Biography

John grew up and lives in the working class neighborhood of Price Hill, where he attended St. William's grade school. In high school, his long term commitment to public service emerged during hundreds of hours of volunteering - as a tutor in Winton Place Schools, as a big buddy at the Espy Boys Club in Lower Price Hill, as a volunteer at St. John's Social Services Center in Over the Rhine, and as a participant on a summer mission trip with Jesuit priests in the Dominican Republic. Upon graduating from St. Xavier High School, he was awarded the Jesuit Secondary Education Association Award for demonstrating the ideals of leadership and service.

At John Carroll University, John graduated magna cum laude in Philosophy and Political Science. He served twice as student body president. As a Junior, he was awarded the Harry S. Truman Scholarship -- a national award granted to 65 college juniors each year who share a commitment to public service, leadership and academics.

During John’s second and third years at Harvard Law School, he worked as a student attorney for people who could not afford legal counsel. In his third year in law school, he was elected First Class Marshal and delivered the Harvard Law School graduation speech on behalf of his class.

John also graduated from Harvard Divinity School with a Masters Degree in Theological Studies. During his time at Harvard Law School and Harvard Divinity School, he taught two undergraduate legal and philosophy courses at Harvard College.
As a first time candidate and the Democratic nominee for Congress, John was able to capture over 44% of the votes against Steve Chabot. As a result of this good showing, the support of Ward Leaders, his working relationship with a number of longtime Democratic activists and the trust that developed between the Democratic Council Members and himself, John was appointed to fill County Commissioner Todd Portune's vacated seat in December of 2000.

He served in this appointed position as a Councilmember until, in November of 2001, he was elected to City Council for the two-year term. He subsequently won re-election in 2003 and in 2005, coming in with the most votes of all the council candidates in 2005. He has served as the chair of the Finance Committee since 2001 and is a member of the Law and Public Safety.

In addition to his work on City Council, John is the co-director of the Urban Justice Institute and the Ohio Innocence Project, which has successfully exonerated two innocent men.