The Pulse on Ohio
Pulse On Ohio
January 2026
Issue 5
Building OCDA’s Policy Platform: Ensuring Member Voices Shape Our Advocacy
As members of the Ohio Career Development Association, our collective voice is central to how we engage in advocacy at the local and state levels. The Government Relations Committee is currently developing OCDA’s first policy platform, which will be revisited and updated every five years. This document will guide our advocacy efforts as we engage with elected officials and state agencies. The policy platform serves several critical functions for our association and our advocacy work.
Purpose 1: Define Our Advocacy Priorities
The platform will clarify which policy issues OCDA will actively engage in, ensuring our advocacy is focused, strategic, and aligned with member priorities.
Purpose 2: Ensure Representation Across Constituency Groups
The platform will help ensure that our advocacy reflects the needs and perspectives of OCDA’s diverse constituency groups.
Purpose 3: Guide Consistent and Credible Policy Engagement
The platform will provide a shared reference point for engaging legislators, agencies, and partners, strengthening the credibility and consistency of OCDA’s voice in policy discussions.
Because OCDA represents professionals working across varied settings and systems, it is essential that our policy platform is informed directly by member input. Your insights help us understand what is happening on the ground, what challenges you are facing, and where advocacy can make the most meaningful impact.
To ensure your perspective is included, we invite you to complete a brief questionnaire. Your responses will directly inform the development of OCDA’s policy platform and help the Government Relations Committee advocate effectively on behalf of all members. This will take approximately 5 minutes or less to complete and will close on February 13, 2026.
OCDA Policy Platform Development Questionnaire
Thank you for your continued engagement and commitment to the profession. We look forward to representing your priorities and strengthening OCDA’s advocacy work together.
We are thrilled to announce the launch of advocacy tools within the OCDA Members-Only section under the "Advocacy" header on the Ohio Career Development Association website! This new exclusive benefit is designed to provide you with valuable resources and in-depth content accessible only to our dedicated members. To view this members-only content, simply log in to the website and navigate to the Advocacy page. This new space will serve as a hub for members to gain deeper insights into crucial topics impacting the career development field in Ohio and beyond.
This new section launches with a high-value resource: the encore presentation of the OCDA Government Relations Committee's 2025 NCDA Conference session, "Advocating For Career Development During Revolutionary Times." Presented by Sarah JanTausch, M.S., CCSP, PMP; Kaleigh Mahon, M.Ed., LPCC, CDCA; and Michelle Norris, M.Ed., LPC, this recording offers effective strategies for influencing public policy and creating local advocacy initiatives, such as "Hill Days." As a member, you can now enjoy unlimited viewings of this crucial presentation, with more exclusive content, including future webinar recordings and advocacy materials, to be added to this members-only section soon.
If there is anything specific you would like added to this section, or past recorded programs that you believe would be impactful to house in this section, please don’t hesitate to reach out! For technical questions, please contact ohiocda@gmail.com. If you are interested in joining the Government Relations Committee for our next meeting on January 12th, please reach out to Co-Chair Sarah JanTausch (sarah@valuesbasedcareers.com) or Co-Chair Newton Kimberly (nskimberly@owu.edu)
November 2025
Issue 3
OCDA’s 3rd Annual Legislative Advocacy Day
On October 21, 2025, OCDA members gathered at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus for our annual legislative day. Throughout the day, attendees advocated for career development through meetings with legislators in the Ohio House and Senate, raising awareness of the impact of career development services across the state.
This event was instrumental in articulating OCDA’s priorities and advocating for policies that support career professionals and the clients we serve. We are proud of the energy, professionalism, and purposeful dialogue our members demonstrated throughout the day. In particular, this year’s diverse legislative meetings helped ensure that the concerns and contributions of career development practitioners across Ohio were represented. This year’s agenda offered strategic advocacy activity that reinforced OCDA’s role as a leader in policy engagement for career development in Ohio.
As we reflect on this year’s event, we encourage all members to keep the momentum alive: follow up with your legislative contacts, share your experiences, and continue to integrate advocacy into your professional practice. Together, we amplify the voice of career development across Ohio, making a real difference for our clients.
