The Ohio House of Representatives Minority Leadership Team. The minority caucus is comprised of the party with the fewest members represented. Each session, members of the minority caucus select a slate of leaders, headed by the minority leader.
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS LEADERSHIP
Minority Leader – Representative C. Allison Russo – District 24. The Minority Leader is elected by all members of the House to lead the party in the minority and is responsible for the development and implementation of the legislation of the caucus agenda.
State Representative Allison Russo is currently serving her third term in the Ohio House of Representatives representing House District 7, which includes Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights, and portions of Columbus. She also serves as the Minority Leader for the Ohio House Democratic Caucus. Prior to being elected Minority Leader, Leader Russo served as the Ranking Member on Health Committee. She also served as a member on the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee, Finance Committee, and Finance Health and Human Services Subcommittee. Additionally, Leader Russo was the Co-Chair of the bipartisan Legislative Children’s Caucus and Policy Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus. Currently, Leader Russo is the Ranking Member for the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee and the House Rules and Reference Committee. She also serves on the Legislative Service Commission (LSC), the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Ohio Advisory Committee, and the State Council on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
Leader Russo brings a practical approach and evidence-based solutions to the critical issues facing Ohio, introducing several pieces of important legislation that address health care access, the protection of public health and safety, and the financial security of family caregivers and aging adults. During her time in the Ohio General Assembly, Leader Russo has worked to adequately fund Ohio’s public schools, support economic strategies that sustain working families and vibrant communities, and prioritize innovative solutions in healthcare that increase access and make it affordable for all Ohioans. She has received several state and national awards for her work on mental health, early childhood, aging, and disability issues.
Prior to joining the legislature, Leader Russo spent more than two decades advising government leaders and policymakers on issues related to the healthcare financing and care delivery needs of seniors, vulnerable populations, Veterans, and military families. Leader Russo is also a passionate advocate for women and families and is involved in many local civic and service organizations in her community.
Minority Leader Russo holds a doctoral degree in health policy from The George Washington University and a master’s degree in public health epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She lives in Upper Arlington with her husband and their three children.
Assistant Minority Leader – Representative Dontavius Jarrells – District 49. The Assistant Minority Leader is elected by all members of the House and assists the Minority Leader in development and implementation of the agenda for the party in the minority.
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Rep. Dontavius Jarrells earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Economics from Hiram College in 2010.
After graduating, Dontavius embarked on a journey in public service as an Ohio Legislative Service Commission Fellow during the 129th General Assembly. His impactful contributions included drafting legislation, conducting legal and fiscal research, and actively participating in committee meetings. His commitment to effecting positive change extended to his roles at the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA) and Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), where he championed Medicaid expansion and health equity initiatives, fostering community engagement across diverse populations to address health disparities.
In 2020, Dontavius emerged victorious as the State Representative for House District 25, all while continuing his work at the Franklin County Treasurer’s Office. His inaugural term showcased remarkable bipartisan accomplishments, such as eliminating discriminatory covenants, erasing derogatory language from the legal code, and directing $150 million towards lead prevention efforts, drawing from his personal experience as a lead poison survivor.
His unwavering commitment to his constituents and his inspiring vision for a better Ohio have garnered respect and admiration both within and beyond the General Assembly.
Following redistricting, Rep. Jarrells is in his second term as Representative for House District 1, advocating for bipartisan policies like the Paystub Protection Act, ensuring employee access to pay statements, and the Foster-to-College Scholarship Act, a testament to his dedication to foster youth. His unwavering commitment extends to raising the minimum wage to $15.00 and championing the replacement of lead water lines, underlining his unyielding dedication to Ohio’s children and families.
While Rep. Jarrells often applauds the achievements of his constituents, his own service and advocacy have not gone unnoticed. He’s received awards including:
- 2023 Healthy Food Access Legislative Champion from Produce Perks Midwest
- 2022 NAMI Legislator of the Year
- 2022 Mental Health and Addiction Champions Award from OACBHA.
- 2022 Legislative Champion Award from Mental Health America
- 2022 Small Business Advocate of the Year from the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE)
Beyond his legislative responsibilities, Rep. Jarrells proudly serves as the Assistant Minority Leader for the Ohio House Democratic Caucus, where he helps lead a mighty caucus of 32 Democratic members.
His sphere of influence expands to prominent leadership roles in various state and national organizations, including being a member of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, participating in the NCSL’s State Exchange on Employment & Disability (SEED), serving as Chair-Emeritus of the Black Caucus of the Young Democrats of America, Vice-Chair of the Franklin County Central Committee, and Executive Committee Member for the Ohio Democratic Party.
In his own words, Rep. Jarrells envisions the Ohio we all deserve:
“As we look forward…I’m committed to building a better Ohio for all of us. It’s an Ohio where everyone can access high-paying careers, not just jobs. An Ohio where a child’s zip code doesn’t determine the quality of their education. An Ohio where our kids are safe from firearms, and families don’t have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet.”
Contact Assistant Minority Leader Dontavius Jarrells:
- Hometown: Born in Cleveland; Columbus
- 77 South High Street
14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215 - Phone: (614) 466-5343
- Fax: (614) 719-3581
- Email: Assistant Minority Leader Jarrells
the United Kingdom and is derived from the ‘whipper-in” at a fox hunt.State Representative Dani Isaacsohn is currently serving his first term representing Ohio’s 24th House District. The district includes almost half of the City of Cincinnati. He also serves as Minority Whip for the Ohio House Democratic Caucus.
In the Statehouse, Rep. Isaacsohn is committed to fighting for a world-class public education for every student, better childcare for parents, smarter housing policy to bring down prices and increase supply, and making sure that seniors have what they need to age with dignity. He also knows that we must tackle racial and income inequality head-on in order to make lasting progress.
Rep. Isaacsohn is a Walnut Hills High School graduate, and received a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, a master’s degree from Cambridge University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. He serves as the ranking member on the Civil Justice Committee and the Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and also serves on the Finance, Government Oversight, Ways and Means, Rules and Reference, and Technology and Innovation committees.
Contact Minority Whip Dani Isaacsohn:
Assistant Minority Whip – Representative Michele Grim – District 43.
hunt.Ohio Democratic House Caucus – 614.280.1835