Franklin University Welcomes Five New Board Members

Contact:

Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu

Franklin University, a leading educator of working adults, welcomed five new members to its Board of Trustees during its recent January meeting. Reflecting leadership aligned with a broad spectrum of expertise, the addition of Bill Balderaz, Oyauma Garrison, Carrie Harris-Muller, Joseph Patrick, and Denise Zabawski expands the Board’s leadership and connection to industry. The University welcomes its newest members and looks forward to their contributions in helping guide the University’s continued growth and innovation.

BILL BALDERAZ
Bill Balderaz is President & Founder of Futurety, a data analytics and marketing consulting firm. The firm focuses on helping organizations use data to power marketing and communications, serving regulated industries, including healthcare, pharma, finance, government, and medical devices. Previously, Bill was the founder and president of Webbed Marketing which went from a one-man consultancy to one of the fastest-growing interactive marketing agencies in the Midwest. He has spoken at more than 150 conferences from New York to California on innovation.

OYAUMA GARRISON 
Bringing strong operational and strategic leadership experience to the Board, Oyauma Garrison serves as the President & Chief Executive Officer at Maryhaven, Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps individuals and families lead healthy lives free from addiction and mental health challenges by providing education, treatment, and support. A Franklin MBA alumnus, Oyauma previously served as the National President & CEO of A Kid Again, a nonprofit focused on providing Hope, Happiness, and Healing for families raising children battling a life-threatening condition. He is a former insurance company executive of over 20 years. Active in the community, Oyauma has received numerous awards for leadership and community service, including being named a Top 50 Smart Business Leaders, CEO of the Year finalist (2020 & 2021) – Columbus CEO, a Columbus Business First Most Admired C-Suite leader (2019 & 2021) and NBMBAA Lifetime Achievement Award, and National MBA of Year. He has also been recognized with the United States of America Presidential 2014 Gold Standard Award for Service.

CARRIE HARRIS-MULLER 
Providing industry expertise across multiple areas of growth at Franklin, including its expanding list of healthcare offerings, Carrie Harris-Muller is a highly accomplished and nationally recognized healthcare leader who will bring her more than 30 years of senior executive experience in insurance companies, health plans, and hospital and health systems to the Franklin Board. She currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer for Ohio Health, where she leads overall strategic direction for population health initiatives, including developing prevention and wellness programs to lower risks for patients and improve overall health outcomes. Carrie oversees the system’s care management efforts, its post-acute care programs and division, and OhioHealth’s Clinically Integrated Network and Accountable Care Organization. She is also responsible for the relationships with local and national payers and leads managed care for the health care system.  Prior to joining OhioHealth, Carrie held executive leadership positions with local and national payers and hospital and healthcare systems. Carrie is passionate about community service and serves on several national and local nonprofits boards.

JOSEPH PATRICK 
With over 30 years of experience as a CPA at Schneider Downs and Coopers & Lybrand, Joseph Patrick will lend his expertise in finance, accounting, and auditing to the Board and its oversight of the University’s financial activities. In his current role as President of Cristo Rey Columbus High School, Joseph’s knowledge and experience in secondary school issues and the teacher education regulatory environment supports the University’s expanding list of K-12 academic offerings and rapid expansion in education-related programs. Joseph’s business and charitable community activities include involvement with the Catholic Foundation, the Women’s Care Center, Recreation Unlimited, Hands on Central Ohio, and Medigold.

DENISE ZABAWSKI 
A leader in the constantly evolving technology industry, Denise Zabawski, CIO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and a Franklin MBA alumna, brings expertise honed over more than two decades of experience in healthcare and banking. During her service at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Denise has led the implementation of multiple EMR systems, ERP systems, and two new data center construction projects and supported the construction of many new facilities. Denise is also a member of numerous professional organizations and associations, including HIMSS, CHIME, and the Children’s Hospital Association.

ABOUT THE FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Franklin University Board of Trustees governs the University utilizing leadership comprised of respected business and community leaders. Members of the University’s Board apply their extensive business and professional experience to help guide the direction of the University and help it effectively adapt to anticipated changes in society and the business community. Through their leadership and industry insight, Franklin University has stayed true to its philosophy of being a pioneer in meeting the needs of adult students who have the ambition to continue their education in combination with other responsibilities by adapting to their needs and responding to changes in society, professions, and the business community.    

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).