to fall within a speproviding responsible cific BMI range to safely access to semaglutide, undergo plastic surgery,” combining expert guidsays Jeffrey Donaldson, ance with education and MD, founder of Donaldlifestyle interventions son. “Our Functional for sustainable results.

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"/ "-1)"#&5*$"- -*45*/( 0' 5)& 80.&/ -"8:&34 8)0 3"/,&% 501 0' 5)& -*45 */ 5)& 2025 OHIO SUPER LAWYERS /0.*/"5*0/ 3&4&"3$) "/% #-6& 3*##0/ 3&7*&8 130$&44

Ahern, Ann-Marie .D$BSUIZ -FCJU $SZTUBMª Liffman Co., Cleveland Biacsi, Mary J., The Family Law Group Co., Cleveland Blasik-Miller, Susan, Reminger, Dayton Bossin, Phyllis G. 1IZMMJT ( #PTTJOª "TTPDJBUFT Cincinnati Cozza, Andrea L., Treneff Cozza Law, Westerville DiSilvio, Marilena &MLª &ML $P .BZGJFMEª)FJHIUT Frantz Oldham, Megan J., Plakas Mannos, "LSPO Friedman, Heidi B. 5IPNQTPO )JOF $MFWFMBOE Fuhrer, Loriann E. ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus Galeano, Judith E. .PXFSZ :PVFMMª (BMFBOP Dublin Goins, Frances Floriano, UB Greensfelder, Cleveland Hannigan, Erinn McKee 4UBHOBSP )BOOJHBO Koop Co, Cincinnati Helfman, Jill F., Taft, Cleveland Howard, Barbara J. #BSCBSB + )PXBSE $P Cincinnati Hughes, Maura L. $BMGFF )BMUFSª (SJTXPME Cleveland Jakubs, Michele L. ;BTIJOª 3JDI $MFWFMBOE Jodka, Sara, Dickinson Wright, Columbus

Kemp, Jacqueline L., Kemp Law Group, Dublin Khouzam, Marie-Joëlle C., Bricker Graydon, Columbus Kirila, Jill S., Squire Patton Boggs, Columbus Lampe, Lynn, The Lampe Law Office, 8FTUª$IFTUFS Leffler, Amanda M. 4IVNBLFS -PPQª ,FOESJDL "LSPO Leveridge, Julia L. ,FNQ 4DIBFGGFSª 3PXF $P Columbus Love, Julia Ann 5IPNQTPO )JOF $MFWFMBOE MacAdams, Pamela J. .PSHBOTUFSO .BD"EBNTª DeVito Co., Cleveland Martinsek, Amanda, UB Greensfelder, Cleveland McKinlay, Amy M., McKinlay Law Offices, Columbus McLafferty, Sydney S., The Stuckey Firm, Dublin Meister, Julia B., Taft, Cincinnati Menashe, Diane, The Menashe Law Group, Columbus Mirman, Denise 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P Columbus Monihan, M. Elizabeth, Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell, Cleveland Mullin, Jeanne M., Perez Morris, Cleveland Myers, Kelly Mulloy 'SFLJOH .ZFSTª 3FVM Cincinnati

O’Neil, Colleen M. $BMGFF )BMUFSª (SJTXPME Cleveland Oliver, Jami S., Oliver Law Office, Dublin Pollock, Stacy V., Pollock Law, Dublin Rhinehart, Erin E., Faruki, Dayton Rittgers, Ellen B. 3JUUHFST 3JUUHFSTª /BLBKJNB Lebanon Roach, Adrienne J. ,FBUJOH .VFUIJOHª ,MFLBNQ Cincinnati Sansalone, Monica A., Gallagher Sharp, Cleveland Santoni, Christine, Perez Morris, Cleveland Schraff, Patricia J., Schraff Thomas Law, 8JMMPVHICZª)JMMT Sferra, Anne Marie, Bricker Graydon, Columbus Shlonsky, Patricia A., UB Greensfelder, Cleveland Silverman, Beth #FUI 4JMWFSNBOª "TTPDJBUFT Cincinnati Taggart, Carolyn A. 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS $JODJOOBUJ Turnbull, Tracey L. 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Cleveland Wade, Claire I. 4PCFM 8BEFª .BQMFZ $MFWFMBOE Weis, Amy, Weis Law Group, Columbus

A TRIAL ATTORNEY WITH A REPUTATION FOR RESULTS

OHIO

TOP 100 OHIO

TOP 50 WOMEN

Individuals and business clients turn to Judy Galeano when they need strong advocacy in negotiations and in the courtroom.

Above all, Judy is a problem solver for her clients. She always ǛžƟŠƧȬ ƱžǛ÷ƟĞƧȬ ħǼėŌħŴƱȯȬ ƚƟ÷ėƱŌė÷ŦȬ ƟħƧƻŦƱƧȬ ƱŃ÷ƱȬ ƧħƟǘħȬ ŃħƟȬ ėŦŌħŴƱƧɕȬ best interests. Judy takes great pride in making a valuable contribution to her clients as they navigate career, business and family challenges. ªŃħȬ ÷ŴĞȬ ŃħƟȬ ȃƟŰȬ ƧƚħėŌ÷ŦŌDZħȬ ŌŴȬ ėžŰƚŦħǣȬ ŴħĽžƱŌ÷ƱŌžŴƧȬ ÷ŴĞȬ litigation in the areas of employment law, labor law, divorces ɊħƧƚħėŌ÷ŦŦǦȬƱŃžƧħȬŌŴǘžŦǘŌŴĽȬēƻƧŌŴħƧƧħƧȬ÷ŴĞȬžƱŃħƟȬŰ÷ƱħƟŌ÷ŦȬȃŴ÷ŴėŌ÷ŦȬ matters), custody disputes and business law.

Judy is a highly regarded litigator throughout Ohio and rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®. Named ƱžȬ ªƻƚħƟȬ k÷ǛǦħƟƧȬ ĻžƟȬ ȉȏȬ Ǧħ÷ƟƧȯȬ dƻĞǦȬ ŌƧȬ ƟħėžĽŴŌDZħĞȬ ƱžȬ ƱŃħȬ Ohio Top 100, Ohio Top 50 Women and Columbus Top 50.

COLUMBUS

TOP 50

Judith E. Galeano, Esq. MOWERY YOUELL & GALEANO, LTD.

Selected to Super Lawyers

485 Metro Place South, Suite 220 Dublin, OH 43017 (614) 764-1444 jgaleano@myglaw.com | www.myglaw.com

Selected to Super Lawyers

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"/ "-1)"#&5*$"- -*45*/( 0' 5)& -"8:&34 8)0 3"/,&% 501 0' 5)& -*45 */ 5)& 2025 OHIO SUPER LAWYERS /0.*/"5*0/ 3&4&"3$) "/% #-6& 3*##0/ 3&7*&8 130$&44

TOP 10 BASHEIN, W. CRAIG • Ranked Number Three • #BTIFJOª #BTIFJO $P $MFWFMBOE CRANDALL, STEVE $SBOEBMMª 1FSB -BX $MFWFMBOE FRIEDMAN, IAN N. 'SJFENBO /FNFDFL -POHª (SBOU $MFWFMBOE HELFMAN, JILL F. 5BGU $MFWFMBOE LEFFLER, AMANDA M. 4IVNBLFS -PPQª ,FOESJDL "LSPO PATNO, CHRISTIAN R. • Ranked Number Two • .D$BSUIZ -FCJU $SZTUBMª -JGGNBO $P $MFWFMBOE RAY, FRANK A. 'SBOL " 3BZ $P $PMVNCVT ROACH, ADRIENNE J. ,FBUJOH .VFUIJOHª ,MFLBNQ $JODJOOBUJ TRENEFF, CRAIG P. 5SFOFGG $P[[B -BX 8FTUFSWJMMF UNGAR, MICHAEL N. • Ranked Number One • 6# (SFFOTGFMEFS $MFWFMBOE

Abboud, Antony A. (PVOBSJT "CCPVE %BZUPO Adams, Gregory L. $SPTXFMMª "EBNT $P Cincinnati Ahern, Ann-Marie .D$BSUIZ -FCJU $SZTUBMª Liffman Co., Cleveland Arnold, James E. "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT Bashein, W. Craig #BTIFJOª #BTIFJO $P Cleveland Besser, Matthew D., Bolek Besser Glesius, Cleveland Blasik-Miller, Susan, Reminger, Dayton Bossin, Phyllis G. 1IZMMJT ( #PTTJOª "TTPDJBUFT Cincinnati Bowman, J. Scott (FJTFSª #PXNBO $PMVNCVT Butler, David J., Taft, Columbus Chandra, Subodh, The Chandra Law Firm, Cleveland Chesney, Michael N., Frantz Ward, Cleveland Ciano, Phillip A. $JBOPª (PMEXBTTFS #FBDIXPPE Cosgrove, Paul, UB Greensfelder, Cincinnati Cozza, Andrea L., Treneff Cozza Law, Westerville Crandall, Steve $SBOEBMMª 1FSB -BX $MFWFMBOE DiCello, Nicholas A. 4QBOHFOCFSH 4IJCMFZª Liber, Cleveland Dimengo, Steven A. #VDLJOHIBN %PPMJUUMFª #VSSPVHIT "LSPO DiSilvio, Marilena &MLª &ML $P .BZGJFMEª)FJHIUT

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Doyle, Terrence F. (Terry) $BMGFF )BMUFSª Griswold, Cleveland Elliott, Rex H., Cooper Elliott, Columbus Fried, Adam M. 5IF -BX 0GGJDFT PG "EBN .

Fried, Beachwood Friedman, Heidi B. 5IPNQTPO )JOF $MFWFMBOE Friedman, Ian N. 'SJFENBO /FNFDFL -POHª Grant, Cleveland Friedman, Scott N. 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P Columbus Fuhrer, Loriann E. ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus Galeano, Judith E. .PXFSZ :PVFMMª (BMFBOP Dublin Gallucci III, Frank L. 1MFWJOª (BMMVDDJ $P Cleveland Geiser, Michael K. (FJTFSª #PXNBO $PMVNCVT Goldwasser, Andy $JBOPª (PMEXBTTFS Beachwood Grant, David R. 1MFWJOª (BMMVDDJ $P $MFWFMBOE Grossman, Andrew S., Grossman Law Offices, Columbus Groza, Jonathon W. ,PISNBO +BDLTPOª ,SBOU[ Cleveland Hannigan, Erinn McKee 4UBHOBSP )BOOJHBO Koop Co, Cincinnati Harris, Sean ,JUSJDL -FXJTª )BSSJT $P $PMVNCVT Haynes, S. Scott )BZOFT ,FTTMFS .ZFSTª Postalakis, Worthington Helfman, Jill F., Taft, Cleveland Hensel, A. J. *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT Horvath, Dennis E. 8PMJOFU[ª] )PSWBUIª] #SPXO Columbus Howard, Barbara J. #BSCBSB + )PXBSE $P Cincinnati Hughes, Maura L. $BMGFF )BMUFSª (SJTXPME Cleveland Jonson, George D., Montgomery Jonson, Cincinnati Kadish, Matthew F., Frantz Ward, Cleveland Kadish, Scott P., UB Greensfelder, Cincinnati Kelley, James M. &MLª &ML $P .BZGJFMEª)FJHIUT Kitrick, Mark ,JUSJDL -FXJTª )BSSJT $P $PMVNCVT Lansdowne, Dennis R. 4QBOHFOCFSH 4IJCMFZª Liber, Cleveland Leffler, Amanda M. 4IVNBLFS -PPQª ,FOESJDL "LSPO Leveridge, Julia L. ,FNQ 4DIBFGGFSª 3PXF $P Columbus Lipcius, Jesse R., UB Greensfelder, Cincinnati Lyon, Michael F. -JOEIPSTUª %SFJEBNF $P Cincinnati Malemud, Franklin C. .D%POBME )PQLJOT Cleveland McKinlay, Amy M., McKinlay Law Offices, Columbus Meister, Julia B., Taft, Cincinnati Menashe, Diane, The Menashe Law Group, Columbus Mester, Jonathan D. /VSFOCFSH 1BSJT )FMMFSª McCarthy Co., Cleveland Miller, Brian G., Brian G. Miller Co., Worthington Mirman, Denise 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P Columbus Mitchell, John R., Taft, Cleveland Moore, Daniel N., The Moore Law Firm, Cincinnati Mordino, Joseph T., Faulkner and Tepe, Cincinnati

Mullin, Jeanne M., Perez Morris, Cleveland Myers, Kelly Mulloy 'SFLJOH .ZFSTª 3FVM Cincinnati Nowlin, Ryan P., Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell, Cleveland O’Connell, Matthew C., Sutter O’Connell Co., Cleveland O’Shea, John L. $PIFO 5PEE ,JUFª 4UBOGPSE Cincinnati Paris, David M. /VSFOCFSH 1BSJT )FMMFSª McCarthy Co., Cleveland Patno, Christian R. .D$BSUIZ -FCJU $SZTUBMª Liffman Co., Cleveland Pelini, Craig G. 1FMJOJ $BNQCFMMª 3JDBSE /PSUIª$BOUPO Pera, Marc G. $SBOEBMMª 1FSB -BX $JODJOOBUJ Peschke, Joel L. $BMEFSIFBE -PDLFNFZFSª Peschke, Loveland Price, William J. &MLª &ML $P .BZGJFMEª)FJHIUT Ray, Frank A. 'SBOL " 3BZ $P $PMVNCVT Reagan, John J. ,JTMJOH /FTUJDPª 3FEJDL Cleveland Reynolds, Christopher R., Zashin Law, Cleveland Rinehardt, John K. 3JOFIBSEU *OKVSZ "UUPSOFZT Mansfield Rittgers, Charles H. 3JUUHFST 3JUUHFSTª /BLBKJNB Lebanon Rittgers, Ellen B. 3JUUHFST 3JUUHFSTª /BLBKJNB Lebanon Roach, Adrienne J. ,FBUJOH .VFUIJOHª ,MFLBNQ Cincinnati Rourke, Michael J. 3PVSLFª #MVNFOUIBM Columbus Rutter, Robert P. 3VUUFSª 3VTTJO $MFWFMBOE Saia, Jon J. 5IF -BX 0GGJDFT PG 4BJB .BSSPDDPª Jensen, Columbus Schaefer, David A. .D$BSUIZ -FCJU $SZTUBMª Liffman Co., Cleveland Schneiberg, Jerald A. /BHFS 3PNBJOFª Schneiberg Co., Euclid Scott, Craig P. 5IF -BX 0GGJDF PG $SBJH 4DPUUª Co., Columbus Scott, John C., Faulkner and Tepe, Cincinnati Scott, Stuart E. 4QBOHFOCFSH 4IJCMFZª -JCFS Cleveland Sferra, Anne Marie, Bricker Graydon, Columbus Shlonsky, Patricia A., UB Greensfelder, Cleveland Shroyer, David I. $PMMFZ 4ISPZFS "CSBIBN Columbus Silverman, Brent S. $JBOPª (PMEXBTTFS Beachwood Smith, Zachary D., Zachary D. Smith, Cincinnati Sullivan, K. James $BMGFF )BMUFSª (SJTXPME Cleveland Taggart, Carolyn A. 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS $JODJOOBUJ Treneff, Craig P., Treneff Cozza Law, Westerville Tucker, Michael S., UB Greensfelder, Cleveland Ungar, Michael N., UB Greensfelder, Cleveland Weis, Amy, Weis Law Group, Columbus Williams, Christopher S. $BMGFF )BMUFSª Griswold, Cleveland Young, Andrew R., The Law Firm for Truck Safety, Cleveland

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CONFIDENCE. COURAGE. DETERMINATION.

We are a women-led, clientfocused injury law firm, and for over 30 years we have been advocating for those injured and killed in accidents, those harmed by defective products and recalled drugs, and those facing discriminatory employment practices. We are trial lawyers.

Whether you are an attorney looking for a co-counsel arrangement, or a family who has lost a loved one in a tragedy, we promise to engage in the passionate pursuit of justice with confidence, courage, and determination.

COLUMBUS

TOP 50 OHIO

Jami S. Oliver

Sydney M. Braverman

Super Lawyers Honoree

Rising Stars Honoree

TOP 50 WOMEN

Jami S. Oliver

7 24 0 MUIR F IE L D DR I V E , S UI T E 1 2 0 , DUB L IN, OH 4 3 0 1 7 | (6 1 4) 2 2 0 - 9 1 0 0

Jami S. Oliver

oliverattorneys.com

SUPER LAWYERS OHIO / COLUMBUS 2025

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TOP 50 COLUMBUS

"/ "-1)"#&5*$"- -*45*/( 0' 5)& -"8:&34 8)0 3"/,&% 501 0' 5)& -*45 */ 5)& 2025 OHIO SUPER LAWYERS /0.*/"5*0/ 3&4&"3$) "/% #-6& 3*##0/ 3&7*&8 130$&44

Alton, John +PIO . "MUPOª $P (BIBOOB

Gosnell II, Gerhardt "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT

Meyer, David P., Meyer Wilson Co., Columbus

Arnold, James E. "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT

Gregory, Donald W. ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus

Miller, Brian G., Brian G. Miller Co., Worthington

Bowman, J. Scott (FJTFSª #PXNBO $PMVNCVT Butler, David J., Taft, Columbus Cooper, Jr., Charles H., Cooper Elliott, Columbus Cozza, Andrea L., Treneff Cozza Law, Westerville DeRose, Robert, Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, Columbus Elliott, Rex H., Cooper Elliott, Columbus Evans, II, Gordon D., The Donahey Law Firm, Columbus Farolino, Shane A. 3PFU[FMª "OESFTT $PMVNCVT Foliano, Gregory B. "SOPME 5PEBSP 8FMDIª Foliano, Columbus

Grossman, Andrew S., Grossman Law Offices, Columbus

Mirman, Denise 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P Columbus Mordarski, Daniel R., Mordarski Law, Columbus

Harris, Sean ,JUSJDL -FXJTª )BSSJT $P $PMVNCVT

Oliver, Jami S., Oliver Law Office, Dublin

Haynes, S. Scott )BZOFT ,FTTMFS .ZFSTª Postalakis, Worthington

Pettit, Christopher R. %JDLJF .D$BNFZª Chilcote, Columbus

Hensel, A. J. *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT

Ray, Frank A. 'SBOL " 3BZ $P $PMVNCVT

Horvath, Dennis E. 8PMJOFU[ª] )PSWBUIª] #SPXO Columbus

Rourke, Michael J. 3PVSLFª #MVNFOUIBM Columbus

Jodka, Sara, Dickinson Wright, Columbus

Russell, Christopher C. 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS $PMVNCVT

Kemp, Jacqueline L., Kemp Law Group, Dublin Khouzam, Marie-Joëlle C., Bricker Graydon, Columbus

Friedman, Scott N. 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P Columbus

Kitrick, Mark ,JUSJDL -FXJTª )BSSJT $P $PMVNCVT

Fuhrer, Loriann E. ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus

Leveridge, Julia L. ,FNQ 4DIBFGGFSª 3PXF $P Columbus

Galeano, Judith E. .PXFSZ :PVFMMª (BMFBOP Dublin

Little, Jr., Marion H. ;FJHFS 5JHHFTª -JUUMF Columbus

Garner, Richard M. $PMMJOT 3PDIF 6UMFZª (BSOFS Dublin

McKinlay, Amy M., McKinlay Law Offices, Columbus

Geiser, Michael K. (FJTFSª #PXNBO $PMVNCVT

McLafferty, Sydney S., The Stuckey Firm, Dublin

Goldstein, David A. %BWJE " (PMETUFJO $P Columbus

Menashe, Diane, The Menashe Law Group, Columbus

Saia, Jon J. 5IF -BX 0GGJDFT PG 4BJB .BSSPDDPª Jensen, Columbus Schneider, Karl H. &BTUNBOª 4NJUI $PMVNCVT Scott, Craig P. 5IF -BX 0GGJDF PG $SBJH 4DPUUª Co., Columbus Sferra, Anne Marie, Bricker Graydon, Columbus Shroyer, David I. $PMMFZ 4ISPZFS "CSBIBN Columbus Stitt, Scott J., Tucker Ellis, Columbus Treneff, Craig P., Treneff Cozza Law, Westerville Weis, Amy, Weis Law Group, Columbus

A Proven Track Record of Success, Peer Recognition, and Commitment to Our Clients.

