ABC : Oklahoma state agencies, boards, and commissions : elected officers, cabinet, legislature, high courts, and institutions.

              ABC Oklahoma Agencies,
Boards, and
Commissions
Elected Officers, Cabinet, Legislature,
High Courts, and Institutions
As of September 1, 2011
Acknowledgements
The Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Office of Public Information, ac-knowledges
the assistance of the Jan Eric Cartwright Memorial Law Library
staff, the Oklahoma Publications Clearinghouse, and staff members of the
agencies, boards, commissions, and other entities listed.
Susan McVey, Director
Oklahoma Department of Libraries
Connie G. Armstrong, Editor
Office of Public Information
William R. Young, Administrator
Office of Public Information
For information about the ABC publication, please contact:
Oklahoma Department of Libraries
Office of Public Information
200 NE 18 Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73105–3298
405/522–3383 • 800/522–8116 • FAX 405/525–7804
www.odl.state.ok.us
iii
Contents
Executive Branch 1
Governor Mary Fallin.......................................................................3
Office & Key Personnel...................................................................................4
Oklahoma Elected Officials...........................................................5
Office of the Lieutenant Governor.............................................................6
Office of the Attorney General....................................................................7
Office of State Auditor and Inspector.......................................................8
Office of the State Treasurer.........................................................................9
Insurance Commissioner............................................................................ 10
Commissioner of Labor............................................................................... 11
Superintendent of Public Instruction.................................................... 12
Corporation Commission........................................................................... 13
Governor Fallin’s Cabinet.............................................................15
Secretary of State.......................................................................................... 16
Secretary of Agriculture.............................................................................. 17
Secretary of Commerce and Tourism..................................................... 17
Secretary of Education................................................................................ 19
Secretary of Energy...................................................................................... 20
Secretary of Environment.......................................................................... 20
Secretary of Finance and Revenue......................................................... 21
Secretary of Health & Human Services.................................................. 22
Secretary of Human Resources and Administration........................ 24
Secretary of Information Technology
and Telecommunications........................................................................... 25
Secretary of the Military............................................................................. 26
Secretary of Safety and Security.............................................................. 27
Secretary of Science and Technology.................................................... 28
iv
Secretary of Transportation....................................................................... 28
Secretary of Veterans Affairs..................................................................... 29
Legislative Branch 31
Oklahoma State Senate...............................................................33
Senate Leadership........................................................................................ 33
State Senators by District........................................................................... 33
Senators Contact Reference List.............................................................. 34
Oklahoma State House of Representatives..........................35
House of Representatives Leadership................................................... 35
State Representatives by District............................................................. 36
Representatives Contact Reference List............................................... 37
Judicial Branch 39
Oklahoma Court System..............................................................41
Supreme Court................................................................................42
Court of Criminal Appeals...........................................................48
Court of Civil Appeals...................................................................52
10th Circuit Court of Appeals....................................................58
Judges of the Workers’ Compensation Court.......................59
District Attorneys...........................................................................60
Agencies, Boards, & Commissions 61
Profiles of Agencies, Boards, and Commissions..................63
State Government Institutions...............................................158
General Index 163
Executive
Branch
2 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Office of the Governor
Executive Branch 3
Governor Mary Fallin
Constitution, Article 6 § 1
Governor Mary Fallin was elected November 2, 2010, during a historic election in which she
became the first-ever female governor of Oklahoma. She was inaugurated on the steps of the
Oklahoma Capitol as the state’s twenty-seventh governor on January 10, 2011.
After a successful career in the private sector as a manager for a national hotel chain, Fal-lin
made her first foray into public service in 1990 when she was elected to the Oklahoma
House of Representatives. This began her long and distinguished career of public service
dedicated to conservative, commonsense solutions to the challenges facing Oklahoma
families and small businesses.
During her time in the House, Fallin earned a reputation as a consensus builder who was
willing to reach across the aisle. Serving in the Republican minority, she managed to pass
more than a dozen bills that were signed into law by the state’s Democratic governor, in-cluding
Oklahoma’s first “anti-stalker law,” and measures aimed at improving the business
climate in Oklahoma. She also worked to lower the health care costs of small businesses
in Oklahoma and for her work in this area was honored as a “Legislator of the Year” by the
American Legislative Exchange Council.
