GEORGE WASHINGTON WILLIAMS ROOM

The Honorable Joyce Beatty served in the Ohio House of Representatives as the first female to represent the 27th House District in Columbus. By unanimous vote, Beatty's colleagues elected her as Ohio's first African American Female Assistant Minority Leader. In 2006, she became Minority Leader of the Ohio House. Representative Beatty is an advocate for the people and is known for her strong voice on legislative issues.

Her reputation for getting the job done and faithfully serving the people is shown through her long legacy of firsts and from her "State of the District" presentation that attracts some 400 constituents. The Fire & Focus: A Kaleidoscope of Women Program, unites women of all races, ages and political backgrounds.

Though she has written and co-sponsored countless bills, Beatty is most proud of her leadership role in healthcare, with an emphasis on stroke, diabetes, June as "Men's Health Month" and for organizing a team of concerned women to fight for budget funding for breast and cervical cancer funds to aid working women without insurance. Beatty is recognized for her work with the Central Ohio Mentoring Association, and Personal Finance Literacy, for high school students, which is currently gaining national attention. She also secured more than a quarter of a million dollars of capital improvement funding for the Kings Arts Complex.

She is a sought-after motivational speaker featured nationally in the healthcare and education arenas. Beatty is also a businesswoman, serving as President of Joyce Beatty & Associates, Inc., a nationally recognized consulting firm, specializing in strategic planning and diversity training. Her commitment to being a successful entrepreneur led her to creating African-American Businesswomen CEOs (ABC), an organization of women business owners of organizing for the purpose of creating strategic alliances and collaborating to create business opportunities for financial gain.

Her work has not gone unnoticed, earning such accolades as being featured in the book, Women Doctors Guide to Health & Healing, and receiving an honorary Doctorate from the Ohio Dominican University. Beatty received the Outstanding Legislator of the Year from the Ohio Credit Union League, The Public Children's Service Association, Columbus Metropolitan Area Community Action Organization, The Ohio Psychological Association and the Ohio Stroke Council.

Representative Beatty is an advocate of education and a product of Ohio schools. She is a graduate of Central State University, (BA degree) and Wright State University, (MS degree). Beatty completed all requirements but her dissertation for a doctorate at the University of Cincinnati, and has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Ohio Dominican University and Central State University.

Dr. Beatty always finds time to serve the community outside her legislative and business duties. She is a National Spokesperson for the American Heart Association, and was recently featured on their national web page. She serves on the Columbus American Heart Association Board, State Democratic Committee, The Women's Fund, NAACP, Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, National Legislative Chair of The Links Inc., and is the First African-American female to serve as chairman of the Columbus Urban League Board. Her most notable awards include the 2002 YWCA Woman of Achievement Award, The Ohio Health Speaking of Women Health Award, NAACP Freedom Award, Woman of Courage Award, and the Urban League Leadership Recognition Award.

She is married to Attorney Otto Beatty, Jr., and is the stepmother to Attorney Otto Beatty III and Attorney Laurel Beatty. She enjoys boating, riding horses, writing, and quiet moments at home with her husband.

After five terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, Beatty was Senior Vice President of Outreach and Engagement at The Ohio State University. In 2013, Joyce Beatty became the U.S. Congresswoman for Ohio’s Third Congressional District. 

Congresswoman Beatty has been active in numerous organizations such as The Links, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Columbus Urban League, The American Heart Association. Beatty has been listed as one of Ebony Magazine’s 150 most powerful African-Americans in the United States.

Sources:

http://www.ohdemcaucus.org

Personal Biography, 2005.

The Call and Post, January 19, 2006.

https://beatty.house.gov/about