WILMINGTON — New board members recently appointed to the Clinton County Foundation include Allison Katter, Justin Dickman and Becky Strafford, bringing the total number of board members to 15 after the terms of board members Kelsey Swindler and Jeff Hoak ended in 2022.

Each new board member brings a distinct area of expertise to the work of the Foundation and reflects the Foundation’s values of community spirit, respect, excellence and inclusion, according to a news release.

The board also elected officers, including Lynn Deatherage, who will serve her second term as president, Joshua Engel, vice president, Jeff Drapalik, treasurer, and Barbara Deibel, secretary.

Allison Katter, project manager at Connection, brings over 35 years of experience in finance, learning and development, human resources, and grant writing/accounting to the Foundation board. A Wilmington native, Katter returned to Clinton County after 35 years and quickly became involved in community activities, joining such groups as the Family and Children First Council, the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, and the Clinton County Workforce Collaborative.

Justin Dickman, attorney, currently serves as assistant prosecutor for Tax and Blighted Properties Division, Clinton County and offers legal services at the Peelle McCoy Moyer Law Offices, Co., L.P.A. Wilmington. Hailing from Van Wert, Ohio, Dickman has been a resident of Wilmington since early 2020 when he joined the Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office. He has also assisted in spearheading the Clean-Up Clinton County Initiative, which has seen the acquisition, clean up, and development of over 100 previously blighted, abandoned, or tax delinquent properties throughout the county.

Becky Strafford, now semi-retired, has practiced medicine specializing in developmental disabilities for over 25 years. As the medical director of both the Gallipolis Developmental Center (GDC) for 20 years and a group home for 10 years, she worked to ensure continuity of high-quality healthcare beyond the GDC into the local medical community. A Clinton County native, Strafford returned to the family farm near New Vienna in 2013 after nearly 50 years away.

Foundation board members are appointed for an initial term of three years and may serve up to three consecutive terms. Visit https://clintoncountyohiofoundation.org/ for detailed bios on all the trustees.

The Clinton County Foundation is a community foundation providing charitable investing and local grants so people and nonprofits can make a lasting and positive impact on our community. It has the experience, relationships, and resources to support a thriving community for people to live, work, and grow. To learn more about the Clinton County Foundation, please visit the new website at https://www.clintoncountyohiofoundation.org.