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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Education

  • PhD, Public Administration/Urban Studies, University of Akron/Cleveland State University, 1995-2001
  • MPA, Public Administration, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1985-1986
  • Attended, Kent State University, 1978-1985
  • Masters, Social and Applied Economics, Wright State University, 1977-1980
  • BBA, Business Administration/Management, Ohio University, 1969-1974

Professional Experience

  • PhD, Public Administration/Urban Studies, University of Akron/Cleveland State University, 1995-2001
  • MPA, Public Administration, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1985-1986
  • Attended, Kent State University, 1978-1985
  • Masters, Social and Applied Economics, Wright State University, 1977-1980
  • BBA, Business Administration/Management, Ohio University, 1969-1974
  • Director, Columbus Program in Intergovernmental Issues, Kent State University, 2001-present
  • Assistant Professor, Political Science, Kent State University, 2001-present
  • Assistant Professor, Social Science, Associate Studies Department, University of Akron, 1998-2001
  • Adjunct Faculty, Department of Political Science, University of Akron, 1981-1998
  • Planner, Research and Evaluation, Summit County Criminal Justice Commission, 1977-1979
  • Assistant Fiscal Officer, Summit County Criminal Justice Commission, 1976-1977
  • Senior Management Specialist, Economic Development Program, United Neighborhood Council, 1975-1976

Political Experience

  • PhD, Public Administration/Urban Studies, University of Akron/Cleveland State University, 1995-2001
  • MPA, Public Administration, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1985-1986
  • Attended, Kent State University, 1978-1985
  • Masters, Social and Applied Economics, Wright State University, 1977-1980
  • BBA, Business Administration/Management, Ohio University, 1969-1974
  • Director, Columbus Program in Intergovernmental Issues, Kent State University, 2001-present
  • Assistant Professor, Political Science, Kent State University, 2001-present
  • Assistant Professor, Social Science, Associate Studies Department, University of Akron, 1998-2001
  • Adjunct Faculty, Department of Political Science, University of Akron, 1981-1998
  • Planner, Research and Evaluation, Summit County Criminal Justice Commission, 1977-1979
  • Assistant Fiscal Officer, Summit County Criminal Justice Commission, 1976-1977
  • Senior Management Specialist, Economic Development Program, United Neighborhood Council, 1975-1976
  • Senator, Ohio State Senate, District 28, 2017-present
  • Candidate, Ohio State Senate, District 28, 2020
  • Representative, Ohio State House of Representatives, 2006-2014
  • Representative, Ohio State House of Representatives, District 34, 1983-2000
  • Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Ohio State House of Representatives, District 34, 1993-1994
  • Council Member, Akron City Council, Third Ward, 1980-1983

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Ranking Minority Member, Education Committee, Ohio State Senate

Former Chair, Finance and Appropriations Committee, Ohio State House of Representatives

Former Member, Finance Committee, Ohio State Senate

Former Member, Health, Human Services and Medicaid Committee, Ohio State Senate

Former Ranking Member, Joint Committee on Education Oversight, Ohio State Senate

Former Member, Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, Ohio State Senate

Former Member, Joint Committee on Medicaid Oversight, Ohio State Senate

Former Member, Local Government Committee, Ohio State House of Representatives

Former Member, Local Government, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee, Ohio State Senate

Former Co-Chair, Ohio Constitution Modernization Commission

Former Member, Public Utilities Committee, Ohio State Senate

Former Vice Chair, Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education, Ohio State Senate

Former Chair, Transportation and Urban Affairs Committee, Ohio State House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Education

