Rep. Nickie J. Antonio Elected House Democratic Assistant Whip
State Representative Nickie J. Antonio elected as House Democratic Assistant Whip
State Rep. Ronald V. Gerberry (D-Austintown), the Dean of the Ohio House Democratic Caucus, Tuesday announced the caucus has selected their new leadership team for the 131st General Assembly. State Rep. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) was elected as House Democratic Assistant Whip in a vote Tuesday evening.
The other members of the Democratic leadership team will be Rep. Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) serving as House Democratic Leader; Rep. Nicholas J. Celebrezze (D-Parma), Assistant Democratic Leader; and Rep. Kevin Boyce (D-Columbus), Democratic Whip.
“I am eager to work in a collective way to move our state in the right direction,” said Rep. Antonio. “We have a lot ahead of us, but I am confident that our state’s diversity makes us stronger, and that we can turn our challenges into opportunities to add jobs and give our children a fair shot at a world-class education.”
Assistant Whip-Elect Antonio was recently re-elected to a third term in the Ohio House of Representatives, serving House District 13, which includes Lakewood and the west side of Cleveland. Antonio began her public policy service when she was elected to Lakewood City Council in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009. During her tenure on Lakewood City Council she chaired the Economic Development, Housing, and Human Services committees and served on the Public Works and Finance Committees and was the council representative for the Lakewood Hospital Board and Community Relations Boards.
A former Special Education teacher and non-profit Executive Director for a women's outpatient drug/alcohol treatment program, she also served for nearly two decades as a consultant to non-profits and governmental agencies throughout Northeast Ohio and served as administrator for a multi-County HIV/AIDS regional planning group.
Antonio is the first openly gay lawmaker to serve in Ohio’s state legislature, also making her the first openly gay member to hold a legislative leadership position in state history.
The leadership team and incoming legislators are expected to be sworn in during the first week of January at the Ohio Statehouse.
Jordan Plottner
State Representative Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) is honored to be serving her second term in the Ohio House of Representatives. House District 13 covers the city of Lakewood in its entirety and parts of Cleveland’s West Side including the Detroit Shoreway (Gordon Square), the Stockyards, West Boulevard, Cuddell, and a section of Ohio City and the village of Linndale. Representative Antonio is a civic minded humanitarian who is concerned with the quality of life of those around her. She is a founding member of the Community Relations Advisory Commission made up of residents that broadly represent social, economic and culturally diverse interests of Lakewood, Ohio. She currently serves on the Health and Aging Committee, Education Committee, and the Finance and Appropriations Committee. These committees are of special interest to Representative Antono as she will be able to stand up for working families, education, and health and human services. Daughters Ariel and Stacey, both Lakewood High School graduates, have made Nickie and partner Jean Kosmac very proud as the girls engage in their post-secondary pursuits