Leann Parker began working full-time in the Ohio State Athletics Communications office in 2000-01 after serving as a graduate assistant while earning her master’s degree. She handles all media relations duties for the Ohio State men’s hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s tennis, men’s and women’s fencing and men’s and women’s cross country teams. She manages athletics hall of fame communications duties and academic success stories for the department among other duties.
After a year as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 1999-00, Parker moved into an assistant athletics communications director position the following year and was promoted to associate director in 2005. She was named director in October 2012.
Parker was a full-time intern in the James Madison University sports media relations office and served as an assistant ticket director for the Frederick Keys in the Single A Baseball Carolina League before coming to Ohio State. During college she interned with the JMU sports media relations office, at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) in Major League Soccer.
Parker, a native of Metuchen, N.J., earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from James Madison University in 1997 and her master’s degree in sport management from Ohio State in 2000. She and her husband, Eric, also a graduate of JMU, have a son, Devin, who was born in 2006. The family lives in Lewis Center.