In 1994 Fallin would first make history by becoming the first woman and first Republican
to be elected lieutenant governor of Oklahoma, an office she would hold for twelve years.
In this capacity, Fallin focused her attention on issues affecting job creation and economic
development. She served on ten boards or commissions involving business and quality-of-life
issues in Oklahoma. In 1997 she chaired the Fallin Commission on Workers’ Compensa-tion,
which released a comprehensive reform plan to lower costs of workers’ compensation
while creating a system that was fair to both businesses and workers. Fallin also used her
position as president of the Oklahoma State Senate to allow the citizens of Oklahoma to
vote on “Right to Work,” which ended the practice of compelling workers to join and pay
dues to a union. In 2001 Oklahoma became the first state in the country to pass such a law
in more than twenty-five years.
Fallin was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2006 where she represented the Fifth District of
Oklahoma. In Congress, Fallin served on the committees for small business, transportation,
and infrastructure, natural resources and armed services. Fallin coauthored numerous pieces
of legislation to lower taxes, reduce regulation on businesses and individuals, fight federal
overreach, increase American energy production, create jobs and protect constitutional
liberties.
As governor, Fallin has listed as her priorities job growth and retention, government mod-ernization
and streamlining, education reform and protecting Oklahoma from the intrusions
of Washington, D.C.
Fallin is married to Wade Christensen, an Oklahoma City attorney who is the state’s first
“First Gentleman.” The couple have six children between them. They attend Crossings Com-munity
Church in northwest Oklahoma City.
4 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Key Personnel
Denise Northrup—Chief of Staff
Alex Weintz—Director of Communications
Michelle Waddell—Executive Assistant to the Governor
A.J. Mallory—Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff
Judy Copeland—General Counsel
Katie Altshuler—Director of Policy
Aaron Cooper—Press Secretary
Cindy Harper—Director of Operations
Dana Wolpert—Director of Scheduling
Keili McEwen—Director of Constituent Services
Chris Bruehl—Director of Appointments
Wendy Gregory—Director, Tulsa Office
Office
Oklahoma City—State Capitol, Room 212, Oklahoma City 73105–3207
(Agency Code 305, IA)
Tulsa—440 S Houston, Suite 304, 74127
Office Hours—8:30 am–5:00 pm Monday-Friday
Telephone—405/521–2342, FAX 405/521–3353
Tulsa—918/581–2801, FAX 918/581–2835
Web site—www.gov.ok.gov
Qualifications—Citizen of the United States, at least thirty-one years of age,
qualified elector at least ten years preceding election. State
Constitution, Article 6, Section 3.
Salary—$147,000 annually
Personnel—unclassified
Executive Branch 5
Oklahoma Elected Officials
Governor—Mary Fallin
State Capitol, Room 212
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–2342, FAX 405/521–3353
Tulsa—State Office Building
440 S Houston, Suite 304, Tulsa 74127
918/581–2801, FAX 918/581–2835
Web site—www.gov.ok.gov
Lieutenant Governor—
Todd Lamb
State Capitol, Room 211
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–2161, FAX 405/525–2702
Web site—www.ltgov.ok.gov
Attorney General—Scott Pruitt
313 NE 21 Street
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–3921, FAX 405/521–6246
Tulsa—907 Detroit, Suite 750,
Tulsa, 74120–4200
918/581–2885, FAX 918/938–6348
Web site—www.oag.ok.gov
State Auditor and Inspector—
Gary Jones
State Capitol, Room 100
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–3495, FAX 405/521–3426
Web site—www.sai.ok.gov
State Treasurer—Ken Miller
State Capitol, Room 217
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–3191, FAX 405/521–4994
Web site—www.treasurer.ok.gov
Insurance Commissioner—
John Doak
3625 NW 56 Street, Suite 100
Oklahoma City 73112
PO Box 53408 73152–3408
405/521–2828, FAX 405/521–6635
800/522–0071
Tulsa—7645 E. 63 Street, Suite 102
Tulsa 74133
918/295–3700, FAX 918/994–7916
Web site—www.oid.ok.gov
Commissioner of Labor—
Mark Costello
3017 N Stiles, Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–6100, 888/269–5353,
FAX 405/521–6018
Tulsa—State Office Building
440 S Houston, Suite 300
Tulsa 74127
918/581–2400, FAX 918/581–2431
Web site—www.ok.gov/odol
Superintendent of Public
Instruction—Janet Barresi
Oliver Hodge Building
2500 N Lincoln Boulevard, Rm. 121
Oklahoma City 73105–4599
405/521–3301, FAX 405/521–6205
Web site—www.sde.state.ok.us
Corporation Commissioners—
Bob Anthony, Patrice Douglas,*
and Dana Murphy
2101 N Lincoln Boulevard,
Oklahoma City 73105
PO Box 52000, 73152–2000
Oklahoma City 73152
405/521–2211, FAX 405/521–6045
Web site—www.occeweb.com
* Editors Note: Patrice Douglas was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin in September 2011.
