Lisa Patt-McDaniel joined the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio as the first President and CEO in November 2016. The Board develops strategies for placing jobseekers on the path to family sustaining careers and works with employers to identify talent pipelines for their businesses. The Board works through its Ohio Means Jobs Center Columbus Franklin County (OMJCFC) and other partner agencies to create innovative workforce solutions for the Central Ohio Business Community. 

Previous to this position, Ms. Patt-McDaniel was an Executive on Loan to the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus & Franklin County to stand up a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with the capacity to lend on housing and mixed-use developments in Franklin County. 

Ms. Patt-McDaniel spent over 20 years at the Ohio Department of Development working in the areas of economic, workforce and community development, completing her career there as the Director of the Department and a member of the Governor’s Cabinet. While she was Director, Ohio claimed its third Governor's Cup from Site Selection Magazine by focusing on taking the steps necessary to be competitive, even in a challenging economic environment. McDaniel joined Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH) in 2011 as Director of Community Development where she was responsible for developing relationships and services related to community development, including working with cities and in rural areas to address vacant land and housing, leveraging resources for development, and convening local officials around common development issues. 

Ms. Patt-McDaniel is a Certified Economic Development Professional (EDP) through the National Development Council.  She is an officer on the boards of the Ohio Workforce Association, Midwest Urban Strategies, the Columbus Next Generation Corporation, and Heritage Ohio. She is also on the Board of the US Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council. Ms. Patt-McDaniel is a lecturer at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs where she has taught classes in public policy and strategic management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Miami University and a Master of Public Administration from the John Glenn College of Public Policy at The Ohio State University.  Ms. Patt-McDaniel is married to Dana McDaniel, City Manager of the city of Dublin, and they are the proud parents of two daughters, Caitlyn and Colleen.