Brown has had a 32-year career as an employee with the city of Toledo, followed by a six-year tenure on Toledo City Council. When incumbent Jack Ford resigned from the House to become Mayor of Toledo, Ohio, Brown was appointed to serve the remainder of his term. She was elected to a full term in 2002, defeating Republican Cathleen Voyles-Baden by 13,000 votes. Brown went on to win reelection in 2004, 2006, and 2008. In 2004, Brown, C.J. Prentiss and Shirley Smith were chosen to serve on the executive committee of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators during the organizations conference in Philadelphia. For the 127th General Assembly Brown served as second vice president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, and first vice president for the 128th General Assembly. In 2009, Speaker of the HouseArmond Budish named Brown as Chairman of the Human Services Subcommittee of the House Finance Committee.
Ohio Senate
In 2009, Brown stated that she would be a candidate for the Ohio Senate in 2010, to replace the term limitedTeresa Fedor. She was expected to face Peter Ujvagi in the primary election, but he was hired as Lucas County Administrator. The appointment of Ujvagi set up what many thought was going to be a legislative shuffle, where Fedor was appointed to Ujvagi's seat, and Brown then appointed to Fedor's seat. However, Toledo City CouncilmanJoe McNamara also sought the appointment to the Senate. As a result, Fedor kept her seat, Brown hers, and Joe Walter was appointed to a nine-month term in Ujvagi's seat. McNamara's entrance into the campaign reinvigorated a primary battle. Brown defeated McNamara by about 2,300 votes. She defeated Republican Tom Waniewski by 18,000 votes in the general election. Brown was sworn into office on January 3, 2011, and is the first African-American to represent the city of Toledo in the state Senate. For the 129th General Assembly, Senate colleagues elected Brown as Senate minority whip. She is a member of the Senate Rules Committee; Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Committee; Financial Institutions Committee; Health, Human Services and Aging Committee ; Insurance, Commerce and Labor; and State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs. She also serves on the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund Board, the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee and the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.
