John Fortney

John Fortney has a diverse work experience in the field of communications and journalism. John currently serves as the Director of Communications for the Ohio Senate since January 2021. Prior to that, they worked as the Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor for the Ohio Senate Majority Caucus from March 2015 to March 2021.

Before their role in the Ohio Senate, John worked as the News Director/Anchor at WTAP-TV (NBC) from December 2011 to January 2015. John was responsible for making editorial decisions, co-anchoring newscasts, and managing the newsroom budget. Prior to that, they served as an Anchor and Reporter at KOLN-TV (CBS) from February 2010 to December 2011, where they co-anchored main newscasts.

John's career also includes working at WBNS-TV (CBS) as an Anchor and Political Reporter from October 2005 to October 2009. During their time there, they covered various newscasts, including the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and specialized in politics.

Furthermore, they were the original anchor at The Ohio News Network (ONN) from July 1996 to October 2005. In addition to being the main weeknight anchor, they covered political events such as the 2004 Republican and Democratic National Conventions and reported on the Ohio National Guard's response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

Lastly, John's career in journalism began at WTAP-TV (NBC) in April 1989 while they were still a junior at Marietta College. John worked their way up through the news department and eventually became a full-time anchor in 1994. During this time, they also reported and shot their own stories.

Overall, John Fortney has extensive experience in communications, press relations, and journalism, with a focus on political reporting.

John Fortney obtained their Associate's degree in Broadcasting from Ohio Valley University between 1986 and 1988. John then pursued their Bachelor's degree in Business Management at Marietta College from 1988 to 1990.