Logo for Sophia Tijos for State Representative, featuring a lighthouse on a rocky coast with a star above, and the slogan 'The Best for the West'.

Meet Sophia . . .

For most of her life, Sophia has been woven into the fabric of the Westside community, as a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother; as a practicing attorney and small business owner; and as a tireless volunteer in her church, schools, and neighborhoods.

Sophia believes that the heart of any great community beats closest to home, in the families who show up for each other, the neighbors who look out for one another, the small businesses that line our streets, and the schools that shape our children's futures.

Sophia will be a strong leader for the Westside - practical, rooted, and passionate about the neighborhoods and people she represents.

Sophia’s story

Group of nine people, including children, smiling and posing outdoors in a garden with lush green trees and bushes.

Rooted in the Westside

Sophia and her husband have built their life in Cleveland's Westside community, where they raised four children, started and grew their businesses, supported their local schools, served their church, and became active members of the community they proudly call home. Their family has grown with two children-in-laws and two grandchildren.

Education

  • Public Schools – Lyndhurst grade school; Lakewood High School

  • The Ohio State University – BA Psychology/Political Science

  • Case Western Reserve University School of Law – J.D.

A group of people standing outdoors behind a large pile of fallen autumn leaves, smiling at the camera. They are in front of a house with a large tree overhead and other houses in the background. It is daytime with clear weather.

Community Service

  • Church - Parish Council member and Vice President; Sunday school teacher; Youth group advisor; Festival volunteer; Fundraiser

  • Schools - Classroom assistant; Heritage presenter; PTA Council President; Volunteer and organizer for parent groups supporting school athletics, creative arts, and band; Director, choreographer, and participant in Rocky River Parents’ senior show

  • Community - Intramural coach; Exercise Instructor; Director and choreographer of multiple local amateur shows; Planner of numerous entertainment and fundraising events

A woman with brown hair, glasses, wearing a watch and rings, sitting at a desk with a laptop, writing on a lined sheet of paper with a black pen. There is a potted plant with green leaves, some papers, and other items on the desk, and a window with natural light to her right.

Experience

Attorney – Large Firm Partner then Solo Practitioner

  • Civil Trial Attorney – Defining case: Sophia represented a minority attorney against a large company for discrimination

  • Investigator - Mayor’s Office for malfeasance and a Savings and Loan for misuse of funds

  • Small Business Advisor - Start-ups, Employee practices, Contract forms

Small Business Owner - Two companies in Westlake with Husband

  • IT Networking Company - 200 employees over 20 years

  • IT Cyber Security Company – 15 employees over 5 years

Non-Profit Board Advisor, Parliamentarian, Bylaws and Contract drafter

  • Greek Orthodox Church

  • Private Club

  • Historical Society

Interests

  • Boating – Sophia is a lifelong boater that has traveled through all five Great Lakes with her husband and children.

  • Art – Sophia is a recent student of oil painting. Her painting of Cape May’s shrimping boats is featured here.

Group of six people standing outdoors in front of green bushes and house siding, smiling at the camera.
A woman holding a young girl and a young boy outdoors in a garden with greenery. The woman is smiling and wearing a brown blazer, the girl is wearing a beige dress with black hearts and has her thumb in her mouth, and the boy is wearing a blue denim jacket and has short hair.

Family First

Born into a Greek-American family, Sophia was raised with a deep appreciation for faith, family, integrity, hard work, and this country. Her father was a military veteran and immigration attorney who helped people pursue the American dream. Her mother was a teacher in Cleveland’s inner city schools. She believed that education created opportunity.

Sophia and her husband raised their four children with these family ideals. Each of their children are Rocky River High School and college graduates. They all live and work in the Cleveland area today. Sophia enjoys her two grandchildren tremendously and spends time with them whenever she can.

Why I’m Running

“I’m running for State Representative to preserve the quality of life that generations of Westside families have worked hard to build.

Our Westside deserves a strong leader who will protect our families, our homeowners, our schools, our neighborhoods, and the natural beauty that makes this place so special. The next generation should have the same chance we did — to plant roots here, raise a family, and be proud to call this remarkable corner of Cleveland’s Westside home.”