Contact David
civittolo.1@osu.edu
330-263-3627
2120 Fyffe Rd.
Columbus, OH 43210
OVERVIEW OF RESPONSIBILITIES
David spearheads OSU Extension’s mission of bringing research-backed information from the university to communities across the Buckeye State in the broad areas of agriculture and natural resources, community development, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H youth development. It takes a tremendous amount of resources – monetary, personnel, and vital connections with stakeholders – to reach all 88 counties with the work of nearly 800 Extension professionals and thousands of volunteers.
As department chair, David also leads the Department of Extension, helps provide CFAES mission-area leadership in conjunction with the associate deans for teaching and research; and serves on the vice president's cabinet for CFAES. He provides leadership for and bolsters the scholarship of engagement both within and outside of the OSU Extension system; and he is responsible for collaborating with other colleges within the university and the Office of Outreach and Engagement to assist in fulfilling the land-grant mission. David also is committed to promoting a culture of inclusivity, supporting efforts to build a diverse workforce and stakeholder base.
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Prior to being appointed to his interim role, David served as the assistant director for Community Development. He is an associate professor and former field specialist for OSU Extension focusing on community economics. His primary research interests include strategic planning for economic development organizations and conducting business retention and expansion surveys for Ohio communities. David’s research also addresses economic development tools that cities, villages, and townships can use to strengthen the financial impact of economic development projects.
David has been with OSU Extension since 2000, and he served as a county educator and county director prior to his state leadership positions. In December 2013, David was named the recipient of the Raymond A. Schindler Excellence in Community Development Extension Award.
Before his work with Extension, David was employed as a village manager for numerous communities in Ohio. David's areas of expertise include: community planning, leadership development, local government leadership, and strategic planning. The most significant programs with which David works include: Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E), Energize Ohio, Conducting Effective Meetings, Downtown Business District Market Analysis, Communicating with Citizens, Local Government Leadership, Economic Impact Analysis, Vision to Action, Visioning.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, criminal justice, Bowling Green State University
Master's of Public Administration, political science, Bowling Green State University