Founded in 1981, Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio champions policies and programs that lift children out of poverty, protect them from abuse and neglect and ensure their access to appropriate and targeted health care, quality education and a moral and spiritual foundation. To support children and families in Ohio, CDF-Ohio works to improve healthcare access and health outcomes for children and their families, stop the push out of students from our schools due to zero tolerance school discipline practices, create a juvenile justice system that rehabilitates our youth and reduces recidivism, build a high quality and stable early childhood care and education system, and harness the statewide and national CDF youth and community networks to change the lives of Ohio’s children.   

Lan Bentsen, Co-Chair Founder Shape Tomorrow Houston, TX	Carol Oughton Biondi Board Member, California State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention/ Board Member, ARC (Anti-Recidivism Coalition Los Angeles), CA	Angela Glover Blackwell, Co-Chair Founder and CEO PolicyLink Oakland, CA
Laphonza Butler President SEIU-ULTCW Los Angeles, CA	Deborah S. Cogut Co-Founder and Vice Chair The Polyphony Foundation Greenwich, CT	Malaak Compton-Rock Founder and Director The Angelrock Project New York, NY
Marian Wright Edelman President Children's Defense Fund Washington, DC	DD Eisenberg Child Advocate Coral Gables, FL	George Gresham President 1199 SEIU Bronx, NY
Clay Grubb President Grubb Properties, Inc. Charlotte, NC	Ruth-Ann Huvane Child Advocate Los Angeles, CA	Deborah Jewell-Sherman Director Urban Superintendents Program and Professor of Practice, Harvard Graduate School of Education, MA
Katie McGrath Child Advocate Los Angeles, CA	Ivanna Omeechevarria Child Advocate Alexandria, VA	Wendy Puriefoy Child Advocate Boston, MA
Martin Rodgers Managing Director Washington, DC Metro Office and Executive Director of Accenture’s Nonprofit Group	Jurnee Smollett-Bell Actress Los Angeles, CA	Bryan Stevenson, Esq. Founder and Executive Director Equal Justice Initiative Montgomery, AL
Ali Wentworth Actress New York, NY	Reese Witherspoon Actress Los Angeles, CA

Former CDF Board Members and Emeriti

Jobs at CDF

Employees of the Children's Defense Fund are dedicated to its mission to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. The work is meaningful and the people are great and your contributions will continue to help us to achieve our mission. The Children’s Defense Fund offers a comprehensive package of health and wellness benefits to employees and their families to ensure personal and financial health and well-being, as well as to provide some protection from significant financial harm due to prolonged injury, illness or death. In addition to the health and wellness benefits we also offer employees a discount on personal computer purchases through the Dell Employee Purchase Program. We strive to provide all employees a variety of benefits that are meaningful to them.

Learn about all positions currently available at CDF.

Internships at CDF

Interns are a vital part of the Children's Defense Fund-Ohio team.

Our interns gain knowledge, skills, and experience in the most critical public policy issues facing children and develop a unique insider's view of non-profit advocacy, communications, and outreach, all while helping to make a difference in the lives of children and youth in Ohio.

Learn more about CDF's Internship program and how to apply.