Commissioner Denise Driehaus

In 2016, Denise Driehaus became Hamilton County’s first elected woman to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). A life-long resident of Hamilton County, Denise is honored to serve her community in this role.

During her tenure as President of the BOCC, Denise led the county through the COVID-19 Pandemic and secured necessary federal funding, which stabilized the region. Since joining the BOCC, Denise also founded the Commission on Women and Girls, which has driven policy changes in areas of pay equity, access to period products, and combating domestic violence. She has also advanced the work of the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition (HCARC), which has saved countless lives by helping connect county residents to treatment and long-term recovery for those that are suffering from the opioid outbreak. Denise has been an advocate for environmental initiatives including her support for bike trails across the county. She has also encouraged economic development in both our smaller and larger jurisdictions and is focused on building strong partnerships with businesses and our communities.

As Commissioner, Denise serves as the Chair of the Hamilton County Commission on Women & Girls and the following; the Executive Chair for HCARC; the Executive Board for REDI Cincinnati; Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District Policy Committee; Hamilton County Storm Water District Oversight Board; Hamilton County Land Reutilization Corporation; OKI Regional Council of Governments; and the Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency.

To promote and inform the work of Hamilton County, Denise is also honored to serve as the Vice Chair of the National Democratic County Officials, Secretary of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, a facilitator for the National Institute for Civil Discourse, and a Board Member of the Community Learning Center Institute.

Prior to her service as a Commissioner, Denise served four terms in the Ohio House of Representatives for the 31st Ohio House District. Before entering public service full-time, she owned and operated two small businesses. She understands many of the hurdles facing small businesses and economic development.

Denise earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Miami University (OH). She enjoys traveling, biking, and is a licensed beekeeper. She is the mother of two children, Sarah and Andrew, and resides in the Cincinnati neighborhood of CUF.

To Contact Commissioner Driehaus, click here.