Wenda Sheard

Wenda Sheard was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated from Shaker Heights High School.

She earned a bachelor's degree from Cleveland State University, a law degree from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law in 1979, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Texas in 2004. Her career experience includes working as an attorney at law, mediator, teacher, and researcher.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm an attorney and trained mediator with a PhD in political science focused on education policy. I've worked as an attorney for 22 years in Ohio courts directly under both Republican and Democratic judges. I've taught at Ohio University, and in middle schools and high schools. My family includes Richard Thieret, a retired science teacher, and our three children, all born at O'Bleness Hospital. I have volunteered with PTOs, Odyssey of the Mind, Girl Scouts, United Campus Ministry, the Athens County Bar Association, the League of Women Voters, and more.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I’m running for State Representative because our current legislature has lost the ability to focus on the difficulties facing Ohioans in their homes, schools, and jobs. The August and November 2023 elections prove that point. In our district, we have hungry families, underfunded schools, a lack of affordable and reliable internet and phone service, an inadequate supplies of affordable housing, and a persistent drug addiction problem. We have injection wells accepting radioactive fracking waste from out-of-state, which waste pollutes our wells. Along with the rest of the world, we have the threat of climate change.On the economic front, we have big corporations with wages set so low that families must rely on the government for food assistance and healthcare. We have unions that the Ohio legislature attempts to weaken, most recently with Senate Bill 83. The latest available figures show that Athens County and Meigs County are ranked 83rd and 84th in Ohio in terms of per capita income among Ohio’s 88 counties. Washington County ranks 40th among Ohio counties, but the per capita income in Ohio as a whole isn’t pretty—1969 was the last year that the per capita income in Ohio was above the national average.We must receive our fair share of state and federal funding, especially in the following critical areas: (1) Infrastructure: roads and bridges, water and sewer, broadband and phone service. (2) Healthcare: attracting more doctors, better access to specialists, and support for rural clinics. (3) Education: fair and equitable funding from the state to the children in our district. We need an education funding system in which a child will receive the same public educational opportunities regardless of where the child lives in Ohio.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about democracy. I will work to keep our elections secure and to make voting easier for everyone. We deserve to know the source of political action committee (PAC) money. We need to reform Ohio's map-making processes so citizens, not politicians, will draw legislative district maps and make them fair, thus eliminating gerrymandering. We need a state legislature that represents the people of Ohio, rather than representing the personal agendas or political aspirations of individual legislators. I am listening, and will continue to listen, to people in the 94th District before voting on any issue.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my father, and aim to follow his example. He was a veteran, a teacher, a businessman, and later a law professor. He would stop and talk to anyone and everyone we met. He taught me that everyone is important, no matter what their station in life. My father fostered in me the idea that everyone deserves respect and care.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials, first and foremost, must care about all people in their district. We must respect the worth and dignity of their lives, and work cooperatively and honestly to make sure the government serves their interests.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have a strong desire for fairness and equity. I care about people—all people. I have an active, working knowledge of Ohio law and politics. I work cooperatively with others. My experience working full-time while attending law school at night, and later raising three children while working full-time and serving on community boards, strengthened my ability to work successfully with time constraints.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities of elected officials include making sure government works fairly for all people, not just for those who donate to political campaigns.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job, at age 16, was cleaning textbooks in the school basement during that summer. Page by page, we erased pencil marks, taped torn pages, and used an eyedropper to bleach out ink. From that experience, I learned that although not all work is exciting or glamorous, all work contributes to community wellbeing.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

The biggest struggle in my life was the sudden death of my first husband while I was in law school in Cleveland. I perserved, finished law school in time, and moved to Southeast Ohio for a good job and a loving rural community. I met my current husband here; all three of our now-adult children are Southeast Ohio natives.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Ohio’s greatest governmental challenge is to eliminate gerrymandering by amending the Ohio Constitution so citizens, not politicans, will draw legislative maps. We need voters choosing their politicians, not politicans choosing their voters. Once we have fair maps, and elections based on fair maps, we will have much greater success improving the lives of all people. Competitive districts help to ensure that all sides of a questions are addressed appropriately when making policy decisions.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

It is definitely beneficial for legislators to build relationships with other legislators. Politics, at its core, is relationships between people, including relationships between voters and their legislators, and relationships between legislators and their colleagues.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

While listening to people in our district, I’ve heard many, many stories about their lives. Some are struggling, some are not. Some need our help, some do not. The common thread in all the stories boils down to the fact that the Ohio legislature needs to better address the concerns of ordinary people.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I've received many endorsements from organizations and individuals. As I write this, some are not yet public. Please see my website for a current list of endorsements.