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

Kathleen 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. In 2022, she stepped up to run for a deep-red Statehouse seat and came within 2.4 points of unseating the incumbent in a district Governor DeWine won by 24 points.

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.

As an operative, candidate, and elected official, Kathleen has spent her entire career on Ohio’s political frontlines without compromising on the progressive values that center working families and diverse communities. She’s ready to lead with integrity, strategy, and full-time dedication to building a strong, inclusive, and winning Ohio Democratic Party.

Events

• Keynote

  Wednesday, May 13
  2:00 PM to 3:00 PM

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