Huffman, Cecelia R.

Cecelia Huffman recently retired as the Director of Public Policy and Communications for the MetroHealth System, Ohio's largest public hospital system. Previously, she served this agency as Director of Communications and Community Affairs. As a professional and volunteer, she has served in leadership roles to help guide the renaissance of the City of Cleveland, reform the Cleveland Municipal School System, and ensure that all people have access to quality health care. In January of 1990 she joined the new administration of Mayor Michael White as Executive Assistant and Chief Legislative Counsel. During her tenure as Chief legislative Counsel, she directed passage of legislation to assemble more than $1 billion in loans from financial institutions for housing and business development in Cleveland's neighborhoods. She also directed passage of legislation to develop three new inner city shopping centers and the $400 million expansion of Cleveland Public Power, saving residents hundreds of millions of dollars in utility costs. Ms. Huffman directed the City's External Affairs and created a new comprehensive constituent services program. Through the City's External Affairs program, Ms. Huffman coordinated the initial efforts to reform the Cleveland Municipal School System by organizing educational summits and leading the efforts to develop a 10-year strategy of educational improvements. In 1999, as Clerk of the Cleveland City Council, she directed a comprehensive overhaul of the City Council's management information and constituent communications systems. She also served as Chief of External Affairs for the Cuyahoga County Community Mental Health Board. Politically, she served as Political Director of the "4-Ls" and "Vision21" Campaigns to elect reform candidates to the school board in 1991 and 1993 respectively. In 1993, she served as Political Director in the first re-election campaign of Mayor White and the 21 members of the City Council. In 1992, Ms. Huffman managed the Clinton-Gore Minority Campaign in Cuyahoga County.