Charleta B. Tavares is a Democrat who served as a member of the Ohio Senate representing the 15th District from 2011 to 2018. She was the first African-American and Democratic woman to serve as a state Senator from central Ohio, sworn in on January 3, 2011. Prior to the Senate, she was a Columbus City Council member from 1999 to 2010, where she chaired Housing and Health & Human Development Committees and sponsored key legislation like the Clean Indoor Air Act, Housing Preservation Fund, and Columbus/Franklin County Affordable Housing Trust. Tavares also served as Ohio State Representative for the 22nd House District , Chief of the Children's Protection Section in the Ohio Attorney General's Office, Associate Director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio, and Legislative Assistant to Rep. Ray Miller. In 2014, she was elected Assistant Senate Democratic Leader and re-elected with over 73% of the vote. Her legislative priorities included equity in health and justice, raising the minimum wage, domestic worker protections, infrastructure investment, and reducing school discipline disparities. She currently serves as CEO of PrimaryOne Health and on the Homeport board, advocating for housing, health disparities, and community equity.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Eastmoor High School ; attended Spelman College and Ohio State University.
• Political Experience:
  • Ohio Senate, 15th District ; Assistant Senate Democratic Leader .
  • Columbus City Council .
  • Ohio House of Representatives, 22nd District ; first leadership role for an African-American woman in the Ohio General Assembly.
  • Ohio Attorney General's Office, Chief of Children's Protection Section.
  • Public Children Services Association of Ohio, Associate Director.
  • Legislative Assistant, Ohio House Finance-Appropriations Committee .