6 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Constitution, Article 6 § 1
Todd Lamb, Republican, was born on October 19, 1971, in Enid,
Oklahoma. Oklahoma elected Todd Lamb as Lieutenant Governor
on November 2, 2010. With a campaign focused on job growth and
economic development, Lamb achieved an overwhelming victory
and quickly began putting his forward-thinking ideas and agenda in
place. He was appointed to Governor Fallin’s cabinet as the advocate
for Oklahoma’s small business.
An Enid native, Lamb played football at Louisiana Tech University, then
returned to Oklahoma earning his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University, and
his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law. In 1993 Lamb worked on the
campaign staff of gubernatorial candidate Frank Keating. Upon Keating’s election, Lamb
worked alongside the governor for four years. During his time in the governor’s office, Lamb
traveled to all of Oklahoma’s seventy-seven counties, almost half of the United States, and
two foreign countries promoting Governor Keating’s pro-growth economic agenda.
In 1998 Lamb became a special agent with the United States Secret Service. During his U.S.
Secret Service tenure, Lamb investigated and made numerous arrests in the areas of coun-terfeiting,
bank fraud, threats against the president, and identity theft. His duties included
domestic and international protection assignments during the Clinton and George W. Bush
administrations. In 2000 Lamb was a site supervisor for George W. Bush’s presidential cam-paign.
In early 2001, he was appointed to the national Joint Terrorism Task Force, where he
received training and briefings at the CIA, FBI, and Secret Service headquarters in Washing-ton,
D.C. After the terrorists’ attacks, he was assigned to portions of the 9/11 investigation.
Lamb departed the U.S. Secret Service in 2002 in order to spend more time with his wife
and young family. Upon leaving the U.S. Secret Service, he accepted a position on the staff
of United States Senator Don Nickles. Lamb was elected to his first term in the Oklahoma
Senate on November 2, 2004, by the voters of District 47 representing northwest Oklahoma
City and Edmond. Lamb was re-elected without opposition in 2008. In 2009 he became the
first Republican majority floor leader in state history.
Lamb and his wife, Monica, have been married sixteen years and have two children, Griffin
and Lauren. They are active members of Quail Springs Baptist Church, where Lamb serves
as a church deacon. He is active in many other civic and political organizations. In his spare
time, Lamb enjoys fishing, hunting, reading, and spending time with his family.
Key Personnel—Keith Beall, Chief of Staff; Ashley Kehl, Director of Communications; Rita
Chapman, Director of Scheduling; Phil Grenier, Director of Constituent Services;
and Hannah Roth, Receptionist.
Office—Room 211, State Capitol, Oklahoma City 73105 (Agency Code 440, IA)
Office Hours—8:30 am–5:00 pm, Mon.‑Fri.
Telephone—405/521–2161; FAX 405/525–2702
Web site—www.ltgov.ok.gov
Qualifications for Office—The individual must be a citizen of United States, at least thirty-one
years of age and a qualified elector of the state for ten years prior to election to
office. State Constitution, Article 6, Section 3.
Salary—$114,713 annually
Personnel—8 non-merit, unclassified; 1 temporary
Executive Branch 7
Office of the Attorney General
Constitution, Article 6 § 1
Scott Pruitt, Republican, has always been a man of values, and a
man of action. As a child playing baseball, Pruitt put to use the values
of hard work and perseverance, and was able to take a game and turn
it into a college education at the University of Kentucky. And it did
not stop there.
