VALLEY VIRTUAL STAFF

Jack Zocolo currently serves as the Superintendent of Valley Virtual. He is also the Director of Human Resources and Operations of the ESC of Eastern Ohio (formerly the Mahoning County ESC). He received his undergraduate degree in special education from the University of Akron and a Master’s of Education in Educational Administration/Exceptional Children from Youngstown State University. In 2013, he earned his Superintendent’s License from Ashland University and his School Business Manager’s License in 2016. 

Jack joined the Mahoning County Educational Service Center (now ESCEO) in July 2019 after working 23 years in the Boardman Local Schools as Director of Special Education and Director of Operations. Prior to that, he worked as a special education supervisor for the Westerville City Schools and a special education teacher in various districts throughout the state. He has over 30 years’ experience working with students and staff as a teacher and administration.

Ryan D. Jones earned his B.A. in Journalism and Psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University in 2008 and his Treasurer’s License in 2015. Ryan became Treasurer of the Mahoning County Educational Service Center (now Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio) in September 2019. He began his career as a bookkeeper in the MCESC’s fiscal office and then was hired as the Treasurer/CFO at Mathews Local Schools. Most recently he served as the Treasurer/CFO at Marlington Local Schools.

Ryan is the Treasurer of Focus Hippotherapy--a 501(c)(3) organization--and helps organize an annual triathlon and picnic that benefits the Steve Speece Memorial Scholarship and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN).

Sue Forsythe has been in education since 2012. Her first five years were at Youngstown Community School as a K-6 Intervention Specialist. In 2013, she was hired to work for the Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio (formerly Mahoning County Educational Service Center) in the PACE program, where she was an Intervention Specialist for three years. In 2015, Mrs. Forsythe joined the Mahoning Unlimited Classroom team as an Intervention Specialist. In 2017, she became the School Counselor with Valley Virtual (formerly Mahoning Unlimited Classroom). Mrs. Forsythe graduated with her Bachelor of Arts and Master's in Education degrees from Youngstown State University. She has lived in the Youngstown area her entire life. Mrs. Forsythe, her husband and daughter live in Boardman. 

Lindsay Bernat graduated from Youngstown State University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science
in Social Work and she obtained her social work license the same year. Mrs. Bernat began her
career in the health care setting working in area hospitals and nursing homes, and she was
excited to make the transition to the school setting in 2023. Mrs. Bernat brings with her a wide
range of knowledge and understanding of the needs of the underserved and the various
community support services that are available.
Mrs. Bernat has been a lifetime resident of Mahoning County and lives in Boardman with
her husband Jason and three daughters, Leah, and twins Elena and Lily.

Mrs. Gina Christy joined Mahoning Unlimited Classroom (now Valley Virtual) in 2018 as an intervention specialist. She has been teaching for 17 years. She received her undergrad from Youngstown State University and her Master’s Degree from Kent State University in early childhood education. She taught kindergarten for two years and then preschool for six years. Mrs. Christy then taught at Buckeye Online School in East Liverpool, Ohio as an intervention specialist for four and a half years and obtained her master’s degree in K-12 special education.

Mrs. Christy and her husband have two children. Her son, Devin is 10 and is going into 5th grade and her daughter, Delaney is 13 and is going into 8th grade.

Mrs. Stacy Rutana has been in education for 24 years. She has taught every grade from preschool through twelfth grade in a variety of settings. Mrs. Rutana has worked for the Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio (previously Mahoning County Educational Service Center) since 1996, where she has worked in many locations throughout the county. Most recently, she has taught in the alternative education department in residential facilities, Mahoning County High School, and the Unlimited Classroom (now Valley Virtual). Mrs. Rutana earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, a special education license from Youngstown State University in Ohio, and a Master's Degree in Special Education from Arkansas University. Mrs. Rutana loves to travel with her family, which includes her husband and three children. 

Mrs. Rutana loves working with students of all ages looks forward to beginning a new school year! 

Mrs. Alice Cartwright joined Valley Virtual (formerly Mahoning Unlimited Classroom) in 2017. She has been teaching for 15 years. She received her undergraduate degree from Westminster College and her Master’s in Literacy was completed at Youngstown State University. Her teaching experience includes years of teaching at Ohio Virtual Academy, Brookfield after school program through Youngstown State University, Stambaugh Academy in Youngstown, and various literacy graduate courses at Youngstown State University.

Mrs. Cartwright lives in Poland with her husband, two sons, and daughter. She has two cats and a dog.

Mrs. Kathy Miller has been teaching since 1995. Her first teaching job was in the Springfield Local School District. After 10 years of teaching in the classrooms at Springfield, she made the move to becoming an online teacher with Mahoning Unlimited Classroom (now Valley Virtual). She received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Youngstown State University.

 Mrs. Miller and her husband have three sons.

Tony Lucente has been in the education field for 10 years. Mr. Lucente has spent time at Youngstown City Schools, Austintown schools, and Mahoning County Career and Technical Center as a Social Studies Teacher. Currently Mr. Lucente is the Social Studies teacher for grades 7-12. Mr. Lucente also the lead for Valley Vritual's Adult 22+ program. Mr. Lucente graduated from Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education focused on Integrated Social Studies.

Mr. Lucente and his wife live in Struthers where his step daughter attends school.  

Mrs. Paula Roberts has been in science education for over 25 years. She received Bachelor of Science degrees in Resource Management and in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a Masters degree in Biology from Miami University (Ohio). Mrs. Roberts became a part of the Valley Virtual teaching team in 2023 as the Science teacher. Her teaching experience includes years of teaching middle and high school science in other states before she moved to Ohio where she taught high school science for seven years before leaving the classroom to work to support all science teachers as a Science Instructional specialist at the ESC of Eastern Ohio (formerly Mahoning County ESC).

Mrs. Roberts lives in Salem with her husband and enjoys traveling and being in the great outdoors.