Hon. Ellen Cohen - City of Houston Mayor Pro Tem

Ellen Cohen has lived and worked in the city of Houston for the past 40 years. She served for 10 years as the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee, and for 18 years as the CEO of the Houston Area Women’s Center, working with survivors of sexual and domestic violence. In 2006, she was elected as the Texas State Representative for Houston’s District 134. After serving two terms in the Texas Legislature, Ellen decided to continue her public service career at home. She ran for Houston City Council, and was sworn into office in January 2012 as the Council Member representing District C. In 2016, she was named by Mayor Turner and elected by her fellow Council Members as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Houston. She is currently serving her third term on Council.

 

During her tenure on Council, Mayor Pro Tem Cohen has championed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, the elimination of the over 6000 sexual assault kit backlog, the historic Pension Reform Package agreement, and many other initiatives to improve the quality of life of her constituents.

CM Cohen’s advocacy led to the creation of a dedicated Human Tracking Unit within the Houston Police Department and the Washington Avenue Parking Benet District. Cohen has focused this funding on neighborhood traffic management, overtime funding for Houston Police Department officers to address crime hotspots, and park improvements. A fruitful working relationship with constituents has resulted in over 15,000 constituent cases closed, helping to address neighborhood issues from water main leaks to potholes to missed trash pick-up.

 

She serves as the Chair for the Quality of Life Committee as well as on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs, Public Safety, and Ethics, Elections, and Council Governance Committees.