Overview
The Amberley Village Council consists of seven members who are elected for a two-year term. Five are elected from geographic districts, and two are at-large. The Mayor is elected by the Councilmembers. Learn more about the Council’s Committee Structure. The Council also appoints a Treasurer, a Solicitor and a Clerk. The following are Councilmembers serving for the elected term ending November 30, 2027.
.png?t=202606191555440) Front, l. to r.: Vice Mayor Ben Hunt & Mayor Bob Rosen Back, l. to r.: Councilmembers Jay Shatz, Keely Paul, Richard Bardach, Dara Wood and Adam Frankel. |
Click the links below to read full biographies of each member.
Mayor
Bob Rosen
Council Member
Biography
District D
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Bob Rosen was first elected to Council in 2021, and was elected by his colleagues in 2023 to serve as Mayor. He was re-elected for a third term in 2025. Bob earned his BA degree from the University of Connecticut and a Masters Degree in City Planning from U.C. He worked for the City of Cincinnati Development Department for 7 years then spent 35 years in the financial services serving both institutions and individuals. While working he received the Certified Investment Management Analyst professional designation. Bob retired five years ago as a Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Rosen has served as Treasurer and Board Chair for Jewish Vocational Service, Golf Manor Synagogue, Cedar Village Nursing Home, Jewish Home of Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Hebrew Day School. He is currently active on the Board of the Jewish Vocational Service Foundation, CYJL Advisory Committee of the Jewish Federation and the Indian Hill Winter Club. He enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, camping, and rafting, and is also an avid hockey player. Bob is married to his wife Cynthia, and has two married daughters, Jennifer and Rachel, and four grandchildren.
District D
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Bob Rosen was first elected to Council in 2021, and was elected by his colleagues in 2023 to serve as Mayor. He was re-elected for a third term in 2025. Bob earned his BA degree from the University of Connecticut and a Masters Degree in City Planning from U.C. He worked for the City of Cincinnati Development Department for 7 years then spent 35 years in the financial services serving both institutions and individuals. While working he received the Certified Investment Management Analyst professional designation. Bob retired five years ago as a Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Rosen has served as Treasurer and Board Chair for Jewish Vocational Service, Golf Manor Synagogue, Cedar Village Nursing Home, Jewish Home of Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Hebrew Day School. He is currently active on the Board of the Jewish Vocational Service Foundation, CYJL Advisory Committee of the Jewish Federation and the Indian Hill Winter Club. He enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, camping, and rafting, and is also an avid hockey player. Bob is married to his wife Cynthia, and has two married daughters, Jennifer and Rachel, and four grandchildren.
Vice Mayor
Ben Hunt
Council Member
Biography
District A
Term Expires:11/30/2027
Ben Hunt was appointed to Council on April 12, 2021 to fill the open seat left by the passing of Councilmember Ed Hattenbach. Ben serves on the Leadership Team at Mount Notre Dame High School in the capacity of Assistant Principal of Academic Development and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Dayton and a Master of Arts from the University of Cincinnati. Ben was raised in Amberley Village and he and his wife are raising their family in the Village. He is passionate about teaching history and government, and while at MND, he has been actively involved in the performing arts, program development, and veterans projects. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys gardening and cooking. He holds the distinction of being the first member of Amberley Village Council to take the Oath of Office remotely via Zoom, and was elected Vice Mayor in July of 2022.
District A
Term Expires:11/30/2027
Ben Hunt was appointed to Council on April 12, 2021 to fill the open seat left by the passing of Councilmember Ed Hattenbach. Ben serves on the Leadership Team at Mount Notre Dame High School in the capacity of Assistant Principal of Academic Development and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Dayton and a Master of Arts from the University of Cincinnati. Ben was raised in Amberley Village and he and his wife are raising their family in the Village. He is passionate about teaching history and government, and while at MND, he has been actively involved in the performing arts, program development, and veterans projects. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys gardening and cooking. He holds the distinction of being the first member of Amberley Village Council to take the Oath of Office remotely via Zoom, and was elected Vice Mayor in July of 2022.
Richard Bardach
Council Member
Biography
District E
Term Expires:11/30/2027
Richard is serving his eighth term on Council. He received his BA degree in journalism from the Ohio State University, and graduated from the Ohio Northern University College of Law in 1995. Currently, he operates his own law firm practice, The Law Offices of Richard Bardach, concentrating his practice in real estate, foreclosure, creditors’ rights and litigation. Richard is married and enjoys taking long hikes with the family.
District E
Term Expires:11/30/2027
Richard is serving his eighth term on Council. He received his BA degree in journalism from the Ohio State University, and graduated from the Ohio Northern University College of Law in 1995. Currently, he operates his own law firm practice, The Law Offices of Richard Bardach, concentrating his practice in real estate, foreclosure, creditors’ rights and litigation. Richard is married and enjoys taking long hikes with the family.
