As the first black female mayor of Toledo, state Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson has always exhibited a commitment to empowering and helping people improve their quality of life. She currently represents Ohio’s 11th Senate District. Raised in the city of Hamilton, Ohio, Senator Hicks-Hudson often cites education as a pathway to success. After graduating from Spelman College with her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Journalism, she earned her master’s degree in Communications Development from Colorado State University. Following graduation, she worked as the associate director in the Upward Bound Program at Central State University before attending law school. After graduating with her Juris Doctorate from The University of Iowa, she moved to Toledo in 1982 to begin her career at the Toledo Legal Aid Society as a Reginald Heber Smith Fellow. During her 35-year professional career, she has worked as an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, assistant public defender, assistant state attorney general, and private practice attorney. She also served as legislative director of the Toledo City Council, director and deputy director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, and chief legal counsel to the Ohio Office of Budget and Management. Prior to her election to the Senate, she served as a state Representative for Ohio House District 44. From 2011 to 2015, she served on the Toledo City Council, including time as President of Council, and served as the mayor of Toledo from 2015 to 2018.