Main Office/Worthington

Brian G. Miller, Esq.

Adam L. Slone, Esq.

Ohio Top 100 / Columbus Top 50

Ohio - Personal Injury - Plaintiff

2025 Super Lawyers Honoree

2025 Rising Stars Honoree

Personal Injury - Plaintiff

Consider teaming with a law firm experienced in handling significant personal injury and civil litigation matters, as well as wage and hour employment claims in Ohio and West Virginia.

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250 W. Old Wilson Bridge Rd. Suite 270 Worthington, OH 43085 T: 614.221.4035

Downtown Columbus 175 South Third Street Suite 200 Columbus, OH 43125 T: 614.221.4035

West Virginia & Southeast Ohio 307 Putnam Street Marietta, OH 45750 T: 304.205.9433

www.bgmillerlaw.com

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 "ENJOJTUSBUJWF -BX S-7 "MUFSOBUJWF %JTQVUF 3FTPMVUJPO S-7 "OUJUSVTU -JUJHBUJPO S-7 "QQFMMBUF S-7 #BOLJOH S-7 #BOLSVQUDZ #VTJOFTT S-7 #BOLSVQUDZ $POTVNFS S-7 #VTJOFTT -JUJHBUJPO S-7 #VTJOFTT $PSQPSBUF S-8 $JWJM -JUJHBUJPO %FGFOTF S-8 $JWJM -JUJHBUJPO 1MBJOUJGG S-9 $JWJM 3JHIUT S-9 $MBTT "DUJPO .BTT 5PSUT S-9 $POTUSVDUJPO -JUJHBUJPO S-9 $POTVNFS -BX S-10 $SFEJUPS %FCUPS 3JHIUT S-10

5)& "//6"- -*45

BY PRIMARY AREA OF PRACTICE

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$SJNJOBM %FGFOTF S-10 $SJNJOBM %FGFOTF %6* %8* S-10 $SJNJOBM %FGFOTF 8IJUF $PMMBS S-11 &MEFS -BX S-11 &NQMPZFF #FOFGJUT S-11 &NQMPZNFOUª -BCPS S-11 &NQMPZNFOU -JUJHBUJPO %FGFOTF S-11 &NQMPZNFOU -JUJHBUJPO 1MBJOUJGG S-12 &OWJSPONFOUBM S-12 &TUBUFª 5SVTU -JUJHBUJPO S-12 &TUBUF 1MBOOJOHª 1SPCBUF S-12 'BNJMZ -BX S-12 (FOFSBM -JUJHBUJPO S-13 (PWFSONFOU 3FMBUJPOT S-14 )FBMUI $BSF S-14

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION SUPER LAWYERS Alton, John +PIO . "MUPOª $P (BIBOOB 1H ª4 /FNFUI +PIOª$ -BX 0GGJDF PG +PIO $ /FNFUI Dublin 1PIMNBO 8JMMJBNª+ , Pohlman Mediation Services, Columbus 3BZ 'SBOLª" 'SBOL " 3BZ $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 3FQJDLZ 5IPNBTª( , Law Offices of Thomas 3FQJDLZ /FXª"MCBOZ 8PPET $ ª$SBJH 8PPET -BXª %JTQVUF 3FTPMVUJPO Columbus

*NNJHSBUJPO S-14 *OTVSBODF $PWFSBHF S-14 *OUFMMFDUVBM 1SPQFSUZ S-14 *OUFMMFDUVBM 1SPQFSUZ -JUJHBUJPO S-14 -BOE 6TF ;POJOH S-14 -FHJTMBUJWFª (PWFSONFOUBM "GGBJST S-14

ANTITRUST LITIGATION RISING STARS .VOEZ ,BSBª. , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus

.FSHFSTª "DRVJTJUJPOT S-15 /POQSPGJU 0SHBOJ[BUJPOT S-15 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ (FOFSBM %FGFOTF S-15 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ (FOFSBM 1MBJOUJGG S-15 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ .FEJDBM .BMQSBDUJDF %FGFOTF S-15 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ .FEJDBM .BMQSBDUJDF 1MBJOUJGG S-16 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ 1SPEVDUT %FGFOTF S-16

APPELLATE SUPER LAWYERS Giorgianni, Paul, Giorgianni Law, Columbus Hughes, Brad 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus 4GFSSB "OOFª.BSJF, Bricker Graydon, Columbus 1H ª4 ª4 ª4

1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ 1SPEVDUT 1MBJOUJGG S-16 1SPGFTTJPOBM -JBCJMJUZ %FGFOTF S-16

BANKING

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SUPER LAWYERS 5PNLJFT .JDIBFMª$ , Dreher Tomkies, Columbus RISING STARS )PZJOH 4UFWFOª%PVHMBT 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS $PMVNCVT

Tax S-17 5FDIOPMPHZ 5SBOTBDUJPOT S-17 5SBOTQPSUBUJPO .BSJUJNF S-17 6UJMJUJFT S-17 8PSLFSTµ $PNQFOTBUJPO S-18

$PCC 5JGGBOZª4 , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus $PVUJOIP +BNFTª" "MMFO 4UPWBMM /FVNBOª "TIUPO $PMVNCVT 4DIBFGGFS .BUUIFXª5 , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus 4UPWBMM 3JDIBSEª, "MMFO 4UPWBMM /FVNBOª "TIUPO $PMVNCVT 5FSMFDLZ .ZSPOª/ 4USJQ )PQQFST -FJUIBSU .D(SBUIª 5FSMFDLZ $P $PMVNCVT 8IJUUBLFS %BWJEª. *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus

BANKRUPTCY: BUSINESS SUPER LAWYERS "MMFO 5IPNBTª3 "MMFO 4UPWBMM /FVNBOª "TIUPO Columbus

SUPER LAWYERS Inembolidis, Athena "UIFOB -FHBM $PMVNCVT +VNQ 8 ª.BSL, Jump Legal Group, Columbus Maggied, Pamela 1BNFMB / .BHHJFE $P Columbus Richards, Ken -VQFS /FJEFOUIBMª -PHBO Columbus RISING STARS Ruffing, Lucas, Lucas Ruffing Law, Delaware

BUSINESS LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS "CSBNT +BNFTª% , Taft, Columbus "SOPME +BNFTª& "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 #JOBV %BOª+ )BSSJT .D$MFMMBO #JOBVª $PY Columbus #MPPNGJFME +S %BWJEª4 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS $PMVNCVT #SP[ "MZDJBª/ , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus #VUMFS %BWJEª+ 5BGU $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 $IBOFZ +PIOª- $IBOFZª %SFYFM $PMVNCVT Clark, Andrew 0OEB -B#VIO &SOTCFSHFSª #PHHT Co., Columbus $MJGGPSE %BNJPOª. "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT $PF 4UFGBOJFª-ZOO "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT $VSQIFZ +BNFTª% 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus %JMMBSE +S .JDIBFMª- "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT Ferguson, Kate "MMFO 4UPWBMM /FVNBOª "TIUPO Columbus 'SBTFS ,JSTUFOª3 , Organ Law, Columbus 'VISFS -PSJBOOª& ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 (PO[BMFT +PIOª. , Behal Duvall Law Group, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 Gosnell II, Gerhardt "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 )BVSJO 4BCSJOBª$ , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus )PDLTUBE ,BSFOª4 %JOTNPSFª 4IPIM $PMVNCVT )PHBO $ISJTUPQIFSª+ ;FJHFS 5JHHFTª -JUUMF Columbus +BDLTPO &NJMZª+ )BSSJT .D$MFMMBO #JOBVª $PY Columbus ,FTTMFS .BSDª+ , Taft, Columbus ,JOH +BNFTª" 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus CONTINUED ON PAGE S-8

SUPER LAWYERS OHIO / COLUMBUS 2025

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 BUSINESS LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS CONT’D FROM PAGE S-7

,VUFMM 3VTTFMMª+ , Frost Brown Todd, Columbus -BTMFZ "OFDBª& *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT -JQQT +FGGSFZª" , Carpenter Lipps, Columbus -JUUMF +S .BSJPOª) ;FJHFS 5JHHFTª -JUUMF $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 Meluch, Maribeth ,PISNBO +BDLTPOª ,SBOU[ Columbus .JMMFS 3PCFSUª)VGG 3PCFSU )VGG .*MMFS $ olumbus .JSNBO +PFMª) , The Mirman Law Firm, Columbus /FVNBO 5PEEª) "MMFO 4UPWBMM /FVNBOª "TIUPO Columbus Organ, Shawn, Organ Law, Columbus Painter, Nathan 1BJOUFSª "TTPDJBUFT )JMMJBSE

#FOPJU 4BSBIª. , Taft, Columbus Burch, Christopher, Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus %PFSS 3ZMBOEª" $BMGFF )BMUFSª (SJTXPME Columbus ,JDL )BZMFZª& #SFOOBO .BOOBª %JBNPOE Columbus -B3PDDP $ISJTUPQIFSª" , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus Merino, Ashley, Perez Morris, Columbus 0MJWJUP +POBUIBOª/ , Taft, Columbus Organ, Connor, Organ Law, Columbus 1SPVUZ &SJLBª%BDLJO #BLFSª )PTUFUMFS Columbus 4FBNBO 5PEEª. 5IPNQTPO )JOF $PMVNCVT 4JMWFSTUFJO .JDIBFMª#FOKBNJO, Benesch Law, Columbus

1FUUJU $ISJTUPQIFSª3 %JDLJF .D$BNFZª $IJMDPUF $PMVNCVT 1H ª4

5BDLFUU $ISJTUPQIFSª8 , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus

4BWBHF *** +BNFTª4 -VQFS /FJEFOUIBMª -PHBO Columbus

Tarney, Tyler, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, Columbus

4FHFSNBO %PVHMBTª+ -VQFS /FJEFOUIBMª -PHBO Columbus

8BSSFO ,SJTUBª% #SFOOBO .BOOBª %JBNPOE Columbus

4IFFMZ 4PNNFSª- , Bricker Graydon, Columbus 5PEE "EBNª3 " 5PEE -BX $PMVNCVT 7BSHP +BNFTª( , Vargo Law, Dublin

RISING STARS "MFYBOEFS &MJ[BCFUIª4 , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus

BUSINESS/CORPORATE SUPER LAWYERS #FIBM 3PCFSUª+ , Behal Duvall Law Group, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4

8BIM +FGGSFZª3 , JRW Esquire, Columbus,

8BTICVTI 5IPNBTª$ , Washbush Business Law, Dublin 8JMMJT +FGGSFZª" 8JMMJT $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 8PMQFS #FBUSJDFª& &NFOT 8PMQFS +BDPCTª +BTJO Law Firm Co., Columbus

RISING STARS Cericola, Kessia, Cericola Legal Solutions, Columbus Land, Kimberly, Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus 3PTTNBO +PBOª$PMMFSBO, Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus 5IPNBT 4UFGBOª5 & 5IPNBT *OHSBN -BX (SPVQ Columbus 8FTU .FHBOª& 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus

CIVIL LITIGATION: DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS #JMMT +PTIVBª3 1FMJOJ $BNQCFMMª 3JDBSE Dublin Carlino, Steven 8FTUPO )VSE $PMVNCVT %PXOFZ %BOJFMª5 'JTIFM %PXOFZ "MCSFDIUª 3JFQFOIPGG /FXª"MCBOZ (FSMJOH +PTFQIª" 8FTUPO )VSE $PMVNCVT )FOTFM " ª+ *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4

OHIO

TOP 100 COLUMBUS

TOP 50

Amy M. McKinlay

OHIO

TOP 50 WOMEN

Amy M. McKinlay

| 1 bmѴ- - L1;vķ ķ ;Ľ ; v;;m b| -ѴѴĺ [;u ;-uv o= ru-1ঞ1;ķ o u - oum; v _- ; |_; ; r;ub;m1; -m7 vhbѴѴ |o v;; |_; = ѴѴ rb1| u; _;m b| 1ol;v |o =-lbѴ l- ;uvĺ )_;|_;u o -u; 1om1;um;7 -0o | u;ঞu;l;m| = m7vķ h;;rbm] o u 0 vbm;vvķ ou ;v|-0Ѵbv_bm] 1 v|o7 ķ ;ĽѴѴ r | |o];|_;u - r;uvom-Ѵ |;-l |_-| bv 7;7b1-|;7 |o C]_ঞm] =ou o ķ o u =-lbѴ ķ -m7 o u = | u;ĺ m -77bঞom |o o u bm|;um-Ѵ |;-l o= - oum; v -m7 v|-@ķ ; _- ; -m ; |;mvb ; m;| ouh o= ruo=;vvbom-Ѵvķ bm1Ѵ 7bm] =ou;mvb1 -11o m|-m|vķ 0 vbm;vv -Ѵ -ঞom ; r;u|vķ r;mvbom ; -Ѵ -|ouvķ o1-ঞom-Ѵ ; r;u|vķ -m7 l;m|-Ѵ _;-Ѵ|_ ruo=;vvbom-Ѵvĺ );Ľ ; 0;;m |_uo ]_

;mo ]_ 1-v;v |o hmo _;m |o 0ubm] bm |_;v; ; r;u|v -m7 _o |o 1u;-|; - |;-l |_-| bѴѴ 0;v| v;u ; o ĺ m ƑƏƐƔķ l ĺ 1 bmѴ- or;m;7 _;u o m Cul |o ruo b7; oѴ l0 v =-lbѴb;v b|_ |_; Ѵ; ;Ѵ o= -7 o1-1 v_; 0;Ѵb; ;v |_; 7;v;u ;ĺ "bm1; ƑƏƏƕķ vĺ 1 bmѴ- _-v 0;;m 1;uঞC;7 0 |_; _bo "|-|; -u vvo1b-ঞom -v - o-u7Ŋ ;uঞC;7 "r;1b-Ѵbv| bm -lbѴ !;Ѵ-ঞomv - ĺ "_; _-v - -bm;7 |_; -uঞm7-Ѵ;Ŋ 00;ѴѴ® AV u;;lbm;m|® u-ঞm] Ő_b]_;v| u-ঞm] - -bm-0Ѵ;ő -m7 bv u;1o]mb ;7 0 ;v| - ;uv®ĺ "_; bv v;Ѵ;1|;7 bm ƑƏƑƔ |o |_; $or ƐƏƏķ $or ƔƏ )ol;mķ -m7 $or ƔƏ oѴ l0 v Ѵbv|vĺ

McKinlay Law Offices, LLC 65 E. State St., Suite 2530 Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 407-7722 amy@mckinlaylawllc.com

mckinlaylawllc.com

Front Row L-R: Kerry Hageman-Froelich; Amy M. McKinlay* Back Row L-R: Kimberly Haunhorstķ L1; -m-];uĸ Maille Drellishakķ ;]-Ѵ 7lbmbv|u-ঞ ; vvbv|-m|ĸ oѴѴ "; Ѵ;vķ -u-Ѵ;]-Ѵ *Selected to Super Lawyers

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ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 )PMUIVT %PVHMBTª1 'SFFNBO .BUIJTª (BSZ Columbus

RISING STARS Connors, Jared, Meyer Wilson Co., Columbus

)VCCBSE &EXBSEª( 8FTUPO )VSE $PMVNCVT

%SPDUPO .BUIFXª(SFHPSZ #BLFSª )PTUFUMFS Columbus

,PIM 4FBOª. ,PIMª $PPL -BX 'JSN $PMVNCVT 4DISBEFS .BUUIFXª-BXSFODF, Reminger, Columbus 5BMMBO .JUDIFMMª. , Gallagher Gams Tallan #BSOFTª -JUUSFMM $PMVNCVT 5FFUPS .BUUIFXª4 , Teetor Westfall, Columbus 8FCFS $ISJTUPQIFSª+ ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus Zimmerman, Todd 3PISCBDIFS 5SJNCMFª ;JNNFSNBO $P 8FTUFSWJMMF

RISING STARS Arras, Erica *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT %BINBOO ,SJTUJOBª4 *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT Green, Chris "NVOETFO %BWJT $PMVNCVT ,FTMBS 4UFWFOª" , Gallagher Sharp, Columbus

)BIO 1FUFSª8 , Taft, Columbus .BEJHBO .JDIBFMª+ ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus O’Shaughnessy, Christopher, The O’Shaughnessy -BX 'JSN /FXª"MCBOZ 1BUUFSTPO %BWJEª5 8FTUPO )VSE $PMVNCVT

CONSTRUCTION LITIGATION

3PTFOCFSH 5IPNBTª- 3PFU[FMª "OESFTT Columbus

SUPER LAWYERS #JMMT 'SFEFSJDLª5 8FTUPO )VSE $PMVNCVT (SFHPSZ %POBMEª8 ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS $PMVNCVT 1H ª4

4DIPDLNBO %PVHMBTª+ 'JTIFM %PXOFZ "MCSFDIUª 3JFQFOIPGG /FXª"MCBOZ CONTINUED ON PAGE S-10

O’CONNOR ACCIANI & LEVY A Legal Professional Association

LaRock, Ashley 3PFU[FMª "OESFTT $PMVNCVT .PSSJT "NBOEBª. , Perez Morris, Columbus Petrillo, Ally *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT 4UFXBSU .BUUIFXª%PVHMBT 3PISCBDIFS 5SJNCMFª ;JNNFSNBO $P 8FTUFSWJMMF Zronek, Mark #BLFSª )PTUFUMFS $PMVNCVT

CIVIL LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF SUPER LAWYERS (BSWJOF #SJBOª. , Law Office of Brian M. Garvine, Columbus ,FOOFZ +FGGSFZª5 , Cooper Elliott, Columbus 8BTTPO #SJEHFUª. 5IF -BX 0GGJDF PG 8SJHIUª "TTPDJBUFT $PMVNCVT

RISING STARS "NBEPS ,FMMJª+ %JOTNPSFª 4IPIM $PMVNCVT Carpenter, Grant 8FTUPO )VSE $PMVNCVT

STANDING L-R: Barry D. Levy*, Dennis C. Mahoney*, Robert Acciani, Kory Veletean, Elizabeth Acciani, Joe Pflum, Henry D. Acciani* SEATED L-R: Josh Kemme, Jordan Wolfe, John Georgin *Selected to Super Lawyers

4BNNPOT -POJª3BF 4USJQ )PQQFST -FJUIBSU .D(SBUIª 5FSMFDLZ $P $PMVNCVT 4QZLFS 5IPNBTª/ , Reminger, Columbus Woods, Lindsey, Organ Law, Columbus

CIVIL RIGHTS RISING STARS 3FUUJH .BEFMJOFª+ .BSTIBMM 'PSNBOª 4DIMFJO Columbus Schlein, Samuel .BSTIBMM 'PSNBOª 4DIMFJO Columbus Street, Katie, K Street Law, Columbus

CLASS ACTION/MASS TORTS SUPER LAWYERS #PZMF .JDIBFMª+ , Meyer Wilson Co., Columbus Judge, Shawn, Gibbs Law Group, Columbus Troutman, Mark, Gibbs Law Group, Columbus 8JMTPO .BUUIFXª3 , Meyer Wilson Co., Columbus

Dedicated, Effective Advocates for Clients’ Rights For over 30 years O’Connor, Acciani & Levy has dedicated their law practice to representing individuals against big business and insurance companies alike. Justice for individuals comes in many forms, and we work tenaciously to defend our clients in and out of the courtroom. Our attorneys and paralegals take an individualistic approach to every case to obtain the most favorable results for our clients, whether that means negotiating settlements or taking a case to trial.

