Training and Experience
I started my career as a Solon City Schools teacher in 1999. Since then, I have taught ages prek-12 including classroom teaching, small group instructor, online teaching, and ESL.
Volunteer/Community Service
Most recently, I have been active in collecting signatures and campaigning for the Reproductive Rights bill that passed in November. I work with my families outside of the school day attending birthday parties, Eid celebrations and family field trips
I am a teacher, mom of 2 college students and a fierce advocate for a woman's right to choose. My husband and I are both union workers and know how difficult it can be for families to prosper. The core goals of my campaign are strengthening our schools, protecting Ohio families, backing Ohio workers, supporting a sustainable future, and defending diversity, equality and inclusion programs. I want to advocate and vote for common sense legislation that the people are in favor of. I will fight against minority rule in the Ohio Statehouse!
Every Ohioan deserves the chance to shape our future. But right now, voting isn't easy for everyone, and that isn't an accident. Corrupt actors in the Statehouse passed the strictest voter ID law in the country, despite no evidence of significant voter fraud. Defending Ohio's democracy means making sure everyone's voice counts. In Columbus, I'll work to get rid of unfair voting laws and fight for fair maps that represent our communities accurately.
Local and small businesses are the backbone of our communities, employing nearly half the private workforce. They deserve our full support. That's why I'll champion state initiatives that provide critical resources for their success. That means helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into reality with the backing of state initiatives, ensuring business owners and their employees can get quality healthcare without breaking the bank, lighten the burden of debt so young Ohioans can pursue their dreams without financial worry, and create a level playing field through anti-discrimination policies and paid family leave where everyone has a fair chance to succeed.
As a public school teacher for 26 years, I've seen firsthand the transformative power of quality education. Today, our system is under attack by those who put profits before kids. Unfair funding leaves many schools under-resourced, and voucher schemes create inequality instead of choice. That's why I'm fighting for a better future for all Ohio kids by keeping public money in public schools. All students, regardless of where they come from, deserve a quality education. But Ohio Republicans divert money away from public schools with vouchers and create inequality. They call this 'school choice', but these schools are not offsetting costs for families. They are raising tuition and pocketing the extra money. It's corrupt and unfair.
As a home-rule state, Ohio thrives on strong local communities. That's why, as your representative, I'll empower HD34's towns and cities to deliver what matters most. That means smooth roads, well-funded schools, and thriving local businesses. I’ll ensure that happens by directing resources straight to your local governments, ensuring they have the funding they need to pave roads, equip our schools, and support local businesses. No town should be left behind. I'll connect local leaders with state experts in areas like environment, health, and technology, so they can tackle challenges with confidence.
Proper care is essential for the family to function so healthy moms and dads can get to work and the kids off to school. No one should be forced to choose between food on the table or a medical bill. Elderly family members need prescriptions and proper care. Nobody should be left alone in a battle with Big Pharma and insurance companies. A perfect example of this is Rep Casey Weinstein’s bill to get children's hearing aids covered by insurance, a bill that granted thousands of families kids the right to hear. I applaud this action, and would look to press for more opportunities to extend care to Ohioans in need.
I want to minimize Ohio's carbon footprint and make a positive impact on the planet so we can enjoy the outdoors for generations to come. We must raise awareness about the importance of taking action towards a more sustainable future and the positive impact it can have on our world. The summer's wildfire smoke should be a wake up call for everyone. Nobody wants to live in a world where we are forced to stay indoors because our Earth is burning. The future is renewable energy. This not only helps families save money, it creates quality, skilled labor jobs. There is a second coming of the Industrial Revolution at our fingertips. I will work to create a future for Ohio that includes more forward thinking, affordable, clean energy.
Not everyone receives equal opportunities in our world, but I believe everyone deserves a fair shot at success. Right here in Ohio though, that dream feels further away than ever. This past year alone, politicians pushed through harmful legislation like HB68, ignoring voters, data, and the very families they're supposed to represent. This isn't ancient history – it's happening right now, and it's impacting your future. As your representative, I will always stand up for an Ohio where opportunity knows no boundaries.