Adam Frankel
Council Member
Biography
District C
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Adam Frankel is the newest member of Amberley Village Council, having been elected to his first term in November of 2023 representing District C. Born and raised in Amberely Village, Adam has returned home after spending 12 years in Los Angeles. He and his wife are the proud parents of two boys, and recently welcomed their third child, a baby girl. Adam is looking forward to having meaningful impact in Amberely Village and looks forward to engaging further with the residents he represents.
District C
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Adam Frankel is the newest member of Amberley Village Council, having been elected to his first term in November of 2023 representing District C. Born and raised in Amberely Village, Adam has returned home after spending 12 years in Los Angeles. He and his wife are the proud parents of two boys, and recently welcomed their third child, a baby girl. Adam is looking forward to having meaningful impact in Amberely Village and looks forward to engaging further with the residents he represents.
Member-At-Large
Keely Paul
Council Member
Biography
Village-wide
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Keely Paul was elected as a Member-At-Large in November of 2021. A graduate of Sycamore High School, Keely attended the University of Cincinnati in chemical engineering. She is a self-employed landlord and property manager as partner in her family business after 19 years with Procter & Gamble. Keely has been a resident of Amberley Village since 2013. Ms. Paul has been an active volunteering in the community for more than 40 years, and currently serves on the board of the Ohio Valley Ski Council. She hopes to continue Amberley Village’s commitment to its community through fiscal responsibility and strong services, and includes economic development and innovation among her priorities while in office.
Village-wide
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Keely Paul was elected as a Member-At-Large in November of 2021. A graduate of Sycamore High School, Keely attended the University of Cincinnati in chemical engineering. She is a self-employed landlord and property manager as partner in her family business after 19 years with Procter & Gamble. Keely has been a resident of Amberley Village since 2013. Ms. Paul has been an active volunteering in the community for more than 40 years, and currently serves on the board of the Ohio Valley Ski Council. She hopes to continue Amberley Village’s commitment to its community through fiscal responsibility and strong services, and includes economic development and innovation among her priorities while in office.
Member-At-Large
Jay Shatz
Council Member
Biography
Village-wide
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Jay Shatz was elected to Council in 2021. He works for the Leadership Council of Nonprofits as director of its leadership training, called BOLD, which prepares community members to serve on nonprofit boards. He and his husband Stan have lived in Amberley since May, 2005. Jay is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who spent 11 years at WCPO-TV before leaving the station to start a production company that created lifestyle programming for HGTV and DIY Networks. Their popular home improvement show “Desperate Landscapes” helped transform several Amberley and Pleasant Ridge front yards during the course of production. Jay is immediate past Board Chair of Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio in addition to serving as Chair of the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati. A native of the northside of Chicago and lifelong Cubs fan, Jay is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.
Village-wide
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Jay Shatz was elected to Council in 2021. He works for the Leadership Council of Nonprofits as director of its leadership training, called BOLD, which prepares community members to serve on nonprofit boards. He and his husband Stan have lived in Amberley since May, 2005. Jay is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who spent 11 years at WCPO-TV before leaving the station to start a production company that created lifestyle programming for HGTV and DIY Networks. Their popular home improvement show “Desperate Landscapes” helped transform several Amberley and Pleasant Ridge front yards during the course of production. Jay is immediate past Board Chair of Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio in addition to serving as Chair of the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati. A native of the northside of Chicago and lifelong Cubs fan, Jay is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.
Dara L. Wood
Council Member
Biography
Village-wide
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Dara L. Wood was appointed to office in July 11, 2022 to replace former Vice Mayor Natalie Wolf, who relocated out of Amberley Village. Ms. Wood began her first term as an elected official in 2023. She has lived in the Village for the past 20 years, and has also worked at Adath Israel in Amberley Village for more than 15 years. Councilmember Wood has been actively involved in the community, with service to Amberely Village, Cincinnati Jewish Educator’s Council, Kids4Peace, Jewish Federation, Adath Israel and Jewish Teen Collective among others.
Village-wide
Term Expires: 11/30/2027
Dara L. Wood was appointed to office in July 11, 2022 to replace former Vice Mayor Natalie Wolf, who relocated out of Amberley Village. Ms. Wood began her first term as an elected official in 2023. She has lived in the Village for the past 20 years, and has also worked at Adath Israel in Amberley Village for more than 15 years. Councilmember Wood has been actively involved in the community, with service to Amberely Village, Cincinnati Jewish Educator’s Council, Kids4Peace, Jewish Federation, Adath Israel and Jewish Teen Collective among others.