We look forward to building on this success in future years and continuing to strengthen the relationship between OCDA members and Ohio’s policy-makers.
October 2025
Issue 2
Legislative Review: Enact the Hunger Free Campus Act
Bill Overview & Summary
Ohio House Bill 157 titled the Enact the Hunger Free Campus Act is a bill that was introduced by Representative Sean P. Brennan and Representative James M. Hoops on March 6th, 2025 and referred to the Workforce and Higher Education Committee on March 19th, 2025. This bill tackles student food insecurity impacting college students in the state of Ohio. If enacted, it would address hunger as a barrier to student and career success by setting up a new program called the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program and Designation that would be overseen by the Chancellor at the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
The Connection to Career Success
Students struggling to meet basic needs can't focus on their studies, their internships, or their job search. Food insecurity is a significant challenge impacting student well-being, and research indicates it is strongly associated with adverse academic outcomes; for example, food-insecure students have been found to be over 40% less likely to graduate from college compared to their food-secure peers (Wolfson et al., 2021). This policy aims to remove the obstacle of food insecurity on campuses in Ohio.
Program Details
If the bill makes its way out of the Workforce and Higher Education Committee, passes both chambers of the Ohio legislature, and is signed by the Governor, the newly enacted program law would require the Chancellor to create a program where public and private colleges and universities in Ohio can apply to get two things: a formal "Hunger-Free Campus" designation and grant money to support their efforts. To earn the “Hunger-Free Campus” designation, colleges and universities will need to meet certain standards. The bill suggests the criteria could include things that directly impact Ohio’s college students including:
1. Creation of on-campus food access through a food pantry or a steady, reliable partnership with a local food bank to do regular distributions.
2. Colleges and Universities must provide resource navigation including information on applying for major public benefits like SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid.
This bill, if enacted in its current state, would establish a foundational safety net, promote collaboration among partner organizations, and reduce hunger across college campuses in Ohio allowing students to focus on their educational pursuits and careers, not their next meal. The program is specifically designed to address significant non-academic factors that can impede student success. This approach shifts the focus beyond typical advising services, such as resume support, to prioritize the development of a stable foundation that is crucial for long-term achievement and positive student outcomes.
This bill has the potential to impact two of the Ohio Career Development Association’s constituency groups, including the “Higher Education Career Counselors/Coaches/Specialists” and the “Graduate Students/Counselor Educators & Researchers” groups. If you have questions about or would like to learn more about it, we recommend contacting your legislators by entering your address in the Ohio Legislator’s District Map site.
If there’s a piece of legislation you would like highlighted in this column, Pulse on Ohio, from the OCDA Government Relations committee, please send it our way! We welcome suggestions from committee members for bills to track, analyze, or write about. Your input helps ensure we’re covering the issues that matter most to our members. Please email your suggestions to Sarah and Newton.
September 2025
Issue 1
Welcome (and What’s Ahead for OCDA’s Advocacy)
It’s been a pleasure serving as your Chair of Government Relations over the past two years, and I’m excited to announce that this year, Newton Kimberly will be joining me as Co-Chair of the committee. Throughout the year, you’ll be hearing from both of us as we share updates on legislation, advocacy efforts, and useful tools to support your work.
What sets OCDA apart is our commitment not only to professional development but also to making sure our collective voice is heard. That means staying informed on legislation, engaging with policymakers, and ensuring our work makes a meaningful impact across the state.
The Government Relations Committee (GRC) plays a key role in this mission by advising the Board, tracking policy developments, coordinating grassroots advocacy, and collaborating with national efforts through our partnership with NCDA.