Our attorneys focus their practice in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, trucking accidents, defective products, dangerous drugs, pharmaceutical negligence, Social Security disability and workers’ compensation. We represent the people, not insurance companies or large corporations. And we take that responsibility very seriously.

While the majority of our practice is in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, with a wide network of affiliated counsel throughout the country, our firm has successfully handled cases from Florida to California. We are passionate about providing fearless advocacy to obtain a successful outcome for every client.

600 Vine St., Suite 1600, Cincinnati, OH 45202 | (513) 241-7111 175 S. Third St., Suite 200, Columbus, OH 43215 | (614) 545-7220 7310 Turfway Road, Suite 550, Florence, KY 41042 | (513) 241-7111

oal-law.com

SUPER LAWYERS OHIO / COLUMBUS 2025

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CONSUMER LAW

RISING STARS (FPSHF +BNFTPOª, 5IF -BX 0GGJDF PG 8SJHIUª "TTPDJBUFT $PMVNCVT Malone, Mac 5IPNQTPO )JOF $PMVNCVT /FMTPO -JOETBZª. "MMFO 4UPWBMM /FVNBOª "TIUPO $PMVNCVT

SUPER LAWYERS (FSMJOH "OESFXª+ ,PIMª $PPL -BX 'JSN Columbus Heck, Jeremiah -VGUNBO )FDLª "TTPDJBUFT Dublin

Newby, Joel 5IF /FXCZ -BX 0GGJDF $PMVNCVT

.BD .VSSBZ )FMFOª. .BD .VSSBZª 4IVTUFS /FXª"MCBOZ

/PDBS + ª5IPNBT )BIO -PFTFSª 1BSLT Columbus

4IVTUFS .JDIFMFª" .BD .VSSBZª 4IVTUFS /FXª"MCBOZ

RISING STARS Parry, Aaron .BD .VSSBZª 4IVTUFS /FXª"MCBOZ 4UFWFOT +PTIVBª0MJWFS .BD .VSSBZª 4IVTUFS /FXª"MCBOZ

CREDITOR DEBTOR RIGHTS SUPER LAWYERS Doucet, Troy, Doucet Co., Dublin ,JSL "OHFMBª% , MDK, Columbus Owen, Andrew, UB Greensfelder, Columbus 5JNLFO ,ZMFª& , MDK, Columbus

CRIMINAL DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS Akamine, Nathan %FGFOTF "UUPSOFZ $PMVNCVT #FMMJ %FOOJTª$ "UUPSOFZ BU -BX $PMVNCVT #FOUPO +S 'SFEFSJDLª% , Frederick D. Benton Jr., Columbus Blake, Dustin, Blake Law Firm Co., Columbus #MPTTFS +FGGFSZª. , Blosser Law Office, Columbus 'VOLIPVTFS %PVHMBTª" %PVHMBT " 'VOLIPVTFS Co., Columbus Menashe, Diane, The Menashe Law Group, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 1BMNFS 4UFQIFOª& , Palmer Legal Defense, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 4BCPM %BOJFMª+ 4BCPMª] .BMMPSZ $PMVNCVT 4IBNBOTLZ 4BNVFMª) 4BNVFM ) 4IBNBOTLZ Co., Columbus 4IFSNBO 5FSSZª, "UUPSOFZ BU -BX $PMVNCVT 5ZBDL +BNFTª1 , The Tyack Law Firm Co., Columbus 5ZBDL +POBUIBOª5 , The Tyack Law Firm Co., Columbus 8PPE 4DPUUª1 , Conrad Wood, Lancaster

Robert J. Behal

L-R: Robert J. Behal*, DeAnna J. Duvall* Not Pictured: John M. Gonzales* *Selected to Super Lawyers

BEHAL DUVALL LAW GROUP GUIDING CLIENTS THROUGH PERSONAL AND BUSINESS CHALLENGES At Behal Duvall Law Group, our accomplished attorneys support clients in Central Ohio through difficult life changes as well as important business decisions. Our attorneys, including three who have been selected to Super Lawyers, have extensive experience in family law, estate planning, business law and personal injury. This allows us to anticipate interconnected needs across these areas. We see the big picture and

protect our clients’ best interests with reliable solutions tailored to their unique needs. Our attorneys are skilled litigators and negotiators who have successfully handled cases in Ohio’s state and federal courts, domestic courts and probate courts. We provide the responsive personal attention of a smaller firm combined with big-firm experience as clients face uncertainty and complex legal issues.

501 S. High St., Suite 200, Columbus, OH 43215 | (614) 643-5050 | BehalLaw.com

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RISING STARS Lund Freeman, Chelsea 'SFFNBOª -VOE Columbus McMullen, Justin, Joslyn Criminal Defense Law Firm, Columbus .FNTJD ,BUIFSJOFª- 4PSPLBª "TTPDJBUFT Columbus 1FUFST $PMJOª& , Colin Peters Law, Columbus 4QBMM (FPGGSFZª" , Law Office of Geoffrey Spall, Delaware

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: DUI/DWI SUPER LAWYERS $BMFTBSJD 3PCFSUª& "UUPSOFZ BU -BX /FXBSL Dominy, Shawn, Dominy Law Firm, Columbus 'PY 4UFWFOª5 , The Steven T. Fox Law Firm, Columbus )VFZ %POBMEª5JNPUIZª 5JN )VFZ %FGFOTF 'JSN Columbus .BMMPSZ $IBTFª" 4BCPMª] .BMMPSZ $PMVNCVT Probst, Michael, Probst Law Office, Columbus 4BJB +POª+ , The Law Offices of Saia .BSSPDDPª +FOTFO $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4

ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 CRIMINAL DEFENSE: WHITE COLLAR SUPER LAWYERS "YFMSPE %BWJEª' 4IVNBLFS -PPQª ,FOESJDL Columbus #BSCJO #SBEMFZª% , Barbin Law, Columbus $PDISBO 3PCFSUª+ , Robert Cochran Law, Columbus DeVillers, David #BSOFTª 5IPSOCVSH $PMVNCVT 4DIOFJEFS ,BSMª) &BTUNBOª 4NJUI $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 5IPNBT %BWJEª) , Taft, Columbus

ELDER LAW SUPER LAWYERS #SPXOJOH 8JMMJBNª+ *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus 4VUUPO .BHHJFª- 5BQT 4VUUPOª 3PTIPO Columbus RISING STARS Stickradt, Bethany 3FFTF 1ZMF .FZFS /FXBSL

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SUPER LAWYERS 4UJUU 4DPUUª+ 5VDLFS &MMJT $PMVNCVT 1H ª4

-JMMBSE 4BNVFMª/ 0HMFUSFF %FBLJOT /BTI 4NPBLª 4UFXBSU $PMVNCVT

%F)BSU 4DPUUª) ;BTIJOª 3JDI $PMVNCVT 'MPXFST "NZª&JMFFO *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT

Mansell, Greg, Mansell Law, Columbus /PMBO 8JMMJBNª" #BSOFTª 5IPSOCVSH $PMVNCVT 1FUSJF +BNFTª( &QTUFJO #FDLFSª (SFFO Columbus

Herbert, Rhiannon, Mansell Law, Columbus Kocak, Dominick 5IF 'SJFENBOO 'JSN )JMMJBSE 3BNBNVSUIZ -BVSFOª& , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus

1PMMPDL 4UBDZª7 1PMMPDL -BX %VCMJO 1H ª4

Salvino, Andrea ,FNQ 4DIBFGGFSª 3PXF $P Columbus

1SFTTMFZ +S 'SFEª( 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS $PMVNCVT

4DIMPFNFS "OOFª.BSJF, Perez Morris, Columbus

3VTTFMM $ISJTUPQIFSª$ 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS $PMVNCVT 1H ª4

4QJU[FS 3ZBOª$ *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus

4BCP 'SJFENBOO 3BDIFMª" , The Friedmann Firm, )JMMJBSE

4RVJMMBOUF 4BSBIª, 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS $PMVNCVT

4DIOFJEFS ,FJUIª8 .BHVJSF 4DIOFJEFS )BTTBZ Columbus 4NJUI "OESFXª$ , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: DEFENSE

4UBOLVOBT +FGGSFZª" *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus 4UFQUFS 3BZMª- , Stepter Law Office, Worthington 4USBVTT $BUIFSJOFª- *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT 5VDLFS +BOJDBª1JFSDF, Taft, Columbus

RISING STARS "LFST 5SJTUBOª5IPNBT, Coffman Legal, Columbus Anderson, Kyle -VQFS /FJEFOUIBMª -PHBO Columbus Bryant, Daniel, Bryant Legal, Columbus $SBOF %BOJFMMFª. ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus

SUPER LAWYERS (XJO .PMMZª3 *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus Jodka, Sara, Dickinson Wright, Columbus 1H ª4 ª4 1JFSTBMM %SFXª$ ;BTIJOª 3JDI $PMVNCVT 3JFQFOIPGG %BWJEª" 'JTIFM %PXOFZ "MCSFDIUª 3JFQFOIPGG /FXª"MCBOZ 4FDSFTU +POBUIBOª3 , Dickinson Wright, Columbus CONTINUED ON PAGE S-12

&.1-0:.&/5ª -"#03 SUPER LAWYERS #JHMFS +JMMª, &QTUFJO #FDLFSª (SFFO $PMVNCVT #JUUOFS 1BVMª- *DF .JMMFS $PMVNCVT DeRose, Robert, Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 %PXOFT +POBUIBOª+ ;BTIJOª 3JDI $PMVNCVT 'JTIFM .BSDª" 'JTIFM %PXOFZ "MCSFDIUª 3JFQFOIPGG /FXª"MCBOZ Forman, Edward .BSTIBMM 'PSNBOª 4DIMFJO Columbus 'SJFENBOO 1FUFSª( 5IF 'SJFENBOO 'JSN )JMMJBSE (BMFBOP +VEJUIª& .PXFSZ :PVFMMª (BMFBOP %VCMJO 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 ª4 )FOTFM +BOª& %JOTNPSFª 4IPIM $PMVNCVT ,BTTPO % ª1BUSJDL, Reminger, Columbus ,FMMFS %POBMEª3 , Donald Keller Law Office, Galloway ,IPV[BN .BSJF +PqMMFª$ , Bricker Graydon, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ,JMHBSE 4DIOVQQ $FMJBª. , Broadview Legal, Dublin ,JSJMB +JMMª4 , Squire Patton Boggs, Columbus 1H ª4 ,OVFWF .BSLª" , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus ,SJWEB 1BNFMBª4 5BGU $PMVNCVT

PAMELA S. KRIVDA

TAFT $PMVNCVTª

www.taftlaw.com

JARED T. BRANKAMP PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF Selected to Rising Stars

With an unwavering commitment to getting injured clients fair compensation and holding the negligent accountable, Jared T. Brankamp is the managing attorney at Burnside #SBOLBNQ -BX 'SPN IJT PG¾DF JO 1PSUTNPVUI 0IJP IF BSEFOUMZ BEWPDBUFT GPS JOKVSFE DMJFOUT BDSPTT 0IJP BOE ,FOUVDLZ .S #SBOLBNQ TFSWFE JO UIF 6OJUFE 4UBUFT 1FBDF $PSQT JO 1BSBHVBZ GPMMPXJOH IJT HSBEVBUJPO JO GSPN 5IF 0IJP 4UBUF 6OJWFSTJUZ XJUI B #BDIFMPS PG 4DJFODF 8IJMF JO 1BSBHVBZ .S #SBOLBNQ MFBSOFE UP TQFBL 4QBOJTI BOE (VBSBOr BOE GPVOE IJT USVF DBMMJOH for pursuing justice for underdogs through the court system.

As a client-centered, aggressive and logical attorney, Mr. Brankamp spends considerable time listening to his clients’ side of their stories and strategizing with their best interests in mind. His meticulous attention to detail drives him to hold those responsible accountable so that his clients can receive the best possible outcome, every time.

BURNSIDE BRANKAMP LAW, LLC 1118 Hutchins St., Portsmouth, OH 45662 (740) 354-4878 | jared@burnsidelaw.com

burnsidelaw.com

-FUDIFS #BSCBSBª, .PXFSZ :PVFMMª (BMFBOP %VCMJO 1H ª4 SUPER LAWYERS OHIO / COLUMBUS 2025

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: DEFENSE CONT’D FROM PAGE S-11

ENVIRONMENTAL

RISING STARS $PIFO "SJFMª4 , Squire Patton Boggs, Columbus 5PMCFSU +S 4UFWFOª. , Frost Brown Todd, Columbus

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF SUPER LAWYERS Dyer, Carrie, Mansell Law, Columbus (JUUFT 'SFEFSJDLª. , The Gittes Law Group, Columbus ,OPMM -BSFOª& , The Knoll Law Firm, Dublin

SUPER LAWYERS #SVCBLFS 3PCFSUª- 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus 'BSPMJOP 4IBOFª" 3PFU[FMª "OESFTT $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 4BNVFMT 4UFQIFOª1 , Frost Brown Todd, Columbus 7BO ,MFZ +BDLª" , Van Kley Law, Columbus 8BUU ,SJTUJOª- , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus

RISING STARS Gagliardi, Danelle, Squire Patton Boggs, Columbus .PSTF /BUIBOJFMª# , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus

.BSTIBMM +PIOª4 .BSTIBMM 'PSNBOª 4DIMFJO Columbus 0µ.BMMFZ 8JMMJBNª+ , Law Offices of William John O’Malley, Columbus 7BSEBSP +FGGSFZª1 , The Gittes Law Group, Columbus

&45"5&ª 53645 -*5*("5*0/ SUPER LAWYERS .D(FF "ESJBOOª4 , Reminger, Columbus

RISING STARS

&45"5& 1-"//*/(ª 130#"5&

#SFFEMPWF 5SJTIBª. , Spitz The Employee’s Law Firm, Columbus ,FMMFIFS ,FWJOª3 .PXFSZ :PVFMMª (BMFBOP %VCMJO 1H ª4

SUPER LAWYERS Balch, Jacintha, Balch Law, Columbus %VOO 3PCFSUª3 , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus

Joseph Nigh, Courtney Zollars, and the attorneys of The Nigh Law Group have extensive courtroom experience and have used this experience to obtain favorable decisions for clients throughout Ohio, as well as to help advise clients and negotiate satisfactory results outside the courtroom.

The team at NLG is known for handling complex cases involving custody, parental rights, visitation, business valuations, trusts, stock options, and retirement plans, as well as many other family law matters. They believe each client has distinctive needs and will work with them to direct and guide them through their case.

Joseph A. Nigh

Super Lawyers Honoree

Courtney A. Zollars

Super Lawyers Honoree

FAMILY LAW, DIVORCE, DISSOLUTION, CUSTODY, CHILD, AND SPOUSAL SUPPORT THE NIGH LAW GROUP

The Nigh Law Group has a reputation for quality legal advocacy, open communication, and attention to detail.

