XENIA — Join the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce Womein in Business as they welcome new Mayor of Xenia Sarah Mays March 8.

Mays was born and raised in Xenia and has been a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church for most of her life. She graduated from Cedarville University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, where she also worked for seven years in Advancement.

After she and her husband Adam became foster parents, she left full-time fundraising and began working part-time at Emmanuel Baptist Church where she serves as Ministry Assistant to the Elders and office staff. She also participates in her church by serving on the Worship Team and by leading a high school girls’ Bible study.

Because of her love for the Xenia community, Sarah ran for a seat on city council in the November 2015. After serving two years on council, she ran for the office of mayor unopposed. She took office in January 2018.

Mays will tell anyone who asks that serving on council and as mayor has been an amazing opportunity to help steward the City of Xenia and it gives her an opportunity to serve the people of Xenia in an impactful way.

Mays and her husband are proud parents of Freddy, 7 and Layla, 5, as well as foster parents to other children. When it comes to foster parenting, she describes it as a way to build a family – not for parents who are childless, but instead for children who are parentless.