Executive Staff

Executive Staff Biographies

• Brenda Cronin

  Brenda Cronin currently serves as Chief of Staff for the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission.  She began her career in public service in 1984 as a caseworker with the Crawford County Children's Service Office.  From there, Brenda joined the Ohio Department of Youth Services as a Parole Officer.  She quickly moved through the ranks of the agency heading up offices responsible for Grant Management and Parole.  Immediately prior to joining RSC, Cronin served as the Executive Assistant to the Director, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Ohio Department of Youth Services.

  Brenda received a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Bowling Green State University.
  

• Erik Williamson

  Erik Williamson joined the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission in 1990. He served the agency as an adjudicator, unit supervisor, area manager and assistant director of the Ohio Bureau of Disability Determination (BDD) before moving to the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation as director in 2006. In 2009, Erik was appointed as director of BDD.

  Erik graduated from Miami University with a BA in Sociology and received his MS in Social Agency Counseling from the University of Dayton after completing his practicum with the Hospice at Riverside and Grant Hospitals. He served on the Ohio Disability Determination Study Council and is currently an Impact Team member with United Way of Delaware County.

   

  
  
  

• Susan Pugh

  Susan Pugh, who was appointed to BVR director in October 2009, has worked in the vocational rehabilitation (VR) field since 1992. She began her career in VR as a case manager for Goodwill Columbus in its vocational rehabilitation program. She worked for the organization for nearly two years until RSC hired her in March 1994 as a vocational rehabilitation counselor.

  Pugh advanced to become a VR supervisor, assistant area manager and most recently assistant director for the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired. Her primary focus as assistant director was to provide leadership for field operations, particularly in the areas of policy and procedures.

  Pugh has a Master’s Degree in Education (Rehabilitation Counseling) from The Ohio State University, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bowling Green State University and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.

• Daniel Connors

  BSVI Director Daniel Connors was appointed as Deputy Director of the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired in December of 2009. Connors brings field experience to RSC's Central Office, having previously served as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor in the Cleveland area. He is also the RSC Task Force Leader for its partnership with the Ohio Department of Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services, known as Recovery to Work Program, and he oversees RSC's Contracts Unit. He has additionally been involved in VR collaboration between RSC and the Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Washington Department of Services for the Blind, field collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, and New Counselor Training.

  Connors has a Master's Degree in Education (Rehabilitation Counseling) from Bowling Green State University and a Bachelor's Degree in Science from the Pennsylvania State University.

• Janine Salloum Ashanin

  Janine Salloum Ashanin serves as RSC’s director of human resources. Before coming to RSC, Ashanin was the Policy Development Administrator for the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. Prior to working for DAS, she was an Assistant State Public Defender.

  Ashanin received her post graduate education at The Ohio State University where she received a Juris Doctorate from the Michael E. Moritz College of Law, and a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Management from the John Glenn School of Public Affairs. She brings nearly 15 years of public service experience to the Human Resource Department.

   

   

• Christina Wendell

  Christina Wendell has served as Chief of RSC’s Office of Legal Services since January 2008. During that time, she also spent a year as the agency’s Acting Assistant Executive Director. As Chief of Legal Services, Wendell is responsible for strategic planning and management of all legal services for the agency.

  Wendell graduated from The Ohio State University College of Law and started her state service in the Attorney General’s office. Prior to coming to RSC, Wendell was the Chief for the Bureau of Personnel and Legal Counsel to Human Resources Division of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections.

   

   

• Marc Protsman

  Marc Protsman was appointed Chief Financial Officer in February 2011. He joined the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission in 1996. Prior to this appointment, Protsman served as Fiscal Officer responsible for budget and audit.

  Protsman earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Ohio Northern University.

   

   

   

• Raivo Murnieks

  Raivo Murnieks was appointed Director of Performance and Innovation in February 2011. Prior to coming to RSC, Murnieks served as Project Manager for the Performance Center at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Chief of Administration for the Office of Child Support. Murnieks earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from the University of Dayton. He is also certified in Return on Investment Methodology.

   

   

   

• Tim Nguyen

  Tim Nguyen was appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO) in February 2011. Prior to coming to RSC, Nguyen served as Network Manager for the NOC (Network Operation Center) from 1997-2011 and as interim CIO for the Ohio Department of Youth Services.  Nguyen earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University and is also a CPM (Certified Public Manager) in Ohio.