BB2C Earns Four-Star Recognition for BAC Excellence
From left to Right: BB2C staff LaraCoghlan and Jenna Stewart, Katie Good with East Central Ohio ESC, BB2C staff Jeremy Ward, Kristi Leonard-Webber, and Tasha Werry pose with the 4-Star BAC award from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C) has been awarded the highest honor—a four-star rating—for the second consecutive year and the 2025 Ohio Business-Education Leader Awards for Excellent Business Advisory Councils. The award, presented by Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin, celebrates outstanding Business Advisory Councils (BACs) that are making a meaningful impact in connecting education and workforce development.
BACs are required in every Ohio school district and Educational Service Center and serve as locally focused partnerships between educators and business leaders. These councils collaborate to align education with the evolving needs of the workforce by advising on job market trends, promoting career development experiences, and helping students build essential professional skills. With over 110 BACs across the state, they play a critical role in preparing students for successful futures while strengthening local economies.
BB2C leads the Business Advisory Council for the Ohio Valley Educational Service Center and its affiliated school districts. In addition to receiving a four-star rating, BB2C earned distinctions for Excellence in Building Partnerships, Coordinating Career Development Experiences, and Developing Professional Skills for the Future.
“As a four-star Business Advisory Council, we’re honored to be recognized for the impact of our work in building partnerships, coordinating career development experiences, and developing professional skills for the future,” said Tasha Werry, Executive Director of BB2C. “This recognition highlights the strength of Ohio’s BAC system—it’s not just a support for businesses and schools, but a framework that connects education and workforce efforts all the way to the state level. Students have so much information to sift through when trying to make career decisions that impact the trajectory of their career journeys. Having a system in place that traverses all levels helps students access real-time information in an organized way. It shines a light on the power of bridging the gap between education and employment, and the real progress communities can make when individualized exploration for students and post-graduation readiness is a shared priority.”
This recognition underscores the collective commitment of BB2C’s partner schools, educators, businesses, community leaders, and students working together to create meaningful career pathways and opportunities.