Cupp Names Morrison Chief of Staff, Fills Other Key Staff Vacancies

COLUMBUS – Speaker Bob Cupp announced today that veteran Statehouse budget and policy staffer Christine Morrison has been named chief of staff for the Ohio House of Representatives.

Morrison had been serving as interim chief of staff following Cupp’s election as Speaker.

“Christine Morrison is highly-respected within the Ohio House and on Capitol Square for her policy and budget acumen, as well as her leadership skills,” said Cupp (R-Lima). “I’m excited to have her at the helm and know she will do an outstanding job.”

Morrison began her career as an intern with the Ohio House of Representatives, rising through the ranks to become a caucus policy advisor and, in 2005, being named policy director. She later worked in the Senate and Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.

She later helped lead efforts to address the state’s opioid crisis and reform Ohio’s workforce development system. In September 2015, Morrison became president of the State Controlling Board and deputy director of the Office of Budget and Management.

She was named House budget director in January 2019.

“I’m looking forward to serving under Speaker Cupp’s leadership and continuing to work with the members and staff of the Ohio House to move our state forward and make a difference for our state and its future,” Morrison said.

Cupp also announced several other hires today to fill key staff vacancies: 

• Chris Albanese was named policy director. He currently is director of Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety at the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. He previously was regional political director for Marsy’s Law for All. From January 2015 until March 2017, Albanese was policy advisor and reading clerk for the Ohio House of Representatives. He began his career with the Ohio House in February 2013. Albanese is a graduate of Ohio Dominican University.
• Sheila Willamowski Boehner was named deputy chief of staff/executive counsel to the speaker. She currently is deputy legal counsel for Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague and previously served as deputy elections counsel for Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. She served in the Ohio House from December 2014 to January 2019, starting as a legislative aide to Cupp and later becoming deputy legal counsel and policy advisor for the majority caucus. She is a graduate of Ohio Northern University and earned her juris doctor degree at the University of Toledo College of Law.
• Paul Disantis was named chief legal counsel for the Ohio House. He had been serving as interim chief legal counsel and interim policy director since Cupp became Speaker, and previously had been deputy chief legal counsel, a post he had held since March 2019. Disantis has an extensive background in workers’ compensation and health care law, and served as a Judge Advocate in the United States Army Reserves. He is a Bowling Green State University graduate and received his juris doctor degree from Capital University.
• Heather Blessing was named deputy chief legal counsel for the Ohio House. Blessing has served in various roles during her more than 20 years with the Ohio House, serving under five speakers, including policy director, deputy legal counsel, redistricting director, and deputy budget director. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and received her juris doctor degree from Capital University.

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