Principal and Leader of Leaders, Cheviot School-Gifted Academy, West
Tammy Solomon-Gray was educated in the Cincinnati Public Schools system. After graduating from Aiken Senior High School, she became interested in K-12 education while earning a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies at the University of Cincinnati. During her work with high school students in UC’s Upward Bound Program, it became clear to Tammy that she could make a bigger impact in elementary education.
The second semester of her senior year in college, she was diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, an auto-immune disease of the central nervous system for which, yet, there is no cure. Surrounded by a huge and loving village of family and friends, Tammy went on to earn not one but two master’s degrees in Elementary Education and Education Administration from Xavier University and UC respectively, earning her Ohio Professional Superintendent License in 2023. In 2002, she was the subject of an Essence magazine article entitled, “The Courage to Heal: Inspiring stories of three extraordinary women who battled illness-and won.” In 2003, Tammy was tapped as a YWCA Career Women of Achievement Rising Star.
Tammy’s service as an educator began with three years of experience as a paraprofessional and cheerleading coach in the 1990’s. Her nine years in the classroom were in Princeton City Schools, at the Alliance Academy, and in the Lakota Local Schools. In 2009, Tammy’s dream was fulfilled as she returned to CPS to serve as an assistant principal at Pleasant Hill Academy and Cheviot-Gifted Academy, West.
Tammy has been Principal and Leader of Leaders at Cheviot School-Gifted Academy, West for 12 years. She has developed a culture of collective leadership in all stakeholders, staff, and students. In 2016, “Leadership for all” resulted in Cheviot School receiving one of the first Momentum Awards from the Ohio Board of Education which recognizes districts and schools for exceeding expectations in student growth for the year. Another proud achievement for her is Cheviot School becoming the first Franklin-Covey Leader in Me school in southwest Ohio. Last year, Cheviot earned its prestigious “Lighthouse Leader in Me School” designation.
Tammy is married to her husband, Mason, she has a son and daughter-in-law, Michael Jamal and Caitlin, and she is also the proud grandmother of Grayson and Charli. She serves as an MS Advocate, an MS Walk Captain for her own team TSG, and has served as a National MS Society-Ohio Board of Trustees member, for multiple terms.
