Tina Maharath is a supporter of welcoming refugees and immigrants and building a robust refugee resettlement program. As a the daughter of refugees from Laos, the stories and challenges of refugee’s journeys has always been personal to Maharath. 

“Although I was born and raised in Ohio, it was not an easy journey to get to where my family is today. During the Secret War in a southeast country in Asia named Laos, my parents spent years running to and from numerous refugee camps before finally finding the opportunity to flee to The United States for freedom. After years of struggling to find a way to the United States, my parents were finally able to make a life in Whitehall, Ohio for my brothers and sister and me in 1990 and start a new chapter in our life.”

Since her family resettled in the US, Maharath has been able to obtain higher education at Ohio University, receiving a Master of Arts in Law, Justice, and Culture. She has served as an intern for the US Senate, an intern for the Ohio House of Representatives, and a Field Fellow for the Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), along with various volunteer positions in the community. With Maharath’s experience, she is more than confident that she is ready to take the next step to run for a seat in the state senate and lead Ohio into the right direction for the next generation.