☆ Graduate of Stow-Munroe Falls, Ohio Wesleyan, & Harvard
☆ Former History & Civics Teacher
☆ Experience in government from the White House to City Hall
☆ Managed Pro-Democracy Programs in Lebanon & Iraq
☆ Leads a Nonpartisan Nonprofit to Bridge Political Divides in Ohio
"I didn't spend years working to strengthen democracy in countries like Lebanon and Iraq just to sit by while our democratic institutions are attacked here at home. Ohio needs representatives at all levels of government who work to solve problems instead of causing them. I love Stow, and I will work with anyone who is willing to work for the good of our city."
Kyle's Story
Growing up in Stow
Kyle's parents moved to Stow when he was a baby because they wanted him and his siblings to grow up in a safe neighborhood with strong schools. Kyle is a proud graduate of Highland Elementary, Lakeview Intermediate, Kimpton Middle School, and Stow-Munroe Falls High School. Thanks to the excellent education Kyle received in Stow and the support of our community, he earned scholarships to Ohio Wesleyan University and went on to earn his Master's in Public Policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. While Kyle traveled for his education and career, his family remained in Stow, and Stow will always be his home.
Experience in Good Governance
Kyle spent his first two years out of college teaching high school history and civics at a Christian school in Beirut, Lebanon. He thought his career was going to be about bridging international divides and strengthening democracy in the Middle East, so Kyle earned his Master’s in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. After grad school, Kyle moved to DC for an internship with the House Foreign Affairs Committee to get his foot in the door, but was disgusted by congressional dysfunction. Due to his strong skills and empathy, Kyle was recruited to serve as a writer for the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence to help President Obama respond to his mail during his final two years in office. Afterward, he learned about local government while serving as Executive Assistant to the Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia. Then Kyle applied his governance skills by managing pro-democracy and anti-corruption programs in Lebanon and Iraq for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, where his coworkers nominated and elected him as a Union representative.
Helping his Hometown
Like many during lockdown, Kyle moved back home in 2020 thinking it was temporary to wait out the pandemic. But while he was still working on programs to strengthen democracy abroad, he was increasingly concerned about the need to save democracy at home. Alongside volunteers from across the political spectrum, Kyle co-founded Rank the Vote Ohio as a nonpartisan nonprofit organization to help bridge divides and incentivize cooperation for the common good. Kyle decided to buy a house of his own here in Stow so that he could live permanently in his hometown near family and friends, and he became active with Citizens for Nonpartisan Politics. After learning of his experiences, Mayor John Pribonic appointed Kyle to serve on Stow's Planning Commission, however Kyle’s nomination was repeatedly blocked alongside the Mayor's other nominations for Boards and Commissions in what appeared to be political obstructionism. Mayor Pribonic ultimately succeeded in appointing Kyle to Stow's Civil Service Commission, where he works with Stow's Police and Fire Chiefs to ensure that Stow's Public Safety Forces are effectively staffed. Mayor Pribonic asked Kyle to run for City Council as part of his team, and friends and neighbors urged Kyle to run so that he can use his public policy skills even more to help Stow thrive.
Serving on Council
Kyle was elected in November 2023 to serve all 35,000 residents of Stow as an at-large representative. He was sworn in to start his two-year term at the beginning of 2024. Kyle provides regular updates about Council activity via Facebook. Kyle's accomplishments while on Council include:
☆ Ratified the purchase of the Cornerstone Church property for the new Stow Community Center.
☆ Worked with City Staff to initiate a comprehensive update to Stow's Planning and Zoning codes to make them more user-friendly for residents and businesses, to better align with Stow's Comprehensive Plan, and to encourage the development of more walkable and sustainable commercial and mixed-use venues while protecting the integrity of our residential neighborhoods. Give your input here!
☆ Spearheaded Stow's partnership with Power a Clean Future Ohio so our City can save money by accessing state and federal grants for environmentally-friendly projects that can help turn our Comprehensive Plan, Connectivity Plan, and Parks Master Plan into reality.
☆ Supported the Stow Flag Project initiated by a high school student to collect resident feedback on the possible redesign of our City Flag to strengthen our community identity.
☆ Ratified Mayor Pribonic's appointments of numerous City Staff (Law Director, Planning Director, City Engineer, Deputy Finance Director, and more) and volunteer members of Stow's Boards and Commissions.
☆ Responded to residents' requests to improve their quality of life, including introducing an ordinance to improve the consistency of when fireworks should be expected, as well as voting to ban roosters from residential neighborhoods, while supporting an amendment to still allow them on Stow's few remaining family farms (over 4 acres) where they could be kept without disturbing neighbors.
☆ Approved moving forward with the construction of a First Responders Memorial at Stow's Safety Center.
☆ Initiated a #StowPride campaign to thank community leaders for supporting inclusion, and joined other out elected officials in Columbus to raise awareness about the obstacles that LGBTQ Ohioans still face.
☆ Testified at the Ohio Statehouse alongside pro-democracy organizations and other elected officials from across the state in order to protect Local Home Rule for Stow and other cities.
Kyle's Priorities
Public Safety: As Vice Chair of Stow’s Civil Service Commission, Kyle developed working relationships with Stow’s Police and Fire Departments. Kyle supports Ward 2 Councilwoman Kelly Coffey’s plan to strengthen safety for schools.
Environment: Kyle supports Stow's parks and green spaces, and he earned endorsements from the Sierra Club and Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund for his commitment to protecting healthy land, air, and water for Stow’s residents.
Development: Kyle wants to apply his previous experience in city government to help update planning and zoning codes to improve Stow’s walkability, develop more of a town center, and support local businesses.
Fiscal Responsibility: Kyle studied economics and budgeting while earning his Master’s in Public Policy at Harvard, and he is committed to being a careful steward of taxpayer dollars.
Civility and Cooperation: Kyle believes that even more important than any particular policy or political affiliation is Council’s ability to work respectfully and productively with the Mayor and City Staff to solve problems on behalf of Stow’s citizens.
"However we feel about national politics, we should be able to respond to the needs of Stow citizens and support local nonpartisan issues like our safety, our development, and our green spaces. I'm proud Mayor Pribonic asked me to run as part of his team because voters deserve leaders who will work together to move Stow forward."
