Service Dates
January 6, 2026 to December 31, 2027
About Staci Kaufman
Ms. Kaufman’s goal as a member of City Council, is to be available to help the residents and businesses in the Third Ward find solutions for their concerns. She enjoys attending community events. Staci Kaufman is a Defiance native, living all but 13 years of her life in Defiance. She lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana for three years, while teaching at International Business College, Fort Wayne, Indiana. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from The Defiance College in 1982, and is a 1978 Tinora High School graduate. Her master’s degree is from Indiana University,1986 followed by an Education Specialist degree from the University of Toledo, 1996. Her appointment as Superintendent of Vantage Career Center in 2007, took her away from her hometown for 10 years. Retired life in Defiance finally began after serving her 11th year in the Van Wert community as interim superintendent for Van Wert City Schools, 2017-2018. She is a member of the Zonta Club of Defiance, The Black Swamp Arts Council, Archbold, The Black Swamp Artists Guild, Bryan, and The Wassenberg Art Center, Van Wert. She is a board member of the Defiance Area YMCA, and has recently served on the city planning commission and the Parks and Rivers steering committee.
Ms. Kaufman has two daughters and five grandchildren, all living in Defiance. Two of her three sisters also reside in Defiance, as does her father in the summer season. In her spare time she enjoys painting in watercolor and soft pastel, and occasionally paints “en plein aire” on the downtown streets at festivals and surrounding areas in Defiance. She likes to teach painting to small groups. Her artwork has earned awards at shows in northwest Ohio and west central Ohio.
