Paula Brooks’ lifelong commitment to Ohio and its people was nurtured on a small family farm in East Liverpool, where she was born and raised. Her father was a World War II Navy veteran who worked for Bell Telephone after leaving the service, and her mother was a nurse. The oldest of five daughters, Paula was active in 4-H and her church’s Youth Group. Although money was tight, her parents instilled in Paula a belief in the value of education, telling her, “Paula, get an education because no one can take that away from you.” Paula worked her way through Youngstown State University as a hairdresser. She went on to law school at Capital University, attending classes at night while working for Ohio’s Attorney General during the day.

Paula moved to Central Ohio in 1975, where she met her husband Greg Kontras and raised their two children. In addition to her work as an attorney, Paula pursued her true passion for public service. An active member of her community, she has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce and has served on the Board of Developmental Disabilities, as President of the Ohio State Bar Foundation and has worked with Action for Battered Women in Ohio. From 1996 to 2004, she served on the Upper Arlington City Council, and in 1998 served as Vice Mayor of Upper Arlington. Paula used her time in those positions to stabilize the town’s tax base and improve services.

In 2004, Paula was elected to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. She served as Board President in 2006 and 2009, and has developed a reputation for strong fiscal prudence. Her commitment to careful financial planning, including a fiscal sustainability resolution and debt policy, has allowed Franklin County to remain the only county in Ohio with a double AAA bond rating, allowing the county to invest responsibly in Franklin County while saving taxpayer dollars.

Paula Brooks will bring her Midwestern values, strong work ethic, ability to work across the aisle and fiscal prudence to Washington. In Congress, Paula will work to rein in runaway federal spending – a crucial step to protecting taxpayers and creating an economic climate that fosters good jobs and encourages the growth of small businesses.

Paula Brooks currently serves as President of the County Commissioners’ Association of Ohio and as Vice Chair of the National Association of Counties (NACo) Energy/Renewables Subcommittee. In 2000, Paula was chosen by President Clinton’s Secretary of Defense as a 3-star civilian advisor on the federal Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. In that capacity, she advised the Secretary of Defense on troop readiness and issues facing military families, for both enlisted and officer ranks.