Candidate for
Member of Council; City of Cincinnati

I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA before moving to Cincinnati 16 years ago. I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees in English at Xavier University. I also earned my teaching license from the State of Ohio in that time. After college, I taught English at Moeller High School for ten years and served as a House Dean for six. I eventually left Moeller as I desired to work at Purcell Marian as their Dean of Student Life because the Mission of the school is the Mission of my life - bridging gaps through education. Over the course of my professional career in the schools, I also served as an affordable housing advocate and project leader for eleven years in Over-the-Rhine (OTR). I worked to rehabilitate buildings for those who needed affordable housing and were working to get back on their feet. Five years ago, I co-founded Choices Café with Mike Rogers, a formerly homeless man who is currently nine years sober and working at 21C Hotel. Choices Café promoted relationships between the rich and poor in the name of an equitable, peaceful Cincinnati. Choices Café closed its doors this year, but its programs still thrive in the community; namely, the HELP Program which works with Returning Citizens seeking a second chance at life through gainful employment. I recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame in May with a Master's degree in non-profit Business Administration. Additionally, I have served on numerous nonprofit boards in Cincinnati such as the Drop Inn Center, The Regional Service Learning Network, The Marianist Movement Committee, Choices Café (as board chair), and WordPlay Cincy (as founding board member & eventual board chair). As a result of my community involvement, I have received the Nobel Prize for Public Service, the Jefferson Award; Xavier University's highest honor for a young graduate, the Magis Award, for my service to the City of Cincinnati; OTR Community Housing's Mary Johnson Award for volunteerism; Moeller High School's Founder's Day Award for my leadership with my students; was named to the business Courier's Forty Under 40 Class of 2011; received The Human Rights Campaign's "Ally Award" for my public defense of marriage equality which cost me my job; and was given the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award by my high school alma mater, Marist High School.