Thomas E. West is a Democratic politician who represented Ohio's 49th House District in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023. A former businessman and mental health professional with over 25 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker, he served 13 years on Canton City Council , chairing the Annexation Committee and working on landlord-tenant issues and local ordinances. After leaving office, he became President and CEO of the Greater Stark County Urban League. Married to Lisa West with two children , he resides in Canton and is active in community organizations like the Greater Canton Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.

Notable achievements include election as President of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus in 2020; gubernatorial appointments to the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, Ohio Advisory on Aging, and Governor’s Executive Workforce Board; and passage of bipartisan bills, such as creating a children’s behavioral healthcare network and preventing tragic accidents like that of Dallas Swogger. He served on committees including Health, Criminal Justice, Finance, Aging and Long Term Care, Finance Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, and Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Bachelor's and Master's in Social Work from the University of Akron; 3.5 years of Business Administration at Mount Union College.
• Political Experience: Canton City Council ; Ohio House Representative, 49th District . Prior roles include social worker at ARC Ohio and CEO of Pioneer With Vision .