Michelle Gillcrist was initially appointed to be the Interim Director of the Ohio Lottery Commission by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in April of 2023. In May of 2023, she was announced as the official Director of the Ohio Lottery. Prior to her appointment, Gillcrist served as the Northern Ohio Regional Liaison and the Governor’s Aerospace and Defense Liaison to the northeast sector of the State of Ohio.
For over thirty years, Gillcrist has served the northeast Ohio community in both the private and public sectors specializing in government relations. In the private sector, Gillcrist helped shape regional policy on issues related to economic development, healthcare, and technology commercialization during her tenure at Greater Cleveland Growth Association, the Battelle Memorial Institute, Cleveland Clinic, and the Visiting Nurse Association.
In the public sector, Gillcrist has represented the interest of northeast Ohio at the federal level while she served as District Representative for then U.S. Senator Mike DeWine. More recently, then Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine appointed Gillcrist as Managing Attorney of his Northeast Ohio Office. In her role, she oversaw the operations of the Cleveland office and assisted in the development of policy to improve mental health, reduce human trafficking, and promote collaboration with law enforcement.
Gillcrist holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree in history from John Carroll University as well as a Juris Doctorate from Case Western University School of Law.