Elizabeth Brown was elected in November of 2015 to Columbus
City Council. Brown has prior experience in economic development, nonprofit
service, and state government. Brown served as an economic development manager
to the City of Columbus, worked with middle school students to improve literacy
as a City Year Americorps member, and has been published in New York Magazine and National Public Radio affiliate WOSU.
Councilmember Brown’s focus on Columbus City Council is to
fight for broad-based economic prosperity that addresses both business growth
and poverty reduction. As chair of the Economic Development Committee, Brown
has pushed to add a $15-per-hour wage floor for the city’s jobs incentives and has
commissioned a comprehensive study of the city’s tax incentive policies that
will ensure Columbus’ toolbox of incentives provides the greatest possible
benefit.
Other initiatives reflect Brown’s focus on broadening access
to opportunity and strengthening women and families. In response to a spike in
vandalism and police calls to reproductive health clinics, she passed a law to
prevent harassment of workers and patients. Brown led the implementation of a
paid family leave policy for city employees – the first of its kind in the
Midwest and the third nationally. Brown introduced and passed an ordinance to
promote the hiring of disadvantaged workers by companies who bid on city
construction projects. And currently, Brown is working to keep immigrant and
refugee families together by assembling a fund to address the increased need
for legal services.
Brown and her husband Patrick Katzenmeyer are active members
of the community. Brown is on the board of The Center for Balanced Living, a
mental health treatment center that specializes in eating disorders.
Katzenmeyer serves as the treasurer to the board of Wild Goose Creative, a
local arts organization. They live in Columbus’ Victorian Village neighborhood,
along with their daughter Carolyn.
Originally born in the Berwick neighborhood of Columbus,
Brown was raised in Granville, Ohio, and is a proud public school graduate.
Brown is a magna cum laude graduate of Columbia University where she earned a
Bachelor’s degree in English.