Boccieri selects friend as chief staff member

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State Sen. John Boccieri of Alliance, D-33rd

By David Skolnick

The two ran for separate Ohio House seats in 2000.

U.S. Rep.-elect John Boccieri has selected Anthony Trevena, who’s worked for Ted Strickland in various capacities, to be his chief of staff.

Jan. 3 is Trevena’s official first day as Boccieri’s chief of staff.

“He brings tremendous experience working in a congressional office and at the state level,” Boccieri said.

Trevena, of Guilford Lake in Columbiana County, took a leave of absence from his job as a deputy director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources about three months ago to work on Boccieri’s campaign.

Though Trevena said he “loves” his ODNR job, the opportunity to run Boccieri’s congressional office was something he couldn’t pass up.

Boccieri, a state senator from Alliance, captured the 16th Congressional District seat in the Nov. 4 election, becoming the first Democrat to hold the position in about 50 years.

Boccieri and Trevena are close friends dating back to 2000 when both were running for seats in the Ohio House.

Trevena finished second in a four-man Democratic primary, and Boccieri, then of New Middletown, won a tight three-man Democratic primary for a different House seat. Trevena served as Boccieri’s campaign manager in the general election and re-election in 2002.

Trevena was heavily involved in then-U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland’s re-election effort for the 6th Congressional District.

Strickland hired Trevena in 2003 as his regional representative. He held that position until 2006. Trevena worked on Strickland’s 2006 gubernatorial campaign.

In January 2007, Trevena joined Strickland’s administration as an ODNR deputy director.

The 16th District includes all of Stark and Wayne counties and portions of Medina and Ashland counties.

Boccieri plans to resign his 33rd Ohio Senate District seat sometime next month. The Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus will select Boccieri’s replacement to finish out the remaining two years on his term.

The state Senate district includes all of Mahoning and Carroll counties and portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties.

Those expressing interest in the appointment include: Boardman Trustee Robyn Gallitto, Poland Trustee Robert Lidle, Alliance Councilman-at-large Steve Okey and Brian R. Thomas of Perrysville in Carroll County, a failed 2004 candidate for the 18th Congressional District.

skolnick@vindy.com