Getting Involved
Our advocacy is enhanced through your engagement. You don’t have to be an advocacy expert to make a difference. The GRC is always looking for new voices. You can get involved by:
● Attend 3rd Annual Legislative Advocacy Day
● Share concerns or relevant legislation you’d like us to watch
● Get involved with OCDA by joining a committee, including the GRC
● Read this “Pulse on Ohio” column in each OCDA newsletter to stay informed
Advocacy isn’t a spectator sport. how you can get in the game:
Onward,
Sarah JanTausch & Newton Kimberly
Co-Chairs, OCDA Government Relations Committee
OCDA Advocacy webpage
Learning From ODJFS's Brad Barger & Julie Wirt
OCDA Government Education and Engagement Day 2024
Back in November 2024, OCDA'S Government Relations Committee (GRC) hosted a Government Education and Engagement Day at the Ohio Statehouse. This exciting event included a guided tour of the Statehouse, engaging in advocacy activities, and having time to connect with and learn from Ohio Department of Jobs & Family Services (ODJFS) employees, Brad Barger (Assistant Director for Employment Services) and Julie Wirt (Assistant Deputy Director, Office of Workforce Development).
Brad Barger kindly shared an overview of the ODJFS highlighting the beneficial services for Ohioans including job training/employment services, child support, cash/food assistance, adult protective services, and unemployment insurance. Within the scope of the ODJFS are the Office of Workforce Development and OhioMeansJobs. Brad Barger and Julie Wirt highlighted several FREE OhioMeansJobs Center services that could be beneficial for those OCDA members serve. These services include career planning, job training, access to free phones/computers to complete training as well as search/apply for jobs. For those who cannot make it in-person to an OhioMeansJob Center, many of the services are offered online at OhioMeansJobs.com. The website also always has a posted list of job openings, more than half of which pay over $50,000/year.
Did You Know?
Every county in Ohio has an OhioMeansJobs Center!
Outside of programs offered year-round, Brad and Julie shared some of the recent celebrations of special populations/opportunities in the career space. These were November being "Hire-a-Veteran" Month and National Apprenticeship Week. In supporting Ohio veterans, the OhioMeansJobs website has a "Military Friendly Employer Registry" and the state of Ohio offers employment services to both veterans and their spouses. Brad shared that apprenticeships have significantly expanded and can be an opportunity to earn wages while learning the skills for a specific career field/job. More information about the ApprenticeOhio program and about specific Apprenticeship opportunities can be found by visiting Apprentice.Ohio.gov. Apprenticeships, in addition to federal grants overseen by ODJFS, are helping prepare the Ohio workforce for new industries such as Broadband and Electric Cars.
Ohio has the sixth-largest veteran population in the United States and ranks third in the nation as well as first in the Midwest in number of apprentices.
Finally, OCDA attendees learned about several other other programs/services directed towards prioritizing the needs of specific groups. The Helping Ohioans Pursue Employment (HOPE) Initiative pairs unemployed Ohioans with an employment professional to help them quickly get set up with a new job. The Comprehensive Case Management and Employment Program (CCMEP) that assists low income adults break the cycle of poverty through building a path towards a career. Services for the program include, but are not limited to, career coaching, work experiences, counseling, mentoring, leadership development, financial literacy training, and supportive services such as housing, transportation, and childcare. Other services also focus on the labor force participation rate in Ohio by assisting those who took time off from working to not get overlooked when returning to the workforce and helping those in recovery from substance use disorders. Recently, an announcement was made regarding the opportunity for employers to apply to be a designated Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace wherein which they promote wellness programs, provide support to employees struggling with substance misuse, provide employment opportunities to individuals in recovery, and reduce the stigma associated with addiction.
OCDA is fortunate to be able to connect with individuals making a significant difference in the career space and to be able to learn about the opportunities that could benefit each of our constituency groups as well as the individuals that they serve! We hope that all of our members will consider joining us for the Third Annual Government Education and Engagement Day taking place in late 2025.
Seen Above: Government Education and Engagement Day attendees and guest speakers in the State Room at the Ohio Statehouse.
Pictured left to right in back row: Michelle Norris, Jill Cates, Kaleigh Mahon, and Newton Kimberly. Pictured left to right in front row: Alicia Camak, Rachel Richardson, Julie Wirt, and Brad Barger.