After working his way through law school at the University of Tulsa,
Pruitt ventured into private practice. Instead of taking the traditional
route, however, Pruitt specialized in constitutional law.
In 1998 frustrated at the problems he saw in state government, Pruitt decided to take on the
political establishment and was elected to the Oklahoma Senate serving the area of Broken
Arrow. During Pruitt’s early years in the Senate, he passed the Religious Freedoms Act.
Through his leadership, Oklahoma became among the first group of states to pass this type
of act that makes it more difficult for a government to burden an individual’s practicing of
his or her faith, even in the public square.
Pruitt also served as assistant Republican floor leader for four years. He was the leading
spokesperson for workers’ compensation reform, championed lawsuit reform, greater
accountability for government spending and traditional, faith-based values, including al-lowing
faith-based organizations to partner with the state in helping prisoners successfully
re-integrate into society after their sentences were fulfilled.
From 2002 to 2010, Pruitt was co-owner and managing general partner of the Oklahoma
City Redhawks triple-A baseball team in Oklahoma City. The team regularly rates among
the league’s leaders in attendance and merchandise sales. Pruitt was elected Oklahoma
Attorney General on November 2, 2010.
Scott and Marlyn, his wife of twenty years, are raising two children, McKenna and Cade in
Broken Arrow. The Pruitts are members of First Baptist, Broken Arrow, where Pruitt serves
as deacon.
Key Personnel—Rob Hudson, First Assistant Attorney General; Diane Clay, Director of
Communications
Office—313 NE 21 Street, Oklahoma City, 73105–3207
Tulsa Office: 907 Detroit, Suite 750, Tulsa, 74120–4200
(Agency Code 049, IA)
Office Hours—7:45 am–5:30 pm, Mon.‑Fri.
Telephone—Oklahoma City: 405/521‑3921, FAX 405/521–6246
Tulsa: 918/581–2885, FAX 918/938–6348
Web site—www.oag.ok.gov
Qualifications—The individual must be a U.S. citizen, at least thirty-one years old and
qualified elector in state for ten years prior to election to office. State Constitution,
Article 6, Section 3.
Salary—$132,825 annually
Personnel: 182 unclassified employees
8 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Office of State Auditor and Inspector
Constitution, Article 6 § 1
Gary Jones, Republican, has spent much of his adult life seeking
to expand the accountability of elected officials and to improve the
delivery of government services.
As a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner, Jones
understands the important contributions the state auditor can make in
identifying inefficiencies in government entities and in offering recom-mendations
and solutions to provide a better product for taxpayers.
Jones’s strong, personal belief in the importance of public service led
him to run for Comanche County Commissioner in 1994. During his four-year term, Jones’s
district built a record-setting thirty-four new steel and concrete bridges, and he played a key
role in helping bring 1,000 new jobs to Comanche County.
Born in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Jones attended school in Lawton, Coleman, Texas, and Hanua,
Germany before graduating from Lawton Eisenhower High School in 1972. He attended college
at Cameron University in Lawton, and the University 0f Central Oklahoma in Edmond. He
received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Cameron in 1978.
Along with Mary Jane, his wife of thirty-four years, Jones values Oklahoma’s rugged, rural
heritage. They live on their farm southwest of Cache, where they raised two children, and
built their cow-calf operation for over thirty years. Mary Jane retired this year after a thirty-six
year career teaching kindergarten.
Their son Chris is serving our nation on active duty with the United States Marine Corps.
He is currently deployed in Afghanistan. Daughter, Kelly is a math teacher at Cache High
School. The Jones have three wonderful grandchildren.
When it comes to getting the most out of life, Jones holds close the three traditional virtues of
God, country, and family. These values have defined his life as they have molded his character.
Key Personnel—Steve Tinsley, Deputy State Director; Sheila Adkins, CISA, CPM, CIA,
Information Services; Trey Davis, Continuing Education; Lisa Hodges, CFE, CGFM,
State Agency Division; Mark Hudson, CPA, Gaming & Horse Racing, Minerals Man-agement
Division; Cindy Perry, CPA, County Audit Division; Rick Riffe, CFE, CGAP,
Special Investigative Unit; Diane Thomas, CPA, Chief Financial Officer; and Cindy
Wheeler, CPA, Quality Assurance.
