Karen Graves

Karen Graves was originally hired in 2023 as Springfield's Marketing and Diversity Director.
https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/springfield-city-manager-appoints-new-marketing-diversity-manager/4DLKTHF4A5EKVDDSUMEO2CY3IE/

In January 2024, she started with the Leadership Academy Clark County Ohio (yet another invented non-profit to develop public servants. They actually get certificates, also made up. All to add Director to these gal's job titles so they can increase their salaries exponentially. And we taxpayers foot this bill, too, of course.

Once enrolled, in 2024, her title changed to Communications Director.

Here's her very informative section of the City's website: https://springfieldohio.gov/communications/ It lists NO services.

in the Fall of 2024, with the national attention, she was instructed (I'm sure - because she wasn't the only one) to leave her voicemail full so it wouldn't accept any messages. She did this for two months. Is this what they teach in Communications schools now? I jest - it's actually the Ohio SOP for (mis)handling anything they can't (mis)handle, which is a lot.

Starting in August 2025, she puts out a weekly "podcast" on Facebook called In the Field, where she "interviews" people who look just like her. (See the below image of her big announcement of its return in August. Glaring omission about where or how to "tune in". Communications....)

Also around August 2025, she or Trent Devine (her Digital Assistant) send out a monthly newsletter called the Forward Together Community Newsletter. Are they renaming the town? .

Here's one in Snyder Park, if you can stand her voice for 20 minutes. (I don't know what they did with all the Haitians to get any footage): https://www.facebook.com/CityofSpringfieldOH/videos/1686628982030239

In this May 2025 SNS article, she's referred to ask the "city spokeswoman": Article about the new pickleball courts downtown. Does this town know its demographic or what?

She supposedly puts out the monthly newsletter called "Forward Together", which is still ironic to type, because you can't comment on anything to do with Springfield, Ohio. I can guess who they want to go forward with them.

Word on the street is that she makes over $100K. This is extremely believable, because everyone Heck hires makes over $100K. Most above $150K (in 2023 dollars).

Submitted to City of Springfield Question thing (the only way to communicate with ANYONE):

Not a question, just a comment. Y'all might want to consider turning comments back on your social media accounts. We pay Karen Graves and her staff of minions to do a weekly podcast and a monthly newsletter. I would think they'd have time to moderate interaction. I know this was a DeWine/Rue tactic in September 2024 to paint us all as dangerous racists, but it's been a year and there is no reason. right? What needs to be hidden from the citizens paying all the bills? Not to mention that it's yet another thing dangerously close to illegal. I mean, when AI gets it......

A city government can turn off comments on a social media post if the page is clearly labeled as "government speech" and not open for public interaction, but if the page functions as a public forum for discourse, the First Amendment generally prevents viewpoint-based censorship. Governments can disable comments due to excessive harassment or to maintain an orderly discussion, but they must avoid deleting or blocking comments based on disagreement with the content or the user's opinion. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

When It's Generally Permissible

• Government Speech: If a government social media account is set up and clearly labeled as an official communication channel, it's less likely to be considered a public forum, allowing for broader discretion in managing comments. [3]

• Deleting Unlawful Content: Governments can remove comments that contain threats, incitement to violence, obscene language, or promote illegal activities, as these are not protected by the First Amendment. [5, 6]

• Prohibiting Spam and Off-Topic Comments: Comments that are commercial, off-topic, or spam can be deleted or restricted to maintain the relevance and focus of the page. [5]

When It May Violate the First Amendment [1, 2]

• Viewpoint Discrimination: If a government page is used for public interaction, it is considered a "public forum," and officials cannot delete comments or block users simply because they disagree with the viewpoint expressed.

• Selective Comment Deletion: Blocking or deleting comments from one user while allowing similar comments from others is considered viewpoint discrimination and a violation of the First Amendment.

Key Court Cases and Principles

• Supreme Court Decisions: Recent U.S. Supreme Court cases, such as Lindke v. Freed and O'Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier, have established that public officials' social media accounts that conduct official business are subject to First Amendment scrutiny. [7, 8]

• Two-Part Test: The Supreme Court introduced a two-part test to determine if an official's social media account is a state actor: first, whether the official has actual authority to speak for the state, and second, if they purported to exercise that authority in the specific post. [9]

• Distinguishing Official vs. Personal Accounts: Public officials must be careful to keep their personal social media accounts separate from their official government pages to avoid First Amendment violations, according to a blog from Coates' Canons NC Local Government Law. [3]

Best Practices for Governments

• Develop a Clear Policy: A clear and posted social media policy is crucial for establishing guidelines on what comments are permissible. [5, 10, 11]

• Treat Like a Public Meeting: Governments should view their social media platforms as public meetings to help determine the legality of their actions regarding comment management. [12]

• Transparency: Avoid actions that may appear to be censorship or silencing criticism, as this undermines transparency and accountability. [1]

Wouldn't it be nice if the face of Springfield put an actual shirt on?

And why do Heck's female employees all look alike? (Although, this looks like a 1990s Glamour Shots photo.)

Below: Wouldn't it be something if the $150K per year Communications Director would know to mention the where you "tune in" information in the City's Facebook announcement of its BIG return? Maybe it's understood? But wouldn't this be the image used in other places besides Facebook?

Not only that, this Comms genius (per her LinkedIn page) posts her announcement at 5pm about the next day's 9am podcast. 15 people's emoji reactions are enough, I guess.

My taxpayer expectations are too high again.

This was from her September 9th, 2025 "show". Just asking: Does she ever wear a shirt?

Seems like she could afford a complete shirt with that $100+K job she has. (She made $92K in 2023 as Strategic Engagement Director before her big promotion.)

For more salary info: https://springfieldohiosyndicate.com/the-family

She got dressed for this one! A shame she only got 55 views this last week of September 2025. ~$150K so well spent! (She was promoted from her $95K Engagement and Diversity Manager job in 2023, so her new salary forthcoming!)

And just when you think it's safe to go back in the water, here's her post for her October 6th Facebook video. Maybe it's the same shirt that she wore a sweater over before?
She must be spending all her money on other things?