Alumnus continues life of public service as director of Governor’s Office of Appalachia

John Carey, AB ’81, is pictured with his fellow first-year Bobcats outside of Biddle Hall in 1977. Photo courtesy of John Carey

John Carey, AB ’81, was born into a life of public service.

Growing up in Wellston, about 30 miles west of Athens, in Appalachian Ohio, Carey’s great-great-grandfather was a member of that municipality’s first City Council. His grandmother was active in the community’s Republican Party and often brought Carey to events with her. And they both talked frequently about the history and opportunities of the area and how Carey could make a difference.

“I’m the oldest grandchild on my father’s side of the family and my mother’s side of the family, so my grandparents especially instilled in me responsibility for the future of our community,” Carey said.

His grandparents wouldn’t be disappointed.

A first-generation college student, Carey majored in political science at Ohio University. He interned for a state representative and then worked as an aide to U.S. Rep. Clarence Miller of Ohio. He served as the mayor of his hometown and continued to represent the region as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate. In 2013, he was appointed chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and in February, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine named Carey as director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia.

Carey attributes his passion for public service and his commitment to his hometown, where he still lives, not only to his upbringing but also to the years he spent at OHIO.

John Carey was named director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia in February.

“Having come from a small town and not been really exposed to people with diverse backgrounds, Ohio University gave me the opportunity not only to find my own beliefs but also to understand other people’s perspectives,” he said.

While at OHIO, Carey worked all four years at Alden Library, tutored political science students and participated in the Political Interest Club, a bipartisan student organization that sponsored lectures and other events at the University. As a student, he also was involved in a state representative’s political campaign.

“(Ohio University) gave me experiences that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, as far as people with different backgrounds and access to the political world,” Carey said.

Carey’s OHIO experience, combined with the time he spent serving as the assistant to the president for strategic initiatives at Shawnee State University and with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, has made him keenly aware of the role higher education plays in elevating the Appalachian region.

A former student of Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs Founding Dean Mark Weinberg, Carey has worked with Weinberg and the Voinovich School on several projects designed to spur regional economic growth and opportunity. Carey’s also forged a connection with Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis whose strategic pathways and priorities, laid out in his inauguration speech, include a commitment to OHIO becoming a positive catalyst of economic and quality of life change for Appalachia.

As director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, Carey oversees a state office tasked with coordinating economic and community development initiatives all aimed at improving the lives of Ohioans residing in a 32-county region. Partnering with the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington, D.C., as well as local citizens and organizations, the office works on everything from infrastructure, like access to broadband, to workforce development projects.

“I personally hope that we can talk more about the success stories in Appalachia,” Carey said of his goals in this new position. “We have a lot of great things going on.”

Growing up in Wellston, Carey recalled many in his community feeling the need to leave the area in order to find work. As director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, he hopes to create more opportunities for Ohioans living in the Appalachian region to work in their hometowns.

“We’re seeing entrepreneurs create jobs,” Carey said of Appalachian Ohio, noting a company in Albany, just west of Athens, that is preparing to open and bring hundreds of jobs to the community. “That’s a big deal for the state. Creating that entrepreneurship and that opportunity is something that we want to continue to support and also giving people the tools they need to be successful.”