Our team
Jamie Wright
PRESIDENT
Jamie Wright is the Founder and President of Starfish Assignment Licking County. Jamie is a Police Wife who recognized the need to bring together law enforcement and the Licking County community to help people.
Jamie began her career in the insurance industry in 2002. She has since earned a degree in Business Management, and she partners a local Insurance Agency in Licking County. She believes that education, service, and community involvement are paramount to her business and personal philosophy.
Jamie is a member of the Young Leaders of Licking County, the Kiwanis Club of Newark, the Licking County Chamber Event Committee, on the steering committee of the Small Business Council of Licking County, the spokeswoman for the Community Leadership Class of Licking County 2020, an honoree on the Newark Advocate’s top 20 under 40 list, named the Licking County 2021 Young Professional of the Year, and a recipient of the Ohio Insurance Agents (OIA) Community Service Award in 2021 – honoring an Independent Insurance Agent that has provided extraordinary service within their local community.
Jamie is also the podcast host of For The Love of Licking County: A podcast on leadership, entrepreneurship, and community impact – presented by the Licking County Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Council.
Outside of work, she enjoys writing, music, cooking, and traveling. She and her husband can be found enjoying time with their children, and their French bulldog, Winston.
Tricia Moore
Secretary
Tricia Moore was born and raised in Licking County, and is a graduate of Newark Catholic High School. She went on to attend Saint Mary’s College where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and then obtained her Juris Doctor from Ave Maria School of Law. Upon returning home to Ohio in 2003, she was appointed as an Assistant Law Director for the City of Newark where she is currently employed.
Tricia serves on the Licking County Municipal Drug Court Treatment Team, the Save a Warrior Development Committee, and is the president of the Licking County Republican Women’s Club. She is also an associate member of the Licking County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #127. Through her work as a prosecutor and with Save A Warrior, she has developed a passion for fighting veteran and first responder suicide due to Post Traumatic Stress.
Outside of work, she is a life-long member of St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church, a CrossFit enthusiast, and mom to three kids and a German short-haired pointer.
Kelli Hunt
TREASURER
Kelli is a mortgage lender for First Federal savings and has been with the company since 2018. Since joining First Federal she has had the opportunity to meet some great people and get involved with the Licking County Community. Currently, she serves as treasurer on the board for The Greater Buckeye Lake Historical Society, secretary of a newly formed nonprofit Explore Buckeye Lake, an ambassador for the Young Leaders of Licking County, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Newark, and sits on the Community Development Action Committee for the Licking County Commissioners.
Kelli was born and raised in Licking County and graduated from Lakewood High School in 2006. In 2013 she graduated from Central Ohio Technical College with an Associate Degree in Nursing but had a change of heart and began her career in the mortgage industry in 2016. She currently lives in Newark with her husband Eddie, daughter Liana and bernese mountain dog Bear. Kelli enjoys doing CrossFit, relaxing at home, vacationing and spending time with her family and friends.
Barry L. Connell
Board Member
Barry L. Connell is a Licking Valley High School graduate and a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who served in law enforcement for thirty years. He retired as the Chief of the Newark, Ohio Division of Police on July 25, 2020. He worked as a police canine handler/trainer, field training officer, training supervisor, property room supervisor, and public information officer. He also commanded the Administrative, Support, and Patrol Bureaus for the Newark Division of Police. He is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the Columbia Southern University, completing his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration.
Barry also completed the Police Executive Leadership College, Certified Law Enforcement Executive program, and the Southern Police Institute’s Administrative Officer’s Course. He is involved with several community improvement organizations. Barry was promoted to Sergeant on June 8, 1998, Captain on August 9, 2010, and Chief on March 6, 2015.
Barry is married to Andrea and they have three children, Kendra, James, and John and five grandchildren, Dominic, Tessa, Carleigh, Damien, and Caroline.
Rhonda Grizzell
Board Member
Rhonda Grizzell is a Columbus native and graduate of Hamilton Township High School, who went on to attend Wittenberg University, graduating in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She entered the Columbus Division of Police in November of 1994 and spent the next 26 years with the Division, retiring at the rank of Commander. While at CPD, Rhonda attended the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. She held numerous assignments in CPD as a bureau Commander, including Patrol, Training, Property Crimes, Wellness, and Community Response Bureau.
One legacy she is particularly proud of was her involvement in leading the Columbus Peer Assistance Team to combat the effects of stress and traumatic experiences that officers must face.
In October 2020, she assumed the role of Deputy Chief of Police under Chief Curtis Baker with the Reynoldsburg Division of Police. Deputy Chief Grizzell is excited to join Starfish Assignment Licking County and is looking forward to expanding the partnership within RPD.
Chief David Haren
Board Member
David W. Haren grew up in Newark, Ohio. He graduated from Newark Catholic High School. He graduated magna cum laude from Ashland University a double major in Criminal Justice and Sociology. He began his law enforcement career working three summers for the Cedar Point Police while in college. After college he worked at the Erie County Sheriff’s Office as a corrections officer for a year. David was hired by the Newark Police Department in October of 1992. Newark Police Department sent David to the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy and he graduated with the Basic class #81. While at Newark Police Department for over 23 years David served many roles as he developed. David was an FTO, Special Operations Group member, supervisor, and commander; canine officer, technical crash investigator, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Training Sergeant. After being promoted to Captain he served as commander of Patrol, Detectives, and Administration.
David attended multiple police executive training and development course. He is a graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Police Staff and Command and the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. He is currently the President of the Ohio chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates.
David is the current Chief of Police for the Heath Police Department. He has served the city of Heath since April of 2016. Heath Police Department has been in partnership with the Starfish Assignment of Licking County since it was founded. This partnership has helped serve our community as a whole and individuals in need. It is an honor to further serve in this partnership.
David is married to his wife Jody. They have four children (adults) Bryant, Ashley, Hunter and Hailey.