MEET WES

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About

Experience

Community Involvement

Wes Hodge is a two time cancer survivor with a long standing commitment to public service and community engagement in Orange County. He moved to the area with his family nearly 40 years ago and grew up in Orlando, giving him a deep understanding of the community, its challenges, and its opportunities.

Throughout his career, Wes has worked on initiatives that improve residents' quality of life, with a focus on housing affordability, transportation, economic development, environmental stewardship, and responsible growth. His work has centered on bringing people together to solve problems and develop practical solutions that strengthen communities.

Wes has served in senior leadership roles in both the public and nonprofit sectors, helping organizations improve operations, engage stakeholders, and achieve meaningful results. He spent six years leading a large volunteer driven organization, where he focused on expanding community participation, strengthening organizational effectiveness, and building partnerships around shared goals.

Professionally, Wes served as Chief of Staff to two Orange County Commissioners, where he worked on issues ranging from housing and transportation to economic development and constituent services. In these roles, he collaborated with residents, businesses, community organizations, and government agencies to address local priorities and improve government responsiveness.

Wes also served as a Political Analyst for Spectrum News 13 from 2018 to 2023, helping residents better understand local and state government issues and the impact public policy decisions have on everyday life.

Wes Hodge brings a strong record of public service through his work as Chief of Staff to Orange County Commissioners Mayra Uribe and Dr. Kelly Martinez Semrad. In these leadership roles, he has been deeply involved in the day to day operations of county government while helping to shape long term policy priorities that impact residents across Orange County. Wes has written and advanced numerous policies and proposed legislation addressing critical issues such as the Tourist Development Tax, housing affordability, immigration, transportation, and improvements to the county’s permitting processes.

His work reflects a consistent focus on affordability and smart investment in infrastructure. Wes has supported efforts to expand housing access and reduce cost burdens for working families, while also advocating for increased funding for transportation projects that improve mobility, reduce congestion, and support sustainable growth. He has worked to ensure that Tourist Development Tax policies are more accountable and better aligned with community priorities. In addition, his efforts to reform permitting and immigration related policies demonstrate a commitment to efficiency, fairness, and transparency in local government.

Through collaboration with community stakeholders, industry leaders, and public officials, Wes Hodge has built a reputation for delivering practical, results driven solutions that strengthen communities and improve quality of life.