This reputation is the reason a majority of NLG’s clients are referrals from other attorneys or former satisfied clients.

nighlawgroup.com

300 S. 2nd Street, Columbus, OH 43215 | (614) 379-6444 | jnigh@nighlaw.com

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'VSOJTT *** +PIOª' , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus )BVQU &SJLBª- 3PFU[FMª "OESFTT $PMVNCVT Louis, Harlan, Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus .FZFS 3JDIBSEª' 3 ' .FZFSª "TTPDJBUFT 8PSUIJOHUPO 1H ª4 .JDIBFM +BZª& , Jay E. Michael Law, Columbus Taneff, Thomas, Thomas Taneff Co., Columbus 7BOPWFS "NJFª- 5IPNQTPO )JOF $PMVNCVT 8FOEFM -FFª" , Squire Patton Boggs, Columbus

RISING STARS %FUUXJMMFS 4UBDFZª" 3PFU[FMª "OESFTT Columbus Finley, Brandon, Finley Law, Columbus ,VOLMFS (FPGGSFZª4 $BSMJMF 1BUDIFOª .VSQIZ Columbus /JYPO +PTFQIª. 4JUUFSMFZ 7BOEFSWPPSUª /JYPO Lancaster Schumacher, Melissa 5IF -BX 0GGJDF PG 8SJHIUª "TTPDJBUFT $PMVNCVT

FAMILY LAW SUPER LAWYERS #FBTZ +PBOOFª4 *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus #SPXO &SJDª. 8PMJOFU[ª] )PSWBUIª] #SPXO $PMVNCVT #VDL &MBJOFª4 #VDLª 'JTI $PMVNCVT $P[[B "OESFBª- , Treneff Cozza Law, Westerville 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 %BIMCFSH $ ª(VTUBW #BCCJUUª %BIMCFSH -BX $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4

C. GUSTAV DAHLBERG

#"##*55ª %")-#&3( -"8 --$ $PMVNCVTª

www.bdfamilylaw.com

%FMMJHBUUJ .JDIBFMª+ , Delligatti Law, Worthington %PVHIFSUZ %PVHMBTª# %PVHIFSUZ )BOOFNBOª Piccin, Columbus %VWBMM %F"OOBª+ , Behal Duvall Law Group, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 &JOTUFJO %JBOOFª%J/BQPMJ &JOTUFJOª (JCTPO Westerville 'JTI +FGGSFZª% #VDLª 'JTI $PMVNCVT 'SJFENBO 4DPUUª/ 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 ª4

SCOTT N. FRIEDMAN

'3*&%."/ª .*3."/ $0 - 1 " $PMVNCVTª

www.friedmanmirman.com

(JMM "MJTPOª" .BUIFXTª (JMM 8FTUFSWJMMF (JMMFTQJF 3PTTª" , Gillespie Law, Dublin (PUUGSJFE (BSZª+ , Gary J. Gottfried Co., Westerville (SBN[B .JDIFMMFª- 4DIBMMFS $BNQCFMMª 6OJUFE /FXBSL 1H ª4 (SPTTNBO "OESFXª4 , Grossman Law Offices, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 )BOOFNBO +BNFTª" %PVHIFSUZ )BOOFNBOª Piccin, Columbus )BZOFT 4 ª4DPUU )BZOFT ,FTTMFS .ZFSTª 1PTUBMBLJT 8PSUIJOHUPO 1H ª4 ª4 )FDLFSU $ISJTUPQIFSª& )FDLFSUª .PSFMBOE Columbus

ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 Helmbrecht, Laura "UUPSOFZ BU -BX $PMVNCVT )PSWBUI %FOOJTª& 8PMJOFU[ª] )PSWBUIª] #SPXO $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 +PIOTPO &SJDª8 4PXBME 4PXBME "OEFSTPO )BXMFZª +PIOTPO $PMVNCVT +PIOTPO ** +PIOª1 $PPLF %FNFST /FXª"MCBOZ 1H ª4 ,FNQ +BDRVFMJOFª- , Kemp Law Group, Dublin, 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 ,IBO "KBN /BEJB, Grossman Law Offices, Columbus -FWFSJEHF +VMJBª- ,FNQ 4DIBFGGFSª 3PXF $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 -FXJT (SFHHª3 )BSSZ -FXJT $P $PMVNCVT -JTUPO +FGGFSTPOª& , Law Office of Jefferson Liston, Columbus .BTTVDDJ -FF"OOª. , Massucci Law Group, Columbus .BYXFMM /JDPMFª4 )BZOFT ,FTTMFS .ZFSTª Postalakis, Worthington .D,JOMBZ "NZª. , McKinlay Law Offices, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 ª4

AMY M. MCKINLAY MCKINLAY LAW OFFICES, LLC $PMVNCVTª

www.mckinlaylawllc.com .D/BJS %BSSFOª" -BSEJFSF .D/BJSª 4UPOFCSPPL -UE )JMMJBSE Mirman, Denise 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 ª 4 ª4

;PMMBST $PVSUOFZª" 5IF /JHI -BX (SPVQ $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ;VFSDIFS &MJ[BCFUIª+ , The Zuercher Law Firm, Dublin

RISING STARS Atkins, Arianna "ULJOT BOE "ULJOT $PMVNCVT Borshchak, Dmitriy, Law Offices of Dmitriy Borshchak, Columbus #VDL 5IPNQTPOª& #VDLª 'JTI $PMVNCVT Cardenas, Jamie, Weis Law Group, Columbus $PPO .BUUIFXª)PXBSE ,FNQ 4DIBFGGFSª 3PXF Co., Columbus %BIMCFSH %FOOJTª# %BIMCFSH 4UBOMFZª 'PEFSFUUJ $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 (BMMBOU "NBOEBª4 , The Law Offices of James M. Linehan, Columbus (JCTPO .FHBOª. &JOTUFJOª (JCTPO 8FTUFSWJMMF Graceffa, Santina -BSEJFSF .D/BJSª 4UPOFCSPPL -UE )JMMJBSE (SFDP +S "OUIPOZª8 , Greco Law, Dublin +F[JPSPXTLJ +PTFQIª4 , Greco Law, Dublin +PIOTPO $MBZCPSOFª# , Trolinger Law Offices, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ,SZWPLPMJOTLB 7BMFSJZBª4 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 Long, Chelsea 8PPEª -POH $PMVNCVT .FJT .JDIFMMFª+ , Trolinger Law Offices, Columbus, 1H ª4 .PSSJT #SJBOBª-ZOO, Miller Bahnson Law, Columbus

Overstreet, Joseph, Greco Law, Dublin 2VFFO ,FMMZª: 'SJFENBOª .JSNBO $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 4NJUI 4FUIª3 , The Law Office of Seth R. Smith, /FXBSL 4PCFM )FBUIFSª# 8PMJOFU[ª] )PSWBUIª] #SPXO $PMVNCVT Sonderman, Hank, Law Offices of Dmitriy Borshchak, Columbus 5JTEBMF ,ZMFª% , Tisdale Law, Columbus 8BMTI #SJBOOBª+ , Miller Bahnson Law, Columbus 8JTF -BLFOª- , Schodzinski Law, Columbus 8PPEGPSE ,BUIFSJOFª" , Woodford Sathappan McGee Co., Westerville

GENERAL LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS #BUUMF +FOOJGFSª" - , Carpenter Lipps, Columbus $PIFO 3PCFSUª( ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus $PSXJO +POBUIBOª1 "SOPMEª $MJGGPSE $PMVNCVT %PSUDI .JDIBFMª% ,SBWJU[ #SPXOª %PSUDI Columbus (PMETUFJO %BWJEª" %BWJE " (PMETUFJO $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 Holford, Andrew +PISFOEUª )PMGPSE $PMVNCVT .FMLP .BSLª$ #FOTPOª 4FTTFS $PMVNCVT CONTINUED ON PAGE S-14

DENISE MIRMAN '3*&%."/ª .*3."/ $0 - 1 " $PMVNCVTª

www.friedmanmirman.com

.PSSJT 3JDIBSEª- , Richard L. Morris Co., Gahanna /JHI +PTFQIª" 5IF /JHI -BX (SPVQ $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 Petroff, Ronald, Petroff Law Offices, Columbus 4PXBME #FBUSJDFª, 4PXBME 4PXBME "OEFSTPO )BXMFZª +PIOTPO $PMVNCVT 4PXBME )FBUIFSª( 4PXBME 4PXBME "OEFSTPO )BXMFZª +PIOTPO $PMVNCVT 4QPOTFMMFS /BODZª- -BX 0GGJDF PG /BODZ - 4QPOTFMMFS %VCMJO 1H ª4 4UFFMZ .FMPEZª- , Steely Law Office, Circleville

Valeriya Kryvokolinska

4VSJBOP 4VTBOª. , Greco Law, Dublin 5SFOFGG $SBJHª1 , Treneff Cozza Law, Westerville 1H ª4 ª4 5SPMJOHFS $ISJTUPQIFSª- , Trolinger Law Offices, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 8BSOPDL %PVHMBTª8 , Douglas W. Warnock Co., Delaware Weis, Amy, Weis Law Group, Columbus, 1H ª4 ª4 ª4

AMY WEIS WEIS LAW GROUP LLC $PMVNCVTª

Denise Mirman

Scott Friedman

Kelly Queen

*Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Thomson Reuters.

www.woclaw.com

8PMJOFU[ #BSSZª) 8PMJOFU[ª] )PSWBUIª] #SPXO $PMVNCVT :PVOLJO 5SBDZª" , Grossman Law Offices, Columbus

1320 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 • friedmanmirman.com

SUPER LAWYERS OHIO / COLUMBUS 2025

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 GENERAL LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS CONT’D FROM PAGE S-13

.JMMFS +PTFQIª3 , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus .PSEBSTLJ %BOJFMª3 , Mordarski Law, Columbus 1H ª4 .PZP &MJ[BCFUIª- 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus 1PSUFS ** 8JMMJBNª( , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus 5FFUPS + ª4UFQIFO, Teetor Westfall, Columbus

RISING STARS "TISBXJ :B[BOª4 , Frost Brown Todd, Columbus #VSOT +VTUJOª. %JOTNPSFª 4IPIM $PMVNCVT Pugh, Samantha #BSOFTª 5IPSOCVSH $PMVNCVT 4PIOFS +FTTJDBª- "SFOTUFJOª "OEFSTFO $P Dublin Valentine, Sara 4JUUFSMFZ 7BOEFSWPPSUª /JYPO Lancaster 8IBMJOH 5IPNBTª+ , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS SUPER LAWYERS -JHHFUU +S -VUIFSª- "UUPSOFZ BU -BX %VCMJO RISING STARS Mikkelson, Erik )JDLT 1BSUOFST $PMVNCVT

Vargas Vorys, William, Dickinson Wright, Columbus 8IBMFO .BEJTPOª- $)8 "EWJTPST $PMVNCVT

HEALTH CARE SUPER LAWYERS $BSTPOJF 'SBOLª8 , Benesch Law, Columbus ,MFJONBO 4UFQIFOª3 &QTUFJO #FDLFSª (SFFO Columbus 1MJOLF &SJDª+ %JOTNPSFª 4IPIM $PMVNCVT 3FJT[ -JTBª1JFSDF &QTUFJO #FDLFSª (SFFO Columbus

IMMIGRATION SUPER LAWYERS DiFranco, Brian 3PESJHVF[ #FMMª %J'SBODP -BX Office, Columbus

INSURANCE COVERAGE SUPER LAWYERS #BJMFZ %BOª" , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus (BMMBHIFS +BNFTª3 , Gallagher Gams Tallan #BSOFTª -JUUSFMM $PMVNCVT (BNT .BSLª) (BMMBHIFS (BNT 5BMMBO #BSOFTª Littrell, Columbus (BSOFS 3JDIBSEª. $PMMJOT 3PDIF 6UMFZª (BSOFS %VCMJO 1H ª4 (FPSHJUPO 1FUFSª+ %JOTNPSFª 4IPIM $PMVNCVT 8SJHIU #FOKBNJO 5IF -BX 0GGJDF PG 8SJHIUª "TTPDJBUFT $PMVNCVT

RISING STARS Horacek, Sunny $PMMJOT 3PDIF 6UMFZª (BSOFS Dublin *NNFMM +FOOJGFSª-FXJT, Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus +PSEBO #SJBOª'SBODFTDP, Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus .JLBMPW +BDPCª" , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus

Shihab, Gus 5IF -BX 'JSN PG 4IJIBCª "TTPDJBUFT Co., Columbus

4BOUBHBUF $ISJTUPQIFSª1 #SFOOBO .BOOBª Diamond, Columbus

RISING STARS

:PVOH +BNFTª. , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus

#BSIPSTU .JDIFMMFª%JBOF #BLFSª )PTUFUMFS Columbus Thomas, Arianne, Robert Brown, Columbus

5BMCFSU +BNFTª1 , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SUPER LAWYERS 3FDUPS 4VTBOª% , Peterson Conners, Dublin RISING STARS &JOTJFEFM .BSLª4 #BLFSª )PTUFUMFS $PMVNCVT Parks, Jalyn, The J. Parks Firm, Columbus Smith, Jocelyn, UB Greensfelder, Columbus Stevens, Drew, The Stevens Law Firm, Columbus Tomusko, Anthony, UB Greensfelder, Columbus

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS .BSTI +PIOª' , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus 3PENBO 3BDIBFMª- , UB Greensfelder, Columbus

LAND USE/ZONING RISING STARS )VCFS +FOOJGFSª- #SPTJVT +PIOTPOª (SJHHT Columbus

-&(*4-"5*7&ª (07&3/.&/5"- AFFAIRS SUPER LAWYERS #SFZ %POBMEª$ *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus .D5JHVF %POBMEª+ .D5JHVFª $PMPNCP Columbus

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 .&3(&34ª "$26*4*5*0/4 SUPER LAWYERS $SPX 4DPUª$ , Dickinson Wright, Columbus (JCTPO 3JDLª+ -BQF .BOTGJFME /BLBTJBOª (JCTPO Powell -BQF 3PEEª# -BQF .BOTGJFME /BLBTJBOª (JCTPO Powell RISING STARS +JB %JBOBª- 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus Pretty, Adam $BMGFF )BMUFSª (SJTXPME $PMVNCVT Pyatt, Courtney, Dickinson Wright, Columbus

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUPER LAWYERS #BMM %BWJEª5 3PTFOCFSHª #BMM $P (SBOWJMMF

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS #BSOFT #FMJOEBª4 , Gallagher Gams Tallan #BSOFTª -JUUSFMM $PMVNCVT #VTI ,FWJOª3 8FTUPO )VSE $PMVNCVT Grigsby Jones, Kelly, Perez Morris, Columbus )PMMFSO &EXJOª+ , Curry Roby, Columbus 3BOLJO (SFHPSZª% 8FTUPO )VSE $PMVNCVT RISING STARS Braverman, Sydney, Oliver Law Office, Dublin, 1H ª4 ,JEE 3PCFSUª+ (BMMBHIFS (BNT 5BMMBO #BSOFTª Littrell, Columbus

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF SUPER LAWYERS "MUFS .JUDIFMMª+ -BX 0GGJDFT PG .JUDIFMM "MUFS Columbus #BLFS "OESFXª4 , The Baker Law Group, Columbus #PXNBO + ª4DPUU (FJTFSª #PXNBO $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 #SFJUNBZFS *** (FPSHFª4 3PTT .JEJBOª Breitmayer, Columbus Bressman, David, Bressman Law, Dublin #SPXO $IBOEBª- , Walton + Brown, Columbus $SJUDIFUU & ª3BZ, E. Ray Critchett, Dublin %FGPTTF[ .BSLª& , The Donahey Law Firm, $PMVNCVT %SBLBUPT &MFOJª"OESJBOB, Yacobozzi Drakatos, Columbus &MMJPUU 3FYª) , Cooper Elliott, Columbus 1H ª4 ª4 &SOFZ 3PCFSUª% 3PCFSU % &SOFZ BOE "TTPDJBUFT Co., Columbus 'JGOFS $VSUJTª. &MLª &ML $P %VCMJO Fitch, John, The Fitch Law Firm, Columbus (FJTFS .JDIBFMª, (FJTFSª #PXNBO $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4

(FSWFMJT .BSLª4 , Gervelis Law Firm, Columbus, 1H ª4 Harris, Sean ,JUSJDL -FXJTª )BSSJT $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 *DF .BUUIFXª& (FJTFSª #PXNBO $PMVNCVT Kitrick, Mark ,JUSJDL -FXJTª )BSSJT $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 Lewis, Mark ,JUSJDL -FXJTª )BSSJT $P $PMVNCVT .BOOFS .BUIJBTª% , Manner Law Firm, Columbus .D-BGGFSUZ 4ZEOFZª4 , The Stuckey Firm, Dublin 1H ª4 ª4 .FJ[MJTI 4BOGPSEª" , Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, Columbus .JMMFS #SJBOª( , Brian G. Miller Co., Worthington, 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 ª4 .PZFS 4UFQIFOª" , Moyer Law Offices, Columbus 0MBXBMF &NNBOVFMª0 , The Olawale Law Firm, Westerville 0MJWFS +BNJª4 , Oliver Law Office, Dublin, 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 3PQFS +BNFTª. , Teetor Westfall, Columbus 3PVSLF .JDIBFMª+ 3PVSLFª #MVNFOUIBM $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 4DPUU $SBJHª1 5IF -BX 0GGJDF PG $SBJH 4DPUUª $P $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 4OJEFS +PIOª. , Stebelton Snider, Lancaster 7BO &NBO 5JNPUIZª- , Van Eman Law, Powell 8BHPOFS 3PCFSUª+ %JUUNFS 8BHPOFSª 4UFFMF Columbus

RISING STARS Agler, Taylor -BSEJFSF .D/BJSª 4UPOFCSPPL -UE )JMMJBSE #PEFNBO .BUUIFXª' 4PSPLBª "TTPDJBUFT Columbus Bressman, Jedidiah, Bressman Law, Dublin Cox, Jason, Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, Columbus )BZEFO .FHBOª3 4DIJGGª "TTPDJBUFT $PMVNCVT Heit, Corey )FJU -BX $PMVNCVT Magnone, Antonio ,BSS 4IFSNBOª .BHOPOF $P Columbus .D$PZ $ ª+PTFQI .D$PZª .D$PZ /FXBSL Murphy, Kari, Walton + Brown, Columbus Slone, Adam, Brian G. Miller Co., Worthington, 1H ª4 ª4 Staley, Brandi ,JUSJDL -FXJTª )BSSJT $P Columbus Walsh, II, Thomas ,JTMJOH /FTUJDPª 3FEJDL Columbus Walton, Jr., Sean, Walton + Brown, Columbus

PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS 'PMJBOP (SFHPSZª# "SOPME 5PEBSP 8FMDIª 'PMJBOP $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 .BUUJT 5IFPEPSFª1 , Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, Columbus .VOTFMM 5IFPEPSFª. , Carpenter Lipps, Columbus 4FMMFST 4BCSJOBª4 , Poling Law, Columbus 4FXBSET 'SFEFSJDLª" "SOPME 5PEBSP 8FMDIª Foliano, Columbus

Jacqueline L. Kemp SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS

Kemp Law Group, LLC kemplawgroup.com

SKILLED REPRESENTATION IN FAMILY LAW—FROM STRAIGHTFORWARD TO COMPLEX When facing a family law matter, you’re likely picturing a painful, prolonged SURFHVV WKDW ZLOO VWUDLQ \RXU ȴQDQFHV DQG relationships. That doesn’t have to be the case. For over 20 years, Jackie Kemp has helped clients avoid lengthy legal disputes and preserve property.

Kemp Law Group handles all matters arising from divorce. Kemp leverages her considerable background to create customized strategies for her clients. A skilled negotiator, she seeks a swift—and favorable—resolution. When settlement VWDOOV VKHȇV D ȴHUFH DGYRFDWH RQ EHKDOI RI her clients.

Kemp, who began her career working with the late Harold R. Kemp, Esq., is an Ohio 6WDWH %DU $VVRFLDWLRQ &HUWLȴHG )DPLO\ /DZ Specialist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She’s been named to Super Lawyers since 2011 and is currently named among the Ohio Top 50 Women and Columbus Top 50.

