WAC Conference at a glance

OCSEA's annual Women's Action Committee (WAC) Conference will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026, with pre-conference events, contract training and early check-in on Friday, May 1. The conference is at the Deer Creek Lodge & Conference Center, 22300 State Pk Rd 20, Mt. Sterling, OH 43143.

Evening-before conference registration and events will take place on Friday evening, May 1 starting at 5:00 p.m. through 9 p.m. at the lodge. This includes GOTV (Get Out the Vote) Training from 5:00-6:00 p.m. for those who signed up, early check-in from 5:30-7:00 p.m. and a meet & greet/hospitality reception from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

The full WAC conference will begin Saturday morning at the lodge with continental breakfast. Additionally, the event will include guest speakers and lunch. View the official WAC Conference Call Letter here. The WAC Conference Call was mailed to all chapter, district council and assembly presidents in early March 2026.

Registration

The registration form and payment deadline is Monday, April 27. 

• DOWNLOAD the WAC Conference Call Letter and Registration Form
• The WAC Conference registration fee is $75 per OCSEA member. The Friday's reception, as well as continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday are included in the cost of registration.
• Payment must accompany the completed and returned registration form due on Monday, April 27. Form and payment WILL NOT be accepted after the deadline. No refunds will be issued after this date.
• MAIL registration forms and payment to:
  ATTN: WAC Conference 2026,Theresa Smith
  OCSEA, 390 Worthington Rd. Suite A, 
  Westerville, OH 43082

GOTV Training

The fate of our next state contract will be on the ballot this November. Join us for GOTV (Get Out the Vote) training on Friday, May 1, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. to learn how you can become involved in electing labor-friendly candidates. Please indicate if you will be attending the training on the registration form.

Friday Night Reception

Special Requests and Accommodations

Extra Meals

If you need to purchase extra meals for the conference, indicate on the registration form. Payment must be included at the time of registration. The cost of extra meals, including kid meals, is printed on the registration form. Extra meals must be purchased by the April 27 deadline and should be included with your payment. Extra meal purchases WILL NOT be permitted at the conference.

Release Time

Release time requests to attend this event should be notated on the registration form.

Lodging

The WAC Conference will take place at Deer Creek Lodge & Conference Center, 22300 State Pk Rd 20, Mt. Sterling, OH 43143.

Room reservations are to be made directly through the Deer Creek Lodge. Each chapter/subordinate body is responsible to pay for room and tax, payable with a credit card. Online reservations for the conference can be made at THIS SPECIAL CONFERENCE LINK. The group rate code is OWACWCC462. 

For phone reservations, please call 800-282-7275 and mention the "OCSEA/WAC Conference." 

The cutoff date for room reservations is April 10, 2026. Rooms/rates will not be guaranteed after the cut-off date. Room cancellations must be made 72 hours in advance for a full refund (no exceptions). 

Room pricing is as follows: Standard Queen/King is $139.00 plus tax; Bunk Room is $149.00 plus tax; a Cabin is $189.00.

Tentative Agenda

Contact

Have questions about the upcoming WAC Conference? Contact the following:

• Registration: Contact Theresa Smith at tsmith@ocsea.org
• General Conference questions: Contact Gina Ison at gison@ocsea.org
  

Speakers

Kathleen Clyde
Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party

Kathleen Clyde is a proven leader and lifelong fighter for Ohio Democrats. Before becoming Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, Clyde served as Senior Director of the RISE Together Innovation Institute, a Columbus-based nonprofit focused on advancing racial and economic justice.

Clyde served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018, representing a competitive district in Portage County for four terms. She then served as Portage County Commissioner from 2018 to 2020 and ran for Ohio Secretary of State in 2018, raising over $3.15 million and outperforming the top of the Democratic ticket. From her early days as a staffer on the 2004 Kerry campaign to co-chairing President Biden’s 2020 Ohio campaign—where she was recognized as one of the DNC’s “Rising Stars”—Kathleen has built deep relationships across the state and nationally. She has raised over $4 million across her own campaigns, breaking fundraising records and earning the trust of labor unions, grassroots activists, and major donors.

Clyde has spent her entire career on Ohio’s political frontlines without compromising on the progressive values that center working families and diverse communities. As the newest ODP Chair, she’s ready to lead with integrity, strategy, and full-time dedication to building a strong, inclusive, and winning party.

Annette Blackwell
Mayor of Maple Heights and candidate for Ohio Auditor

Annette Blackwell is the current Mayor of Maple Heights as well as Director of Safety, and has been widely praised for turning the city’s fiscal health around. Moving to Ohio from Selma, Alabama at the age of 2, she became a leader in her community. Along with her public service, she has long-time private sector experience, including at Key Bank (formerly Ameritrust), University Hospitals, and and 16 years at Deloitte and Ryan where she focused largely on property tax issues. Now Mayor Blackwell is running for Ohio Auditor to ensure local communities and government can provide safe and affordable places to live for Ohio’s working families, fight the corruption that’s plaguing Ohio’s government, and safeguard our tax dollars by holding bad actors accountable.
 
Mayor Blackwell looks forward to taking her public and private sector experience, determination and fiscal discipline to the Ohio Auditor’s office because she knows that with costs rising on so many everyday goods and services the last thing we need is our tax dollars being wasted. She will also continue to be a voice against the endless raid of local government funds by Statehouse politicians. Shel lives in Maple Heights with her husband, and together they are the proud parents of three children.

Dr. Julius Bailey, PhD
Prof. of Philosophy, Dir. of Justice, Law & Public Policy, Wittenberg University

Dr. Julius Bailey, PhD is an acclaimed author, educator, and community leader whose work stands at the intersection of justice, education, and empowerment. As Professor of Philosophy and Department Chair at Wittenberg University, he has helped shape students and programs in Pre-Law, Justice, Law and Public Policy, and African & Diaspora Studies.

As Founder and Executive Director of Dance Stomp Shake, he has built an arts-based nonprofit that now reaches more than 3,000 youth and families each year, creating spaces for leadership, creativity, wellness, and hope. For thirty years, Dr. Bailey has dedicated himself to lifting communities, investing in the next generation, and speaking with clarity and conviction on the issues that shape our public life. He is the author of several important books, including Racism, Hypocrisy and Bad Faith, Belonging, and Philosophy and Hip-Hop. Dr. Bailey is known for combining scholarship, service, and moral vision in ways that challenge, inspire, and empower others.  He is a graduate of Howard, Havard and a PhD from the University of Illinois. 

Justice Jennifer Brunner
Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court