Training and Experience
Assistant Vice President, Accountable Care & Payment Innovation, Integra Connect; Captain, U.S Army Reserve, JAG officer, System Director, Bundled Care & Episode Based Payment, Summa Health,
Volunteer/Community Service
Akron Public Schools Board of Education, Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Ohio Board of Advisors, Stan Hywet Board of Directors, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio Board of Directors, Scouts BSA Board of Directors
Our top priorities include working to protect reproductive freedom, stronger & safer schools, improving healthcare access, environmental sustainability, growing small businesses, and enhancing services for our seniors. If elected our first step would be to establish a District 34 Leadership Council composed of elected officials and engaged residents that would serve as partners in determining the order in which we tackle our districts problems and areas of opportunity.
Simply put, we must end gerrymandering. It does not just lead to super majorities, it also leads to more extreme politics. We must support initiatives such as Citizens Not Politicians and consider others as they arise to tackle this problem.
It is also important that we continue the work to broaden voter participation in elections. State supported voter registration, automatic registration, same day voter registration, expanded days/times for early voting are all changes that should be supported to broaden access to our democracy.
State funding and support for small business and technology incubators are the key to creating homegrown jobs that can stay in Ohio. The jobs of the future will arise from the creation of these fertile, creative, and collaborative environments.
Additionally, the attraction of new employers will require greater alignment and cooperation between our schools, universities, trade schools, and businesses. This alignment is critical to creating a workforce that will support current employers and attract new employers.
Finally, it is important that we also focus on growing our existing small businesses. These small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. This can be done in part by revisiting our taxation scheme for small businesses.
K-12 education: our aspirations include ensuring and supporting stronger and safer schools. This can be accomplished in part by continuing and expanding state funded school safety grants. We must also let our teachers teach again. We must reduce the excessive standardized testing currently required.
It is also critical that we keep working to ensure fair school funding, adequate state support for capital expenditures, and reforming the state voucher program.
Higher Education: it is critical that the state facilitate greater communication and connection between state funded universities and our business community. Ohio's best jobs should be filled by graduates of Ohio's universities. We must also work to revitalize our trade community.
The Ohio State Constitution is the governing document. The state should check local government if/when local governments engage in activities that violate the state and/or US Constitution.
We must continue to protect reproductive freedom. The Issue 1 victory in November must be upheld. Work is already underway to overturn the Issue 1 win.
We also confuse healthcare coverage and healthcare access. We must improve healthcare access. This can be achieved in part by setting Medicaid reimbursement equal to Medicare reimbursement. This type of payment reform will help our struggling health systems to provide healthcare to our working poor.
Our position can be stated in four parts.
1) Protect the integrity of our public lands/parks
2) Ensure clean water from source to tap
3) Proactively support the expansion of solar/wind power initiatives
4) The expansion of incentives for homeowners and business owners to invest in environmental sustainability measures.
The government has always had the primary responsibility to ensure no person is discriminated against. The government must continue to protect against and not support the tyranny of the majority.
Training and Experience
I am an international leadership trainer who has traveled across the country facilitating leadership courses for youth and adults. He founded and runs a non-profit organization called Leadership Influencing Teen Empowerment (LITE) since 2017. LITE is designed to provide leadership development, DEI, and emotional intelligence training to students. Founded in Akron, Ohio, LITE has served over 4,500 students since the 2018-2019 school year and continues to serve schools in Northeast Ohio.
Volunteer/Community Service
I been involved with the Summit County Progressive Democrats (SCPD) for 3 years and is currently serving as the organization's president. He is a Distinguished Toastmaster, Eagle Scout, and has coached youth soccer for 7 years.
I'm running to bring servant leadership to Ohio's Statehouse to ensure that everyone in our community has a voice and feels empowered.
My campaign's top priorities are to protect public education and the environment. We also need to work to prioritize higher paying jobs and defend labor/unions. I will work to better support public safety and to create measures to address gun violence.