Not pictured: Sarah JanTausch due to taking photo
OCDA Government Education and Engagement Day
OCDA spent Wednesday, November 13th at the Ohio Statehouse for the 2nd Annual Government Education and Engagement Day! Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to engage in advocacy activities, tour the Ohio Statehouse, meet with guest speakers from the Ohio Department of Jobs & Family Services, and drop off letters/information about OCDA to state legislators. This event, planned by the OCDA Government Relations Committee and their Committee Chair, Sarah JanTausch, allowed for attendees to share their experiences within the career development field and learn ways to advocate for the needs of career professionals and their clients/students.
Seen Above: OCDA Government Education and Engagement Day attendees holding the Proclamations from Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Senate, and Ohio Governor's Office recognizing OCDA and National Career Development Month.
Pictured left to right in back row: Alicia Camak, Rachel Richardson, Jill Cates, and Sarah JanTausch. Pictured left to right in front row: Michelle Norris, Kaleigh Mahon, and Newton Kimberly.
Check out the Proclamations in the images below!
Pulse on Ohio
December 2023
In celebration of National Career Development Month, the Ohio Career Development Association held our first government day on November 27th at the Ohio Statehouse sponsored by the Government Relations Committee. It was a successful day of learning, networking, and policy education.
The event was open to NCDA and OCDA members as well as prospective members. OCDA members in attendance included Danielle Bell, Jill Cates (Easterseals Redwood), President-Elect-Elect Richard Fajardo (Ohio State University), Government Relations Chair Sarah JanTausch (SRJ Coaching & Consulting), Secretary Rachel Richardson (Ohio State University), and President Christine Yancey (Sinclair Community College).
The day began with networking, followed by a private tour of the Ohio Statehouse including the Senate Chambers, and finished with a policy discussion with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Graham Wood who provided a briefing on recent and future changes to the Department and a discussion around education and workforce policy relating to the Association. It was a productive and collaborative conversation where we discussed the continuum of career development and supporting K-12 students in their next steps through graduation.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted recognized National Career Development Month with a proclamation. Both legislative chambers supported November as National Career Development Month. The Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman along with Senator Andrew Brenner Chairs the Senate Education Committee celebrated the occasion with a proclamation and the Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens joined in with recognition.
OCDA Government Relations Committee:
Sarah JanTausch, Chair
Alexandria Burns
Amy Harker
Dr. Nina Talley
Christine Yancey
OCDA members pictured left to right standing outside of the Governor’s Ceremonial office in the Ohio Statehouse: Rachel Richardson, Jill Cates, Danielle Bell and in the back row Richard Fajardo and Christine Yancey.
OCDA Government Relations Committee Members pictured left to right standing outside of the Governor’s Ceremonial office in the Ohio Statehouse: Sarah JanTausch and Christine Yancey with proclamations from the Ohio Governor and Lt. Governor, Ohio Senate, and Ohio House of Representatives.
OCDA Members in attendance standing in the Map Room at the Ohio Statehouse on each of the counties they represent. From left to right: Jill Cates, Christine Yancey, Rachel Richardson, Sarah JanTausch, Richard Fajardo, and Danielle Bell.
On behalf of the Government Relations Committee at OCDA, we want to wish you a Happy National Career Development Month! This is the perfect season to spread awareness of our industry and educate our elective and appointed leadership at every level of the work that is being done by all of us in every corner of Ohio. Advocacy is simply working to garner support for a particular cause or policy.
During this year’s National Career Development Month, we are inviting you to reach out to your elective and appointed leadership and share about what you do to educate and inform Ohio’s policymakers. It can be as simple as using a contact form on the public official’s website to share about National Career Development Month. Expanding awareness about what you do to support fellow Ohioans receiving career development services across the continuum from youth through mid-career and the “third act” in later years. Below you’ll find a sample letter that you can copy, personalize, and paste into a contact form, email, or letter to your representatives and links to find your representatives.
If you choose to reach out to your representatives and/or receive responses, send copies of the correspondence to sarah@valuesbasedcareers.com. We are tracking advocacy efforts in order to report on our impact!