Kemp’s richest reward, however, is seeing positive change in her clients’ lives.

555 Metro Place N., Suite 300 Dublin, OH 43017 jacqueline@kemplawgroup.com (614) 389-1991

CONTINUED ON PAGE S-16

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STRONG, EFFECTIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION.

OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 PERSONAL INJURY CONT’D FROM PAGE S-15

RISING STARS Glinka, Jaime, Poling Law, Columbus Hoover, Zachary %JOTNPSFª 4IPIM $PMVNCVT

PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: PLAINTIFF

Jon J. Saia

SELECTED TO OHIO SUPER LAWYERS OHIO TOP 100 / COLUMBUS TOP 50

SUPER LAWYERS "CSBIBN %BOJFMª/ $PMMFZ 4ISPZFS "CSBIBN $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 $PPQFS +S $IBSMFTª) , Cooper Elliott, Columbus 1H ª4 &WBOT ** (PSEPOª% , The Donahey Law Firm, $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 )BOTPO 3PCFSUª& 4DIFSOFSª )BOTPO $PMVNCVT -FFTFCFSH (FSBMEª4 , Leeseberg Tuttle, Columbus .JMMFS 3PCFSUª1 3PVSLFª #MVNFOUIBM $PMVNCVT Newman Jr., Danny, The Donahey Law Firm, $PMVNCVT 4ISPZFS %BWJEª* $PMMFZ 4ISPZFS "CSBIBN $PMVNCVT 1H ª4 ª4 ª4 5VUUMF $SBJHª4 , Leeseberg Tuttle, Columbus RISING STARS .BSLVT +PIOª" , Leeseberg Tuttle, Columbus

PERSONAL INJURY PRODUCTS: DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS &EFMNBO +PZDFª% 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus -JUUSFMM 3FYª" , UB Greensfelder, Columbus Murch, Kevin, Perez Morris, Columbus RISING STARS 4DIJBWPOF 4BSBª$ 1PSUFS 8SJHIU .PSSJTª "SUIVS Columbus

4UFFMF ,FOUPOª) , Reminger, Columbus Watrous Ziolkowski, Jordan, Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus

REAL ESTATE SUPER LAWYERS #VSLIBSU .BUUIFXª+ (BMMBHIFS ,BWJOTLZª Burkhart, Columbus (SPOFS +BNFTª. , Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus )BU[JGPUJOPT %JNJUSJPTª( , Willis Law Firm, (SBOEWJFXª)FJHIUT ,PPQFSNBO #SJBOª5 , Kooperman Mentel Crossley Yaross, Columbus -B#VIO .BUUIFXª" 0OEB -B#VIO &SOTCFSHFSª Boggs Co., Columbus 3PCJOT )BSMBOª8 , Frost Brown Todd, Columbus 4DIBFGGFS 4DPUUª/ ,FNQ 4DIBFGGFSª 3PXF $P Columbus RISING STARS 'PY +VTUJOª. 5IF 'PY -BX 'JSN /FXª"MCBOZ Gant, Christopher, Kayne Law Group, Columbus (JMMJLJO $ISJTUJBOª"OUIPOZ, Bailey Cavalieri, Columbus Katz, Steven ,BU[ 1SZPSª %J$VDDJP $PMVNCVT Kocak, Brian, Dickinson Wright, Columbus .JMMFS .BSDVTª"OUIPOZ 4IVNBLFS -PPQª Kendrick, Columbus .PPSF #SVDFª" , Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, Columbus Neiman, Michael /FJNBO -BX $PMVNCVT Parini, Solomon, Willis Law Firm, (SBOEWJFXª)FJHIUT Pryor, Stephen ,BU[ 1SZPSª %J$VDDJP $PMVNCVT 4DIPUUFOTUFJO .JDIBFMª- ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª Ritter, Columbus Snyder, Oney $BSMJMF 1BUDIFOª .VSQIZ $PMVNCVT 4ZLPSB 3JDIBSEª+ , MDK, Columbus

4$)00-4ª &%6$"5*0/ PERSONAL INJURY PRODUCTS: PLAINTIFF

Matthew C. Mollica SELECTED TO OHIO RISING STARS

splaws.com

SUPER LAWYERS -JTU % ª"OESFX $MBSL 1FSEVFª -JTU $P $PMVNCVT

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY: DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS Graff, Douglas (SBGGª .D(PWFSO $PMVNCVT ,FUUMFXFMM $IBSMFTª+ , Charles J. Kettlewell, Columbus .BUIFXT +S "MWJOª& , UB Greensfelder, Columbus 1ZFST ;BDIBSZª# , Reminger, Columbus RISING STARS 1BMPNCB "MFYª. "SOPME 5PEBSP 8FMDIª 'PMJBOP $PMVNCVT

ALEX M. PALOMBA "3/0-% 50%"30 8&-$)ª '0-*"/0 $PMVNCVTª

www.arnoldlaw.net

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SUPERLAWYERS.COM

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SUPER LAWYERS .D*OUPTI 4BOESBª3 , Scott Scriven, Columbus 8FJLFS .BSLª" "CEOPVS 8FJLFS $PMVNCVT RISING STARS "MCFJU -FTMJFª" "MCFJU .BTUFST $PMVNCVT $BOBEBZ $IFMTFBª- ª#FSHFS, Dickinson Wright, Columbus Moore, Jessica "CEOPVS 8FJLFS $PMVNCVT Stromski, Renee "CEOPVS 8FJLFS $PMVNCVT

4&$63*5*&4ª $03103"5& '*/"/$& RISING STARS ,PSUIBVT &NJMZª- ,PISNBO +BDLTPOª ,SBOU[ Columbus

SECURITIES LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS .FZFS %BWJEª1 , Meyer Wilson Co., Columbus 1H ª4

ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.

12/4/2024 8:30:02 AM 11/21/24 1:11 PM

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S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

OHIO COLUMBUS 2025

RICHARD F. MEYER

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY SUPER LAWYERS 'BSSFMM $MJGGPSEª. .BOSJOHª 'BSSFMM %VCMJO

ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE ELDER LAW

RISING STARS Marzola, Molly .BOSJOHª 'BSSFMM %VCMJO

Selected to Super Lawyers

Rubin, Chelsea, Philip J. Fulton Law Office, $PMVNCVT

CHELSEA RUBIN PHILIP J. FULTON LAW OFFICE $PMVNCVTª

www.ohiocompensationlawyer.com

45"5& -0$"-ª .6/*$*1"SUPER LAWYERS (MBTHPX "BSPOª. *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus ;FUT #SJBOª. *TBBD 8JMFTª #VSLIPMEFS Columbus

3JDIBSE ' .FZFS JT BO 0IJP 4UBUF #BS "TTPDJBUJPO CPBSE DFSUJ¾FE TQFDJBMJTU JO FTUBUF QMBOOJOH USVTUT BOE QSPCBUF MBX )JT QSBDUJDF GPDVTFT PO BTTFU QSPUFDUJPO FMEFS MBX FTUBUF QMBOOJOH .FEJDBJE QSPCBUF BOE TQFDJBM OFFET USVTUT .FZFS JT B NFNCFS BOE QBTU QSFTJEFOU PG UIF 0IJP $IBQUFS PG UIF /BUJPOBM "DBEFNZ PG &MEFS -BX "UUPSOFZT NFNCFS BOE QBTU DIBJSNBO PG UIF 0IJP 4UBUF #BS "TTPDJBUJPOµT &MEFS BOE 4QFDJBM /FFET -BX $PNNJUUFF BOE QBTU DIBJSNBO PG UIF 04#"µT &MEFS -BX $FSUJ¾DBUJPO $PNNJUUFF 8JUI B .BSUJOEBMF )VCCFMM SBUJOH PG "7 1SFFNJOFOU GPS UIF MBTU ZFBST IF IBT CFFO TFMFDUFE UP 0IJP 4VQFS -BXZFST GPS ZFBST JODMVEJOH UIF MBTU DPOTFDVUJWF ZFBST .FZFS BOE IJT QSPGFTTJPOBM MFHBM TUBGG XJUI EFDBEFT PG FYQFSJFODF PGGFS PVUTUBOEJOH TFSWJDF JO UIF ¾SNµT TQFDJBMJ[FE BSFBT PG QSBDUJDF 5IF PG¾DF PG 3 ' .FZFS "TTPDJBUFT JT DPOWFOJFOUMZ MPDBUFE JO 8PSUIJOHUPO OFBS *OUFSTUBUF BOE )JHI 4USFFU 3PVUF BU 8 8JMTPO #SJEHF 3PBE 4VJUF

R.F. MEYER & ASSOCIATES 450 W. Wilson Bridge Road, Suite 380, Worthington, OH 43085 (614) 407-7900 | rmeyer@elderlaw.us

TAX SUPER LAWYERS "TIUPO 3JDLª- "MMFO 4UPWBMM /FVNBOª "TIUPO Columbus

elderlaw.us

%PETPO ,BUIFSJOFª3 5FSSFODF " (SBEZª "TTPDJBUFT $P $PMVNCVT (SBEZ 5FSSFODFª" 5FSSFODF " (SBEZª "TTPDJBUFT Co., Columbus ,FTTMFS 3VTTFMMª8 ,FTTMFSª #BMMFOHFS $P Columbus ;BJOP .JDIBFMª+ , Zaino Law Group, Dublin ;BJOP 5IPNBTª. ;BJOP )BMMª 'BSSJO $PMVNCVT

RISING STARS Robinson, Demetrius ,PISNBO +BDLTPOª ,SBOU[ Columbus

TECHNOLOGY TRANSACTIONS RISING STARS 3PVTI ,BSJª3 5TJCPVSJTª "TTPDJBUFT 8FTUFSWJMMF

TRANSPORTATION/MARITIME SUPER LAWYERS #MVCBVHI .BSDª4 , Benesch Law, Columbus RISING STARS Karcher, Alexander 3PFU[FMª "OESFTT $PMVNCVT

UTILITIES RISING STARS Dove, Robert ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus CONTINUED ON PAGE S-18

SUPER LAWYERS OHIO / COLUMBUS 2025

ColumbusMonthly_51016_12_20_2024_B_057_436375.indd 1 OHSL25_COL.indd 17

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OHIO COLUMBUS 2025 WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SUPER LAWYERS #BSOIBSU %BWJEª# , Philip J. Fulton Law Office, Columbus $PQQ .BUUIFXª3 1MFWJOª (BMMVDDJ $P $PMVNCVT Cowans, Timothy, Scott Scriven, Columbus %VTTFBV .JDIBFMª1 , Philip J. Fulton Law Office, Columbus 'VMUPO 1IJMJQª+ , Philip J. Fulton Law Office, Columbus Goldberg, Richard, Scott Scriven, Columbus (PPENBO +POBUIBOª) , Jon Goodman Law, Worthington )BGFOTUFJO ,FOOFUIª4 $POOPS ,JNNFUª )BGFOTUFJO $PMVNCVT ,SBOTUVCFS $IBSMFTª8 , Law Offices of Charles W. Kranstuber, Columbus .D$BSUZ %BWJEª. ,FHMFS #SPXO )JMMª 3JUUFS Columbus McDaniel, Jennifer, McDaniel Law, Columbus 4BOJTMP ,FWJOª3 , The Sanislo Firm, Westerville 8BIPGG 8JMMJBNª+ 4UFQUPFª +PIOTPO $PMVNCVT 8PMMBN 4IBXOª. 1MFWJOª (BMMVDDJ $P $PMVNCVT Zamora, Charles ;BNPSBª )PHBO $P $PMVNCVT RISING STARS Bauer, John, Poling Law, Columbus Buker, Jared %JOTNPSFª 4IPIM $PMVNCVT %VGGZ 5SPZª" , Reminger, Columbus ,FNQ -BVSFOª" , Taft, Columbus ,SBOTUVCFS $BSMFZª3 , Law Offices of Charles W. Kranstuber, Columbus Marcellino, Samuel /BHFS 3PNBJOFª 4DIOFJCFSH Co., Columbus Pace, Greg .BMFLª .BMFL -BX 'JSN $PMVNCVT

Selected to Super Lawyers

Selected to Super Lawyers

DANIEL N. ABRAHAM

C. GUSTAV DAHLBERG

$0--&: 4)30:&3 "#3")".

4PVUI )JHI 4USFFU 'MPPS $PMVNCVT 0) 5FM EBCSBIBN!DTBKVTUJDF DPN www.colleyshroyerabraham.com

#"##*55ª %")-#&3( -"8 --$ /PSUI )JHI 4USFFU 4VJUF $PMVNCVT 0) 5FM gdahlberg@bdfamilylaw.com www.bdfamilylaw.com

PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: PLAINTIFF 1&340/"- */+63: 130%6$54 1-"*/5*'' $-"44 "$5*0/ ."44 50354

FAMILY LAW

%BOJFMª / "CSBIBN HSBEVBUFE GSPN 8FTU -JCFSUZ $PMMFHF JO ªBOE $BQJUBM 6OJWFSTJUZ 4DIPPM PG -BX JO )JT QSBDUJDF areas include product liability, medical malpractice, premise liability, wrongful death, intentional torts, industrial and trucking BDDJEFOUT )F IBT BSHVFE GPS QMBJOUJGGµT SJHIUT PO UXP TFQBSBUF PDDBTJPOT CFGPSF UIF 0IJP 4VQSFNF $PVSU "T B 'SBOLMJO $PVOUZ "TTJTUBOU 1SPTFDVUPS IF USJFE EFBUI QFOBMUZ DBTFT BT XFMM BT white collar crimes and was awarded a Certificate of Merit from UIF 0IJP 4UBUF )JHIXBZ 1BUSPM )F XBT SFDPHOJ[FE CZ 'SBOLMJO County Prosecutor, Michael Miller, for Outstanding Service as BO "TTJTUBOU 1SPTFDVUPS GSPN ªUISPVHI )F IBT CFFO featured in Vanity Fair magazine, with book and film productions PG DBTFT IFªIBOEMFE

3FDPHOJ[FE UP 0IJP 4VQFS -BXZFST (VT %BIMCFSH is a respected and experienced Columbus divorce attorney.

Exclusively focused on domestic relations and family law, Gus has successfully represented a wide array of clients on a number PG JTTVFT SBOHJOH GSPN DPNQMFY BTTFU EJWJTJPO UP IJHI JODPNF DIJME BOE TQPVTBM TVQQPSU DBTFT " HSBEVBUF PG 0IJP 6OJWFSTJUZµT )POPST 5VUPSJBM $PMMFHF BOE 5IF 0IJP 4UBUF 6OJWFSTJUZµT .PSJU[ College of Law, Gus is still involved in educating students and his fellow attorneys by serving as a frequent lecturer on family MBX JTTVFT (VT JT BO 0IJP 4UBUF #BS "TTPDJBUJPO $FSUJGJFE Specialist in Family Relations Law and is a fellow in the "NFSJDBO "DBEFNZ PG .BUSJNPOJBMª-BXZFST

Selected to Rising Stars

Selected to Super Lawyers

DENNIS B. DAHLBERG

SCOTT N. FRIEDMAN

4PVUI UI 4USFFU 4VJUF $PMVNCVT 0) 5FM dennis@dsflawfirm.com www.dsflawfirm.com

%VCMJO 3PBE 4VJUF $PMVNCVT 0) 5FM sfriedman@friedmanmirman.com www.friedmanmirman.com

%")-#&3( 45"/-&:ª '0%&3&55* --$

'3*&%."/ª .*3."/ $0 - 1 "

FAMILY LAW &45"5& 1-"//*/( 130#"5& #"/,3615$: $0/46.&3

FAMILY LAW .&%*"5*0/

%FOOJTª # %BIMCFSH JT UIF GPVOEJOH QBSUOFS PG %BIMCFSH 4UBOMFZª 'PEFSFUUJ --$ %FOOJT BOE IJT UFBN IFMQ XJUI BMM legal needs throughout the State of Ohio including, but not limited to, family law, adoption, bankruptcy, probate and estate planning. Under their family law practice, the firm focuses on aggressive and mindful representation of clients in the areas of divorce, dissolution, legal separation, custody, child support, BOE QPTU EFDSFF NBUUFST &BDI NFNCFS PG IJT UFBN CSJOHT different strengths to the organization: experience, attention to EFUBJM DPNQBTTJPO BOE UFOBDJUZ UP OBNF B GFX .S ª%BIMCFSH JT certified as a Divorce and Family Law Mediator by The Supreme $PVSU PG 0IJP BOE JT TFMFDUFE UP 3JTJOH 4UBST GPSª

4DPUU 'SJFENBO JT BO 0IJP 4UBUF #BS "TTPDJBUJPO #PBSE $FSUJGJFE 4QFDJBMJTU JO 'BNJMZ 3FMBUJPOT -BX )F JT BMTP MJDFOTFE UP practice law in the State of Florida. Scott served as chair of the "NFSJDBO #BS "TTPDJBUJPO 'BNJMZ -BX 4FDUJPO JO ªBOE JT DVSSFOUMZ B 4FDUJPO %FMFHBUF UP UIF )PVTF PG %FMFHBUFT JO UIF "NFSJDBO #BS "TTPDJBUJPO 4DPUU JT B GFMMPX PG UIF "".- Scott has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since ªBOE XBT Best Lawyers ª²-BXZFS PG UIF :FBS³ GPS 'BNJMZ -BX JO $PMVNCVT 4DPUU IBT CFFO SBOLFE JO $IBNCFST )JHI /FU Worth. Scott’s practice includes all areas of family law as well BT TFSWJOH BT BO BSCJUSBUPS BOE NFEJBUPS JO GBNJMZ MBXªNBUUFST

Selected to Super Lawyers

Selected to Super Lawyers

Selected to Super Lawyers

MARK S. GERVELIS

MICHELLE L. GRAMZA

JOHN P. JOHNSON, II

(&37&-*4 -"8 '*3. %VCMJO 3PBE 4VJUF % $PMVNCVT 0) 5FM msg@gervelislaw.com www.gervelislaw.com

4$)"--&3 $".1#&--ª 6/*5&% /PSUI 1BSL 1MBDF 10 #PY /FXBSL 0) 5FM NHSBN[B!TDV MBX DPN XXX TDV MBX DPN

$00,& %&.&34 --$

.BSLFU 4USFFU Suite F /FX "MCBOZ 0) 5FM KKPIOTPO!DEHBUUPSOFZT DPN www.cdgattorneys.com

