Our Team

Stacy Rastauskas Bretherton is the Vice President for Government Affairs at The Ohio State University. In this role, she represents the University in advocacy before federal, state and local governments, regulatory agencies, and key policymakers. Stacy works closely with faculty, students and administrators to develop and advance Ohio State’s broad government affairs agenda. She also leads the university’s Office of Government Affairs.  

Stacy joined Ohio State in 2004 to open Ohio State’s Washington, D.C. office. Under her leadership, the university increased engagement on emerging federal issues, developed university positions on federal legislation and regulations, and implemented strategies to advance the university’s agenda. Stacy regularly works with top U.S. research universities to establish advocacy plans to sustain and increase support for higher education and scientific research.

An active member of several national higher education government relations groups, Stacy has chaired both the Council on Government Affairs for Association for Public Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the steering committee for the Council on Federal Relations for the Association of American Universities (AAU). She serves as the university representative to the Ohio State Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Board. Stacy is also a member of the Friends of WOSU Board and serves on the Wittenberg University Board of Directors.

Stacy began her career working in the U.S. House of Representatives where she handled appropriations and education issues for U.S. Congressman David Hobson. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Wittenberg University (1998) and a master’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University (2005). After 18 years in Washington, D.C., Stacy relocated to Columbus in 2016. She resides in Worthington with her husband and two sons. 

Ben Kanzeg works closely with university leaders to identify and articulate Ohio State’s public policy agenda across the entire spectrum of academic, research, and medical pursuits at the university.  Partnering with other members of the Government Affairs team, together, they develop, analyze, and implement strategies that effectively utilize Ohio State University’s resources to assist and inform community, state and federal decision-makers as they seek to solve our most challenging problems.  He also engages with associations, consortia and other organizations to advance the university’s agenda.

Prior to joining Ohio State in January 2016, Ben served as Deputy Director of Policy for former Ohio Governor John Kasich. He previously worked as a policy and political aide to Kasich and to former U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Cedarville University.

Trudy Bartley provides leadership for the university's relationships with local government officials and staff, as well as economic and community development projects. She establishes relationships with community leaders; participates in community organizations/activities to foster community and university partnerships; monitors, researches and/or analyzes local government legislative and regulatory issues; and actively focuses on strategic university engagement and enhanced goodwill toward the university.

She previously also directed Partners Achieving Community Transformation (PACT), an Ohio State affiliate working to revitalize the Near East Side community. Trudy most recently served the Ohio Department of Development as Chief Operating Officer, Interim Director of the Minority Business Enterprise Division, and Federal Stimulus Coordinator. She joined The Ohio State University in February 2011.

Trudy currently serves on the Board of Trustees for The United Way of Central Ohio, Chair of the Central Ohio Transit Authority, ADAMH, The Neighborhood Design Center, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Economic Development Institute (ECDI) and Gateway Film Center. 

Trudy was born and raised in Columbus Ohio, a graduate of Columbus School for Girls and has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Wellesley College.  She and her husband Dr. R. Earl Bartley have adult twin men and reside in Columbus Ohio.

Mike brings nearly 20 years of diverse government experience to his role as the Associate Vice President of State Relations at The Ohio State University Office of Government Affairs. In leading the State Relations team, Mike represents the University on a broad array of topics before the Executive Branch, the Ohio General Assembly, and state agencies. Mike also develops and promotes the university's strategic agenda with state government partners, monitors state legislative activity, develops advocacy strategies, and serves the University community in facilitating University interaction with state officials, their staff, and various constituent groups.

Before joining the Government Relations team at Ohio State, Rodgers led the state and federal lobbying efforts as the Director of Policy and Legislation for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. He also served as the Chief Legal Counsel at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, as Deputy Legal Counsel for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and as the Chief Legal Counsel at the Ohio Department of Agriculture.  Mike’s legal service followed multiple years working for various members of the Ohio House of Representatives, and a stint as a policy analyst and liaison at the Ohio Judicial Conference.   

Mike received his Bachelor of Arts from The Ohio State University with a major in political science and a minor in history. He earned his Juris Doctor at Capital University Law School.

Stephanie is Director of Government Affairs and represents The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and health sciences leaders before state and federal legislative and executive branch officials and health care organizations.  Prior to starting at Ohio State in 2011, Stephanie worked more than 18 years in multiple positions in Congress and state government. She began her post-college career as a Legislative Service Commission intern. Stephanie received a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Economics from the University of Notre Dame. 

As the Director of Federal Relations in Washington, D.C., Stan represents the University and its federal priorities, while building upon and maintaining its relationships with members of Congress, their staffs, and federal agencies. 

Prior to joining Ohio State, Stan was the founder and CEO of the Capitol Initiatives Group, a government relations firm representing non-profit associations, trade associations, and businesses before Congress and the Executive Branch.  In addition to his time spent in the private sector, Stan also spent 13 years working in Congress, holding positions in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, where he served as appropriations director for then Senator Mike DeWine (OH) and as a staff member with the House Appropriations Committee.

