The Columbus Human Rights Commission Staff & Commissioners

The Human Rights Department has a total of three (3) staff members with an office located on the first floor of City Hall. We welcome the opportunity to speak to you or your organization about community education, outreach, or individual technical assistance.

Panelists from the 2019 Human Rights Commission Annual Dinner

Aida Ramírez is a Northwest Indiana native who joined the Commission in 2013 as Deputy Director before being promoted to Director the following year. Aida received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis and obtained undergraduate and graduate degrees at Purdue University in West Lafayette.

Prior to moving to Columbus and joining the Commission, Aida worked with the Marion County Circuit Court to increase access to justice in the Marion County Small Claims Courts by implementing the 2012 Indiana Court of Appeals Task Force Recommendations. Specific objectives were increasing access to justice for Limited-English Proficient persons and those with physical and hearing impairments, decreasing barriers to participation in the pro se litigant process by providing draft uniform court forms and a litigant manual explaining the process and making it available to the public online, and providing technical assistance and guidance in drafting local Marion County Small Claims Rules aimed at achieving these objectives and increasing transparency in the courts.

Department Staff – Organizational Chart (PDF) 

Aida Ramírez, J.D.
Human Rights Director
E-mail: aramirez@columbus.in.gov
Phone: 812.376.2532

Erica Schmidt, MPA
Human Rights Deputy Director
E-mail: eschmidt@columbus.in.gov
Phone: 812.376.2532

Erika Smith
Human Rights Office Manager
E-mail: esmith@columbus.in.gov
Phone: 812.376.2532

Human Rights Commission

2025/2026 Officers
Chairperson – Mike Champlin
Vice-Chairperson – Deanne Annandale
Secretary – Joseph Joyner
Treasurer – Amanda Roggow

Commissioner application.