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF #64*/&44 -*5*("5*0/

FAMILY LAW

FAMILY LAW #64*/&44 -*5*("5*0/

.BSLª4 (FSWFMJT JT B USJBM MBXZFS QSBDUJDJOH QFSTPOBM JOKVSZ JO 0IJP BOE 1FOOTZMWBOJB )JT QSBDUJDF GPDVTFT PO USVDL BDDJEFOUT CSBJO JOKVSJFT BOE DPNQMFY MJUJHBUJPO .S ª(FSWFMJT JT B #PBSE $FSUJGJFE $JWJM 5SJBM -BXZFS QBTU QSFTJEFOU PG UIF /FHMJHFODF 4FDUJPO PG UIF 0IJP "DBEFNZ PG 5SJBM -BXZFST B NFNCFS PG UIF .JMMJPO %PMMBS "EWPDBUFT 'PSVN BOE QBTU QSFTJEFOU PG UIF .BIPOJOH 5SVNCVMM 5SJBM -BXZFST "TTPDJBUJPO )F IBT USJFE DBTFT UP KVSJFT JO :PVOHTUPXO $PMVNCVT $MFWFMBOE "LSPO 8BSSFO -JTCPO 4BOEVTLZ 1BJOFTWJMMF BOE NBOZ PUIFS 0IJP DJUJFT )F also argued cases before the Ohio Supreme Court and the 4JYUI $JSDVJU $PVSU PG "QQFBMT JO $JODJOOBUJ .BSL JT DVSSFOUMZ B NFNCFS PG UIF CPBSE GPS UIF 0IJP "TTPDJBUJPO GPS +VTUJDF 0GGJDFT JO 5PMFEP "LSPO 8BSSFO BOEª$PMVNCVT

.JDIFMMFª - (SBN[B JT BO BUUPSOFZ XJUI 4DIBMMFS $BNQCFMMª 6OJUFE MBX GJSN JO /FXBSL 0IJP " UPQ SBUFE BOE IJHIMZ WFSTBUJMF MBXZFS XJUI ª ZFBST PG FYQFSJFODF .T ª (SBN[B provides exceptional representation and support to a diverse range of clients throughout Licking County who have legal needs in Family Law, including divorce, child custody, support, HSBOEQBSFOUT SJHIUT BOE PUIFS QPTU EFDSFF JTTVFT 8JEFMZ regarded as one of the leading attorneys in her region, .T ª (SBN[B IBT BDIJFWFE DPOTJEFSBCMF TVDDFTT BTTJTUJOH IFS clients with their divorces and guiding them in making the CFTU JOGPSNFE EFDJTJPOT SFHBSEJOH DIJME DVTUPEZ BOE TVQQPSU QSPQFSUZ EJWJTJPO BMJNPOZ BOE PUIFS SFMBUFEªNBUUFST

.S ª+PIOTPO JT B NFNCFS PG $PPLF %FNFST JO /FX "MCBOZ 0IJP *O IJT DBSFFS IF IBT TVDDFTTGVMMZ SFQSFTFOUFE DMJFOUT JODMVEJOH corporate executives, entrepreneurs, community leaders, medical and legal professionals, professional athletes and other IJHI OFU XPSUI JOEJWJEVBMT JO DPOUFTUFE EJWPSDFT NFEJBUJPOT and dissolutions, spousal support modifications, prenuptial agreements and other family law matters throughout the TUBUF PG 0IJP " OBUJWF PG $PMVNCVT BOE HSBEVBUF PG 0IJP 8FTMFZBO 6OJWFSTJUZ ´ BOE $BQJUBM 6OJWFSTJUZ -BX 4DIPPM ´ .S ª +PIOTPO XBT BO "TTJTUBOU "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBM GPS UIF 4UBUF PG 0IJP CFGPSF UVSOJOH UP QSJWBUF QSBDUJDF )F IBT CFFO BO 04#" DFSUJGJFE TQFDJBMJTU JO 'BNJMZ -BX TJODF ªBOE OBNFE UP 4VQFS -BXZFST TJODFª

S-18 .

4035&% "-1)"#&5*$"--:

SUPERLAWYERS.COM

ColumbusMonthly_51016_12_20_2024_B_058_436376.indd 1 OHSL25_COL.indd 18

ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.

12/4/2024 8:31:06 AM 11/21/24 1:11 PM

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S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

OHIO COLUMBUS 2025

4035&% "-1)"#&5*$"--: Selected to Super Lawyers

Selected to Rising Stars

Selected to Super Lawyers

RICHARD M. LEWIS

STEPHANIE M. MEHLE

BRIAN G. MILLER

#PBSENBO $BOGJFME 3PBE $BOGJFME 0) 5FM stephanie@gervelislaw.com www.gervelislaw.com

8 0ME 8JMTPO #SJEHF 3PBE 4VJUF 8PSUIJOHUPO 0) 5FM bgm@bgmillerlaw.com www.bgmillerlaw.com

5)& -"8 '*3. 0' 3*$)"3% . -&8*4 1FBSM 4USFFU +BDLTPO 0) 5FM richard@richardmlewis.com www.richardmlewis.com

(&37&-*4 -"8 '*3.

#3*"/ ( .*--&3 $0 - 1 "

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF &45"5& 1-"//*/( 130#"5& (&/&3"- -*5*("5*0/

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: DEFENSE

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF "-5&3/"5*7& %*4165& 3&40-65*0/ (&/&3"- -*5*("5*0/

3JDIBSEª. -FXJT JT B +BDLTPO 0IJP BUUPSOFZ XJUI PWFS ªZFBST of experience. This experience includes litigation, alternative EJTQVUF SFTPMVUJPO BOE UFBDIJOH .S ª -FXJT HSBEVBUFE GSPN $BQJUBM -BX 4DIPPM JO $PMVNCVT 0IJP JO *O .S ª-FXJT graduated from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio XJUI B #BDIFMPS PG "SUT JO QPMJUJDBM TDJFODF .S ª -FXJTµ MFHBM FYQFSJFODF JT WBSJFE BOE SJDI )F JT B NFNCFS PG UIF #PBSE PG 5SVTUFFT PG UIF 0IJP "TTPDJBUJPO GPS +VTUJDF UIF 0IJP 4UBUF #BS "TTPDJBUJPO UIF "NFSJDBO "TTPDJBUJPO GPS +VTUJDF BOE UIF "NFSJDBO #BSª"TTPDJBUJPO

"U UIF (FSWFMJT -BX 'JSN JO $BOGJFME 0IJP 4UFQIBOJFª . .FIMF IFMQT QFPQMF BDSPTT UIF TUBUF JO NZSJBE QFSTPOBM JOKVSZ matters, including motor vehicle accidents, truck collisions and DBUBTUSPQIJD JOKVSJFT BNPOH NBOZ PUIFST .T ª.FIMF DPNQMFUFE IFS + % BU 5IF 6OJWFSTJUZ PG "LSPO 4DIPPM PG -BX XIFSF TIF XBT assistant editor at the Akron Law Review. While handling cases GPS IFS DMJFOUT .T ª.FIMF JT DPNQBTTJPOBUF BOE FNQBUIJ[FT XJUI their plight, providing her with the drive and enthusiastic zeal to get them to a comfortable place in their lives through monetary damages and holding the responsible parties accountable for UIFJS SFDLMFTTOFTT BOE OFHMJHFODF 4IF QSPNPUFT DMJFOU DFOUSJD ideals within her legal community and strives to progress the TUBOEBSET PGªTFSWJDF

#SJBOª ( .JMMFS GPDVTFT IJT QSBDUJDF PO TJHOJGJDBOU QMBJOUJGGTµ QFSTPOBM JOKVSZ DBTFT JODMVEJOH UIPTF JOWPMWJOH DPOTUSVDUJPO accidents, workplace and premises negligence, and serious SPBEXBZ BDDJEFOUT .S ª .JMMFS JT B GPSNFS "TTJTUBOU 'SBOLMJO $PVOUZ 1SPTFDVUPS B HSBEVBUF PG UIF /BUJPOBM *OTUJUVUF PG 5SJBM "EWPDBDZ BOE B NFNCFS PG UIF .VMUJ .JMMJPO %PMMBS "EWPDBUFT Forum. The Best Lawyers in America recognized him as the 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ ²-BXZFS PG UIF :FBS³ GPS $PMVNCVT GPS )F IBT DPOTJTUFOUMZ BDIJFWFE TVDDFTTGVM SFTVMUT GPS IJT DMJFOUT including one of the largest verdicts in the State of Ohio, a Top ª 6 4 WFSEJDU JO .S ª .JMMFS JT BMTP PVUTJEF DPVOTFM UP UIF /)-µT $PMVNCVT #MVF +BDLFUT BOE IBT CFFO SFDPHOJ[FE GPS TVQFSJPS DMJFOUªTFSWJDF

Selected to Super Lawyers

Selected to Super Lawyers

Selected to Super Lawyers

DENISE MIRMAN

STEPHEN E. PALMER

DAVID I. SHROYER

4PVUI )JHI 4USFFU $PMVNCVT 0) 5FM spalmer@palmerlegaldefense.com palmerlegaldefense.com

4PVUI )JHI 4USFFU 'MPPS $PMVNCVT 0) 5FM dshroyer@csalawfirm.com www.colleyshroyerabraham.com

'3*&%."/ª .*3."/ $0 - 1 " %VCMJO 3PBE 4VJUF $PMVNCVT 0) 5FM dmirman@friedmanmirman.com www.friedmanmirman.com

1"-.&3 -&("- %&'&/4&

$0--&: 4)30:&3 "#3")".

FAMILY LAW

CRIMINAL DEFENSE %6* %8* 8)*5& $0--"3

PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: PLAINTIFF 1&340/"- */+63: (&/&3"- 1-"*/5*'' 1&340/"- */+63: 130%6$54 1-"*/5*''

Denise Mirman has been practicing in the Family Relations Law 'JFME IFS FOUJSF DBSFFS BOE JT BO 04#" CPBSE DFSUJGJFE TQFDJBMJTU She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for family law and was named Best Lawyers ª ²-BXZFS PG UIF :FBS³ JO GBNJMZ law in Central Ohio. Denise has been named to Ohio Super Lawyers since inception and was also named to the Ohio Super -BXZFST 5PQ ª 8PNFO ° BOE UP UIF $PMVNCVT 0IJP 4VQFS -BXZFST 5PQ ª 8PNFO ° %FOJTF JT very involved in the community, serving on the boards of the $FOUSBM 0IJP "M[IFJNFSµT "TTPDJBUJPO BOE 5IVSCFS )PVTF GPS eight years on the Women’s Fund of Central Ohio, and was a GPVOEJOH NFNCFS GPSNFS DIBJS PG UIF CPBSE BU UIF .BHJDBM .FNPSJFTª'PVOEBUJPO

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home & style Home Peace Home A Dublin renovation prioritized relaxation and healing while its owner battled cancer.

See it on Page 62.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

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Home & Style | Home

Designer Janey Gentile and homeowner Chris Clinton in Clinton’s Dublin home.

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Home & Style | Home

A Home of Comfort A Dublin redesign creates a healing retreat during an entrepreneur’s cancer fight.

By Laura Newpoff Photos by Tim Johnson

JANUARY 2025 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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J

aney Gentile is an Ohio native who built her career at a fashion advertising and public relations firm in New York City, followed by roles at Condé Nast Publications and Martha Stewart Living magazine, before she returned to the Buckeye State in 1999.

Through her experiences, she got to work alongside top design personalities, and she grew a passion for art direction, brand development and styling home interiors. In 2004, her husband, Dr. Steven Gentile, was an emergency room physician at Emergency Services Inc., which supported Mount Carmel Health System. He worked with Dr. Carol Clinton, who was leaving that practice to start aesthetic medicine business Timeless Skin Solutions in Central Ohio. Steve suggested she should have his wife design her new logo and advertising pieces.

That led to a 15-year career where Gentile served as Clinton’s brand director. Clinton experienced Gentile’s creative direction through branding, styling the interiors of her offices and seeing how Gentile designed 64

her own home. In 2021, Clinton, who was undergoing treatment for cancer, reached out to Gentile to see if she would transform a portion of her home on River Forest Road in Dublin into a comfortable, peaceful and healing environment.

Clinton was diagnosed with ovarian cancer a year after she started her business, and after a period of remission, it returned 13 years later. “She was undergoing intensive treatment at clinical trials, so she especially wanted her home to be peaceful and calming as she went through that. She was a vocal cancer advocate and it was an honor to help update and refresh her home to a calmer, more relaxing space in her final years,” Gentile says of the renovation that involved the kitchen, great room and powder room. She worked with the Epic Group, the contractor on the project.

The kitchen had a large island with a black countertop and dark cherry wood cabinets underneath with supporting columns also made out of cherry. The lights that hung above it also sported the dark cherry look.

 The redesign of the Clintons’ home in Dublin opened up the kitchen and dining room with a lighter, brighter island.

Lighted shelving shows off art objects, while a slate-colored wall behind pops against the white walls and counter.

Gentile wanted to bring a lighter, more modern feel to the room. Because the original island had two levels—counter height on the kitchen side and bar height on the great room side—her design lowered the bar height cabinets to modernize the island and provide a more open feeling. A 20-foot-long, off-white quartzite countertop replaced the black one, and the cherry columns were removed and wrapped in mitered wood so the structural columns blended into the clean lines of the surrounding beam and walls, creating a serene effect. This also gave the kitchen a brighter feel. Dimmable LED lighting was installed above the island. Gentile also added “a big splurge”—custom bar chairs that were made by handcrafted furniture maker Palecek.

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The project also involved replacing an old gas fireplace with an electric one adorned by decorative stone that stretches to the ceiling. Gray tile was installed on the two accent walls on each side of the fireplace. Cluttered bookshelves were removed, and Gentile added decorative floating cherry wood shelves with LED lighting on one of those walls.

“Architecturally, it is more minimalist than it was before,” she says. “I wanted to carry the cherry wood into the living space to unite and connect the rooms with a balanced color palette.”

In the great room, two window benches were removed to open up room for a sofa, loveseat and coffee tables. Vinyl flooring was pulled up and replaced with wood flooring. Gentile added new lighting and seating in the dining space and an antique mirror to a bar serving area to bring more reflection into the home.

The bathroom was transformed by replacing red wall paint with texturized navy grass paper and adding a more modern mirror, sink and lighting.

Because of pandemic-related supply chain problems that were occurring at the time, Gentile prioritized finding items that were in stock at local places like Arhaus Furniture, Elm & Iron, RH, Trove, The Tile Shop and Hamilton Parker. The project was finished in early winter 2022, and Clinton was able to enjoy the improvements until she passed in late June 2023.

Gentile, who owned JHG Design throughout her art direction years, shifted focus in 2022 to launch it as a full-service interior design and consulting business.

Clinton’s husband, Chris Clinton, said the home provided a welcoming and calming environment for his wife to relax in after her treatments. It also is an enduring gift to him and their three adult children when they come visit.

“Carol always had a good idea of what she wanted for the space and was able to provide direction, but Janey complemented her excellently to execute her vision,” he says. “People have remarked that when you walk in, you can immediately feel Carol’s presence and her touch. Janey was able to capture that and create the type of environment that allowed Carol to feel comfortable and clear her mind of the issues she was having with her health.” ◆

 The great room feels more open with the removal of window benches, while navy grass paper gives a contemporary vibe to the bathroom.

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Home & Style | Q&A Lindsey Gulliver and her mother Anne Wheeler at Lennonheads Salon and Spa in Worthington, where they installed wallpaper to enliven a wall.

Pretty in Paper The way wallpaper can transform rooms drew a local mom into business installing it.

By Virginia Brown Ginger & Lu started on the sidelines of a soccer game. Westerville resident Lindsey Gulliver, who grew up with the nickname Lu, met Ginger Brehl while their sons were kicking the ball around, and they discovered a mutual love of wallpaper. A couple of years later, Brehl has moved on, and Gulliver now works with her mom, Anne Wheeler, offering professional wallpaper installation. Here, Gulliver shares her favorite projects and her plans for the future.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Did your business find traction right away? We started slowly in spring of 2022. It takes a while to build up a clientele, and we don’t do a ton of advertising.

We have an Instagram page, and we put most of our projects on there, so that was a way to get the word out. But to start, it was really just friends and family.

What types of projects have you done?

There are a ton of styles of paper, from paste-the-wall to paste-the-paper to pre-pasted paper—no house or project is the same. We’ve worked in really old homes, cutting around intricate woodworking, and also on pretty basic walls, when it’s very easy, just panel after panel after panel.

66

Wallpaper is notoriously frustrating to install. What about the process brings you joy? Honestly, I didn’t know that I would like it! The business opportunity intrigued me, because I knew that people were having a hard time finding installers. That need propelled me to look into it more.

When it’s not my home, and it’s someone else’s, I can be more patient. Like with any art, you can get lost in it. That doesn’t mean it isn’t frustrating at times, or there’s not a huge learning curve. But luckily my mom came out of retirement to help me when Ginger decided to move on from the business in August.

What are some of the more fun projects you’ve had? The funky projects with a lot of character are really fun. We did an Anthropologie paper in a home in Upper Arlington.

The wallpaper has a green background with chairs on it. The whole house had so much character. I tell people to pick something that makes them happy and go for it. You’re the one living in your home. Florals are always big. For powder rooms, you can really have fun because you can close the door; you don’t have to see it all the time. ◆

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

Why did you start the business? I knew I wanted to do something creative. My mom wallpapered part time when I was growing up. Ginger and I got to talking about how people want wallpaper, but it’s a lost art.

