Kara Wente has spent her career advocating for children. In August, 2023, Governor Mike DeWine nominated her to be the director of the Department of Children and Youth.

She has served as the Director of the Governor’s Children’s Initiative since January 2023, and was previously the Chief Operating Officer for Future Ready Columbus. .

With more than 20 years in dedicated state service, Wente has extensive experience in serving the most vulnerable children and families in Ohio. She used data as an accountability tool for systemic change during her time as the Assistant Director of Health and Human Services at the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services and led several large-scale system and policy changes as Deputy Director at the Office of Family Assistance.

Wente holds a Master’s in Education and Allied Professions from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The Ohio State University.