Kahlil Seren is an American politician, former local-government adviser, and the first directly elected Mayor of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. He became the first Cleveland Heights mayor to be removed from office in a recall election, with about 82% of voters backing removal on September 9, 2025.
Before becoming mayor, Seren was a policy adviser to Cuyahoga County Council and served on the Cleveland Heights City Council. During his mayoral term, Seren was the subject of multiple controversies.
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Early life and education
Seren was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and spent his childhood in East Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Beachwood High School in 1997.
Seren studied at Eastern Michigan University before transferring to Cleveland State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Political Science. Seren earned a Master of Science degree in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs.
Career
In 2007, Seren worked as a communications coordinator for Policy Matters Ohio, a non-profit policy research institute. In 2011, Seren entered public service as a Policy Advisor to the newly established Cuyahoga County Council, the legislative authority of the county government, after a public corruption scandal in Cuyahoga County government and subsequent restructuring of County Government. Until 2022, Seren primarily advised on matters related to economic development, community development, workforce development, and education, serving as a Policy Advisor to County Council.
Cleveland Heights City Council
Seren entered elective office in February 2015, appointed to an unexpired term on Cleveland Heights City Council, filling a vacancy when former Council member Janine Boyd won a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives. Seren ran to keep the seat in November 2015, winning his first four-year term. In November 2019, Seren successfully sought reelection to Cleveland Heights City Council, winning a second term beginning January 2020, at which time the Council selected him to be Vice Mayor and Vice President of Council.
Mayor of Cleveland Heights
Election
On January 25, 2021, Seren announced his candidacy in the City of Cleveland Heights' first mayoral election, which was to be held later that year.
In the September 14, 2021, primary election, Seren placed second out of three candidates, receiving 2,587 votes (37.62%) behind Barbara Danforth, who led with 3,158 votes (45.92%). Danforth and Seren both advanced to the general election.
On November 2, 2021, Seren won the general election for Mayor of Cleveland Heights with 6,899 votes (60.51%) to Danforth's 4,502 votes (39.49%).
Tenure
Seren took office as Cleveland Heights' first directly elected strong mayor on January 1, 2022.
In June 2024, multiple formal complaints were filed against Cain Park General Manager Ian Hinz, alleging a pattern of verbal abuse, intimidation, and retaliatory behavior toward staff. A city-commissioned investigation found that Hinz had violated city policies by creating a hostile work environment, including yelling at employees, pounding his fists during meetings, and removing office doors. The final report concluded that Hinz's behavior posed a risk of "morale issues, disruption, and potential liability if unaddressed". City staff recommended a suspension, anger management training, performance improvement plan, and demotion or reassignment to another role. In March 2025, Seren approved some of the disciplinary actions but declined to demote or reassign Hinz.
On December 6, 2024, Seren's wife, Natalie McDaniel, allegedly pounded on a glass partition and shouted profanities at staff in the mayor's wing, according to police documentation and internal accounts. The city has declined to release body camera footage from an officer present during the incident. The event was not addressed publicly at the time; the event was later referenced in internal complaints and contributed to allegations of a hostile work environment involving McDaniel.
Later that month, City Council passed a temporary three-month budget for the first quarter of 2025—an unprecedented move in Cleveland Heights. Councilmembers cited the absence of a permanent finance director, missing salary and labor cost data, and a lack of key documentation in the administration's proposed budget.
In March 2025, City Administrator Dan Horrigan resigned after less than three months in office. In emails and interviews, Horrigan cited the conduct of Seren's wife, Natalie McDaniel, as contributing to an "untenable, improper, and unethical" work environment. Horrigan's resignation followed a March 13 incident involving McDaniel and Andrea Heim, the city's human resources organizational performance manager. In emails to human resources and Seren, Heim alleged that McDaniel had repeatedly disrupted the workplace with profane outbursts and created an unsafe environment. Seren placed Heim on leave and Heim resigned soon after.