One of Ohio's biggest challenges is the to restore local control. The Ohio state legislature led by Republicans have infringed on local governments' abilities to govern themselves and have defunded our communities. We need to restore local control and support our local leaders and work together to bring resources back to our local governments and communities
We have seen the attempts to undermine our democracy with election deniers, false claims of voter fraud, gerrymandered districts, and a secretary of state who purges voter lists and creates barriers to voting for Ohioans. After fighting for fair maps in 2022, I believe in the citizen-led effort to remove the state legislature from drawing maps and instead to place the decision into the hands of an independent commission so that politicians do not select their voters. I believe in the integrity of our voting process and will advocate to protect the right to vote.
I also support automatic voter registration, increased early voting opportunities, improved online voter registration, and same day registration/Golden Week policies.
We must invest in vocational training and our educational system to provide Ohioans with resources to help them acquire higher paying jobs that lead to a better work-life balance.
Many people still work two or three jobs to make ends meet.
We need to invest in technical/vocational training to provide the necessary skills for jobs such as computer science, truck driving, construction, and other trade work. This will help provide current Ohioans and attract non-Ohioans to the state to receive both the training and the benefits of working in a high in-demand industry.
As an entrepreneur myself, I understand the joys and struggles of starting a nonprofit organization and will advocate for small business support so that they can thrive
Education is the core tool to bring about empowerment to our community. I believe in securing funding and investing in public schools so that every student has the equal opportunity to develop the skills necessary to get into meaningful employment.
In the 21st century, the challenges of today are different, and our education system must follow suit. As a nonprofit leader who works directly with teachers and students in classrooms, I support experiential learning, leadership & reasoning, social-emotional learning, diversity & inclusion, and financial/life skills.
I strongly oppose the expanded school voucher funding system, the bans on books, and the Republican led state legislature’s overreach by attempting to disband the Ohio's BOE.
I believe that the best people who understand the community's needs are those directly working with the community on the ground level. As your state representative, I will work with local governments to ensure that they have the resources they need to solve their unique challenges.
The state government should intervene if local governments violate the Ohio/US Constitution, violate human rights, or is ethically malicious.
An ideal servant leader relationship is one where the state and local governments communicate effectively and work toward the common goals, freedoms, and solutions so that Ohio's people can thrive and feel empowered.
I believe that healthcare should be a human right. We have the greatest healthcare resources in the world but have one of the most challenging systems to access it. I will advocate affordable access to healthcare to prevent citizens from plunging into crippling debt or from failing to receive treatment.
I am also aware of the significant disparities with minority communities and access to healthcare. We must not ignore the discrepancy with Ohio’s infant mortality rate among black women where the average mortality rate among all women is 7 per 1000 births but 14 per 1000 births for black women. We need to raise awareness and address these inequities so that all Ohioans are treated fairly regarding their healthcare needs.
From the water we drink to the air we breathe, our environment affects all of us. As an Eagle Scout, I grew up to be conservation minded. I has appreciated nature and the beautiful world we live in. Our community is home to beautiful metro parks that are well managed and maintained.
Due to recklessness in polluting our air and water as well as the excessive greenhouse gas emissions pumping into our atmosphere, I will work to lead a cleaner environment in Ohio by investing in renewable energy alternatives, improving household and commercial energy efficiency, and transitioning off of fracking. These investments will create high paying jobs that will keep workers in the state and attract workers to Ohio.
I teach high school students about diversity, equity, inclusion, emotional intelligence, behavioral styles, and other concepts that promote a greater acceptance and civil discourse among people. Diversity is a strength, but people need the skills in our society to better manage those differences in a positive and constructive way. By continuing to listen to the challenges of minority communities, I will work alongside them to advocate for equality, equity, and justice for a more inclusive state.
Our nation put into writing the core belief that all men are created equal. Since then, we have had to work through various generations in pursuit of making that belief into a reality. The government should be proactive against discrimination.
