Sylvania native Barbara Sears to serve as director of the Ohio Department of Medicaid

Governor John R. Kasich announced this week that he will appoint Barbara Sears to serve as director of the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Sears currently serves as Assistant Director of the Governor’s Office of Health Transformation and is a former member of the Ohio House of Representatives. Sears will replace John McCarthy at a date to be determined in December. McCarthy, who has served as director of Medicaid since the beginning of Kasich’s Administration, led its transformation to an independent cabinet agency, improved the efficiency and quality of services and helped guide the expansion of Medicaid services to more low-income Ohioans. Sears began her political career in 1997 when she was elected to Sylvania City Council.