COLUMBUS MONTHLY JANUARY 2025

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Top 25 Residential Sales Nov. 1-30, 2024 PRICE

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$4,500,000

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1 Miranova Pl., Unit 2425, Columbus

Jaime Sommer from Patrik Laine

$1,750,000

782 Orange Rd., Orange Township

Douglas James Schumer and Debra Merlino Ragali from Christopher J. and Heather L. Black, Trustees

$1,564,010

7460 Haven Green Ln., New Albany

Lee W. Gemma from Bob Webb Woodhaven LLC

$1,562,500

1990 Chatfield Rd., Upper Arlington

Robert and Kathryn Anderson from Todd Daniel and Tamara Lukens

$1,550,000

2172 Fairfax Rd., Upper Arlington

Peter and Rachel R. Unkovic from Robert E. and Laura J. Geil

$1,525,000

1695 Roxbury Rd., Upper Arlington

Corey and Kylie Bentine from Rachel R. and Peter R. Unkovic

$1,519,900

4708 Millburn Pl., Columbus

Robert M. and Harriette S. Hansell from Pallavy Reddy

$1,500,000

3757 Surrey Hill Pl., Upper Arlington

Angela M. Leggett from Ushaben N. Patel Revocable Trust

$1,275,000

466 N. Columbia Ave., Bexley

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835 S. Fifth St., Columbus

Michelle M. and Daniel J. Feeman from Thomas P. and Tami L. Pappas

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6385 Quarry Ln., Columbus

Craig R. Dieckhoner and Leigh A. Householder from Upward Home Solutions

$1,070,000

2470 Dorset Rd., Upper Arlington

Shannon and James Anthony O’Neill from Corey A. Bentine and Kylie E. Mooney

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Dhruti and Cori Cramer from Pulte Homes Of Ohio LLC

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Jason Spears and Jessica Helms from Thomas W. Butler III and Jennifer P. Butler

$1,025,000

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Michael Sullivan Popson and Emily Ann Messick from Clark L. Anderson

$1,000,000

6958 Stillwater Cv., Westerville

Melinda and Jeffrey Shellabarger from Dennis E. and Mary A. Nielsen, Trustees

$993,000

4556 Langport Rd., Upper Arlington

Matthew Terry and Laura Marie Streng from Adam J. Burton and Julie A. Wiltberger

$986,000

153 Glyn Tawel Dr., Granville

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$985,000

4742 Vista Ridge Dr., Dublin

Christopher Green and Rachel Rinehardt from Vincent and Kendra Giacalone

$980,000

5754 Hickory Dr., Lewis Center

Alfred S. and Christine M. Tobin from Ryan and Charisse Rossler

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David J. Hutcheson from Bob Webb Evans Farm LLC

$940,000

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2841 Doncaster LLC from William C. Shimp

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food & drink From Italy With Love Tiramisu is served in an Italian espresso pot at Pelino’s Pasta.

Review, Page 70.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

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Food & Drink | Review

All in on Pasta Handmade pasta is the star of the show at Vinny and Christina Pelino’s osteria.

By Amy Bodiker Baskes Sometimes it’s nice to have a plan.

There’s comfort in having boundaries to guide your path. The short and sweet prix fixe menu at Pelino’s Pasta on King Avenue, voted one of Columbus Monthly’s Best New Restaurants in 2022, offers a defined and delicious experience.

For husband-and-wife chefs and owners Vinny and Christina Pelino, who since have opened Piazza Pelino and Caffè Pelino in the Short North, a limited format showcases their talent.

Through menus that change monthly, the chefs take diners on a journey through regional and seasonal Italian dishes. For a meal of either three ($49) or four ($64) courses, you can choose from two to four appetizers, pastas and desserts. A longer seven course chef ’s tasting menu is also available for $99.

True to its name, this menu is all about the pasta. There are no contorni (sides) or meat courses here. At Pelino’s, the vegetables and meats mainly appear in service of the carbs. The good news is that the portions are modest, and a complete meal doesn’t overwhelm.

Ingredients matter at Pelino’s. A manifesto at the top of the menu explains that all the handcrafted pastas are made with imported semolina flour and organic, pastured eggs. The knowledgeable servers helpfully guide you through the full menu and point out vegetables that come from growers like Three Creeks Produce in Groveport. Wines and other imported specialty products are labeled as DOC (Controlled Designation of Origin), a European certification that ensures place-based products are made consistently.

To start the menu, Pelino’s antipasti are small bites meant to stimulate the appetite.

Earlier this fall, I enjoyed a salad made 70

Dominic Pelino prepares cacio e pepe at Pelino’s Pasta.

from the stems of locally grown puntarelle, an Italian chicory typically served in Rome in the winter. Described as Pelino’s version of a Caesar salad, the hearty greens in this dish can take the aggressive flavors of anchovy and lemon. Though showy, I found the stems a little unmanageable until I ran my knife and fork through them and tossed things up a bit.

For diners who choose the four course option, bite-sized filled pastas from the Pasta Piccola section of the menu bridge the transition from the antipasti to pasta courses. I thoroughly enjoyed the “Caplaz” alla Zucca Ferraresi on one of my visits. Pelino’s holds to the formula of this classic dish by presenting two pieces of squash-filled ravioli dressed in sage-infused brown butter. In the Caplaz, dialect in Ferrara for the ravioli’s specific shape, Pelino’s uses koginut squash, a sweet and nutty cross between a kabocha and a

SHORTHAND

Pelino’s Pasta 245 King Ave., Dennison Place 614-849-6966 pelinospasta.com Open: Monday-Saturday for dinner.

If you go: Don’t miss the daily made focaccia ($8.50), the same pillowy bread with the salty caramelized crust used in the sandwiches at Piazza Pelino, served here with a grass-green olive oil. butternut grown by a local farmer. Stand down pumpkin spice, this one is fall flavor perfection.

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PHOTOS: TIM JOHNSON

Squash ravioli, focaccia, bruschetta, tiramisu and cacio e pepe

For the main pasta courses, the portions are slightly larger. Unfortunately, I found the pastas uneven on different visits. Some arrived dry and cold, like the Pappardelle al Ragu Bianco ($5 additional), a tomato-free meat sauce with minced lamb that was too heavy on sage and too dry to coat the broad, flat noodles. But the good ones, like the Pistacchio e Burrata, curly tratolle pasta in a sauce of melted burrata and ground pistachios, were sublime. Its rich green color prompted memories of summer’s basil pesto, but this rich and earthy concoction was perfect for winter.

Cacio e pepe is always available on Pelino’s otherwise ever-changing menu for good reason: it’s dramatic, yet simply delicious. Made tableside in a drum-sized wheel of Pecorino Romano, the staff twirls long strands of warm gemelli pasta directly into the

cheese itself, melting it just enough into a sauce that’s finished with freshly ground black pepper.

Dolci (desserts) are the creation of Christina Pelino. She draws on traditional recipes and seasonal ingredients that surprise with flavors more common on savory menus, like the Torte de San Grato, a moist autumn apple spice cake made with polenta and rosemary. The signature and always available dessert is a classic tiramisu, served in an individual moka espresso pot. I may have had too much of this in the 1990s to get all that excited by it these days—but the flavors are classic and the presentation is festive.

The bar at Pelino’s serves only wines and some unique fortified wines as aperitifs and digestifs. While not uncommon in Italy, it’s notable for a fine dining establishment not to have a full

bar. And a hefty markup on many of those bottles, some three or four times retail rates, stings just a bit, even if the Pelinos have used their expertise to carefully select 90 producers to be on their menu. A more reasonable pairing option includes a flight of three different glasses of red or white wines for $25 on Tuesdays.

The main downside to Pelino’s Pasta’s limited menu is just that: It’s limited.

This is not a something-for-everyone spot. While your intolerances and allergies will certainly be accommodated— they are cooking your dinner to order, of course—if someone you love has a narrow palate, you just don’t feel like eating a lot of carbs, or you enjoy starting a meal with a cocktail, this might not be the ideal place for you. Overall, though, Pelino’s delicious, creative, authentic formula works on many fronts. ◆ JANUARY 2025 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Martini, Modern Again

Food & Drink | Industry

What is it like to reimagine a restaurant that’s nearly 30 years old? We found out at Martini Modern Italian.

By Linda Lee Baird Photos by Tim Johnson When I was invited to report on the process of updating Martini Modern Italian—the fourth restaurant to open in the Cameron Mitchell empire, nearly 30 years ago—I assumed a quicker process.

The email noted the restaurant would be closing for 11 days to receive a “facelift,” which would shift the business “into a new era fitting of its name.”

I pictured a reality television-style period of creative mayhem: Chefs crafting new dishes into the wee hours and corporate samplers stopping over to critique presentation and demand more salt.

Designers brushing paint samples onto walls amid intense conversations about atmosphere. Servers dutifully reciting the names of new menu items they were now in charge of selling, frustrated as the plan continued to evolve mere minutes before the doors opened to guests.

What actually transpired wouldn’t necessarily make for great television. But it definitely makes a better business model than the chaos I’d imagined. And, with more than 100 restaurants now operating across the country, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants certainly knows quite a bit about how to succeed in an industry notorious for low profit margins and high turnover. When I found out the process of planning for the new Martini had taken upwards of 18 months, I realized I had a lot to learn about how restaurant operations work.

I was fortunate to learn from some of the best in the industry.

Why ‘Refresh’ a Restaurant?

Changing a classic restaurant is hard. For some eateries, the era in which they were built becomes a defining feature of their brand: Stop by The Top Steak House or Windward Passage if you have any 72

Interior of the recently renovated Martini

doubts. Even the iconic sign outside the original Cameron’s Bistro in Worthington will take visitors right back to 1993, at least for a moment.

But generally for a brand like CMR, evolution is key. It’s why I’m writing the word “brand” and talking about locations from Ohio to Michigan to Florida and California instead of a single, neighborhood spot. And Martini—situated in a Downtown that has expanded its convention center and added a hockey arena, hotels and other attractions since the restaurant opened in 1996—needs to change along

with the neighborhood, especially as the area prepares to become more dense under the redevelopment of the North Market site into a 32-story tower.

“You have to continue to evolve,” says David Miller, president and chief operating officer of CMR. “You continue to have to be better today than you were yesterday and better tomorrow than you are today, which is a core philosophy of ours.”

Getting it right, though, presents unique challenges. Stray too far from what your longtime customers expect,

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and you risk losing them. Make adjustments too conservatively, and you could spend a lot of money without attracting a new customer base. “It’s a fine line to walk,” says Chuck Kline, CMR’s senior vice president of operations.

To find the balance, the opinions of the people who are at Martini the most—the regular diners and the service staff—were collected through surveys and informal conversations. Their ideas “mattered more so than the direction of my bosses and the leadership of the company,” Martini’s general manager, Keith Moorehead, says. “We want to be very careful about even using the word ‘change,’ I think. Because yes, we’re updating, we’re evolving.

But we have no intention of abandoning what has made Martini so great for the past nearly three decades.”

There’s also a practical aspect underlying any remodel. “Restaurants take a beating,” Miller says. “They’re just high maintenance facilities.” Those that make it to 10 years are typically due for this level of TLC; Miller says CMR spends “millions and millions” of dollars annually refurbishing restaurants.

“We’re remodeling and updating probably two to five restaurants a year,” explains Randy Roberty, CMR’s director of design and architecture.

Going Modern This is the second time Martini has gone through a refresh. The first transformed the restaurant from a more independent-feeling establishment into the modern concept, even adding “modern” to

Prosciutto di Parma

Martini’s beverage manager Carey Santiana

the name (it was originally called Martini Ristorante and Bar). Martini 1.0 had personal touches like a hand-written menu, but Miller says it struggled with brand identity. “People thought it was a bar because of the name,” he says.

Today, Martini is operating not only in a changed neighborhood, but also under a much larger parent working in a different restaurant landscape. There are now multiple Italian concepts run

by CMR, and in addition to standing out among competitors in a now-bustling area, Martini needed to differentiate itself from other CMR restaurants that serve pasta and high-quality meats.

Therefore, the planning needed to focus on the physical aspects of the restaurant as well as on its menu.

Kline sees Martini as offering higher-end dining than the more casual Marcella’s; less family-oriented than Bridge Park’s Valentina’s (though there is a kids menu); and in many ways a precursor to CMR’s celebrated 100th restaurant, Cento. The addition of premium steaks and chops to the Martini menu would further distinguish it.

Also vital to Martini is the service provided by its professional team. Kline talks about the enhancements that transform a dinner for guests, from the tableside pouring of a pasta’s sauce, to shaking a cocktail before a customer’s eyes. “Theatrics add to that experience,” he says.

“There’s more to value than just the price on the menu.”

To get a refresh right, physical changes, menu changes and staff training need to happen in tandem. The whole of these

components is greater than the sum of its parts: A meal of excellent food can be hampered by inefficient service, and physical issues—from uneven table legs to the placement of heating and cooling vents—are a nuisance that seasoned servers can mitigate but not always solve.

Every aspect of the diners’ experience needs to be considered in the planning.

And the best way to understand a customer’s perspective is to become one yourself. CMR’s research for refreshes and new concepts involves travel to major cities such as Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. The itinerary is always packed with food. “Trust me, trying to eat in 10 or 12 restaurants in two days, it’s an art,” Miller says with a laugh. But these trips help to inspire the vision of what a new space or restaurant can be.

Updated Space, Menu and Experience Longtime guests will notice the difference at Martini before they even walk through the front door. New plants added to the entrance way offer what Roberty calls a “greenery moment” to attract passers-by. A glass wine room replaced a closet behind the host stand, “taking something that was a background element, a coat closet, and turning it into a strength,” Roberty says.

Other changes were designed to create a mood: darker finishes, lights with a warm yellow hue, new fabrics that add texture to furnishings and ignite a visual conversation with the black and white artwork hung on the walls. These updates carry through to the private dining room in the back.

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New art hangs on Martini’s walls

A wine room replaced a coat closet during Martini’s renovation.

Photographer Chris Casella and CMR corporate chef Jamie Kline during a photo shoot at Martini in preparation for the reopening.

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The central bar in the front of the restaurant, a focal point that Roberty says is “almost sculptural,” remains, as does the open kitchen that invites transparency between the front and back of house. (However, kitchen function was improved by a new shelving system and a wood grill.)

The first major change to the menu is also the first thing guests likely will eat: the bread, which Martini is now making in-house after bringing it in from a central bakery for years. Moorehead tells me about the options: a focaccia loaded with cheese, tomato and herbs, and a garlic bread with a truffle sauce—what he calls “an elevated take on perhaps a more traditional approach.”

The trend of wood-fired cooking shows up on the menu’s new “Steaks and Chops” section. These prime cuts of meat are served à la carte; customers can add their preferred sides. Jamie Kline, CMR’s corporate chef (and Chuck’s brother), says the portions of appetizers and sides are smaller than at some other restaurants, encouraging guests to order a few.

Of course, just as important as what’s

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Colorful signage and greenery welcome guests

new on the menu are its tried-and-true mainstays. This is where CMR’s customer survey data comes into play. “We know our guests intimately,” Chuck Kline says.

“If we take that chicken parmesan off the menu, the Columbus Blue Jackets are going to have a protest.”

The tenderloin was another dish the team considered untouchable; Moorehead says he considers it to be “the best steak in the city of Columbus.” Unlike the wood-fired meats, it’s served as a complete meal, accompanied by rigatoni pasta and topped with a Chianti wine reduction.

All of these changes need to complement and build on one another. “That brand has to speak from the front door to the back door,” Chuck Kline says.

Perhaps, then, you could call the service staff CMR’s brand ambassadors. They are the ones responsible for connecting the dots for the customers: explaining the menu, collecting the orders and executing the tableside touches that define high-end dining. At the same time, when a customer isn’t happy, they’re the first ones to hear about it. It’s why senior CMR staff look to on-site staff as partners in planning.

“They are a part of it from day one,” Jamie Kline says. “We take everything into consideration. If something is real valid that they’re really advocating for, nine out of 10 times we’re going to keep it to where they want it.” Many of the menu’s changes started as “chef features,” onetime specials that evolved into something more permanent as servers shared guests’ experiences and requests.

As the menus at Martini and other CMR restaurants mature, so do the loyal staff that run the business. The Kline brothers are not the only family members to share careers at CMR. David Miller’s brother Mitch Miller is the vice president of the Ocean Prime brand, and a number of CMR’s staff first met their spouses at work.

The company culture is one of longevity in a field known for the opposite—David Miller notes that many members of the executive team have surpassed the 20year mark. Turnover rates at all levels, from hourly employees to leadership, are well below industry averages.

“Keep your people, you’ll have a great company,” he says.

The Big Reveal On Nov. 7, the night before Martini reopened to the public, I attended a preview dinner. I dipped garlic bread into truffle spread, marveling at the rich, yet delicate, balance. As we sipped wine and cocktails recommended by our attentive server, my husband and I sampled a new Prosciutto di Parma appetizer, a Shrimp Arrabbiata pasta with blistered tomatoes (a reimagined version of the previous menu’s Shrimp Marinara) and—because I listen to the experts—the classic tenderloin dish.

The decor was timely without being stuffy—the very definition of “modern.”

The food was presented cleanly, with everything on the plate given space to speak for itself, while the service hit the right balance of friendly and efficient.

Looking at the surrounding tables as servers topped off glasses and sprinkled seasonings on approving customers’ plates, I appreciated all I’d learned about the 18 months of planning that brought us here.

This was more than a meal. It was a moment. ◆ JANUARY 2025 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Food & Drink | Cocktail

The Peachy Keen

By Linda Lee Baird Peachy Keen—a craft cocktail combining peach whiskey from Noble Cut Distillery, amaretto and whey—won first place at Columbus Monthly’s 2024 Fall Cocktail Competition, held Nov. 20 at Vitria on the Square. The cocktail was created and served by Dustin Ross and Oscar Leyva from The Lion in Bexley, which opened at 2511 E. Main St. in September.

The drink stood out among 18 entries for its use of frozen dairy served as a precursor to the boozy shot, which balanced the creaminess with sweet peach, nutty amaretto and notes of pine. Ross, The Lion’s beverage director, says the finished drink is reminiscent of “peach pie sitting in the window of a pine forest.”

He shared a simplified version of the cocktail recipe for imbibing at home and advises, “It’s easiest to think about the recipe in terms of parts, rather than in ounces. That way you can scale the recipe up or down based on your needs.” A kitchen scale is helpful for measuring ingredient ratios. ◆ 76

PEACHY KEEN Courtesy Dustin Ross

INGREDIENTS • Noble Cut Peach Whiskey • Fresh lemon juice • Simple syrup

• Whole milk • Champagne (Drappier recommended) • Amaretto and pine oil, for garnish

DIRECTIONS 1. In a large container, mix two parts of Noble Cut Peach Whiskey to one part fresh lemon juice and one part simple syrup.

2. In a separate container, measure 40% of the volume of your whiskey, lemon and simple syrup mix in whole milk. Add your liquor mix into the milk (not the other way around).

3. Allow the mix to curdle for two minutes and pour into a coffee filter or cheese cloth laid over a colander or strainer. After roughly 10 minutes, the mixture will start to run clear.

4. Transfer the punch that has already drained to a fresh container and re-pour over the top of the coffee filter. Go slowly to ensure all the liquid pours through both filters. Drain until separated, at least two hours, or overnight if needed.

5. S crape the remaining solids from the inside of the coffee filter and combine in a blender with an equal weight of champagne and simple syrup. (This can be added to a whipped cream canister to use as a foam or frozen.)

6. To serve, pour your desired amount of clear punch into a glass and top with creamy mixture or, if frozen, serve it on a spoon like a palate cleanser.

For a garnish, add a drop of pine oil to 1 ounce of amaretto and use a spray bottle to spritz over the glass.

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

The Lion Leads

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let’s eat

Visit columbus monthly.com to read about the latest restaurant openings.

WHERE TO DINE THIS MONTH

Editor’s Note: Please call restaurants to check hours and menu availability. $$$$ $$$ $$ $

Very expensive, $30 and higher Spendy, $21–$29 Moderate, $13–$20 Affordable, $12 and under

NEW Restaurant has opened within the last few months.

