At Sinclair Community College, Foundation Board Member Tom Roberts is an advisor to the Sinclair Ohio Fellows Program, a student leadership development program based on Robert Greenleaf’s principles of Servant Leadership. It’s a fitting role for a leader with decades of service in the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate, who is now the president of the Ohio State Conference NAACP.
Roberts draws on his years of experience to share with his students what servant leadership means in practice.
“The first two characteristics of a servant leader are empathy and listening,” he said. “Empathetic listening is a powerful skill for a leader, and that’s what I try to do, to listen with empathy towards the person or the problem.”
Years ago, after he graduated from the University of Dayton and found a job in the Montgomery County Clerk of Courts office, Roberts listened when a friend suggested he run for clerk of courts. Although his goal at the time was to become a press secretary, Roberts began to see how running for public office could help him advance the personal philosophy that guided him since his childhood in Dayton.
“There’s an old saying when I was growing up, that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem,” he said. “That stuck with me. And so, to be a part of the solution is critical to what I think my being on this planet is all about.”
In 1994, while serving in the Ohio House of Representatives, Roberts saw another opportunity to serve when he was invited to become a founding board member of what was then known as the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation. Roberts rejoined the Foundation’s board in 2023, eager to continue to make a difference.
“Helping people understand the legal system and demystifying it is really critical right now,” he said. “We have to convince young people that we have to work for our democracy.”
Roberts’ mother recently passed away at 102. At 73, Roberts is busier than ever, giving his time and talents to the people and organizations that mean the most to him.
“If God gets me 30 more years as he gave my mother, I want to give it all back,” he said. “My job right now is to give it back. Give it back, give it back. I cannot take it to the grave. So, that is what I’ve learned, and that’s what I’m trying to do right now.”
The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation’s Board of Directors, which serves from across the state, is committed to improving access to justice. Meet the Board.