Office—Room 100, State Capitol, Oklahoma City, 73105 (Agency Code 300, IA)
Office Hours—8 am–5 pm Mon.–Fri.
Telephone—405/521‑3495, FAX 405/521–3426
Web site—www.sai.ok.gov
Qualifications For Office—The individual must be a U.S. citizen, at least thirty-one years
of age and qualified elector of the state for ten years prior to election and at least
three years experience as an expert accountant.
State Constitution, Article 6, Sections 3 and 19.
Salary—$114,713 annually
Personnel—140 non-merit, unclassified
Executive Branch 9
Office of the State Treasurer
Constitution, Article 6 § 1
Ken Miller, Republican, is the eighteenth state treasurer of Okla-homa,
serving since January 10, 2011. He was elected with almost 67
percent of the vote in the November 2010 General Election. Miller
served for six years in the Oklahoma House of Representatives where
he led the Appropriations and Budget Committee and guided Okla-homa
through the largest state spending cuts in state history, while
maintaining the delivery of core government services. Miller holds a
doctorate in political economics from the University of Oklahoma.
He earned a Master’s of Business Administration from Pepperdine University and a bach-elor’s
degree in economics and finance from Lipscomb University. Miller is an economics
professor at Oklahoma Christian University. He has been honored with the “Who’s Who
Among American Teachers” award and the Merrick Foundation Award for Excellence in
Teaching Free Enterprise. Prior to his election to the Oklahoma Legislature, Miller served
in the administration of Governor Frank Keating as chairman of the Legislative Compensa-tion
Board where he established a ten-year freeze on legislative salaries. Prior to his public
service, Miller gained practical experience in the private sector. He began his professional
career in banking at First American National Bank before joining MediFax-EDS, where he
served as financial operations manager.
Key Personnel—Regina Birchum, Deputy Treasurer for Policy and Chief of Staff; Susan
Nicewander, Deputy Treasurer for Operations; Tim Allen, Deputy Treasurer for
Communications and Program Administration; Angie LaPlante, Executive Assistant
and Office Manager; Sue McCoy MacHugh, Chief Investment Officer; Carole Bailey,
Banking Director; Sherian Kerlin, Securities Operations Manager; Sam Moore, Ac-counting
Manager; Travis Monroe, Director of Budget and Policy; Kathy Janes, Un-claimed
Property Director; and Lee Cosby, Director of Information Services.
Office—Room 217, State Capitol, Oklahoma City 73105 (Agency Code 740, IA)
Office Hours—8:00 am–5:00 pm (Administrative), 10:00‑3:30 (Cashier window)
Telephone—405/521‑3191, FAX 405/521–4994
Web site—www.treasurer.ok.gov
Qualifications for Office—The individual must be a U.S. citizen, at least thirty-one years
old and qualified elector in the state for ten years prior to election.
State Constitution, Article 6, Section 3.
Salary—$114,713 annually
Personnel—57 unclassified
10 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Insurance Commissioner
Constitution, Article 6 § 1
John Doak, Republican, was sworn in as the twelfth insurance
commissioner of Oklahoma on January 10, 2011. Doak takes the next
step in a distinguished career deeply grounded in providing insurance
options and coverage to Oklahomans.
The commissioner of insurance began his career in the field shortly after
graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1988, with a Bachelor
of Arts degree in political science. Doak established his own branch
office of Farmer’s Insurance in Tulsa, and over the next six years would
receive numerous awards and commendations from Farmer’s for his office’s success. Doak
left Farmer’s Insurance to work in the executive level of the insurance industry at firms such
as Marsh, Aon Risk Services, HNI Risk Services, and finally at Ascension Insurance, where
he served as senior vice president of acquisitions.
This diverse experience in the industry—from the branch level to the boardroom—is what
has given Doak a broad understanding of how insurance works; knowledge that will benefit
both the providers and customers of insurance products in Oklahoma. As insurance com-missioner,
Doak pledges to work with the industry, fostering competition and innovation
in insurance products and serving as an advocate for common sense solutions to insurance
issues, benefiting all Oklahomans.
