Austin is a public servant, a lawyer, and a proud Cleveland native.
Austin and his wife Anna
Born in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood, Austin moved to the suburbs as a child and graduated from St. Ignatius High School in Ohio City.
Austin comes from a working family. His mom worked as an artist designing wallpaper, and his dad worked as a crane operator. His uncle was also a crane operator, and so was his grandfather. Austin’s family was middle class because of union jobs, and he was the first in his family to go to a traditional college.
Life took an unexpected turn during Austin’s college years, when he lost both of his legs in a train accident. Austin had to learn how to recover from one of the biggest blows you can get—and he bounced back. He not only graduated on time but did so while learning to walk again, and is one of a very small number of people in the world who use two full prosthetics and have a career.
Austin, Anna, and friends
He went on to attend Harvard Law and become a lawyer, bringing Cleveland with him in spaces where his people were usually left out. After a successful stint at a major Cleveland law firm, Austin joined Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb’s administration in its early days. His family and his community had gotten a raw deal for too long, and job losses and displacement were felt too close to home. Austin was proud to join the movement to set Cleveland on the right track.
As a public servant, Austin has been instrumental in pushing major initiatives across the finish line.
He helped pass the Residents First legislative crackdown on slumlords and out-of-state speculators, brought to a close the first major update to the city’s zoning code in nearly a century, played a critical role in launching one of the most progressive paid parental leave policies in the country, and set up systems to better hold companies accountable for stealing their employees’ wages.
Austin’s greatest point of pride in his role at City Hall was his successful work to secure a Crime Gun Intelligence Center for Cleveland, where federal resources are dedicated tracking illegal firearms and taking them off the streets.
Austin, Anna, and family
Austin and his wife, Anna, live in the historic Tremont neighborhood, where Austin co-chairs the South of Jefferson Block Club. Their home was built in 1870 and is a perfect reflection of Cleveland’s past and present: it overlooks the steel mill, but also featuring a dog bath installed by more recent occupants.
You can usually find Austin and Anna enjoying sunset on Whiskey Island, unwinding at Porco, or launching a kayak near Merwin’s Wharf. Their community has so much heart. For them, there’s nothing better than being a Clevelander—rooted in community, pushing for change, and making a difference for the city we call home.
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