Andrew Ginther

Andrew James Ginther (born April 27, 1975) is an American Democratic politician, the 53rd mayor of Columbus, Ohio, and the 48th person to serve in that office. He previously served as President of Columbus City Council from 2011 until 2015. Early life and education Ginther was born at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Ginther's mother was a social worker and his father was an attorney specializing in adoption and foster law. His family lived in Tallmadge, Ohio, later moving to a house on Charleston Avenue in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus. Ginther is one of three biological children of the couple, who fostered about 50 children over many years. After graduation from Whetstone High School, Ginther attended Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where he earned a BA in Political Science in 1997. As part of Earlham's foreign study program, Ginther traveled to Northern Ireland to study peace and conflict resolution at the University of Ulster and Queen's College. He also taught at public schools in Belfast and Derry. Ginther served internships at the Carter Center in Atlanta, where he taught nonviolence and dispute resolution to children. Career Ginther served as a legislative aide to Ohio state Senator Dan Brady. He then served as coordinator of violence prevention programs for the local nonprofit organization Strategies Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE).