Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry
Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry was elected Mayor of Massillon in 2011, 2015 and again in 2019. Prior to her election as mayor, Kathy served as the council representative for Massillon’s Third Ward for eight years.
Mayor Catazaro-Perry co-founded the Golden Key Center for Exceptional Children, where she also served as Executive Director for Operations and Medically Fragile Care. Prior to founding the Golden Key Center, Kathy served as the Director of Weight Management at Aultman Hospital, and as the Director of the Wound Healing Center at the former Doctors Hospital.
Mayor Catazaro-Perry holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Malone University, and an Associate Degree in Science, (RN) from Stark State University. Kathy is also a graduate of Leadership Stark County as well as the Leadership Stark County Local Government Academy.
Mayor Catazaro-Perry is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and serves as a lector and Eucharistic minister. She is a past member and past Chairman of both the Community Health Foundation of Massillon, and the Stark County Library Foundation. She is a member of the Stark Development Board of Trustees, The Homeless Continuum of Care of Stark County, Massillon Quota International, Massillon Homeless Task Force, The Stop Heroin from Killing Committee, Aultman’s Woman’s Board, Walsh University Women’s Committee, Chairman of the Massillon Kindness Committee, and is a past board member of the Massillon Boys & Girls Club. Kathy is also the founder of the “World Elite Idols,” which is a special needs cheerleading team, where she also coaches.
Mayor Catazaro-Perry has received numerous honors for her community and public service including, the Gaetano Mattioli Cecchini Humanitarian Award, the Ohio Public Image Award, which recognizes individuals who create positive public awareness for those with disabilities, Rotarian of the Year, and induction into the Stark State University Alumni Hall of Fame. Mayor Catazaro-Perry was inducted into the YWCA Woman’s Hall of Fame in 2014 for Community Service and received the 2014 VFW Post 3124 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. Special Recognition for Exceptional Service. She also received the prestigious 2014 Athena Leadership Award, 2014 Malone University Leadership Excellence Award and in 2015 was awarded the Rabbi John Spitzer Leadership Award. In addition, the Mayor was named to the “30 Faces of Leadership” marking Leadership Stark County’s 30th year in 2017 representing Leadership Stark County graduates who are living the mission of commitment in our community. In 2018 she received the Diversity Initiative Award from Coming Together Stark County, the Denny Hazen Award for Outstanding Community Involvement from the Hall of Fame Senior Olympics, and in she was honored with the 2019 Festival Dedication Award from the Stark County Italian American Festival. She was also awarded the 2019 Exemplary Leadership Award presented by the Massillon business community. 2020 About Magazine Person of the Year.
