Advocacy is at the core of the mission of OPRA!  We seek to impact legislators and policy makers, to share the story of success in parks and recreation and to collaborate with others in order to improve the climate for parks and recreation in Ohio.

The OPRA Advocacy Agenda is crafted and shaped by a team of parks and recreation professionals from around Ohio who serve as members of the OPRA Advocacy Committee.  Before a position is taken on any legislative or regulatory issue, these committee members discuss and vote to establish the OPRA policy.

OPRA Executive Director, Woody Woodward, serves as the eyes, ears, and voice of OPRA at the Ohio Statehouse.  Woody has more than 20 years of experience in and around Ohio government and advocates on our behalf in the legislature and with state agencies including the Governor’s office.  His role as the OPRA Legislative Agent is to articulate to legislators and policy makers the positions taken by the Association and to work to build support for those positions taken by the Advocacy Committee.