Phillip M. Robinson, Jr.

Phil Robinson (D-Solon) currently serves as the State Representative for Ohio’s 6th House District, which includes the towns and villages of Bentleyville, Brecksville, Broadview Heights, Chagrin Falls, Chagrin Falls Township, Gates Mills, Glenwillow, Highland Heights, Hunting Valley, Independence, Lyndhurst, Mayfield Village, Moreland Hills, Oakwood, Seven Hills, Solon, Valley View and Walton Hills.

For Rep. Robinson, the values of family, hard work and community service were instilled at a young age. His parents worked overtime and nights, sacrificing to give him and his sister a chance at a quality education and a better way of life. Rep. Robinson still lives by these values, fighting for working families and students in the communities he represents.

After graduating high school from Gilmour Academy, Robinson earned his undergraduate degree in finance from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He later received his Executive Master of Business Administration from the Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management.

Like many of his classmates, Rep. Robinson was deeply affected by the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Rather than seeking a job on Wall Street after receiving his undergraduate degree in finance, Robinson instead chose to serve as congressional aide for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). Several years later, Robinson worked as an account executive for a Fortune 500 marketing and public affairs firm. He later moved back to Northeast Ohio, where he worked for several small businesses and Fortune 500 companies.

Robinson later joined City Year Cleveland as its executive director. Under his leadership, City Year doubled its revenue and grew its operations by more than 20 percent. As a result, one Cleveland-area high school saw its graduation rate jump from 39 to 73 percent in just five years. Today, he serves as the organization’s senior vice president for regional and site operations and is responsible for 29 sites across the United States, over 700 employees and a $158 million budget.

For his continued work advocating for students and improving education opportunities, Crain’s Cleveland Business recognized Robinson as one of its 2015 Forty Under 40 and featured him in its 2014 “Who’s Who in Education.” He was also named in the Top 25 Under 35 Movers and Shakers by Inside Business Magazine. Rep. Robinson currently serves on the boards of the Gilmour Academy and the United Black Fund Foundation. In 2001, he was inducted into the George Washington University Hall of Fame.

Rep. Robinson currently lives in Solon with his wife and two children.