Former Aéropostale, Chico's & Converse merchant & veteran of Ohio grassroots political & issue campaigns joins OCG's Research Center as volunteer researcher

JOHNSTOWN, OH, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Lizzie Margolius, a Licking County wife and mother of three boys, has joined Ohio Common Ground as a volunteer researcher. She will work with OCG's Research Center about half-time, roughly 20 hours a week.

Margolius built her career in one of the most unforgiving numbers-driven industries in America: fashion retail. She ran apparel departments for three national brands and reads spreadsheets the way detectives read crime scenes.

The record speaks for itself:

• Aéropostale (New York, 2007–2011): Spotted a gap in the spring 2011 woven-dress line, doubled its share of the assortment, and drove a 47 percent comparable-sales gain. Added $1 million in sales over plan through chase and contingency strategies.
• Chico's FAS (Fort Myers, 2011–2012): Led a $61 million outlet department and built the quarterly hindsight reviews that told design and production what was working and what was not.
• Converse (North Andover, 2013–2014: Managed an $18 million apparel department covering more than 400 products in 86 stores. A new fixture program she helped design added about $60,000 a month across 13 stores before rolling out chain wide.

She holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and an associate degree in fashion marketing from Parsons School of Design in New York.

Margolius has also worked in the trenches of Ohio politics, on multiple candidate and issue campaigns. She knows how a campaign builds a message, and she knows what voters hear when it lands at their door.

"Lizzie has spent her career holding plans up against results, and the results were wins," said Mark Pukita, Founding Organizer of Ohio Common Ground. "That's exactly what our Research Center does with state government. Every number we publish has to trace back to a primary source. She knows what it takes to get a number right, and she knows what it costs when you get one wrong. Ohio voters are getting a serious researcher in their corner."

"I'm raising three boys in Licking County, and I want them to grow up in a state where politicians have to earn every vote," Margolius said. "That starts with voters knowing the facts. I spent years following the numbers for big companies. Now I get to follow them for my neighbors.”

Margolius will support OCG's research on Ohio's Top 5 Issues: affordability and cost of living, housing, healthcare, government responsiveness and accountability, and economic opportunity. Her first assignments include answering questions like:

• Are Ohioans better off today?
• How is online gambling affecting young Ohio men?
• What are state college tuition trends in Ohio?
• How are H-1B visa holders impacting Ohio jobs?

Ohio Common Ground is building its volunteer research team. Ohioans who want to help can reach the organization at: info@ohiocommonground.com.

About Ohio Common Ground
Ohio Common Ground is a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) (application in progress) civic organization based in Dublin, Ohio. Its Research Center publishes descriptive, primary-source analysis of Ohio government, and its Organizing Arm works to give Ohio's unaffiliated voters a coordinated voice. OCG's motto is simple: Politicians Must Earn Your VoteTM. Learn more at ohiocommonground.com.

Mark Pukita
Ohio Common Ground
+1 614-499-0599
info@ohiocommonground.com