Peter Lawson Jones

Peter Lawson Jones is an attorney, business consultant, professional actor, voice-over artist, political commentator and public speaker.

Jones, a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actor's Equity, has appeared in over a dozen films as well as on network television. Among his many credits are "Alex Cross" and ABC's "Detroit 1-8-7." He has appeared in plays at numerous venues throughout Northeast Ohio and in staged readings Off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane and the Ensemble Studio theaters. His drama, "The Family Line," has been successfully produced at Karamu Performing Arts Theater, Harvard University and Ohio State University and has received staged readings at several other venues.

In addition to his work as an on-air political analyst at WEWS-TV5 in Cleveland, Ohio, Jones is a co-executive producer of "Fatherhood 101," a documentary on the critical importance of responsible fatherhood. In his capacity as a business consultant, he works with various companies to help them expand their local market.

From February 2002 to December 2010, Jones served as a member of the Board of Cuyahoga County Commissioners and for three of those years as its president. Jones previously served two and one half terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, where he was the ranking member of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee and second vice president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus.

Jones was formerly the Vice Mayor and a Councilman in the City of Shaker Heights, Ohio. He was also the first African American ever nominated to run for lieutenant governor in the history of the state of Ohio. In addition, he previously served as special counsel for the Ohio attorney general and associate bar examiner for the Supreme Court Ohio.

A graduate of Harvard College (Magna Cum Laude in Government) and Harvard Law School, Jones received over 50 awards and honors for his governmental, civic and political work. He has been listed in Who's Who in American Politics and Among Black Americans. An inductee into the Shaker Heights (High School) Alumni Association Hall of Fame, he has also received an honorary doctor of letters from David N. Myers University.

In his leisure time, Jones enjoys sports, reading and travel. Jones and his wife Lisa are the proud parents of three children: Ryan, Leah and Evan.