Rob Dorans learned at an early age that you should serve your community when able. From helping to register thousands of fellow students to vote in college, to taking on pro bono legal assignments helping underserved populations, serving as a Big Brother and as a Parks Commission member, Rob has always tried to answer that call to service.

He strives to continue that service on Columbus City Council.  While on Council, Rob has provided a voice for working families and has advocated for greater economic opportunities for all residents. On Council, he is the Chair of the Public Utilities, Technology, and Neighborhoods committees.

Rob’s service is rooted in a strong union upbringing.  Through that experience he learned first-hand the power of government to drastically affect people’s lives. The week he was born, Rob’s father’s union went on a strike that lasted nearly three months. During that time without a single paycheck for their family, Rob’s family relied on the Women, Infant, & Child (WIC) nutrition program to afford access to food when they otherwise would have gone without. Rob will never forget the vital, life-changing role of government in improving the lives of families, and he brings that perspective to every action he takes on Council.

His commitment to working families continues in his work outside of Council.  Rob is the Chief Legal Counsel for ACT Ohio, a labor-affiliated non-profit that advocates for workers in the construction industry. His work there has helped direct hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages to workers who were defrauded by their employers. Additionally, he’s worked with labor unions and community groups across Ohio to help recruit young people into construction apprenticeship programs that pay a living wage and provide healthcare and retirement benefits. He is a proud third-generation union member.

Rob graduated with honors from Ohio University and received his law degree from the University of Toledo. He and his wife, Dr. Lauren Elliott-Dorans, live in Clintonville with their son Elliott and rescue dog Captain.