October 21, 2025
By Rachel Scofield

After 18 years of calling Pickerington home, Ryan Holstine says his decision to run for the Pickerington Local School District Board of Education comes from both civic duty and personal investment.

“I have three children in our schools, and I believe in public education,” Holstine said. “I have a vested interest in making our schools the best they possibly can be.”

Holstine said he has long been civically minded and quick to volunteer when called upon. Recently, he said, he observed “a gap in our current board with reference to communicating with the public” — one he believes he can help fill.

Holstine grew up in Clawson, Michigan, a working-class town near Detroit, and moved to Chillicothe at age 12 after the death of his mother. Living with his aunt and uncle, whom he credits as pivotal influences, he graduated from Chillicothe High School before earning his college degree at Capital University in Columbus.

He and his wife, Jessica, moved to Pickerington nearly two decades ago, drawn by the quality of the schools and reasonable cost of living. “We have had several opportunities to move over the years,” he said, “and have consistently decided to call Pickerington our home.”

Community involvement has been a defining feature of Holstine’s life in Pickerington. He is active at Seton Parish, ​previously serving as a religious education teacher, Mass coordinator, Eucharistic minister, and member of the Pastoral Council. He has volunteered with PASA, PYAA Softball, and I9 Basketball, and served as a trustee for the Winding Creek HOA.

He has also served on the Violet Township Zoning Commission, the Fairfield County ADAMH Board, and the City of Pickerington’s Charter Review Board. ​While working for the Defense Logistics Agency, he deployed to Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan​.

Jessica works in Quality Improvement at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and serves on both the Girls Lacrosse and Cheer boards at Pickerington High School North. Their three children — Brooklyn, Cadence, and Jackson — attend Pickerington schools and are active in sports, theater, and other extracurriculars.

Outside of his community and family commitments, Holstine enjoys reading, riding his motorcycle, attending concerts and Broadway shows, and spending time with Max, the family’s German Shepherd adopted during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plans to better the district

When it comes to district priorities, Holstine said operating funds are the most urgent issue facing Pickerington Schools. “We will dip below the 45-day cash-on-hand threshold in 2026,” he said. “Running this low on funds will require the district to make some very hard choices about what classes are offered and what staff is needed. We need to get adequate funding in place to ensure our children have the options at school that we all moved here for.”

He believes the district must present an operating levy that unites the community. “We no longer have time to try multiple times to pass a levy,” he said, adding that financial inaction has put the district in a difficult position.

Beyond finances, Holstine said the district must rebuild communication and trust with both the public and its unions. If elected, he plans to stay active on social media, host monthly meet-and-greets, and help organize regular town halls and mailers to keep residents informed. “We need to meet people where they are,” he said. “Being on the Board is more than a twice-a-month commitment—it’s a commitment to being in our schools and out in the community.”