HOW TO FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES:
Congressional Leadership:
State Government Leadership:
https://www.ohiohouse.gov/members/district-map
County Government Leadership:
Hyper-local Government Leadership:
EXAMPLE LETTER TO REPRESENTATIVE FOR OCDA MEMBER USE:
[DATE]
[YOUR ADDRESS]
The Honorable [REPRESENTATIVE’S FIRST AND LAST NAME]
[REPRESENTATIVE’S ADDRESS]
Dear The Honorable [REPRESENTATIVES’S LAST NAME],
I am writing to you as a constituent and a [YOUR ROLE OR TITLE] working in the career development industry here in Ohio. I work with [INSERT THE TYPES OF PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH] to [INSERT THE GOALS OF YOUR CLIENTS GENERALLY/WHAT YOU WORK TOWARD]. [SHARE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR WORK HERE.]
November is National Career Development Month. As a member of the Ohio Career Development Association, I am writing to you in order to share about the relevancy and impact of our industry. Founded in 1975, the Ohio Career Development Association (OCDA) is a chartered state division of the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and a division of the Ohio Counseling Association. The NCDA was initially founded in 1913 under a different name and is the first, longest first, longest running and preeminent career development association in the world.
The OCDA exists to promote a greater understanding of the meaning of work and vocation, to foster career development over the lifespan, and to improve the standards of professional service in the field of career guidance and counseling in Ohio. The development of any person's career takes place over most of his/her lifetime. These stages are: (a) preschool age youth; (b) K-6 school grades; (c) 7-9 school grades; (d) 10-12 school grades; (e) adults (ages 18-65), and (f) retired persons. Our members make up constituency groups including professionals working in K-12, higher education, graduate students/educators/researchers, private practice, government/advocacy, workforce development agencies, and business/industry/employers.
As you are making policies impacting the career development industry and the fellow Ohioans we serve, I urge you to look toward the OCDA and NCDA as the preeminent voice for career practitioners in order to ensure policies and practices ultimately support the
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I appreciate your service to our community. For more information on the NCDA you can visit www.ncda.gov and for more information on the OCDA you can go to www.ocdaonline.org.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR TITLE/ORGANIZATION]**
[OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION LIKE A PHONE OR EMAIL]
-END OF SAMPLE LETTER-
*Every 10 years after the U.S. Census, Ohio's House and Senate district boundaries must be redrawn to reflect the results of the most recent Census. The Ohio Redistricting Commission is tasked with redrawing each of those legislative districts. District maps have been redrawn in 2023, while the process still has legal challenges ahead, please note your representation might change in the near future due to map boundaries changing due to population changes.
**If choosing to include your professional title and organization, please ensure proper permissions are granted from your organization. Often universities, colleges, agencies, and businesses have a process or staff who handle all advocacy outreach. In these instances, we encourage you to check your organization’s guidelines and/or consider reaching out to your representatives from your position as a private citizen where you may use your personal contact information.
October 2023
Welcome to the first issue of Pulse on Ohio! This new column in the Ohio Career Development Association's monthly newsletter is produced by the Government Relations Committee and will keep you informed on a variety of topics including advocacy, legislation that we're tracking, and related professional development, and is intended to be your dose of information that helps you advocate for those you serve and our profession.
The new Government Relations Committee is in its early stages of building out our team and we are looking for representation from all of our constituency groups. Currently, we have representation from our higher education and private practice constituency groups. If you are interested in joining the committee we are seeking individual in the following constituency groups:
- Graduate Students/Counselor Educators & Researchers
- K-12 School Career Counselors
- Government & Advocacy
- Workforce Development/Agencies
- Business/Industry/Employers
Interested prospective and current OCDA members do not need to have any advocacy, government, or political experience! All you need to have is an interest in learning and desire to join the committee.
The Government Relations Committee is responsible for listening to all of our constituency groups in order to educate and inform our OCDA leadership on policies and impact of government relations on our work, as well as potential and pending legislation that our organization may want to weigh in on. The committee plans to meet monthly for one hour virtually and there will be opportunities to be more or less involved based on your current bandwidth. If you are interested, please contact the Government Relations Chair: Sarah JanTausch at sarah@valuesbasedcareers.com.
Stay tuned for more information because we will be sharing information on the website and social media channels in the near future.
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