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Jenny Spencer was sworn in today (Nov. 18th) as the new Ward 15 Councilwoman.

Former Councilman Matt Zone had named her as his replacement to represent the ward, which encompasses the west area of the city and includes the neighborhoods of Edgewater, Cudell, Detroit Shoreway and parts of the Ohio City and Stockyard neighborhoods.  

Councilwoman Spencer, 42, was the managing director of Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization, where she worked for over a decade. She and her husband live in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.

“I am honored and excited to have this opportunity to serve on Cleveland City Council,” she said. “The neighborhoods have seen tremendous growth under Matt’s leadership. Matt has long been recognized as one of Council's hardest-working members, and I look forward to continuing his legacy of service.”

Matt Zone announced he would resign from council after 19 years to become executive director of the Thriving Communities and will also be senior vice president of Western Reserve Land Conservancy.

Councilwoman Spencer holds an undergraduate degree in political science from The Ohio State University and a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Urban Planning from the Harvard Kennedy School. From 2005-2007, she served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay, South America, where she met her husband Mario. She grew up in Shaker Heights.

“Jenny has the heart of service and has my full faith and support,” said Councilman Zone. “I know the people of Ward 15 will be excited to work with her in this new role, as many have already through her positions at the Detroit Shoreway CDC.”

As is the council tradition, Spencer was introduced during a council caucus Nov. 18th which took a preliminary vote on her appointment. At the council meeting later that day, Council Clerk Patricia Britt officially read Councilman Zone’s resignation into the record.

After that the entire council voted on his replacement to be Jenny Spencer. Under Cleveland’s City Charter, because the appointment comes with less than two years left in the term, Spencer will not have to run for the seat in a special election. Instead she will run for re-election with the rest of council in 2021. Read her full bio.