City Council

Robert Bailey

At Large / President Pro-Tempore

Chairperson, Administration and Financial Management Subcommittee

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Karen Conison

Council At-Large Representative

Chairperson, Infrastructure, Maintenance and Services Subcommittee

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Karen Conison is serving her third term as a Council At-Large Representative, having been first elected to City Council in 2012. She is also serving as the Chairperson of the Infrastructure, Maintenance and Services Subcommittee. 

Councilor Conison moved to Whitehall from Pittsburg as a young child, and attended Beechwood Elementary, Rosemore Middle School and Whitehall Yearling High School. While she now claims Whitehall as her hometown, she is still an avid Pittsburg Steelers fan.

Council Conison holds her B.A. in Public Relations from The Ohio State University and in her professional life is the Human Resources Manager at SourcePoint, a non-profit based in Delaware which provides Meals-on-Wheels.

Councilor Conison's civic participation extends beyond Whitehall City Council. She is currently serving as the President of the Whitehall Community Celebration Association (WCCA). Council Conison was was inducted in the Whitehall Yearling High School Hall of Fame in 2017 and received Whitehall Female Citizen of the Year in 2013.

Favorite things about Whitehall:  
"My favorite thing about Whitehall is the feeling of a small community. I was fortunate to serve as a chair for the Whitehall School Levy, and helped in the passage to build all new schools. Our community always rallies together for the betterment of all people. And speaking of people, we have the best! Our community is diverse, full of spirit and opportunities, and I am proud to call it my home!"

Gerald Dixon

Ward I

Chairperson, Community and Elder Advocacy Subcommittee
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Gerald Dixon is a native Whitehallian and a proud graduate of Whitehall Yearling High School. After graduation from WYHS, Councilor Dixon embarked on a successful acting career in New York City and Hollywood before returning to his roots and purchasing his family home on Doney Street, where he now resides. While acting is no longer his primary vocation, he continues to be an active member of the Screen Actors Guild.  

 Councilor Dixon has always had a strong desire to give back to his community through public service and is eager to bring his passion for Whitehall, city planning and sociology to the Council table. He also has a passion for debate and good conversation, and welcomes his neighbors to reach out to discuss all things Whitehall.

In his spare time, Councilor Dixon tends to home improvements, his cat Alex’s well-being, visiting friends, reading, gardening, movies, writing, painting and paying bills. 

Favorite things about Whitehall:

"Whitehall is all the little things that flavor our lives here; the golden slanted sunlight of evening in John Bishop Park during the summer months as baseball and basketball games wind down. The roar of the crowd when the Rams score a touchdown on a chilly Autumn night, the kindly faces of your neighbors volunteering at events, the always heartfelt earnestness of our little town’s parade entrants during Independence Day, the serenity of a Sunday morning, the everyday poetry, beauty and rightness of regular folks going about their business, raising children, shopping and living their lives and, of course, the support this community has for itself. 

When all is said and done, it is home."

Lori Elmore

Ward IV Council Representative

Chairperson, Public Safety Subcommittee 

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In 2017, Lori Elmore made Whitehall history by being elected the first African American to hold a Whitehall City Council seat, She represents Ward IV and is also serving as Chairperson of the Public Safety Subcommittee. 

Councilor Elmore is a native of Columbus and began her 30 year career in public service in 1986, while working for the Civil Rights Commission, and the Department of Insurance.  Realizing her passion for advocacy, she pursued employment, and was hired with Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA), AFSCME Local 11 in 1996 as a Staff Representative, and eventually as the Associate Director of Government Affairs. In January 2020, she retired as the Organizing Director for AFSCME/OCSEA after over 24 years of service. She continues to dedicate her life to public service and community advocacy. 

Councilor Elmore attended The Ohio State University, ultimately acquiring her B.A. in Business Administration from The Ohio Dominican University. She believes in being a lifelong learner, and has completed several leadership institutes i.e. Ray Miller Leadership Institute, Camp Wellstone, Democratic Leadership Institute, and Ohio Organizing Collaborative. 

In 2019, Councilor Elmore, along with City Attorney, Michael Bivens, developed the first annual Whitehall’s inaugural “Day of Unity” to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King at City Hall.  She has also recently championed legislation regarding having a 3-way stop sign at Fairway and Eden due to safety concerns and was instrumental in partnering to enact legislation to affirm the Franklin County Public Health declaration asserting that racism is a public health crisis.

She is married to Clinton Elmore and has three children, Marvin, Lauren and Lena and a grandson Charles “CJ”.  Lori’s motto is “Love God, Love People.”

Favorite things about Whitehall:
"My favorite thing about Whitehall is that it is a multicultural, multiracial community that is growing economically, and is big enough for everybody."

JoAnna Heck

Ward II Council Representative

Chairperson, Parks and Recreation Subcommittee

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JoAnna Heck is serving her second term as the Ward II Council Representative, having been first elected to City Council in January 2018. She is also currently serving as Chairman of the Parks and Recreation subcommittee.

Originally from Oakwood (a small town near Dayton, Ohio), Councilor Heck moved to Central Ohio to obtain her B.A. in Psychology from The Ohio State University. In her professional life she serves as the Secretary to the Director of Special Education at Whitehall City Schools. Beyond City Council, she also serves on the Board of the Whitehall Community Park YMCA, in the Rosemore Middle School Parent Involvement group and is working towards relaunching a PTA at Whitehall Yearling High School. 

Favorite things about Whitehall:
"My favorite thing about Whitehall is the small town feel."

Wesley P. Kantor

Council At-Large Representative

Chairperson, Economic Development Subcommittee

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Amy Smith

Ward III Council Representative

Chairperson, Community Standards and Enforcement Subcommittee

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Amy Smith was elected to her first term as the Ward III representative in 2021. She is also currently serving as Chairperson of the Community Standards and Enforcement subcommittee. 

Councilor Smith is no stranger to public service, with prior volunteer involvement on the City’s Planning Commission and with the Whitehall Community Park YMCA.  

Adding to this, Councilor Smith is currently completing a year of service as a construction crew lead with Habitat for Humanity MidOhio to build up housing for underserved populations in the Central Ohio region. Prior to her year of service, she accumulated over six years of experience in architecture and design with M+A Architects. Councilor Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from Judson University.  

In her spare time, she enjoys riding her bike and camping 

"What I admire most about Whitehall is there is room for everyone to find where they belong."