Ted Carter, the former president of Ohio State University, was an avid participant in a struggling podcast hosted by a Columbus woman, with whom he allegedly had an “inappropriate relationship,” The Post has uncovered.
Carter’s resignation from his $1.5-million-per-year position came after he admitted to granting “inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership” to a woman seeking assistance with her business. This woman was identified as Krisanthe Vlachos, the host of “The Callout Podcast,” by a sponsor of the show, shortly after news of Carter’s resignation broke on Monday.
Social media posts have shown that Carter, who has been married to Lynda Carter for nearly 45 years, even traveled to and sponsored events organized by Vlachos.
The 66-year-old former university president last appeared on the podcast, which focuses on veteran-related topics, on January 7. During the episode, Vlachos introduced Carter warmly.
“President Carter, you have quite the history, and you’ve been so gracious to come and support and co-host more than a couple of podcasts, but your story is always fun and interesting. Would you mind telling it again?” Vlachos said, according to a clip from the podcast.
Carter responded with a chuckle, “Yeah, I have been a frequent flyer on the Callout Podcast, so I am a veteran of the veterans here in that way,” a comment that was met with laughter from Vlachos.
âBut congratulations to you, Krisanthe, on bringing together what I would consider one of the best, all-star casts youâve had on your podcast,â he gushed, before re-introducing the panel’s three other guests: JobsOhio CEO and AirForce vet JP Nauseef, President of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum and Army veteran William J. Butler and Army National Guard vet John Harris.
Carter, who served as a Top Gun pilot and instructor during 38 years in the Navy following his graduation from the US Naval Academy in 1981, sat opposite Vlachos for the podcast’s filming â a far cry from a cozy picture she posted of them at an event just days later.
The photo, taken at the Student Veterans of America 2026 national conference in Colorado Springs in January, shows the former university president smiling alongside Vlachos, who is clad in an all-black leather get-up.
In a caption alongside the photo, Vlachos refers to Carter as her âdear friend and mentor.â
So far this year, Carter has appeared in nine of the 14 videos posted by the podcast founder, according to her social media profiles â which also promote the duo’s co-sponsoring and support of each other’s events.
In January 2025, Vlachos’ podcast reportedly co-sponsored a performance by veterans and military family members at Ohio State, âLast Out: Elegy of a Green Beret,â in partnership with the university, JobsOhio, AEP and the Columbus Region.
A few months later, Carter supposedly returned the favor â using Ohio State as a sponsor for Vlachosâ weekend-long event titled âGaff-N-Go Rodeo,â aimed at connecting military veterans to power linemen, in Richmond, Virginia, according to an Instagram post.
A video of Carter speaking during the eventâs opening ceremony is captioned, âThereâs an intersection between Veterans and Power Linemen I find so special. Walter âTedâ Carter.â
Despite his stature as one of the most powerful public employees in Ohio, Vlachos’ podcast episodes have pulled pitiful numbers â with just a few hundred views each.
“Callout” sponsor JobsOhio said Vlachos and Carter’s relationship may be “possibly connected” to his resignation in a statement to NBC 4 Monday.
âJobsOhio is aware Ted Carter resigned this morning as President of The Ohio State University and that this situation is possibly connected to a relationship between him and the host of a podcast for veterans, which we sponsored,â the economic development group said.
Carter did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the relationship that led him to step down, but said he was leaving OSU with his wife.
He and Vlachos have not responded publicly to the relationship allegations.
