Mary Lightbody

Rep. Mary Lightbody has been a fearless advocate for her constituents in the 19th Ohio House District, fighting to make quality, affordable healthcare coverage available to all Ohioans as well as leading the way on policies that support working families—like reforming a broken education system and standing up for Ohio workers. After supporting her husband during his battle with a chronic illness until he passed in 2009, Rep. Lightbody knows just how much a serious illness can affect a family. That’s why she’s fought to improve access to health care and to bring down the costs for Ohio families.

Prior to her election to the state legislature in 2018, Rep. Lightbody was a teacher at Ohio State Newark, a member of the Westerville Public Library Board of Trustees, and a deacon at First Congregational Church in Columbus. In addition to her full-time teaching career, Rep. Lightbody is the mother of three grown children.

Rep. Lightbody grew up in Pepper Pike, Ohio and earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard and a Doctorate in science education from The Ohio State University. She has a total of 28 years in public education (including eight years with the Columbus City Schools and fourteen at Ohio State). She currently lives in Plain Township, where she’s lived for the past 30 years.