The February 16 session will be the first of three dedicated to the subject of public affairs and policy. Williams' presentation will be an overview of all key areas involved in the topic, focusing on what a nonprofit organization needs to consider in order to get its feet wet in the area of public policy and what it would have to create for its internal capacity to be proficient in shaping public policy.

Public Affairs and Public Policy 101

D.C., a national association of more than 15,000 elected and appointed state and local government finance officials. She has held positions in several local, state and national political campaigns.   Ms. Williams also attended the Young Professionalís Political Leadership Workshop in Tennessee in 2001 at the invitation of former Vice President Al Gore.

Ms. Williams received her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University and is   a graduate of the Womenís Campaign School at Yale University.   She has volunteered with numerous nonprofit and community groups in Ohio, Washington, D.C., and New York and is a member of the board of directors and public policy and planning committees for several nonprofit organizations.

Ms. Williams joined OANO in 2000 to launch a statewide public policy program for the nonprofit sector.   After serving three years as the director of public policy/lobbyist, Ms. Williams was appointed executive director in 2003.   As the executive director, she oversees to the work of the public policy program that represents the interests of Ohioís nonprofit organizations in Congress and the state legislature and monitors legislation and regulations affecting Ohioís 37,000 nonprofit organizations.   Ms. Williams also manages the Standards for Excellence program, an ethics and accountability code for Ohioís nonprofit sector.

Prior to joining OANO, Ms. Williams served as a legislative analyst for the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) in Washington,

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Cost of the program is $10 per person which covers the price of a box lunch and materials. Registration for the workshop is limited to 15 persons and may be made by telephoning the Scioto Foundation office at (740) 354-4612 or emailing sf_reg@ymail.com for instant sign-up. Checks made payable to the Scioto Foundation and registration forms may also be sent to P.O. Box 911, Portsmouth, Ohio, or dropped off at the Foundation office.