Jenny Keesee

Jenny Keesee serves families of children with special needs and their school districts in Crawford, Morrow and Richland County as one of two Parent Mentors with Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center.  Jenny has a strong background in special education, stemming from her desire to increase her knowledge and better advocate for her own child.  She completed the COPAA special education advocacy training in 2015 and used her knowledge to act as a resource for other parents on both local and national platforms. That same year, Jenny began volunteering as an Ohio Department of Education surrogate parent, filling the role of parent when a child’s natural parents are unavailable to make decisions in the special education process. 

In addition to serving as a surrogate parent, Jenny is a long-time parent representative for her county’s family and children’s first council (FCFC) and in July 2021, began a three-year term as a member of the Ohio Department of Education State Advisory Panel for Exceptional Children (SAPEC).   Jenny has also been a court appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer since 2016 and has served on the board of the Ashland County Cancer Association since 2019.   Jenny feels very fortunate to be able to spend so much of her time in ongoing volunteer activities. With such strong dedication, Jenny was honored in her community as an Ashland County Woman of Achievement for her work assisting families of special needs children in 2018. 

Jenny’s career, volunteer efforts, specialized training, and personal experiences managing her own children’s medical, developmental, and educational obstacles have provided her with a unique understanding of multiple systems and across numerous age spans. Jenny’s passions are advocating for the needs of children in the foster care and ensuring this most vulnerable population has the support, coordination, communication, and services they require.