JobsOhio-funded podcaster tied to Ohio State University prez resignation

Officials at JobsOhio may be quick to take offense at characterizations that cast the agency in a poor light, but the latest allegations involving a podcaster it paid and the former president of The Ohio State University will do little to assuage critics who think the organization is effectively a system of political favors and insider access.

The state’s economic development firm, which landed a sweet deal to manage the state’s liquor licenses, paid podcaster Krisanthe Vlachos $60,000 for four episodes of “The Callout Podcast.” However, she apparently has some performance problems.

Now, JobsOhio wants its money back, effectively acknowledging that it was a bad investment.

“To date, 1 episode has been produced, and we have had scheduling difficulties recording the other 3,” the agency said in a post to X. “As all 4 episodes were not completed, and the first was removed, we are reviewing clawback options in our contract.”

In the spirit of keeping our stakeholders informed and our top-1% transparency designation as a nonprofit, we have thoroughly reviewed and want to share the totality of our engagement with The Callout Podcast and its host by answering several of the questions received: THREAD 🧵

— JobsOhio (@JobsOhio) March 11, 2026

The revelations surfaced as Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. stepped down as president of The Ohio State University, after he “disclosed to trustees that he had an inappropriate relationship with someone” — now identified as Vlachos — “seeking public resources to support her personal business.” It marked the end of a brief, two-year stint at the helm of the state’s flagship higher education institution and another blemish on the school’s record.

According to reports, Carter, 66, appeared on the podcast multiple times, dating back to at least April 2024.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that the podcast’s last episode was posted on YouTube on Jan. 7. The show discussed how the Buckeye State is creating opportunities for veterans and featured Carter, JobsOhio President JP Nauseef, Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs Director John C. Harris, and National Veterans Memorial & Museum President William J. Butler.

The podcasts have apparently been removed from Spotify and YouTube, and the show’s LinkedIn page was also removed. The show appeared to have 185 subscribers on its YouTube channel.

JobsOhio also admitted paying $10,000 to Task Force Pineapple, Inc., a nonprofit theater company focused on military-themed shows. Vlachos brought the opportunity to the agency.

Additionally, an Ohio State spokesperson confirmed that school officials are investigating Vet Earn USA LLC, which is registered in Vlachos’s name and located in a campus building.

“The Vet Earn USA LLC business filing is part of the university investigation regarding public resources,” spokesman Benjamin Johnson told The New York Post in a statement.

The Board of Trustees appointed Carter, who was president of the University of Nebraska from 2020 to 2023, as Ohio State’s 17th president on August 22, 2023. He resigned following a rare three-hour board executive session on March 7; his contract was supposed to run through 2028.

The Associated Press reported that the OSU Board gave him a merit raise of more than $50,000 in August. That raise is on top of his $1.1 million annual salary and a nearly $400,000 bonus.

According to WCMH-TV/NBC 4, including contributions to his retirement fund, Carter has earned more than $4.6 million since starting at Ohio State in August 2023. That doesn’t include the roughly $3.6 million residence in an upscale Columbus suburb that the school provides presidents.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that Ohio State will not give Carter any additional compensation following his resignation.

The university appointed Ravi V. Bellamkonda, who has served as Ohio State’s executive vice president and provost since Jan. 14, 2025, as its new president. According to Ideastream Public Media, Bellamkonda’s base salary is $1.4 million.

Even the Ohio Democratic Women’s Legislative Caucus questioned the finer points of Carter’s departure, particularly the allegations of “influence connected to public resources.”

“Ohio State University is one of the most respected public institutions in our state, and its leadership must reflect the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and responsibility,” the caucus said in a statement. “The circumstances surrounding President Ted Carter’s resignation are deeply concerning, particularly because they involve the use-or potential use – of influence connected to public resources.

“Positions of power come with a profound responsibility,” the caucus added. “When leaders are entrusted with making decisions about public dollars and opportunities, the public must have confidence that those decisions are made fairly, transparently, and without personal interest.”

JobsOhio is funded by profits from the JobsOhio Beverage System, or JOBS, liquor enterprise, which it bought from the state in 2013. Its operating revenues in 2024 were $1.8 billion.

Its response on X wasn’t exactly met with universal praise.

“It’s time for JobsOhio to be fully audited and held accountable for any egregious spending,” one responder on X posted. “There appears to be ZERO public oversight of the billion dollar liquor franchise funding this debacle…”

Said another: “60k for 4 podcast episodes! Now there’s a Job for Ohioans.”