School Board

Marty Ditello joined the Columbus Preparatory Academy (CPA) Board of Directors in March 2013.

Before joining the CPA board, Marty served the school community for two years as a PTO member and then as the PTO Board Secretary for a year.

Marty is married to Amanda, and they have five children, ages 11 to 18. Over the years, all of their children have attended CPA, including Marty’s oldest son, who started kindergarten at CPA in the fall of 2011.

Professionally, Marty has been in leadership roles for 22+ years, including spending the last seven years as a senior leader with McGraw Hill. Marty has extensive experience being a people leader, Roberts Rules of Order, Ohio Sunshine Laws, contract review and negotiation, school finance, school operations, school governance, school compliance, and community engagement.

Marty has been serving on his local HOA community’s Board of Trustees since October 2020. He was elected as the Board of Trustee President in March 2021, overseeing the association’s day-to-day affairs. His fellow Board of Trustees unanimously re-elected him to the role of President in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Marty is also the founder and Executive Director of a local 501c3 organization that provides children between ages 3 and 12 an opportunity to learn and play various sports in the local community.

Marty currently serves as a Board of Directors Officer, holding the position of President, which he has held since July 2013. Marty has served as the Chair of the Governance task force for the last five years, which helps to oversee school contracts, board member compliance, and general day-to-day affairs of the school.

John Newsome joined the Columbus Preparatory Academy (CPA) board of directors in March of 2022.

John is a licensed Civil Engineer with a primary focus in the utility industry.  Over the last 12 years, John has served in a leadership role within the industry providing oversight in the areas of process improvement, change management, fiscal budgeting and strategic planning.

John has two children who are both students at CPA where both have been with the school since starting their academic journey in kindergarten.

John enjoys playing music, outdoor activities and working in the development of many CPA students in the Mid Ohio Flag Football league where he has served as a Head Coach since 2018.

John looks forward to providing his skill sets to further enhance the growth and potential of CPA.

Erin Addington joined the Columbus Preparatory Academy Board of Directors in May of 2013. 

Before joining the Board, she served on the CPA PTO, as president, from 2009 to 2013. During her tenure with the PTO she planned events and festivals, liaised with Ohio Coalition for Quality Education, visited senators and representatives and the State Capitol, lobbying for CPA. 

Erin is married to her husband, Pete, and they have two children, who both attended CPA for many years. 

Professionally Erin works as a records keeper for local doctors. She has also served the community in various ways, working at the polls on election day, guiding eighth graders around Washington D.C., non-profit event planning, and caregiving.

Currently Erin serves as a Board of Directors Officer in the office as Secretary, she has also served as Treasurer in the past.

Aatish Patel joined the Columbus Preparatory Academy (CPA) board of directors in September of 2018.

Aatish is married to his wife, Hinal, and they have two children together, Aarna and Aahir, who are six-year-old twins. Both children also attend CPA and are in the 1st Grade.

Professionally, Aatish is a Business Product Officer with Bank of America. He has worked for Bank of America for 9 years and has held multiple positions which have provided him with knowledge in different areas of the banking industry.

Aatish is also a volunteer coach with Mid Ohio Flag Football in which his son, Aahir, plays.

Josh joined the board In May of 2022.  Prior to joining the CPA board, Josh volunteered for different events at/or attached to CPA.

Josh is married to Myia, they have 3 children ages 3 to 15. Josh’s oldest son attends CPA.

Professionally, Josh is currently the Director of Training and Equitable Practice at the Coalition On Homelessness and Housing In Ohio (COHHIO). Josh has worked in social services for over 15 years. In his current role, Josh works to ensure the utilization of evidence-based practices, with the goal of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. Josh ensures an equity lens is applied in all aspects of Ohio’s homeless system. Josh began his career in the Mental and Behavioral Health fields working with adolescent clients in Richmond, VA, and later with adults in Columbus, Ohio. Josh is a Certified Diversity Professional through the Institute for Diversity Certification, Trauma Informed Care Certified through Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services and is a graduate of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia where he played football. Josh holds a degree in elementary education and psychology.

Michael Dorne joined the Columbus Preparatory Academy (CPA) Board of Directors in July of 2024.

Before joining the CPA board, Michael served on his local Property Association for the past 6 years in roles as a member of the board of trustees and Vice President of the Board.

Michael has been married to his wife Jill, for over 30 years and has two adult daughters that have gone through both local and out of state public school’s districts (Olentangy, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Hilliard) as well as Trevecca Nazarene (Nashville) and Ashland University here in Ohio.

Michael graduated from Columbus Public Schools and attended the Ohio State University from 1988 through 1992 while studying Elementary Education and business.

Michael is the Transportation Operations Manager at The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center, where he has worked since 2013. Prior to joining OSU, Michael worked with other transportation companies, as well as with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Ground Transportation Dept, working within a concession agreement with transportation services.