Biography
Leslie Ghiz was elected to her first term on Cincinnati City Council in 2005 and was reelected in 2007. She is currently serving her second term on City Council. She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Law & Public Safety and Economic Development committees and as a Member of the Finance Committee.
Leslie was raised in Huntington, West Virginia, directly across the Ohio River from Chesapeake, Ohio. Her love for the City of Cincinnati stems from her childhood in West Virginia, when, as a child, Leslie's family would travel to Cincinnati for long weekends in the summer, attending Reds games and frequenting Kings Island. The excitement she felt as a child has never subsided. In a town that offered her everything from the arts to a world-class zoo, Leslie was always certain Cincinnati would become her home.
Her career in private practice started at the firm Peck, Shaffer & Williams LLP, then with Thompson Hine LLP. While at Thompson Hine, she was solicited by the City's Human Resources Department to become the Chief Labor Negotiator for the City. This was an opportunity she could not turn down. After two years of learning the ins and outs of the City Administration, Leslie decided to run for Cincinnati City Council. In 2007, she opened her own law practice, Ghiz Law, LLC, specializing in labor and employment law.
Outside of her professional career, Leslie has had a rich history of service to her community. Her involvement includes: being a tutor in the Cincinnati Public Schools, first at Washington Park Elementary, then McKinley Elementary; a former Board Member for Youth Opportunities United; a development committee member for Women Helping Women; a Sunday School Teacher for Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church; a volunteer/donor for Pro-Kids, a volunteer for Dress for Success Cincinnati, the American Cancer Society, the American Red Cross, Hoxworth Blood Center as a blood/bone-marrow/stem cell donor, a volunteer for the May Festival, the Cincinnati Jaycees, and Ensemble Theatre.
Leslie's true passion is as an advocate for Cincinnati who stands up for the best interests of her constituents. Her top priority as City Councilmember has been working with public safety officials to reduce the crime rate in Cincinnati. During her first term on Council, Leslie was able to push through legislation increasing funding for additional police presence in our communities. In addition to reducing crime, Leslie also plans to fulfill her agenda of restoring the quality of life to Cincinnati neighborhoods and making City Council more accountable to its citizens.
Leslie attended West Virginia University, where she received a bachelor's degree in English. She earned her jurist doctorate from Capital University (Columbus, Ohio) in 1994. She resides in North Avondale with her husband Steve.
