About

Who We Are

Established in 2021, the Ohio First Lady’s Charitable Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on raising awareness and financial support for the First Lady of Ohio’s philanthropic endeavors.

First Lady DeWine is a passionate supporter for organizations that support early childhood literacy, and feed Ohioans. First Lady DeWine’s goal is to see every Ohioan live up to their God-given potential.

About Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine

Fran DeWine is a mother of eight, grandmother of 28, great-grandmother of one, and the First Lady of Ohio. Growing up in Yellow Springs, she met Mike DeWine in the first grade. In the seventh grade, he asked her out to go bowling (and she won)! The rest is history.

First Lady DeWine is a fierce supporter of early childhood literacy.

She saw the joy in her grandchildren’s eyes when they started receiving a book in the mail each month from their county Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program years ago. So, she made it her mission as First Lady to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide. Now, every child under the age of five in Ohio – in each of Ohio’s 88 counties – is eligible to receive a free, age-appropriate book in the mail every month.

She also loves cooking with her children and grandchildren, and has brought that love to the First Lady’s Office. Whether it’s picking vegetables with schoolkids in the Heritage Garden at the Ohio Governor’s Residence, or demonstrating how to grind wheat and make pizzas at the Ohio State Fair, she’s passionate about educating children about the food they eat. She also knows how important it is to make sure kids have access to nutritious meals.

First Lady DeWine is also a champion of programs that support parents, improve the health of babies and families, and feed Ohioans, like Ohio food banks.  

Meet Our

Leadership

  • Majida Mourad is the Senior Vice President of Government Relations at Tellurian Inc., a Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) company. She previously served as Vice President of Government Relations at Cheniere Energy and was instrumental in the company receiving the first US LNG export permit in the “lower 48.” Prior to Cheniere, Majida was the President of Abraham & Roetzel LLC, and a Partner of The Abraham Group LLC, a strategic consulting firm focused on the international energy sector with the former Secretary of Energy, Spencer Abraham.

    From January 2001 until February 2005, Majida served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy, focusing on the United States Department of Energy international relations. In this role, Majida traveled extensively around the globe on behalf of the Department for the North American Initiative, the G8 Energy Ministerial Conferences, the Western Hemispheric and US-African Energy Ministerial Conferences, as well as numerous other initiatives. She also served as one of the Department’s senior officials for the Liquefied Natural Gas Summit, the International Partnership for a Hydrogen Economy, and the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum.

    Majida began her career on Capitol Hill, first working for Congressman Sonny Bono and then his successor, Congresswoman Mary Bono. She then transitioned to the Senate serving for then Senator Spencer Abraham.

    Majida is a member of the National Energy Resources Organization Board, as well as the United States Energy Association. She also serves on several nonprofit organizations, including the Board of Governors for the Ford’s Theater Society, the Advisory Board for the Association of Former Members of Congress, and as a National Capital Trustee of the Boys and Girls Club.

  • Barbara Mills currently serves as co-founder and Chair of Gala of Hope Foundation. Formed by Barbara and Bob Mills in 2014, the Foundation works tirelessly to change the face of cancer in the Dayton region. To date, it has raised and invested over $6 million in local cancer research, treatments and patient support. She advocates daily on behalf of cancer care and patients across the 14-county region.

    Barbara began her public service career in the 1980’s with Congressman Bob McEwen (R-OH) working her way up from staff assistant to chief of staff over 10 years. During that time, she became well versed in the inner workings of Congress. Following that career, Barbara teamed up with then-Lt. Governor Mike DeWine, working in various capacities in state government and on his successful campaign for the US Senate. Barbara was named as DeWine’s US Senate State Director, a position she held for the entirety of DeWine’s Senate career. While in that role, Barbara created a unique state-wide constituent service team and group of local offices to connect the Senator more directly with each of Ohio’s 88 counties. This model is still in use today by Ohio’s current US Senators and many other statewide elected office holders. Barbara rounded out her public service with US Congressman David Hobson (R-OH) as his District Director.

    Until 2015, Barbara served as co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of CBD Advisors where she used her unique relationship building skills, learned in nearly 25 years of public service, to advance the private sector.

    Barbara is the current Board Chair of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio.

    In the last few years, Barbara has received a number of prestigious recognitions: “Excellence in Income Development” from the American Cancer Society; the “Dave Hobson Award” by the Dayton Development Commission recognizing outstanding and unwavering support for the Dayton region; “Women of Influence” honoree by the YWCA of Dayton. In 2018, Barbara and Bob Mills were named the “Regional Leaders of the Year” by the Dayton Business Journal — the first time in its history that a husband and wife team were recognized.

    Barbara is the matriarch to a beautifully blended family of four adult children, their spouses, and nine fabulous grandchildren. Bob Mills passed away in 2020.

  • LeeAnn Johnson graduated from high school in 1989, during which time she earned her Florida's Expanded Functions Dental Assistant Certification. She attended the prestigious St. Petersburg College, and graduated in 1993 with an Associate of Science Degree in dental hygiene. In 1993, she earned her license to practice dental hygiene in Florida. From 1993-2006, she worked as a dental hygienist for some of South Florida's most respected dentists.

    Since 2006, LeeAnn has been an active leader in her community, including member of the Poland, Ohio, Junior Women's Club; the Canfield Republican Women's Club; the Canfield Welcome Wagon (Vice President); Moms of Pre-Schoolers; and the local Parent Teacher Organization. Since relocating to Washington County in 2011, she has served in various other community service and volunteer roles, including Treasurer, Vice President, and current President of the Washington County Republican Women's Club; Trustee and past President for the Betsey Mills Club; board member for the Marietta Fountain Foundation; member of the Marietta Welfare League; past member of the Washington Elementary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO); past member of the Belpre Women's Club; and organizer of Bible studies and book club meetings for women of all ages and professions.

    From 2016-2018, LeeAnn was the Director of the Women2Women Conversation Tour — a national effort to encourage strong women, especially businesswomen, to pursue positions of leadership and to amplify their voices in Washington, D.C.

    LeeAnn is also currently active in several national level organizations. She is an active member of the US Congressional Spouses Club, and she is a frequently sought advocate and speaker for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). She serves on several boards, including The People’s Bank Theatre Board in Marietta, Ohio; the Executive Board Member and Secretary for the Appalachian Children Coalition; and Board Member and Vice President of the Suicide Alliance of Washington County. In addition, she serves on the Executive Council of the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

    In 2020, she was elected to the Republican State Central Committee to represent the people of Ohio’s 30th State Senate District, which encompasses 10 counties spanning much of Eastern and Southeastern Ohio.

    LeeAnn is married to Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson, and is the mother of a 20-year-old son, Nathan. She and her family currently reside in Youngstown, Ohio.