Advocates for Ohio’s Future Announces New Coalition Manager

Samantha (Sam) Zern has been appointed Coalition Manager of Advocates for Ohio’s Future (AOF), a nonprofit, nonpartisan health, human services, early care and education, and workforce coalition.

With 30 member organizations and 500 endorsers, AOF supports policies that build community prosperity for all Ohioans, developing comprehensive strategies to strengthen supports across public programs.  AOF brings together organizations across the health and human services spectrum to bridge siloes in information sharing and advocacy.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sam as AOF’s new Coalition Manager. Sam is a passionate and insightful leader and we are lucky to have her leading our collective work,” said Charlotte Rudolph, Executive Director of UHCAN Ohio and Co-Chair of AOF. 

AOF works with partners and members across the state on legislative advocacy, education on health and human services funding and programs, and tracking the implementation of last summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Sam will lead the coalition’s efforts to prepare for a new state administration, General Assembly, and state budget in 2027.

“Sam’s impressive background in communications, coalitions, policy, and advocacy have allowed her to hit the ground running this summer. AOF is grateful and proud to have Sam at the helm and we look forward to continuing our momentum together,” said AOF Co-Chair Danielle DeLeon Spires, Policy Advocate with the Ohio Poverty Law Center.

Sam brings policy experience from her role as a Health Policy Fellow at The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio. She worked in the Ohio reproductive rights movement and was a journalist in Pennsylvania and Ohio covering state policy and public health. Sam graduated with a Master of Public Health from Kent State University and a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University.

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Advocates for Ohio’s Future (AOF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of state and local health and human services policy, advocacy and provider organizations that strive to strengthen families and communities through public funding for health, human services, and early care & education. We work to empower and support nonprofit organizations and the health and human service workforce in the critical work they do, especially as it relates to lifting up and caring for all Ohioans. AOF celebrated its 15th Anniversary in 2025.