COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Dr. Kimberlee Kiehl as the OHSAA’s new Chief Operating Officer.
Kiehl comes to the OHSAA after years as an accomplished non-profit leader and former educator, including stops at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) and Ohio History Connection, both in Columbus, and she was as a tenured faculty member at The Ohio State University for 10 years.
In this key leadership role at the OHSAA, Dr. Kiehl will collaborate with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors to refine and implement the OHSAA’s recently adopted strategic plan while ensuring that the budget, staff and priorities are aligned with the Association’s core mission.
She will have oversight of policy making and maintaining organizational effectiveness as the OHSAA reorganizes its operating structure.
Dr. Kiehl grew up in Corning, N.Y., and was selected after a thorough national search process.
“We are excited to have Dr. Kiehl join the OHSAA,” said Jeff Cassella, OHSAA Board of Directors president and Athletic Administrator at Mentor High School.
“She has broad experience and a solid track record of leadership in the operations of non-profit institutions that support an educational purpose. Throughout her career, she has been responsible for everything from program development to revenue growth, volunteer services to building partnerships. She will serve our members well.”
While she was the Director of the Museum of Ohio Project at the Ohio History Connection, Dr. Kiehl created the popular “Ohio – Champion of Sports” exhibit. She was a tenured faculty member at The Ohio State University for nearly a decade.
“I am excited to join this group of dedicated professionals to bring rich and rewarding athletic experiences to Ohio’s students,” said Dr. Kiehl. “Ohio has a rich history of sports and the work of the OHSAA is a vital part of that history.”
From 2012-16, Dr. Kiehl served as Executive Director of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, where she led all operations of three early childhood schools located in the Smithsonian museums in the Washington, DC area.
She also served two stints with the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, most recently as Senior Vice President of Experience and Operations, where she had oversight of the daily operations of the building, exhibits, education programs, research and evaluation, diversity and inclusion and various other projects, both in the COSI building and across Ohio communities.
Dr. Kiehl earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Penn State University. She has two adult children, both of whom were high school athletes in Ohio, and three grandchildren.