Hamilton County Photo
Hamilton County, Ohio – Hamilton County Commissioners elected Commissioner Denise Driehaus to lead the Board of County Commissioners in 2025. Each year, commissioners select a president during their organizational meeting to chair commission meetings, facilitate organizing weekly staff meetings, and serve as the lead spokesperson at community and media events.
Hamilton County Commissioners oversee a $1.3 billion budget that encompasses economic development, social services, environmental protection and public safety. Driehaus was first elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2016 and has spearheaded initiatives such as the Commission on Women and Girls and the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition. She has also supported environmental initiatives, including support for bike trails across the county and recycling, solid waste and storm water policies.
Driehaus serves as a board member on the Portman Center for Policy Solutions that encourage “civility, bipartisanship and finding common ground to achieve policy solutions.”
Driehaus also holds leadership positions nationally and statewide as Vice Chair of the National Democratic County Officials, Vice President of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, a facilitator for the National Institute for Civil Discourse, and a Board Member of the Community Learning Center Institute.
Driehaus replaces Commissioner Alicia Reece who spent the last two years as president of the Commission. Reece will continue serving as a member of the Board
Additionally, during the organization meeting of the Board on Thursday, January 9, Commissioners designated Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas as the Vice President of the board to serve in the President’s absence.
The Board of County Commissioners typically meets in Commission Chambers located on the 6th floor of the Todd B. Portune Center for County Government, 138 East Court Street, Cincinnati OH 45202. View the Commissioners’ calendar here. Commissioners also invite the public to participate in public comment either in person or virtually on Thursdays during regularly scheduled Commission meetings. Commission meetings can be viewed online through the County website, Facebook or Youtube Channel.
Commission meetings are also televised by the Intercommunity Cable Regulatory Commission and can be found on cable in ICRC communities.
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Alicia Reece spent the last two years as president – championing “One Hamilton County” and leading on groundbreaking efforts such as the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame and the 513Relief Bus that helped over 30,000 residents, traveled to 277 locations in 32 zip codes. She also launched the Office of Small Business, Small Business Day, Pitch Night and created a special SBA 504 down payment assistance program to support business owners in purchasing their own commercial property.
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Vice President Summerow Dumas created the INSPIRE initiative to support over 50 grassroots organizations that create real positive change for over 23,000 Hamilton County youth. She also founded Beyond Your Imagination to provide positive experiences for over 1,000 foster youth who may have otherwise missed out. Summerow Dumas also led the charge in the County studying tiny homes as a possible solution to the affordable housing issues facing our region. She also was an early outspoken advocate and instrumental in moving the Cincinnati Police Department’s Gun Range away from Lincoln Heights and Woodlawn.
