Dann hires ex-mayor's daughter

A former Struthers native is the latest person with ties to the Mahoning Valley to be appointed to a top-level position in the administration of Attorney General Marc Dann, a Liberty Democrat.

Dann announced Friday that he’s appointed Sherry Maxfield, 47, raised in Struthers, as acting chief counsel. She is the daughter of former Struthers Mayor Tom Creed.

“Acting means she’s serving in that role currently and we’d love to have her on board permanently,” said Alex Goepfert, an attorney general spokesman.

The chief counsel division represents all branches of state government — elected officials, agencies, boards and commissions, and universities — in lawsuits brought against the state for money damages including contract, personal injury, premises liability, medical malpractice and employment actions.

Maxfield has worked in the attorney general’s office since August 1984, starting in the workers’ compensation section and then in the court of claims section. She also previously served as chief of the business and government regulation section.

Since August 1995, Maxfield has been the chief of the office’s health and human services section.

She lives in Gahanna with her husband, Mike, and their two children. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University and a law degree from the University of Toledo.

She was among five top administrators selected Friday by Dann. The attorney general also named a solicitor general, an acting solicitor general, chief deputy attorney general for public protection and chief deputy attorney general for governmental affairs.

Other current or former Valley residents selected by Dann to high-level positions in his administration are:

• Youngstown police Detective Sgt. Rick Alli as chief of law enforcement operations.

• Retired Howland police Chief Steve Lamantia as acting superintendent of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

•  Ed Simpson as his chief of administration and policy. Simpson served as the managing editor of content for the Tribune Chronicle, a Warren newspaper, from 1991-98.