Leadership

Ohio Consumers’ Counsel and Agency Director

Maureen Willis became the Agency’s fifth Consumers’ Counsel on Oct. 1, 2023. She previously served as Acting Legal Director starting in April of 2023. During the previous eight years, Maureen served as OCC’s Senior Counsel. Maureen specializes in the litigation of complex electric cases but has diverse legal experience and has served on cases across all utility industries. She has advocated for Ohio consumers in numerous appeals before the Ohio Supreme Court.

Maureen began her career at the OCC in 1982 as a legal intern and was hired as a Staff Attorney upon receiving her juris doctor degree from Capital University Law School in 1983.

Prior to earning her JD, Maureen graduated from the University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Maureen left Columbus and when she returned a few years later, she rejoined the OCC as an Assistant Consumers' Counsel. In 2004, after time away from OCC, Maureen returned to OCC at the request of the third Consumers’ Counsel. In her time away from OCC, Maureen continued to practice in the public utility field. Maureen worked for the Office of the People’s Counsel (the Washington, D.C., consumer advocate on utility matters); Hahn, Loeser and Parks; the Office of the Ohio Attorney General as Special Counsel; and the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

Maureen was appointed the fifth Ohio Consumers’ Counsel by the OCC Governing Board on June 30, 2023.

In a press release issued on that day, Maureen said that “I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve Ohio’s residential consumers as the fifth Consumer’s Counsel. I will work hard to carry on the rich tradition of consumer advocacy that has been the hallmark of the Agency.”

Deputy Consumers' Counsel and Legal Director

Angela O’Brien was appointed the Deputy Consumers’ Counsel in June 2023, by the Consumers’ Counsel Governing Board. Angela is also the Legal Director for the Agency. She is one of the Board’s two appointees for leading the agency, the other being the Consumers’ Counsel (agency director). Her leadership initiatives include achieving justice, equity and regulatory reform for residential utility consumers, as stated in OCC’s Vision.

Angela has served Ohioans for four years as an Assistant Consumers’ Counsel. She was named OCC Employee of the Quarter two times for her excellence in her case work. From 1998 to 2010, Angela was in the private practice of law. She worked for 10 years at Mayer Brown in Chicago. Earlier, she worked for Barnes & Thornburg in Indianapolis. Her work at both firms included representing telephone companies and competitive energy suppliers, appearing before state public utility commissions in Indiana and Illinois. In 2015, Angela and her family moved from Chicago to the Columbus, Ohio area. Angela earned her B.A. from the University of Houston and her J.D. from the Indiana University School of Law.

Basich, David

Analytical Services Director

David Basich is the Director of the Analytical Services Department with OCC. David joined the agency in 2024 and oversees a team of analysts, accountants, and engineers advocating on behalf of Ohio’s 4.5 million residential utility consumers. Prior to OCC, David served as Director of Energy Operations at Washington Prime Group, where he was responsible for a $35M utility budget in over 100 retail facilities. David’s 25+ years in the energy field includes prior experience serving as the Energy Office Administrator for the City of Denver, Colorado and the Energy Manager for the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. David obtained both his MBA (Finance) and BET degree in Electronic Engineering Technology from the University of Toledo.

Operations Director

Matt Corlett serves Ohioans as the Director of the Operations Department. OCC’s Operations Department manages human resources, information technology, and budget and financial matters. Matt joined the Agency in October 2025. Prior to joining OCC, Matt held various finance and HR positions at the PUCO, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and the Ohio Dept. of Public Safety. Matt has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. He has also completed Ohio’s Certified Public Manager program from Ohio State’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs and is a graduate of the Ohio Fiscal Academy and the Office of Collective Bargaining Academy.

Public Affairs Director

Merrilee Embs is the Director of OCC’s Public Affairs Department. Merrilee joined the OCC as a Public Affairs Liaison in March 2019. She was named Public Affairs Manager in December 2022 and director in January 2024. She oversees the Public Affairs Department to support OCC’s efforts in communications, outreach and education, and legislative services. Currently she is working toward her Ph.D. at Tiffin University. She earned a Master of Science Degree in Mass Communications/Public Relations from Murray State University in 2022 and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications/Journalism from Wright State University in 1995. In addition, she has more than 20 years’ experience in editorial publishing, business operations with multiple daily and weekly newspapers, as well as health care public relations throughout the Miami Valley.