Candidate Biographies
Christine Best
Although Christine Best is the current Exec Director of Visit Perrysburg, her passion is local history. When her family relocated back to Northwest Ohio 17 years ago, she accepted a position with Perrysburg Main Street and a Board seat on Historic Perrysburg, Inc. Christine also served on the Perrysburg Area Historical Museum board & became the first curator at the Spafford House Museum for PAHM in 2014. Although she is a marketing professional by trade, Christine loves studying and exploring Ohio local history, Christine has lived in Wood county two-thirds of her life and would be honored for the chance to support and grow the Wood County Museum’s mission.
Lois Bowlus
Lois has a since interest in the history of this area and the amazing people who settled here and continue to make Wood County the special place it is today. Her continuing interest in local history began in the mid-1980s, when she and her family moved into the area and eventually settled into an 1869 homestead outside Pemberville. Professionally, Lois has worked as a staff attorney at the Sixth District Court of Appeals in Toledo. Today, she provides legal research and writing services for local attorneys and has been a Wood County CASA volunteer for the past several years. Lois also holds a certificate in commercial photography and is an accomplished musician (singer). She believes our history is a vital part of who we are as a people and a society. Lois is proud to have completed her first term on the Historical Society Board, and she is seeking a second term so she can continue helping to preserve our local history, while promoting this area on behalf of the Historical Society.
Sandy Gill
Sandy has been a member of the Historical Society since 2004, became a life member in 2014, and was appointed to the board to fill a vacant seat in 2019. She was then elected to a full term beginning 2021. Currently she is chairman of the membership and collections committees. She is a dedicated weekly volunteer who maintains the membership relations, greets visitors, and volunteers for events and tours. Sandy is also a member of the Christ United Church in Portage and Portage Lions Club, and volunteers for the Wood County Wheeled Meals program as a weekly driver and board member. She is a BGSU graduate and has lived in Portage for 44 years.
Nick Pavlick
Nick is an archivist and public historian who currently serves as the Manuscripts and Digital Initiatives Archivist at Bowling Green State University’s Center for Archival Collections, where he plays a key role in helping to document, preserve, and provide access to the documentary record of the Northwest Ohio region. He previously served on the WCHS Board of Trustees from 2018-2020 and has been a member of the Collections Committee since 2018. In addition to his service on the WCHS Board, Nick has extensive experience serving in leadership and at-large roles on governing bodies within the cultural heritage field for organizations. Ever aware of the presence of the past, Nick is impressed by the Wood County Museum’s capacity to reveal the extraordinary history of ordinary life in our area. He’d be delighted by the opportunity to rejoin the Board.
Stephanie Walters
Originally from Northeast Ohio, Stephanie attended Bowling Green State University and met her Falcon Flame and decided to stay in Northwest Ohio, making a home in Weston with her spouse and two children. Following her graduation from BGSU, Stephanie started her career journey with Trilogy Health Services in 2013 and has been the Admissions and Marketing Director at Briar Hill Health Campus in North Baltimore since 2016. With a passion for helping local seniors, Stephanie took on the responsibility of managing the Wood County Senior Resource Network in 2019, and expanded the Senior Resource Network in 2023 to the surrounding counties with meetings hosted in Hancock and Seneca Counties. She has also been fortunate to serve as the North Baltimore Area Chamber of Commerce Secretary for the past few years. Her passion also includes serving as a Captain each year for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
