teacher with student and machine

Who We Are

OACTS is governed by Board members who are elected by members of the Association. The director positions are three-year terms, and the officers serve for four years as they move from secretary to president-elect to president and then in their last year hold the position of past president. Membership is open to superintendents of the career technical centers throughout Ohio.

OACTS President

President  Keith Horner

Keith Horner

President

Keith Horner has served as Apollo Career Center superintendent since 2018, overseeing the development of several new Adult Education and High School programs and initiatives. Under his leadership, Apollo has experienced record enrollment which has led to the construction of the new Public Safety Training Center.

He is an active member of several boards including: United Way of Greater Lima, Lima Allen County Chamber of Commerce, Senior Citizens Services Center, Wapakoneta Area Community Foundation, Allen County Schools Health Plan, and the Ohio Association of Career Technical Superintendents. He is also a member of the MakerFest Steering Committee and the Business Advisory Council.

Prior to taking the helm at Apollo, Keith served Wapakoneta City Schools 19 years; six years as a principal and 13 years as superintendent. His 35 plus years in education also includes working for the Auglaize County ESC and teaching for Lima City Schools.

His career is marked by a dedication to providing outstanding learning experiences for all students and a commitment to enhancing the local community. Keith’s leadership is characterized by credibility and having a strategic approach to improving educational delivery and fostering community trust.

Keith is a graduate of Perry High School and The Ohio State University, and obtained his master’s from the University of Dayton. He resides in Wapakoneta with his wife and two daughters ages 22 and 12.

Our Executive Board

Keith Horner

PRESIDENT
Superintendent, Apollo Career Center

Dr. Rick Smith

PAST PRESIDENT
Superintendent, Ohio Hi-Point Career Center

Kevin Kratzer

PRESIDENT-ELECT
Superintendent, Southern Hills Career and Technical Center

Bob Alsept

SECRETARY
Superintendent, Buckeye Career Center

Greg Edinger

TREASURER
Superintendent, Vanguard-Sentinel Career & Technology Centers

Matt Sheridan

DIRECTOR
Superintendent, Mid-East Career Technical Centers

John Zehentbauer

DIRECTOR
Mahoning County Career and Technical Center

Harry Snyder

DIRECTOR
Superintendent, Great Oaks Career Campuses

Michelle Patrick

DIRECTOR
Superintendent, Springfield-Clark Career Technical Center

Jamie Nash

DIRECTOR
Superintendent, Gallia-Jackson-Vinton Career Center

Jason Haak

DIRECTOR
Superintendent, Upper Valley Career Center

Dr. Joyce Malainy

LEGISLATIVE COORDINATOR
Superintendent, C-TEC of Licking County

OACTS Executive Director

 Executive Director Maggie Hess Headshot

Maggie Hess

Executive Director

Maggie Hess has spent 30 years working with students, parents, and business and industry in the field of career-technical education. She spent 14 years as the superintendent for the Warren County Center in Lebanon, Ohio.

As the executive director for the Ohio Association of Career-Technical Superintendents (OACTS), Hess has the opportunity to continue to expand awareness and increase understanding of the value of career-technical education in Ohio, especially of the career centers that serve school districts around the state. Her educational background includes a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Cincinnati and a bachelor’s degree in education from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga. She has also completed post-graduate work at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, earning a graduate certificate in the superintendency.

Hess has connections with many educational and civic organizations at the local, state and national level, giving back to the community including The Rotary Club of Lebanon, United Way of Warren County and the Warren County Foundation.

Contact Hess about OACTS and career-technical education through email.

Ohio CTC Executive Director

bill bussey

William A. Bussey

Executive Director

Former state director of career-technical education at the Ohio Department of Education, William A. Bussey serves as the Executive Director for the Ohio Technical Centers. Bussey spent 14 years as superintendent at Mid-East Career and Technology Centers, in addition to being a teacher at Bloom-Carroll Local School District in vocational agriculture, a supervisor at the Career Technical Education Center of Licking County (C-TEC) and an adult education director at Eastland Fairfield Career Technical Schools.

He has been active in many career-technical education organizations in leadership positions. He is a past president of Ohio ACTE and currently serves on the board for the National Council of Local Administrators (NCLA).

Contact him at bbussey@oacts.com.