Doak has a lengthy history of service to the Tulsa community, as well. He is a former board
member for the Tulsa Ronald McDonald House, the Tulsa Opera, and Dillon International
Adoption Agency. He also has served as a member of the Oklahoma Governor’s Round
Table for Business Development.
Doak and his wife, Debby, live in Tulsa with their children, Zack and Kasey.
Key Personnel—Paul Wilkening, Deputy Commissioner of Administration; Randy
Brogdon, Deputy Commissioner of Fraud, Consumer Affairs and Senior Advocate;
Mike Rhoads, Deputy Commissioner of Health Insurance; Denise Engle, Deputy
Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Insurance; Rick Farmer, PhD, Assistant
Commissioner of Government Relations and Public Affairs; Owen Laughlin, Deputy
Commissioner of Legal Affairs; Ellen Edwards, Deputy General Counsel; Joel Sander,
Deputy Commissioner of Finance.
Oklahoma City Office—3625 NW 56 Street, Suite 100, Oklahoma City 73112
PO Box 53408, Oklahoma City 73152–3408
Telephone—405/521‑2828, 800/522‑0071, FAX 405/521–6635
Tulsa Office—7645 E. 63 Street, Suite 102, Tulsa 74133
Telephone—918/295–3700, FAX 918/994–7916
Web site—www.oid.ok.gov
Office Hours—8:00‑5:00, Mon.–Fri.
Salary—$126,713 annually
Qualifications for Office—The individual must have five years experience in insurance
business prior to election, be a five-year resident of Oklahoma, and be at least twen-ty-
five years of age.
State Constitution, Article 6, Section 22.
Personnel—121 non-merit, unclassified
Executive Branch 11
Commissioner of Labor
Constitution, Article 6 § 1
Mark Costello, Republican, , was elected state labor commissioner
on November 2, 2010. He is a fourth generation Oklahoman born in
Bartlesville. He graduated from College High in Bartlesville and fol-lowing
his older siblings, entered the University of Kansas from which
he graduated in 1980. To put himself through college, Mark worked
summers in and around the North Sea oil fields. Mark married Cathy
(Cerkey) in 1982, and together they are raising their five children, Anna
Marie, Ian, Christian, Kaitlyn, and Kolbe in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Costello is an experienced businessman who has met the bottom line. He founded AM-CAT,
a telephone software company, in 1991, employing over one hundred employees and
generating tens of millions of dollars of payroll until it was successfully sold in 2007. In 1998
he founded USA Digital Communications, Inc., a telecommunications company that is a
licensed common carrier in over forty states. Costello’s business experience and perspective
uniquely qualifies him to advance conservative principles and encourage the generation of
jobs and opportunities for Oklahomans.
Costello is committed to be an active labor commissioner who will deploy existing resources
to better aid Oklahoma job producers. He will support legislative efforts to reduce govern-ment
bureaucracy and will work hard to promote private-sector job creation. Costello holds
that it is necessary to adopt an administrative system of workers’ compensation in order to
reduce the burden on existing businesses and justly compensate injured workers.
Key Personnel—Jim Marshall, Chief of Staff; Don Schooler, General Counsel; Cheryl Wil-liams,
Finance; Liz McNeill, Communications; Cindy Sullivan, Special Assistant to
the Commissioner; Seth Rott, Research; Diana Jones, Director of OSHA Consulta-tion
Program and PEOSH; Laurie Allen, Director of Asbestos Abatement Division;
Bettye Finch, Director of Statistical Research and Licensing Division; Ray Andrews,
Director of Employment Standards Division; and Sherri Henderson, Information
Systems Administrator .
Office—3017 N Stiles, Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Telephone—405/521–6100, 888/269–5353, FAX 405/521–6018
Tulsa Office—440 S Houston, Suite 300, Tulsa 74127
Telephone—918/581–2400, FAX 918/581–2431
Web site—www.ok.gov/odol
E-mail—labor.info@labor.ok.gov
Qualifications For Office—There are no constitutional or statutory requirements.
Salary—$105,053 annually
Personnel—68 classified, 18 unclassified
12 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Constitution, Article 6 § 1
Janet Barresi, Republican, was sworn in on January 10, 2011, as
Oklahoma’s first new state superintendent in twenty years. Barresi
is committed to giving every child in Oklahoma the chance to learn.
