Community Building Partnership

Kathy Catazaro-Perry served as Mayor of Massillon from 2012-2023. Prior to this, Kathy served as the council representative for Massillon’s third ward for eight years. Catazaro-Perry holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Walsh University, a Bachelors in Business Management from Malone University, and an Associate Degree in Science (RN) from Stark State College. Kathy is also a graduate of Leadership Stark County 23rd Class as well as the Leadership Stark County Local Government Academy.

Kathy is currently a board member of Stark Mental Health and Addiction Recovery. She is a member of Massillon Woman’s Club, Massillon Quota International, Stop Heroin from Killing Committee, Aultman’s Woman’s Board, Walsh University Women’s Committee, and Board President of the Rolling Panthers. Catazaro-Perry is past Chairperson of both the Community Health Foundation of Massillon, and the Stark County Library Foundation. She is a past member of the Stark Development Board of trustees, past member of Strengthening Stark Governance Board, past member of Massillon Homeless Task Force, as well as a past board member of the Massillon Boys & Girls Club. Catazaro-Perry is the past-vice president of the local board for the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, an Ohio non-profit corporation that governs the state and local government’s use of the allocation of Ohio’s share of the opioid settlement proceeds.

Kathy co-founded the Golden Key Center for Exceptional Children, where she also served as Executive Director for Operations and Medically Fragile Care. Kathy founded the American Elite “American Idols,” a special needs cheerleading team, where she also coaches. 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.

Kathy 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 Catazaro-Perry was inducted into the Stark State University Alumni Hall of Fame and the YWCA Woman’s Hall of Fame in 2014 for Community Service. She received the 2014 VFW Post 3124 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. Special Recognition for Exceptional Service, the prestigious 2014 Athena Leadership Award, the 2014 Malone University Leadership Excellence Award, the 2022 NSME National Sales and Marketing Accent on Excellence award, the MDF Harold Bostic Award for 2022 from the Massillon WestStark Chamber of Commerce, the Rabbi John Spitzer Leadership Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities in 2023 for her long-time dedication and advocacy for people with special needs. Catazaro-Perry was recognized as the 2020 Person of the Year in About Magazine.