Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

Leadership

Consumers’ Counsel

Janine L. Migden-Ostrander oversees the state agency that represents the interests of Ohio’s 4.5 million residential households with their investor-owned electric, natural gas, telephone and water companies.

Ms. Migden-Ostrander was sworn into office on Monday, April 5, 2004 by the Ohio Attorney General. Prior to being appointed Consumers’ Counsel by the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel’s Governing Board, Ms. Migden-Ostrander was a partner in the law firm of Hahn Loeser & Parks and served as Co-Chair of the firm’s Utility and Regulatory Practice Group.

In her role as Consumers’ Counsel, Ms. Migden-Ostrander has championed a variety of energy and telecommunication policies including integrated portfolio management, alternative sources of energy, energy efficiency programs and innovative rate designs in the energy industry as well as the delivery of broadband services and other technologies to rural and urban customers. Ms. Migden-Ostrander also has made it an agency priority to find solutions for the growing number of customers who struggle with affordability of utility services. She is intent on addressing ways to improve traditional avenues of advocacy and outreach and education programming, as well as setting policy ground rules to increase the effectiveness of the Consumers’ Counsel in regulatory hearings.

Ms. Migden-Ostrander’s career in public utilities began at the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, where she served as an administrative assistant before earning a law degree from Capital University. She then was promoted to Assistant Consumers’ Counsel for the agency and litigated a variety of cases that involved electric, natural gas, telephone and water companies.

Ms. Migden-Ostrander’s previous experience also includes serving as Senior Director of Government Affairs for Enron Corporation and as Special Prosecutor for Montgomery County. She has been involved in proceedings before numerous state utility commissions, and has monitored activities and worked on policy issues involving state and federal energy and telecommunications matters. In addition, she has worked on legislation in numerous states involving a variety of issues including natural gas and electric competition.

Ms. Migden-Ostrander is a past board member of Green Energy Ohio, Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy, the Ohio Environmental Council and the National Low Income Energy Consortium. She currently serves on the National Coal Council, a federal advisory committee to the U.S. Secretary of Energy, as well as the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates and on the Board of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. She earned a bachelor of arts from the State University of New York, and earned a Certificat de la Langue et Civilisation Francaise from the Universite de la Sorbonne in Paris, France.

Deputy Consumers’ Counsel

As Deputy Consumers’ Counsel, Bruce J. Weston oversees the legal department and contributes to the formulation of policy for the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) and its Governing Board. In addition, he fulfills Janine Migden-Ostrander’s role as Consumers’ Counsel in her absence.

The legal department works with the agency’s staff to represent the interests of residential consumers in complex utility proceedings before the courts and regulatory commissions at both the state and federal levels. Mr. Weston manages a staff of attorneys that has extensive experience in negotiation and litigation of utility proceedings. His responsibilities also include overseeing legal work that involves the preparation of proposed changes in state laws and administrative rules and review of legislation to assist residential consumers.

Mr. Weston brings more than 20 years of experience in public utilities law to the OCC. He is committed to protecting the interests of Ohio’s 4.5 million residential utility households. His priorities for the OCC include advocating for reasonable rates, competitive choices, new technologies, and maintaining good service quality for residential utility consumers throughout Ohio.

Prior to joining the OCC in October 2004, Mr. Weston was in the private practice of law. He served as legal counsel for clients in cases involving utility rates, service quality, industry restructuring, and competition.

Mr. Weston began his career at the OCC in 1978 as a law clerk. After earning his Juris Doctor degree from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1980, he began a 12-year tenure as counsel for the agency.

Analytical Services

Aster Rutibabalira Adams joined the OCC in November 2005 as the Director of Analytical Services. He is responsible for overseeing the review of the accounting, economic and financial analysis associated with utility rate filings and other regulatory proceedings. Prior to joining the OCC, Mr. Adams was Chief of the Competitive Markets and Policy Division of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority. He holds a licence en économie from The National University of Rwanda and has earned a master’s degree in economic development from Vanderbilt University. Currently, he is pursuing a doctorate in economics from Vanderbilt University.

Communications

Maureen E. Miller joined the OCC as Director of Communications in November 1999. She oversees the planning and implementation of all public and media relations activities and outreach and education efforts, as well as the development of printed materials and the website. With more than 20 years of experience in the public relations field, Ms. Miller has assisted in the development of a variety of award-winning education campaigns. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from Ohio Dominican University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University.

Legislative Affairs

Dennis Stapleton joined the OCC as Director of Legislative and Governmental Affairs in June 2004. He serves as the relationship manager between state and federal government and the OCC. Prior to joining the OCC, Mr. Stapleton served as an Assistant Director at the Ohio Department of Insurance and from 1996 to 2003 he served in the Ohio House of Representatives for the 88th District and was the Chairman of the House Insurance Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications from the University of Dayton.

Operations

Charles Repuzynsky joined the OCC as Director of Operations in July 2005. He oversees the Operations Department, which encompasses the Administration and Consumer Services Divisions. Areas of responsibilities include finance, budgeting, strategic planning, human resources, information technology and the call center. Prior to joining the OCC, Mr. Repuzynsky served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Ohio Historical Society, a non-profit quasi-government organization. He is also a member of the Institute of Management Accountants, the American Payroll Association, the Association of Government Accountants and the Society for Human Resource Management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in accounting from The Ohio State University.

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