Aaron Ockerman, Advocate of the Year, 2023

Adoption Network Cleveland’s advocacy throughout the decades has been largely successful. We have not been without a guide, a friend, and an advocate. We have Aaron Ockerman, a skilled lobbyist who has expertly navigated us through the twists and turns of legislation since 2006. For the last two years, Aaron has been voted, by Cleveland.com’s Sloopy Awards, as Ohio’s “hardest working lobbyist,” and it shows.

This year, Aaron championed our cause in several ways.

First, Aaron found a way forward on our bill to criminalize fertility fraud. The bill, which the previous sponsor had reintroduced last year, was stuck in committee despite our best efforts. We had worked to fine-tune the provisions, win supporters, and give voice, yet for reasons beyond our control, the bill was at a standstill.  Aaron brilliantly navigated the provisions into a larger bill poised to pass. He did, the provisions made a hit, and in short order, pass they did.

Second, Aaron loves Lobby Day! Throughout the pandemic, Lobby Day was planned and unplanned more than once. Times were hard, and budgets were tight. Always looking for an opening and providing resources to make it a success, Aaron encouraged and reinvigorated efforts to bring Lobby Day back – and at precisely the right moment, as, by chance, the Netflix film Our Father on fertility fraud happened to be released the same week as our planned Lobby Day.

Most of all, Aaron loves his work on our efforts, and it shows. Aaron relishes in the meaning and personal impact of our efforts and results. His enthusiasm for our success is a moral lift to our whole network. In short, Aaron is more than Adoption Network Cleveland’s Lobbyist; Aaron is our friend.

From his work leading to our success in creating access to records for 400,000 Ohio-born adoptees, to smaller wins such as coaching a first-time-advocate foster care alum to speak and educate, Aaron has made a sustained, immeasurable difference to hundreds of thousands of people. He cares, and it shows in everything Aaron does.