Stan, a Powell, Ohio native, received his B.A. in Political Science from The Ohio State University.

Based in the Washington, D.C. office since April 2014, Bill Couch serves as the Assistant Vice President for Federal Relations at The Ohio State University.  

Bill is currently a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities – Council on Governmental Affairs Executive Committee.  From 2016 to 2018, he served on the Board of Directors for The Science Coalition, a group of over 60 of the nation’s largest research universities dedicated to sustaining the federal government’s investment in fundamental scientific research.

Before coming home to Ohio State, Bill coordinated federal affairs for the Miami-Dade County (FL) D.C. Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. He also served as a Legislative Assistant for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (FL), as a Corps Member for City Year Columbus, and on political campaigns in Ohio, Oklahoma and Florida.  A first generation college student, he earned his BA from The Ohio State University in 2003, with a major in Political Science and minor in Philosophy, and his MPA in 2006 from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, where he was awarded the Mary E. Katchmar Outstanding Public Service Award.

As director of government affairs, Adam works to develop and strengthen relationships with public officials at all levels of government, university advocates, agencies, university leadership when appropriate, and related staff for these groups to positively impact the college and advance the university’s agenda. He serves as a member of The Ohio State University Government Affairs Team; monitors legislation and governmental issues; executes lobbying efforts, appropriation requests and preparation; and participates in strategy development. Prior to OSU, Adam served as executive director of the Ohio Soybean Association. He managed a membership-driven advocacy organization by implementing the strategic vision of its 20-member board and directed an advocacy team at the Ohio Statehouse. Adam also served as director of marketing and outreach for the Ohio Soybean Council. Prior to that, he served as an assistant to the Governor’s Energy Advisor at the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, as legislative director and acting deputy director at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, and as a legislative aide at the Ohio House of Representatives. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Capital University. 

Beau serves as a program manager and policy coordinator for the Office of Government Affairs in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). With a focus in federal affairs, he works with faculty and Extension professionals across the college to translate their scholarship’s relevance to matters of public policy, and organize this information for legislative advocacy efforts. 

Before joining CFAES’s Office of Government Affairs in 2019, Beau served as a program manager in the college’s Office of International Programs in Agriculture, where he administered international research and capacity-building programs funded by USDA, USAID, and other national and international organizations. He also formerly worked for U.S. Congressman Steve Chabot. 

Beau received his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, a Master of Science in Environment and Natural Resources, and a Master in Public Policy and Management all from The Ohio State University.

Colleen O’Brien is Director of Special Projects with the Office of External Relations and Advocacy for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Health Sciences. With a strong background in community and government relations, Colleen currently assists in developing programs that provide advocacy knowledge and experiences for Ohio State’s health professionals, in coordinating educational programs and providing communications and background support to projects. Colleen graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology. She began working in the Office of External Relations and Advocacy in 2015.

Bill Hayes is the Director of Health Policy in the Office of External Relations and Advocacy for the OSU Wexner Medical Center and Office of Health Sciences.  In this role he analyzes opportunities and challenges for OSUWMC from state and federal health reform and program proposals, rules and regulations. He also works to promote workforce development opportunities, including a focus on inter professional education. 

Bill brings almost 30 years of health care policy, health services research and program administration experience. He joined OSUWMC in 2011. Prior to 2011, he was the founding President of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio from 2004 to 2010, Assistant Deputy Director for Policy at Ohio Medicaid from 1999 to 2004 and Deputy Director for Policy, Planning and the Ohio Health Data Center at the Ohio Department of Health from 1996 to 1999. In addition, has been adjunct faculty in the OSU’s College of Public Health since 2000.

Bill earned his BA from Northwestern in 1982 and his Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern in 1991.

Annie Marsico joined the staff of the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in October 2017. In this role, she works with local government elected officials and staff and the Central Ohio community on issues as diverse as the opioid crisis and infant mortality on behalf of the Wexner Medical Center. Her work centers on partnering with local government and community organizations to address the social determinants of health and create healthy communities. Annie most recently served as the Policy Advisor for the City of Columbus’ Office of Sustainability and as a Legislative Analyst with Columbus City Council.  She received her Bachelor’s degree in History from Ohio University and her JD from Capital University Law School.

Julie Macmann serves as the Government Affairs Associate in the Office of Government Affairs for the Federal Team based in Washington, DC. Julie provides operational support for the Federal Affairs Team in addition to handling legislative and policy issues.

Prior to joining Ohio State, Julie worked in the U.S. House of Representatives for five years where she was the scheduler for two senior members of Congress: the late Rep. Jackie Walorski (IN-02) and former Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15).

Julie earned her BA in Political Science from Bowling Green State University in 2017.