Lastery-Butler promotes career pathways as Voinovich School Advisory Board member

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One of the more recent additions to the Advisory Board for the George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service aims to help the Ohio University school in providing opportunities for students looking to enter careers in government service.

Jasmine Lastery-Butler, who along with other family members earned her undergraduate degree at OHIO, credits her time spent at the school with setting her on the path to a top job in U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown’s office.

She wants to return the favor with input to the board on ways to ease students’ transition into public service careers.

“My goal is to provide myself as a resource to help potential government workers navigate the system and better engage congressional offices to pave the way for OHIO graduates who want to move in that career direction,” she said.

Lastery-Butler was unsure about her own career goals when she first came to OHIO, where she would eventually earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Criminology from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2011. With her friends busy with their own orientations, she became active early on in social campus life.

“I just threw myself into a variety of different activities,” she said.

Getting involved with student organizations is essential

Her involvement included serving as president and treasurer of the Black Student Communication Caucus, webmaster for the Black Student Cultural Programming Board, and a member of the Sociology-Criminology Association. During the 2008–2009 academic year, she was selected for the Ohio University Homecoming Court, where she was named Miss Congeniality. In 2009, she also participated in the Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.’s scholarship pageant, earning the title of Miss Bronze.

“Being a part of those different organizations gave me the experience in networking and raised my confidence in public speaking,” Lastery-Butler said. The activities, she added, “helped me think about things differently, think about things from perspectives I hadn’t considered. Even in the work I’m doing now I do think back on some of the experiences I had on campus with those organizations.”

Those experiences, along with her undergraduate studies, would prove formative as she advanced into a position that dealt with legislation and public policy.

“Like how different demographics will be impacted and what we should be doing to learn more and be more inclusive,” she said.

Lastery-Butler particularly recalls an Ohio University course on deviant behavior of leaders, which would prove to be eye-opening.

“It really created a space where I had to reevaluate the privileges I had and recognize the opportunities to develop a better understanding and continued learning about people from other backgrounds,” she said of her undergraduate studies in general. “Not having a fixed mindset is important when it comes to leadership roles and supporting community growth in making policy decisions.”

“The opportunities at Ohio University allowed me to branch off in different ways that I didn’t realize until later in life,” Lastery-Butler added. “The people that I met along the way are part of my path here. Without that experience, I wouldn’t have been as confident doing the work that I’m doing.”

The importance of lifelong learning

Following two jobs over about four years within the Cuyahoga County Court system, she would begin her tenure at John Carroll University as a human resources generalist where she continued her education earning a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She has worked in Rep. Brown’s office since 2021, first as an administrative director then as district director.

Lastery-Butler said her involvement with the Voinovich School Advisory Board stemmed from her participation in Ohio University’s Young Alumni Leaders Program, which among other things encourages former students to stay in touch and support the school.

“We recruited all of our family members to go to OU, so I had been going down over the years,” she said.

Joining the Voinovich Board fits well with the alumni group’s mantra of continuing to encourage lifelong learning and maintain connections with OHIO as you move through your career, she said. Her goal serving on the board is to help encourage new graduates to consider opportunities in public service in government and elsewhere.

“I thought about my personal experience working for an Ohio member of Congress and you see there’s opportunities here,” Lastery-Butler said. “So I can provide an opportunity for folks, particularly from a school in Ohio, to pipeline, whether it’s through shared networks or learning about politics because it affects everyone.”

That knowledge includes timelines of internships, how to deal with the cost barriers, and from an educational perspective how to weave certain approaches into a curriculum so graduates are prepared for dealing with current affairs at the national level.

“I felt that was a good fit for me and an opportunity to be a connector as well,” she said of her board service.

Lastery-Butler cited numerous events and in-person and online fellowship programs available on Capitol Hill as examples, saying she could help encourage more participation among OHIO students. She stressed the importance of “giving students experiential opportunities.”

Providing Ohio University students with experiences and opportunities

“You can see the pipelines that exist for students in certain programs,” she said, “and I believe Ohio University students deserve that same level of exposure. Some of my peers benefited from structured programs that provided guidance and professional direction. As someone who began as a sophomore at OU, I was not part of a formal university-sponsored program, so that level of support was not a part of my undergraduate experience.

“As I advanced in my career, I faced moments where doors were closed. Looking back, I see how earlier connections with experienced professionals could have changed my path. While I initially accepted those barriers, my experiences—both in college organizations and throughout my career required me to problem-solve and deliver results with limited resources. Over time, that shaped my ability to think creatively and find solutions. I learned not to see defeat as an option, but to use every resource available to move forward. Those cumulative experiences strengthened my confidence and shifted my perspective—reinforcing that access should never be left to chance.”

Now, Lastery-Butler continued, “I am more intentional about recognizing opportunities to serve as a conduit for others. My goal is not only to open doors, but to take them off the hinges, so access doesn’t end with me. In many ways, I appreciate my journey because it shaped that perspective. It’s also what drives my commitment to give back and support institutions like the Voinovich School Advisory Board, which are doing meaningful work to enhance the student experience and create clearer pathways for future leaders.”

In her personal time, Lastery-Butler volunteers with the Cleveland Branch of the NAACP and enjoys attending comedy shows and concerts. Most importantly, she values time with her family, which she considers her most meaningful way to recharge.