Veronica Sims Biography
A passionate servant leader who understands the power of the people, Rep. Sims has dedicated her career to the transformative power of empowering others with the tools needed to affect the changes that they desire to see in the communities in which they live, work, play, and
educate.
Prior to becoming the representative for Ohio House District 33, Rep. Sims served in several elected capacities and has the unique distinction of being the first elected official in Summit County to serve on Akron Public School Board, Akron City Council, and Summit County Council/District 5.
A lifelong resident of Akron, OH, Rep. Sims is a proud product of Akron Public Schools, and earned her Masters of Public Administration and Bachelors in Criminal Justice/Political Science from the University of Akron. She has held a variety of leadership positions over her storied
professional career including: Executive Director of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus; Director of Outreach and Community Development for Community Action Akron Summit; Regional Facility Manager for Adult Services for Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board and
today leads the community outreach/partnership effort at Stewart & Calhoun Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
Representative Sims has a deep love and is a fierce advocate for creating more relevant and equitable access that provides healthful food to all communities - especially marginalized neighborhoods where being a part of a food desert has become commonplace. She often reminds that she was always moved by the change one person could affect by simply putting their hand to the proverbial plow and having the unmitigated audacity to believe change was possible.
As a legislator, Sims worked to help devise the City of Akron's Body Worn Camera Policy; championed the violence interruption plan to help address youth violence - especially gun violence; championed legislation to ensure that tasers were standard issuance for APD officers
and introduced legislation to ensure that infant changing tables were installed in men's restrooms in all City parks and recreation centers as an additional safety protocol in the continued work to reduce infant mortality. With County Council, Rep. Sims introduced legislation declaring racism a public health crisis, championed the successful expansion of both petit and grand jury selections in Summit County to help ensure a more diverse pool of jurors, supported the earmarking of resources during the pandemic to support struggling small businesses, and support struggling families with basic needs such as rent, mortgage and utility assistance and co-sponsored legislation to make Juneteenth a paid holiday.
Rep Sims' legislative, community, and advocacy work has earned her many recognitions of honor - Elected Official of the Year (National Association of Social Worker - Ohio Region 2), Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award in Government, Liam Murray Local Food Hero Award (Summit County Food Leadership Coalition), and the Community Building Award (Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Commission) to name a few. Rep. Sims has served as Chair of Planning and Economic Development, Vice Chair of Health and Human Services and Member of the Public Safety and Finance Committees on County Council. She is also Co-Chair of the Racism as a Public Health Crisis Special Review Committee. When her colleagues on County Council selected her to serve as Vice President in 2022 and President in 2023 and 2024, she became the first African American female member to ever hold those leadership positions.
Rep. Sims and her husband Quintin are the proud parents of their daughter, Qyra.