The Ohio Board of Education unanimously voted Wednesday to hire a new Superintendent of Public Education.
Paolo DeMaria says his first task as superintendent is to listen to parents, teachers, principals, and the many people working in education in the state.
DeMaria has plenty of questions of his own to start those conversations...
"Where are those places of common ground? How do bring people together? How do we then identify a strategic plan and a direction for where do we want to go? What’s the vision? What are the things we have to do to get there?"
DeMaria has an extensive background in educational leadership and policy in Ohio, working most recently with the consulting agency Education First.
School Board President Tom Gunlock says any of the seven finalists the board interviewed this week would have been a great superintendent, but DeMaria had the policy background they were looking for.
"His enthusiasm during the interview process was outstanding," says Gunlock.
"He was very knowledgeable of education policy. He came across with the facts. And I think he just impressed everybody… obviously, because it was 19 to nothin’!"
DeMaria will begin the post this summer.