Member, Education Oversight

Member, E-School Funding

Ranking Minority Member, Finance

Member, State Controlling Board

Member, Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education

Member, Transportation, Commerce and Workforce

Member, Ways and Means

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • PhD, Public Administration/Urban Studies, University of Akron/Cleveland State University, 1995-2001
  • MPA, Public Administration, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1985-1986
  • Attended, Kent State University, 1978-1985
  • Masters, Social and Applied Economics, Wright State University, 1977-1980
  • BBA, Business Administration/Management, Ohio University, 1969-1974
  • Director, Columbus Program in Intergovernmental Issues, Kent State University, 2001-present
  • Assistant Professor, Political Science, Kent State University, 2001-present
  • Assistant Professor, Social Science, Associate Studies Department, University of Akron, 1998-2001
  • Adjunct Faculty, Department of Political Science, University of Akron, 1981-1998
  • Planner, Research and Evaluation, Summit County Criminal Justice Commission, 1977-1979
  • Assistant Fiscal Officer, Summit County Criminal Justice Commission, 1976-1977
  • Senior Management Specialist, Economic Development Program, United Neighborhood Council, 1975-1976
  • Senator, Ohio State Senate, District 28, 2017-present
  • Candidate, Ohio State Senate, District 28, 2020
  • Representative, Ohio State House of Representatives, 2006-2014
  • Representative, Ohio State House of Representatives, District 34, 1983-2000
  • Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Ohio State House of Representatives, District 34, 1993-1994
  • Council Member, Akron City Council, Third Ward, 1980-1983
  • Member, Advisory Committee, Center for Conflict Management, University of Akron, 1999-present
  • Member, Board of Visitors, Hiram College, 1999-present
  • Member, Minority Affairs Advisory Council, The Ohio State University, 1997-present
  • Member, Advancing Up Program, University of Akron, 1996-present
  • Member, MSW Visiting Committee, Social Work Department, University of Akron, 1995-present
  • Member, President's Minority Advisory Council, University of Akron, 1988-present
  • Member, Akron/Summit Community Action Agency, 1977-present
  • Member, Advisory Council, United States Postal Service/Customer
  • Former President, Akron/Summit Community Action Agency
  • Member, BlancOne Community Advisory Board
  • Member, Cuyahoga Valley Association
  • Member, Friends of Wooster Branch Public Library
  • Member, United Disabilities Services
  • Member, Western Economic Association International
  • Member, Human Services Advisory Board, County of Summit, 1985-1997
  • President, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, 1993-1995
  • Member, Presidential Rank Review Board, United States Office of Personnel, 1993
  • Chair, President's Blue Ribbon Task Force, Black Cultural Center, University of Akron, 1991-1992
  • Chair, Advisory Council, Minority Business Enterprise, 1981-1983
  • Third Vice Chair, Akron Small Business Corporation, 1981-1983
  • Member, Northeastern Four County Organization, 1981-1983
  • Member, Ohio Job Training Coordinating Council, 1982-1983
  • Member, Advisory Council, Akron/Summit/Medina Employment Training Consortium, 1978-1981

Other Info

— Awards:

  • Public Elected Official of the Year, National Association of Social Workers, 2012
  • Democrat of the Year, Summit County Democratic Party, 2009
  • Outstanding Teacher Award, Kent State University, 2007
  • Alumni Honor Award, The University of Akron, 2015
  • Champion for Working Families and Civil Rights Award, Ohio AFL-CIO, 2015

Policy Positions

Ohio State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test

Abortion and Reproductive

1. Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

7. Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
- Yes

8. Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, and Tax

State Spending

Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category- you can use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Maintain Status

3. Environment
- Maintain Status

4. Health care
- Maintain Status

5. Law enforcement
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Maintain Status

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

State Taxes

Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category- you can use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

2. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status

4. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

5. Property taxes
- Maintain Status

6. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

7. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Maintain Status

8. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- Maintain Status

9. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Maintain Status

10. Other or expanded categories
- Slightly Increase

Budget Stabilization

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Ohio's budget.

1. Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders
- No

2. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- Yes

3. Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees
- No

4. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No

5. Privatizing certain government services
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- I think it is important to explore all options for balancing the budget. I believe that capping tuition increases at institutes of higher learning to 3% a year is a sensible and long term sustainable solution. I am not supportive of privatizing government services, but believe that as long as government constantly strives to be efficient, government is the best way to provide these services.

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?

1. Individual
- Yes

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- Yes

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- No

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime and Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
- Yes

4. Should minors accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as adults?
- No

5. Should minors who send sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- No

6. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- No

2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes

3. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

6. Do you support the construction of passenger rail lines between Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati?
- Yes

7. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support national education standards?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams?
- Yes

3. Do you support adding more days to Ohio's 180-day school calendar?
- Yes

4. Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers?
- Yes

5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Ohio high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- Yes

3. Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for improvements to Ohio's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

5. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes

6. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a license for gun possession?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

6. Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Ohio?
- No

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- No

2. Should Ohio allow same-sex couples to form civil unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support state funding for stem cell research?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research?
- Yes

5. Do you support the state's use of affirmative action?
- Yes

6. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Ohio's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

7. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Ohio's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- People in my district are interested in employment opportunities and educational opportunities for their children. I am working to identify resources and motivate constituents to support candidates who are also promoting jobs and education.

State Bills