Complete Story
08/10/2026
OLA Mourns the Loss of Rachel Winder
A Champion for Policy, Progress, and Women in Ohio
It is with deep sadness that the Ohio Lobbying Association shares the news of Rachel Winder's passing, Government Relations Manager in the Benesch Columbus office. Rachel was 56 and had been a valued member of the Benesch team since July 2013.
A Champion for Ohio
Rachel brought thoughtfulness and determination to her work, leaving a lasting impact across our state. She helped shape policies and laws that advanced important causes and supported her clients' goals. Among her many meaningful contributions, Rachel helped secure several million dollars in funding for Ohio food banks and children's crisis care facilities. She was incredibly proud of her work to support the successful passage of HB 531, "Braden's Law," which criminalized sextortion in Ohio.
Empowering Women Business Owners
Rachel was deeply committed to creating opportunities for women business owners. She served as Public Policy Advisor to the National Association of Women Business Owners Columbus Chapter, where she was named the 2020 Women's Business Champion. She later founded and served as Executive Director of the Ohio Women's Coalition, successfully advocating for more than $50 million in zero- to low-interest loans for women-owned businesses.
"Rachel was the rare kind of advocate who made everyone around her better - better prepared, better connected, and better able to see what was possible. Whether we were navigating policy together or fighting for women business owners on the NAWBO Public Policy Committee, she brought both fierce intellect and genuine warmth to every room she entered. Her legacy isn't just in the laws she helped pass or the funding she secured - it's in the countless people she lifted up along the way. Ohio has lost an extraordinary champion."
- Sheila Fox, Managing Director, Ohio Lobbying Association
Recognized Leadership
Rachel's leadership and impact were widely recognized, including as a 2025 Columbus Business First Women of Influence honoree and as the 2024 Ohio Auctioneers Legislative Champion. As meaningful as those recognitions are, they only begin to reflect the dedication, strength, and generosity Rachel brought to her work and to everyone around her.
Services for Rachel Winder
Friday, August 14
Visiting Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Service: 12:00 - 12:30 p.m.
Schoedinger Dublin
5980 Perimeter Dr.
Dublin, OH 43017
The full obituary will be shared once it becomes available.
We extend our deepest heartfelt sympathy to her children, family, friends, and colleagues.