Armed with an undergraduate degree in education and a master’s
degree in speech and language disorders, Barresi worked in both the
Harrah and Norman public school systems as a speech pathologist.
While in Harrah, Barresi ran a special summer clinic for severely
handicapped children in need of remediation for speech and language
problems. After her work in public schools, she joined the Department of Otolaryngology
at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where she served patients at both
Children’s Hospital and University Hospital.
In 1984 she became Dr. Barresi when she earned her DDS degree and became a dentist.
Barresi has been a member of numerous professional organizations and has served as the
past president of the Oklahoma Association of Women Dentists. She recently received the
Thomas Jefferson Citizenship Award, an honor bestowed only on those dentists who have
distinguished themselves through community service. After twenty-four years, Barresi retired
as a dentist and business owner to concentrate solely on education issues.
In 1996, Barresi established Oklahoma’s first charter school, Independence Charter Middle
School, after passage of Oklahoma’s landmark charter school bill. Now in its eleventh year,
Independence serves 350 students and has a waiting list each year for acceptance. Inde-pendence
was so successful that Barresi was asked to start Harding Charter Preparatory
High School, where she served as board president. Focused on serving 400 inner-city high
school students, Harding offers a diverse student population a rigorous college preparatory
curriculum.
Barresi has remained active in changing the course of public education for all children in
the state. She has served as chairwoman of the ACE II Task Force, was involved in the de-velopment
of Oklahoma House Speaker Chris Benge’s Teacher Performance Pay Initiative
and served as a member of the Education Funding Reform Task Force.
Key Personnel—Jennifer Carter, Chief of Staff; Jennifer Watson, Assistant State Super-intendent
of Instruction; Kerri White, Assistant State Superintendent of Student
Support; Damon Gardenhire, Executive Director of Communications; Lisa Endres,
Legal, General Council; John Kraman, Executive Director of Student Information;
Mathangi Shankar, Director of Financial Services; and Bob Neel, Executive Director
of Accreditation.
Office—Room 121, Oliver Hodge Memorial Education Building, 2500 N Lincoln,
Oklahoma City 73105–4599
Office Hours—8:00‑4:30, Mon.–Fri.
Telephone—405/ 521‑3301, FAX 405/521–6205
Web site—www.sde.state.ok.us
Qualifications For Office—The individual must be a U.S. citizen, not less than thirty-one
years old and qualified elector of state for ten years prior to election.
State Constitution, Article 6, Section 3.
Salary—$124,373 annually
Personnel—1 classified, 299 unclassified
Executive Branch 13
Corporation Commission
Constitution, Article 9 § 15
Office—2101 N Lincoln Boulevard, Jim Thorpe Building, Oklahoma City 73105
P.O. Box 52000, Oklahoma City 73152–2000
405/521–2211, FAX 405/521–6045
Tulsa Office—440 S Houston Ave., Suite 114, Tulsa 74127 • 918/581–2296
Website—www.occeweb.com
Bob Anthony, Republican, is currently the longest serving util-ity
commissioner in the United States and has served five times as
chairman of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. He is a member
of the board of directors for the National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners, and past chairman of the National Regulatory
Research Institute. The United States Secretary of Energy appointed
Anthony to the National Petroleum Council. He is past president of the
Mid-America Regulatory Conference, a member and past president of
the Economic Club of Oklahoma, and is a delegate to the worldwide
General Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Anthony holds a BS from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania;
a Master of Science from the London School of Economics; a Master of Arts from Yale
University; and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University. He rose to
the rank of captain in the U.S. Army Reserve. In 1972 he served as staff economist for the
United States House of Representatives Interior Committee. From 1979 to 1980 Anthony
served on the Oklahoma City Council as Ward 2 Councilman and as vice mayor. In 1980, at
age thirty-two, Anthony became president of C.R. Anthony Company retail stores, then the
largest privately-owned firm headquartered in Oklahoma. During his seven-year term as
president, annual sales for the retail chain increased from $256 to $411 million and payroll,
employment, and dollar profits reached all-time record levels. In 1988 he was chairman of
the Trust Committee of Oklahoma’s largest bank trust department.
