Gerard Basalla

Background

About Gerard Basalla

Gerard C. Basalla is the Chief of Staff at the Columbus Partnership, a membership-based leadership organization of 80 chairpersons, chief executive officers and senior executives from the Region’s leading businesses and institutions. The Partnership’s members include Fortune 500 CEOs, as well as the leaders of top universities and the world’s largest private, nonprofit research and development organization. In his current role, Basalla leads external stakeholder management and internal strategic execution across the organization while supporting advocacy and engagement strategies in the Region. His work includes spearheading initiatives to advance the Columbus Region’s economic competitiveness, fostering communication with business leaders and elected officials and guiding external affairs efforts across the 11-county metropolitan area. Previously, Basalla served as Director of Government Affairs, Director and Associate Director of Public Policy, as well as Special Assistant to former Columbus Partnership President and CEO Alex Fischer. Before joining the Partnership, Basalla served as Co-Chair of the statewide student effort to re-elect U.S. Senator Rob Portman and interned for both Senator Portman in Washington, D.C, and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine in Columbus. Additionally, Basalla represented undergraduate students as the Student Body President at The Ohio State University and was selected to be the first student speaker in school history at the University’s 415th commencement ceremony in Ohio Stadium. Basalla is deeply involved in the Columbus community, serving on the Board of Trustees for the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) and the Executive Committee of Opera Columbus. His commitment to regional growth is also demonstrated through his work with the Columbus Region Coalition and the JobsOhio Network engagement team. Nationally, he is part of the American Enterprise Institute’s (AEI) Millennial Leadership Network. In recognition of his professional and civic contributions, Gerard was named as the youngest member of the Columbus Business First 40 Under 40 Class of 2023.Gerard is a two-time graduate of The Ohio State University, with a Master of Public Administration and Leadership as well as Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Political Science and Strategic Communication. He resides in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus with his wife, Miranda, and son, Howard.