B BR L D

Breakfast Brunch Lunch Dinner

1 Outdoor Seating 2024 Best New Restaurants 1 Let’s Eat comprises Columbus Monthly editors’ picks and is updated monthly based on available space. Send updates to letters@columbusmonthly.com.

AMERICAN Bun’s Restaurant Located in historic Delaware, Bun’s has been serving classic comfort food for more than 150 years. The menu ranges from pot roast and steaks to fried shrimp and gyro platters. 14 W. Winter St., Delaware, 740363-2867. LD $$

Dempsey’s Food & Spirits Gussied-up breakfast and pub fare for Downtown lunchers and condo-dwellers alike. Serves traditional Irish Breakfast, threeegg omelets, burgers, pot roast and crab cakes. 346 S. High St., Downtown, 614-8690001. BBRLD $$

MTM Tavern | Steakhouse

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

The modern décor accompanies a laid-back tavern atmosphere with a chef-driven menu of upscale, pub-style dishes including pasta, fresh seafood and the Miller Burger. Matt the Miller’s features craft and local beers, premium wines, spirits and artisan cocktails.

6725 Avery-Muirfield Dr., Dublin, 614-7999100. BRLD $$

Northstar Café Northstar’s menu has a healthful emphasis on organic ingredients served in a casual, order-at-the-counter café setting. At peak times, it’s common to see diners lined up for the beet-laden veggie burger, pizzas,

Chaun Jiang Hao Zi

salads, rice-and-veggie bowls and oversized cookies. 4241 N. High St., Clintonville, 614784-2233; 4015 Townsfair Way, Easton, 614-532-5444; 951 N. High St., Short North, 614-298-9999; 109 S. State St., Westerville, BBRLD $$ 614-394-8992.

practice putting green. 1947 Stringtown Rd., Grove City, 614-871-2420. LD $$

Chuan Jiang Hao Zi

Boasting a hip, retro vibe and seriously solid bar food, Over the Counter has become a Worthington staple since opening in 2017.

Don’t miss the Where’s Waldo bologna sandwich and Sweet & Spicy BLT. 5596 N. High St., Worthington, 614-846-1107. BRLD $$

From the owners of bygone dim sum destination Fortune Chinese comes this University City restaurant featuring both American Chinese and authentic Chinese menus. House specialties include fish fillet in Sichuan green pepper broth, mapo lobster and tofu, spicy dry pot beef and fried spicy intestine. A dim sum menu is also available.

496 Ackerman Road, Northwest Side, 614372-5520 LD $$

The Rossi Kitchen & Bar

Ding Ho Restaurant

This Short North hot spot offers a menu of gourmet pizzas, lamb lollipops and pastas in a new-meets-old atmosphere straight out of Manhattan. 895 N. High St., Short North, 614-525-0624. D $$$

This West Side establishment has been serving classic Cantonese dishes since the 1950s, with wor sue gai, pepper steak, lo mein and sesame chicken. 120 Phillipi Rd., West Side, 614-276-4395. LD $$

The Wine Bistro

NEW Fiery Sky Asian Kitchen This new addition to the Bethel Road corridor specializes in Chinese dry pot cuisine—think hot pot without the broth, but with the open flame. The extensive menu includes over 100 dishes with a full bar coming soon. 1450 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614-670-5775. LD $$

Over the Counter

Thick block tables, dark wood and autumn colors create a California-wine-country atmosphere at this local establishment.

The menu includes small plates, fondue, bruschetta and antipasti. 1750 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington, 614-485-1750. LD $$$

CHINESE China Bell Restaurant A traditional Chinese eatery that’s been serving lunch and dinner for more than 30 years. Sundays feature a buffet with traditional Chinese dishes, and the patio includes a

Wing’s Restaurant This longtime family-owned Chinese eatery boasts one of the best Scotch selections in the city, with spicy noodles, Mongolian beef and wor sue gai. 2801 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-236-8261. LD $$ JANUARY 2025 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Brioso Coffee “Mean coffee, nice people” is the tagline at this pioneering Downtown coffee shop and roastery which offers baked goods to pair with excellent coffee and espresso drinks. 53 N. High St., Downtown, 614-670-8490; 329 E. Long St., Downtown, 614-754-9511. BL $

Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea Offering a good spot to study or relax, Crimson Cup is an award-winning, Columbus-based coffee roaster, which roasts sustainably sourced coffee in small batches.

4541 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-262-6212; 2468 Northwest Blvd., Upper Arlington, 614641-7020. BLD $

One Line Coffee Although One Line’s Short North café is known as a place to get your Chemex pourover or Kyoto-style coffee fix, its coffee shop in the River & Rich development also serves beer, wine and a small food menu. 471 W. Rich St., Franklinton, 614-929-5877; 745 N. High St., Short North, 614-564-9852; 41 S. High St., Capitol Square, 614-824-2642. BLD $

Upper Cup Coffee This coffee shop started out in historic Olde Towne East and now offers a second location in Gahanna. A small menu of sandwiches complement its single-origin coffees that are roasted in-house. 121 Mill St., Gahanna, 614-383-7496; 79 Parsons Ave., Olde Towne East, 614-220-0206. BLD $

CONTEMPORARY Agni At his fine-dining restaurant, chef Avishar Barua (Top Chef Season 18) entertains guests with multicourse tasting menus that showcase Barua’s Bengali roots, penchant for creative hijinks and live-fire cooking chops. Reservations are a must, or try snagging a bar seat. 716 S. High St., D $$$$ Brewery District, 614-674-6600.

Fyr Argentinian chef Sebastian La Rocca oversees this live-fire restaurant at the new Hilton Columbus Downtown tower. Dinnertime starters range from empanadas to grilled bone marrow, while the mains include

ember-cooked shrimp, grilled filet, woodfired pizzas and roasted salmon. Breakfast is served daily. 404 N. High St., Short North, 614-484-5286. BD $$$$

J. Liu Restaurant and Bar J. Liu offers a blend of Asian, Italian and classic American cuisines in a modern, trendy setting, with Jason’s Spicy Chicken, pad thai, Chophouse Burger and scallop risotto. 50 W. Bridge St., Dublin, 614-718-1818; 6880 N. High St., Worthington, 614-888-1818. LD $$$

Service Bar Local distiller Middle West showcases its fine spirits at this on-site restaurant and bar led by executive chef Chris Connolly. Expect New American fare ranging from a wagyu beef burger to halibut with Kashmiri curry.

1230 Courtland Ave., Short North, 614-9471231. D $$$ NEW Gene’s This newcomer to old Dublin’s High Street is a cozy space in an old house and a sister restaurant to the Coast Wine House down the block. The menu changes regularly to incorporate seasonal ingredients, while the accessible wine and creative cocktail lists invite guests to linger into the evening. 91 S. High St., Dublin, 614-553-7050. D $$$

DINER Jack & Benny’s This breakfast favorite of students and locals alike serves classic diner fare such as breakfast all day, pancakes, country fried steak and sandwiches. 2563 N. High St., Old North, 614-263-0242. BL $

Nutcracker Family Restaurant An authentic ’50s-style diner (with an impressive nutcracker collection) serving comfort food and homemade pies. The menu includes a pork tenderloin sandwich, meatloaf and the Country Breakfast. 63 E. Broad St., Pataskala, 740-964-0056. BBRLD $

The Pancake House Family Diner A cozy American diner that lives up to its name, serving a wide variety of pancakes, egg dishes, burgers and more. Don’t miss the cinnamon roll pancakes. 1182 E. Powell Rd., Lewis Center, 614-987-6014; 129 W. Schrock Rd., Westerville, 614-898-6500. BL $$

Tommy’s Diner A longstanding, classic 1950s-style diner serving breakfast (a popular choice among the Downtown business crowd), lunch and some Greek dishes. 914 W. Broad St., West Side, 614-224-2422. BL $

GERMAN Gemüt Biergarten Fyr

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Housed in a renovated 1890s firehouse building, this locally owned brewery, beer garden and restaurant is a great neighborhood spot to enjoy German-style

beers and food. 734 Oak St., Olde Towne BRLD $$$ East, 614-725-1725.

Schmidt’s Restaurant & Sausage Haus Hoist a stein of beer and treat your stomach to some hearty German food and culture at this longstanding restaurant popular with out-of-towners and locals alike. Bring a friend to help you enjoy huge portions of sausage, Wiener schnitzel, Bavarian cabbage rolls and cream puffs. 240 E. Kossuth St., German Village, 614-4446808. LD $$

INDIAN/PAKISTANI Aab India Aab India boasts a large menu of authentic Northern Indian-style curry offerings, plus papadi chaat, chicken tandoori and shrimp bhuna. 1470 Grandview Ave., Grandview, 614-486-2800. LD $$

Apna Bazaar This Pakistani carryout offers excellent haleem chicken, lamb seekh kebabs and more. Apna Bazaar also sells typical Indian and Southeast Asian groceries, including halal meat. 810 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614-326-2762. LD $$

Dosa Corner This affordable, family-owned South Indian spot specializes in expertly thin, pancakelike dosas, uthappam and vegetarian curries.

1077 Old Henderson Rd., Northwest Side, 614-459-5515. LD $$

Flavors of India One of the oldest vendors in the North Market, this spot offers simple Northern Indian fare like samosas, saag paneer and chicken curry, as well as vegan and gluten-free options. 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614-228-1955. LD $$

Indian Oven A friendly and chic eatery serving Northern Indian and Bengali meals. The menu includes palak paneer, tandoori chicken, biryani and roasted lamb shank. 427 E. Main St., Downtown, 614-220-9390. LD $$

LATIN AMERICAN Brazilian Grill & Bakery A Brazilian market and restaurant specializing in prato feito (often abbreviated to PF), which are blue-plate specials with beans, rice, fries and salad, topped with traditional Brazilian meats. 5818 Columbus Sq., North Side, 614394-9254. LD $

Cilantro Latin Fusion The owners of Cilantro food truck have a new dine-in restaurant serving a mix of Colombian, Venezuelan and Ecuadorian fare such as arepas, pabellon, patacones and more. 4852 Sawmill Rd., Northwest Side, 614-754-1080, 614-966-1222; 993 King Ave., Grandview food truck; 5584 Hall Rd. Galloway food truck, 614-373-4080. LD $$

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

COFFEE SHOP

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Mordisco Food Truck At this wheeled Venezuelan eatery, whose official home is Olentangy River Brewing Co., you’ll find standout breakfast burritos, arepas, pabellón bowls and more. 303 Green Meadows Dr. S., Lewis Center, 786BL $$ 557-8828.

Sí Señor Peruvian Sandwiches & More Owner Guillermo Perez crafts outstanding handhelds at this casual café. The roasted turkey club, meatloaf and fried pork shoulder sandwiches are hard to beat. Don’t skip the cilantro pasta. 155 W. Nationwide Blvd., Arena District, 614-670-4985; 1456 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest. L $

MEDITERRANEAN Aladdin’s Aladdin’s strives to provide its customers with authentic Lebanese dishes. The menu is loaded with fresh and healthy dishes at this colorful eatery, with lots of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. 2931 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-262-2414; 1425 Grandview Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-488-5565; 9711 Sawmill Pkwy., Powell, 614-389-5438; 6284 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., Westerville, 614656-7060; 7227 N. High St., Worthington, 614-430-1730. LD $$

Brassica Founded by the owners of Northstar Café, this build-it-yourself eatery focuses on fresh vegetables and proteins spiked with bold Middle Eastern and Mediterranean spices.

2212 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-929-9990; 4012 Townsfair Way, Easton, 614-532-6865; 680 N. High St., Short North, 614-867-5885; 1442 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington, 614929-9997. LD $$

Del Mar Cameron Mitchell expands into Mediterranean fare with the first Ohio location of Del Mar, which evokes the seaside theme of its Naples, Florida, predecessor with a view of Easton’s fountain plaza. Seafood and lamb are the stars here, but don’t sleep on the sharables, including an excellent baba ghanoush. 4089 The Strand East, Easton, 614-918-9298.

BRLD $$$$

Firdous Express Firdous Express is known for its authentic Greek and Mediterranean fare, with shawarma, gyros, hummus and baklava. 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614-221-4444. LD $$

FILE PHOTO: ROB HARDIN

Pitabilities This popular food truck offers a variety of fresh ingredients on a pita. Examples include falafel, Philly steak, Buffalo chicken and veggie pitas, plus fries. 5354 Center St, Hilliard; Food Truck, Citywide, 614-216-6310. BBRLD $$

PIZZA Ange’s Pizza Ange’s has been serving up pies in Central

Ohio for more than 50 years, with pizzas, subs, wings and salads. 515 Lazelle Rd., Westerville, 614-848-7600; 4511 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-784-9000; 2980 NoeBixby Rd., East Side, 614-864-0468; 1018 N. Hamilton Rd., Gahanna, 614-855-9500; 2149 Hilliard-Rome Rd., Hilliard, 614-7779680; 5767 Karl Rd., North Side, 614-8885767; 5244 Godown Rd., Northwest Side, 614-670-8864; 8747 Smoky Row Rd., Powell, 614-659-0988; 139 S. Yearling Rd., Whitehall, 614-235-0898. LD $$

Harvest Pizzeria

Brooklyn Pizza Owner Anthony La Cerva serves real New Yorkstyle pies at this intimate pizza shop. 240 N. Liberty St., Powell, 614-436-8900. LD $$

3764 Cleveland Ave., North Side, 614-4758004. BLD $$

Dewey’s Pizza

Authentic food and a friendly staff, with chicken kebabs, roasted goat, lamb chops and salmon. 1784 Huy Rd., North Linden, 614-447-0199. LD $

Friendly and efficient family pizzeria specializing in creative, stone-baked pies, including the Bronx Bomber and Ryan’s Inferno. 6540 Perimeter Dr., Dublin, 614-7992444; 1327 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-487-8282; 640 High St., Worthington, 614-985-3333. LD $$

Harvest Pizzeria Some of the best wood-fired pies in Central Ohio are served at this pizzeria owned by Grow Restaurants. 2376 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-824-4081; 940 S. Front St., Brewery District, 614-947-7950; 2885 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-947-7133; 45 N. High St., Dublin, 614-726-9919; 454 S. Main St., Granville, 740-920-4447. LD $$

Hounddog’s Pizza An Ohio State staple, Hounddog’s serves its famous Smokin’ Joes and breakfast pizzas until 1 a.m. on weekends. Order Howlin’ Hot sauce if you dare. 2657 N. High St., Old North, 614-261-4686. LD $

Rotolo’s Italian Pizzeria Rotolo’s has been serving authentic Italianrecipe pizza since 1974, with subs, pasta and salads. 1749 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-488-7934. LD $$

Vick’s Gourmet Pizzeria An old-school, family pizzeria located in the old Connell Hardware building. 7345 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, 614-866-7392. LD $$

SOMALI

Hamdi Grill

Hoyo’s Kitchen This family-run restaurant started serving fast-casual Somali cuisine in the historic North Market in 2019. Order a bowl of flavorful spicy rice (or salad), top with proteins such as chicken suuqar or hilibari (goat) and then choose from a variety of veggies and sauces.

Don’t skip the house chai. 6750 Longshore St., Dublin, 614-683-8798; 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614-745-3943. LD $

STEAKHOUSE Butcher & Rose Cameron Mitchell gives the traditional steakhouse a bit of feminine balance with bright pink chairs and floral chandeliers in the Downtown restaurant located in the Preston Centre. The classic menu complements the modern décor, with steaks and chops taking center stage alongside lighter fare including seafood. 155 E. Broad St., Downtown, 614918-9819. LD $$$$

Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse A Cincinnati-based chain from restaurateur Jeff Ruby that offers top-flight steaks, à la carte sides, oysters and sushi in an over-thetop atmosphere. The wine list is extensive, and the service is formal, with flourishes like Bananas Foster served tableside. 89 E. Nationwide Blvd., Downtown, 614-6867800. D $$$$

Afra Grill

The Top Steak House

At this fast-casual spot specializing in East African cuisine, you build your own meal by choosing a base, protein, hot topping, cold toppings and a sauce. Don’t miss the chicken suqaar, malawah (sweet crêpes) and spiced tea. 1635 Morse Rd., North Side, 614-5913816; 3922 Townsfair Way, Easton, 614-5913399. LD $$

For nearly 70 years, this Bexley palace of beef has offered award-winning, high-end cuisine (filet mignon, pork and lamb chops, and seafood) in a dimly lit, vintage, 1960s-looking haunt. 2891 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-2318238. D $$$$

Darbo Restaurant A small eatery serving authentic and traditional Somali cuisine, with goat stew, shawarma and pasta dishes.

York Steak House Head back in time at the last remaining location of this wonderfully retro (and affordable) steakhouse with a popular salad bar and homemade desserts. 4220 W. Broad St., West Side, 614-272-6485. LD $$ JANUARY 2025 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Creative Space

BalletMet dancer Jessica Brown at Gyrotonic Columbus North

Jessica Brown The longest-serving dancer at BalletMet finds inspiration to keep moving at Gyrotonic Columbus North.

Columbus ballet lovers have thrilled to her athleticism and artistry in “The Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake” and other ballets, but the next time you swing by Gyrotonic Columbus North, you might just run into BalletMet dancer Jessica Brown.

The 38-year-old ballerina recently began her 20th season with BalletMet, and she credits her career longevity to staying injury-free.

“I’ve had bruised toenails and some corns and stuff like that, but never debilitating,” Brown says. “Of late, I’ve had a little bit of a hip injury.”

Although she spends more than 60 hours a week in the studio at BalletMet’s 80

Downtown headquarters, Brown has kept herself agile through a rigorous program of cross-training. She took pilates for years, but after then-Ballet Mistress Susan Dromisky suggested she find a program to increase her fluidity while dancing, she looked into gyrotonic training.

Conceived with dancers in mind, gyrotonic training involves equipment including a jungle gym-like “archway.”

The equipment can isolate the muscles that need work, Brown says. “I can get into the feet and straps, and I can take some of that pain out of my hip and I can really work on my abs and my hamstrings.”

She took lessons with Gyrotonic Co-

lumbus North owner Mary Siclair-Willis, whose studio opened in 2021. Brown says of the space’s cream walls and navy blue ceiling: “It just feels like you’re in a cloud. You get in there and you just breathe. … It inspires you to continue to keep moving.”

Brown intends to keep moving: She wants to dance for another five years—“as long as I don’t feel pain and I still feel the joy,” she says. She has contemplated a career in physical therapy thereafter, and to that end, she is already a certified gyrotonic trainer and teaches classes at Siclair-Willis’ studio. Her students range in age from 9 to somewhere north of 65. ◆

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

By Peter Tonguette

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