+ − Contact Information
Phone: (614) 466-5204
Office Address:
Senate Building
1 Capitol Square, 2nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
+ − Biography
Edna Brown (D-Toledo) was elected to serve Ohio’s 11th Senate district in November, 2010. Prior to joining the Senate, her dedication to public service led to a 32-year career as an employee with the city of Toledo, followed by an eight-year tenure as a member of Toledo City Council. She moved to the Statehouse in January 2002 to fill the Ohio House of Representatives seat of then newly-elected Toledo mayor Jack Ford. Senator Brown currently serves as the Minority Whip in the Senate.
Senator Brown’s legislative interests include criminal justice reform, healthcare, the wellbeing of children and families, and voting access. She serves on the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, the Ohio Public Employees Deferred Compensation Board, the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and the Ohio Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Children, Families & the Courts.
Senator Brown has been appointed to the Health & Human Services, Economic Development and Education Committees of the Midwest Council of State Governments. She is First Vice President of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, and serves on the Executive Committee of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. Senator Brown is state director for WILL/WAND and for Women in Government, non-partisan national organizations for women legislators. She was a founding member of the Greater Toledo Urban League and still sits on the Board of Directors. Senator Brown is a past chair of the Administration Board for Braden United Methodist Church and a charter member of the Executive Women’s Golf Association.
Senator Brown’s idea to bring “no excuse” absentee voting to Ohio was incorporated into a bill that became state law in January 2006. For her efforts, the Ohio Association of Election Officials and the Ohio Secretary of State honoured her with the Jack Wolfe Memorial Award as one of two “Legislators of the Year.” In 2007, Senator Brown first introduced a bill addressing violence in teen dating relationships. The teen dating violence bill (HB 10) became law in June 2010.
Senator Brown’s efforts have garnered numerous awards, including an inaugural “ROSA” Award from the Toledo Board of Community Relations for living a life parallel to the example set by civil rights leader Rosa Parks. The Toledo YWCA also honoured Senator Brown as a 2007 Milestone Award recipient and WILL/WAND honoured her with a Pacesetter Award the same year. In 2009, Senator Brown received the Legislative Children's Champion Award from the Children's Defense Fund of Ohio. Action Ohio presented Senator Brown with their Legislative Leadership Award in October of 2011 for her teen dating violence bill. The African American Legacy Project bestowed Senator Brown with the Kente Stole in October, 2012.
Senator Brown is the widow of Willie Brown. She has three daughters, six grandchildren and one great grandchild.