Speakers

Brit Steiner is a former diplomat and civil servant. Born and raised in a blue-collar home in
Wellsville, Ohio, Brit first moved to Canton to attend Malone University. She then went on to
serve her country for nearly 20 years as a diplomat and public servant. Brit traveled to more
than 30 countries as a representative of the United States, including Pakistan, Afghanistan,
India, Indonesia, South Africa and Tunisia - where she developed and implemented economic
development programs and policies that improved livelihoods and strengthened National
Security under the leadership of four U.S. Presidents.
She served in numerous capacities during her time with the U.S. Agency for International
Development, to include Senior Advisor to the Administrator and Policy Director for the Agency,
before leaving in 2023. She received more than a dozen awards during her time with the
Agency to include one of its highest - a Superior Accomplishment Award - for spearheading the
largest government reform effort the Agency had undertaken at that time. She also spent
considerable time shaping policy to counter Chinese influence around the globe, as well as
helping to write the National Security Strategy. During her time at USAID, Brit also completed a
Masters of Environmental Science & Policy from Johns Hopkins University to bolster more than
a decade of experience working on water, energy, agriculture and sustainability programs.
Brit decided to take on a very different kind of “service” in 2023 - that of raising her two young
sons and volunteering her time to her community. This includes but is not limited to serving as a
Co-Founder of Protect Choice Stark, working on various campaigns, including her own for State
Representative of District 49 earlier this year, as well as serving as the Community Impact Chair
for the Junior League of Stark County. She is also a member of numerous organizations such
as Stark Parks, the Canton Historical Society, and National Security Leaders for Ameirca.

Marianna DiGiacomo has dedicated her career to strengthening the public library’s focus on literacy and community collaborations. Marianna joined Stark Library in 2007 and served as youth services librarian and literacy and events coordinator prior to her role as community services director. She directs Stark Library’s programming and events, literacy initiatives, mobile services, and community partnerships. She is a graduate of Leadership Stark County’s Government Academy, American Library Association’s Leadership Institute and serves on many local committees dedicated to ensuring children are ready for school success. She holds a Master's degree in Library Science from Kent State University.