Senator Tina Maharath was born and raised in Ohio, but her family’s journey to this great State was not an easy one. During the Secret War in Laos, Tina’s parents spent years running to and from numerous refugee camps before finally seizing the opportunity to flee to the United States in search of freedom, settling in Whitehall, Ohio. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master’s in Law, Justice, and Culture. Inspired by her parents and their incredible strength, Senator Maharath chose to dedicate her life to public service at a young age. Today, she volunteers for various organizations throughout Central Ohio, including Legacies of War, Ohio Asian American Health Coalition, Community Refugee Immigration Services, Community Shelter Board and Asian American Community Services.

Senator Maharath was first elected in 2020, becoming the first Asian-American woman elected to the Ohio Senate. Throughout her first term in the Senate, she has been a warrior for under-served families and youth. She has worked to introduce and support policies that would help close the pay gap, strengthen pregnancy accommodations and anti-discrimination standards in Ohio, push for fair school funding, and allocate resources to public services. Upon reelection, Senator Maharath will continue to fight for working families, paid family leave, universal pre-K, and more investments in mental health services as we recover from the global pandemic that turned our world upside down. She is ready to take the next steps in leading our state towards a more prosperous future for the next generation.