Biography of First Lady Karyn McConnell Hancock

Karyn McConnell Hancock is a native of Toledo who attended Notre Dame Academy, where she graduated with honors in 1990. Upon graduating from Notre Dame, Karyn attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where she majored in Psychology and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1994. In May of 1997, Karyn received her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University and was then licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio. Since January 2000, she has been a sole practitioner and owner of Karyn McConnell Hancock Co., L.P.A. concentrating in criminal defense and civil litigation including bankruptcy, business organizations, domestic relations, personal injury, real estate transactions, and probate matters.

Karyn has consistently given back to the community through service. She has participated in the Briefcase Walk for the YWCA and the UAW-Local 12 Women's Day Celebration. Her commitment to children is evident by her active participation in several organizations and events that focus on youth. She has tutored in the Four Corners Project; judged the Stewart School Spelling Bee Competition; participated in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program; spoke to Cherry School and Notre Dame Academy during Black History Month; and participated in the University of Toledo Minority Career Day Fair. She has also chaired the Toledo Chapter NAACP Finance Committee for the ACTSO competition and participated in the Senior Project programs for Notre Dame and St. Ursula Academies.

In 2001, the Toledo Chapter of the National Association of Negro & Professional Women Clubs, Inc., named Attorney McConnell Hancock Business Woman of the Year. Her past and present professional associations include the National Bar Association, the Ohio Bar Association, the Toledo Bar Association (where she serves on the Pro Bono Committee), the Thurgood Marshall Law Association (where she serves as Vice President), the Traffic Rules and Regulations Committee for the Supreme Court of Ohio (serving as Co-Chair of Sub-Committee to revise Traffic Rule 14), the Lucas County Public Defenders' Commission, and the City of Toledo Charter Revision Committee. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Lucas County Democratic Party, Perry Burroughs Democratic Women's Club, the Black Democratic Women's Caucus, and the Democratic Business and Professional Women's Club.

In addition, Karyn serves or has served on a number of community boards as a Trustee and/or Director, including the following: The American Red Cross Greater Toledo Chapter, Bitter Sweet Farms, Family Child Abuse and Prevention Center, K.E.V.I.N., Inc., NAMI New Connecting Point, Northwest Ohio Hemophilia Foundation, The Salvation Army, Toledo Day Nursery, WGTE Youth Advisory Board and the YMCA.

In March, 2004, Karyn was appointed to Toledo City Council as an at-Large member where she served until December, 2005. While on City Council, she served as the chair of the Law & Criminal Justice Committee and vice chair of the Youth, Parks & Recreation Committee; represented the City of Toledo on the Citifest, Inc. Board of Directors; and was elected President Pro Tem of the Council. She also served on the Administrative Task Force and the Budget Task Force where she assisted the administration in balancing the 2005 budget.

Karyn is married to Bishop Lawrence L. Hancock, Sr. of Final Harvest Church, Int'l and they have one son, Lawrence, Jr. who is affectionately known as "LJ".