Tiara N. Ross
Tiara N. Ross is a proud Columbus native and lifelong advocate for safe, thriving neighborhoods across the city. Ross earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Strategic Communication from The Ohio State University, graduating cum laude, before completing her Juris Doctor at OSU’s Moritz College of Law in 2012. She has been a licensed attorney in Ohio for more than a decade.
Though she began her legal career in the financial sector supporting private equity and hedge fund clients in financial crimes compliance at JPMorgan, Ross’ heart has always been in public service. In 2018, she joined Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein’s office as an Assistant City Attorney. In that role, Ross worked directly on the front lines of neighborhood stabilization, litigating fair housing violations and tackling nuisance properties that contributed to crime and blight in Columbus communities. She now serves in senior leadership as Deputy Chief of the Zone Initiative and General Counsel for the City’s Department of Inspector General – making her one of just two Black Americans in senior roles at the City Attorney’s Office.
Through this work, Ross has developed innovative, community-centered approaches to public safety. She built a model of sustainable safety that emphasizes resident engagement, accountability and long-term investment. She also advises the Department of Inspector General on matters including police policy, labor law and constitutional rights.
Ross is also the visionary co-creator of the City’s first “Community Immersion” training for Columbus police officers: a five-week program designed to strengthen cultural understanding and build real relationships between officers and the communities they serve. More than 100 officers have completed the training to date.
Ross has served the boards of the John Mercer Langston Bar Association, the Create Columbus Commission and Kingdom Image Arts. She is a founding executive board member of the Columbus Urban League Young Professionals and a lifelong member of Triedstone Missionary Baptist Church, where she remains active in the Music & Arts and Women Be Blessed Ministries.
Ross was elected to Columbus City Council in November 2025 and plans to bring bold, compassionate leadership to the issues that matter most—safe neighborhoods, accountable government and opportunity for every Columbus family.