Mayor's Office 2024

Mayor Phillip Stevens began his career teaching in 1984 in the Cleveland Municipal School District in the area of Industrial Technology and Computers.  After one year in Cleveland, he was offered a position in Cleveland Heights/University Heights School District where he taught, coached, and became a building administrator for 14 years before pursuing his administrative career with the Warrensville Heights City School District.  He coached multiple sports at the middle/and high school levels during this time.

Mayor Stevens did his undergraduate work at Central State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, and a Master’s Degree at Ashland University in Athletic Administration and Educational Administration Leadership. With the combination of teaching and Administration, Mayor Stevens retired with 31 years in Education 2012 from the Warrensville Heights City School District as an Athletic Director and Building Administrator.  Mayor Stevens Also taught part-time Athletic Administration at Cleveland State University in their Physical Education Department.  After retiring from Warrensville, the same year, he was asked to oversee the Athletic Department at Lutheran East High School part-time for two years until 2014.  Shortly after that in the same year, he was asked to serve as the Dean of Students, and Director of Operations at Richmond Heights Local Schools where he had to oversee all of the day-to-day operations of the school district from 2014-2021.  Including the day-to-day operation of the school district, Mayor Stevens was very instrumental in building a new high school and overseeing a 27-million-dollar project where he stayed until 2021 until the new building project was completed, and all teachers and administrators were transitioned to the new school building.  Throughout his years as an administrator, Mayor Stevens served on the Bedford City School District Board of Education from 2009-2021 where he served as president in 2011, 2016, 2017, and 2020.  He also served as Vice President, 2013, 2015, 2016. During his tenure on the board, he was selected School Board Member of the Year in 2021 by the Northeast Region Ohio School Board Association. 

In addition to Mayor Stevens Leadership, he was selected by the Superintendents and Athletic Directors in the State of Ohio to serve as the President of the Ohio High School Athletic Association being on the Board of Directors in 2012 where he had to oversee 857 high schools and 834 middle schools throughout the State of Ohio.  This includes 400,000 Student-Athletes in grades 7-12, 15,000 officials, and 70,000 coaches. Mayor Stevens was also inducted into the Athletic Directors O.H.S.A.A Hall of Fame in 2012.  In addition to Mayor Stevens’ accomplishments, he served on the Northeast District Athletic Board.  He served on several committees for OHSAA, (Diversity Committee, Official Advisory Committee, and the Equity Committee for the National Federation of High School Sports. Mayor Stevens also received the Meritorious Service Award from O.I.A.A.A. (Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administration Association).

In 2021, he was also elected by the community residents to serve on the Bedford Heights City Council where he is the Chairman of the Legislative/Education Committee; He also serves on the Safety, and Cable Committees.  He started the Community Engagement Meetings every second Saturday of the month, along with starting the food distribution every first Friday of each month throughout the city.  Mayor Stevens is also a Precinct Leader in Ward 1B in Bedford Heights; he is also on the Executive Committee for the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party.  Mayor Stevens served on the Planning Committee before being elected to serve on the City Council.

Mayor Stevens has been a resident of Bedford Heights for 35 years and is married to Barretta for 38 years.  They are proud parents of Kristen Smalls (Rashad) and Phil Jr.  Three grandchildren, Rashad Smalls Jr. Aiyanna Smalls; and their new addition Amirah Smalls..