When the Gahanna Civic Center opened its doors for the first time, the City of Gahanna stepped confidently into its next chapter, focused on operations and service. Designed to better serve residents, streamline operations, and reflect the City’s continued growth, the facility represents much more than bricks and a blueprint – it is the culmination of years of intentional planning, coordination, and leadership to uplift City resources and capabilities.
Behind the scenes, many dedicated City professionals worked tirelessly to bring the vision to life, and two of those leaders who helped shape the project from concept to completion are City of Gahanna Senior Directors Kevin Schultz and Miranda Vollmer.
Meet Kevin Schultz
City of Gahanna
Kevin Schultz
For Kevin Schultz, Senior Director of Operations, public service has been the defining throughline of his career.
Schultz earned both his bachelor’s degree in environmental design and his master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Buffalo. He then began working in geographic information systems (GIS) – a field that uses mapping and data analysis to guide development and infrastructure decisions. After moving to Central Ohio in 2012 to serve Franklin County, he continued to build a career rooted in technical expertise, long-range planning, and public impact.
Schultz joined the City of Gahanna in 2020 as IT Manager and was promoted into his current role two years later, where he worked alongside Mayor Laurie Jadwin to complete an assessment of the City’s facilities – an effort that evaluated both immediate and long-term operational and space needs. Today, he oversees the Departments of Engineering, Public Service, Parks & Recreation, and Planning – a breadth of responsibility that reflects both his experience and his practical, solutions-focused approach.
“No two days are alike,” Schultz said. “Managing four departments, I make sure things don’t get stuck.”
That mindset proved essential when he took on the role of Project Manager for the new Civic Center, transforming designs into a tangible, functioning facility. As the largest facilities project in the City’s history, Schultz approached the work with a practical lens and a strong belief in collaboration.
“All projects have roadblocks,” Schultz said. “As long as you know how to navigate through the process, things fall in line. I am the fortunate one who gets to be the mouthpiece of the project, but ultimately, solutions were found with the project team. It was a collaborative approach.”
From early goal-setting conversations to construction milestones, Schultz worked alongside City leaders, department directors, and external partners to help ensure the Civic Center reflects the broader vision for the community.
Beyond its role as a new workplace and community resource, the Civic Center represents an opportunity to strengthen how employees collaborate and how residents connect with City services. Schultz said that progress has reaffirmed what has always drawn him to public service: the opportunity to make a positive, direct impact on residents’ daily lives.
“The most fulfilling part of the project was having the ability to represent the City on our biggest capital project in history and playing a key role in bringing the team’s vision to life,” he said. “It’s been very satisfying.”
City of Gahanna
Meet Miranda Vollmer
City of Gahanna
Miranda Vollmer
For Miranda Vollmer, the City’s Senior Director of Administrative Services, public service is about mission, impact, and cultivating community pride and purpose.
Vollmer earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Bowling Green State University and her law degree, with a certificate of concentration in labor and employment law, from the University of Toledo College of Law. Drawn to labor negotiations and the public sector through internships with the City of Toledo, she began her career in human resources, later serving as HR Manager for the Columbus Division of Police before joining Gahanna as HR Director in 2018.
“Public governments and public service agencies are mission-driven organizations, and I’m a mission-driven person,” Vollmer said. “I like working for the mission, and I believe in the function of government and how it works to help residents.”
Promoted to Senior Director in 2022, Vollmer now oversees the City’s Finance, HR, and IT Departments as well as Mayor’s Court – working with the Mayor to support strategic citywide initiatives, ensure departments have the resources to operate efficiently and transparently, and make sure employees have the support they need to thrive.
While Schultz oversees the City’s external-facing services, Vollmer oversees the internal services. Like Schultz, problem-solving is a big part of her role, a skill which made her an essential contributor to the Civic Center project. Having served as an assistant project manager, she brought the employee and operational perspective to the design team.
Beyond logistics, Vollmer focused on shaping the employee experience – designing collaborative workstations, quiet rooms, and welcoming communal spaces – all guided by community-driven goals and Gahanna’s long-term vision for the facility.
“At the beginning of the project, we set goals, so every time we made a decision, it reflected those core objectives and kept everyone on the same page as we moved forward,” Vollmer said.
The expanded workstations, training areas, and upgraded technology equip staff to serve residents more effectively, but Vollmer emphasized that the intentional spaces also provide room for employees to connect, collaborate, and celebrate one another, their work, and their community.
“Working on this kind of project was a once-in-a-career opportunity,” Vollmer said. “Being part of those conversations allowed me to advocate for our employees to ensure that they have what they need in this new facility. The intentionality around the employee spaces is something that’s really exciting for me, because I know our employees will continue to thrive in this new environment, allowing us to build longevity and retention with our staff.”
City of Gahanna
Ella Jay is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at ejay@cityscenemediagroup.com.
