After proudly serving Central Ohio over the past three decades, Paula Brooks is running for Congress in the 12th Congressional District. She seeks to bring our voice to Washington and work on common sense solutions that will turn our country around. Through her years of service, Paula developed a reputation as a common sense, hardworking leader with a commitment to fiscal responsibility. Paula's dedication to creating and retaining jobs, access to health care, and supporting local military families and veterans, homeland security, energy independence and our environment and children is why voters across the 12th District have asked her to be their voice in Washington.

Since 2005 Paula Brooks served on the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, and is currently President of the Board. In addition to this service, Paula's leadership has included: elected municipal official, Board of Developmental Disabilities trustee, President of Ohio State Bar Foundation and Action for Battered Women in Ohio, member of Chamber of Commerce, and board member and an active Rotarian. She chaired the Mid-Ohio Regional Connections project on regional growth with a private sector counterpart.

Paula's dedication and Midwestern work ethic comes from her Ohio upbringing. A 12th generation American, Paula, was born in East Liverpool, Ohio and raised by her parents Ernest and Alfreda as the oldest of five girls on her family's farm. She was active 4-H and Campfire Girls, and her Church Youth Group. Her family instilled in her the importance of education and service and following High School, Paula worked her way through Youngstown State University, as a hairdresser, and then attended law school at Capital University while working during the day for the Ohio Attorney General. Having raised her two grown children, Paula lives in Central Ohio with her husband Greg Kontras, a proud third generation Greek-American, and their Yorkie Charlie.

Paula and Greg married and baptized their children at the Annunciation Cathedral. They've served the Church, both fundraising for the building committee and Annual Greek Festival. Greg also served on the Cathedral's Board of Auditors and as a national delegate and officer of the AHEPA.

Paula is recognized across Central Ohio as an energetic leader, who brings a fresh outlook to solving the challenges facing Ohio families. Through her years of service, Paula has been able to create good jobs, expand access to health care, institute new green policies, prepare Franklin County children for a global job market, and make childcare more affordable - all in a fiscally responsible manner that has allowed Franklin County to earn its double AAA bond rating.

Paula's long history of service in Central Ohio, personal connection with folks across the district, and energy make her uniquely qualified to tackle the responsibility of Representing Ohio's 12th District in Congress.

In addition to Paula's responsibilities as a Franklin County Commissioner, she currently serves as First Vice President of the County Commissioners' Association of Ohio (CCAO), Vice Chair of the National Association of Counties (NACo) Energy Renewables Committee, and Vice Chair of the NACo's Arts and Culture Commission. In 2000, Paula was a Clinton Administration appointee by the Secretary of Defense as a 3-star civilian advisor on the federal Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) where she advised the Department of Defense on troop readiness and military families.