In 1995 the Federal Bureau of Investigation honored Anthony with its highest award given
to a citizen who “at great personal sacrifice, has unselfishly served his community and the
nation.” Among other recognitions, the American Association of Retired Persons of Okla-homa
presented Anthony with an award “in appreciation of his tireless efforts on behalf of
Oklahoma consumers.”
Anthony has served as a statewide elected official longer than any current Oklahoma office
holder, winning his fourth consecutive six-year term on the Oklahoma Corporation Commis-sion
in November 2006. He initially ran for the Corporation Commission in 1988, becoming
the first Republican elected to that body in sixty years, and receiving more votes than any
Republican since statehood. In 1994 Anthony became the first Republican incumbent in
Oklahoma history to win statewide reelection to a state office. In 2000 he was reelected,
receiving more votes at that time than any candidate for state office in Oklahoma history.
All four of Anthony’s grandparents came to Oklahoma before statehood. His father was born
in Cleveland, Oklahoma, and his mother grew up in Enid, Oklahoma. He and his wife, Nancy,
were married in 1975. They are the parents of four daughters, and have two grandchildren.
Patrice Douglas was appointed to the Corporation Commission by Governor Mary
Fallin in September 2011, following the resignation of Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud.
Douglas earned a law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. She practiced
14 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
law for thirteen years including serving as a staff attorney for Justice Hardy Summers of the
Oklahoma Supreme Court. Following her law career, Douglas joined
her family’s business, ACP Sheet Metal, serving as general counsel and
vice president. While there, she oversaw the successful creation and
growth of sister company Air Sprial Manufacturing. At the time of her
appointment to the Corporation Commission, Douglas served as ex-ecutive
vice president of First Fidelity Bank in Edmond, and as mayor
of Edmond, a post she held since April 2009.
Dana L. Murphy, Republican, was born in Woodward, Okla-homa,
and is a fifth generation Oklahoman
deeply committed to her home state. After attending Central State
University in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she received the Best All-
Around Freshman Athlete Award, she attended Oklahoma State
University. She graduated in the top 10 percent in her class at OSU,
and received a bachelor’s degree in geology. After practicing as a ge-ologist
for ten years, she obtained her law degree cum laude, while
working and attending night school at Oklahoma City University.
On November 4, 2008, Murphy was first elected to the statewide office
of Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner for a partial two-year term.
On July 27, 2010, she was re-elected to a full six-year term. On January 3, 2011, Murphy became
chair of the commission, following election by her fellow commissioners.
Murphy’s prior experience includes working for almost six years as an administrative law
judge at the commission, where she was named Co-Employee of the Year in 1997, and re-ceived
the Commissioners’ Public Servant Award in 2001. She has more than twenty-two
years experience in the petroleum industry including owning and operating her own private
law firm focused on oil and gas title, regulatory practice and transactional work, and work-ing
as a geologist.
Prior to joining the commission, she was a member of the board of directors for Farmers
Royalty Company. She is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Com-missioners
(NARUC), where she serves on the Energy Resources and the Environment
Committee. She is a member of the OSU Water Research Advisory Board, the Oklahoma
Bar Association, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Edmond Chamber of Com-merce,
and Oklahoma City Geological Society. She also serves as the Oklahoma Corporation
Commission representative on the Board of Trustees of the Oklahoma Public Employees
Retirement System, and is a member of the Salvation Army’s Central Oklahoma Area Com-mand
Advisory Board. Murphy serves as a member of the Energy Advocates, and in March
2007 was recognized as an outstanding woman in energy. She previously served as a trustee
and is currently a care chaplain for the Church of the Servant United Methodist Church in
Oklahoma City. Murphy, a part-time personal fitness trainer, lives in Edmond, but continues
to be actively involved in her family’s farm and ranch in Ellis County, Oklahoma.
Executive Branch 15
Governor Fallin’s Cabinet
(74 O.S. 2001 § 10.3)
Secretary of State—Glenn Coffee
State Capitol, Room 101
2300 N Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City 73105–4897
405/522–3912, FAX 405/521–2031
Secretary of Agriculture—Jim Reese
2800 N Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City 73105–4298
PO Box 528804, 73152–8804
405/522–5719, FAX 405/522–0909
Secretary of Commerce & Tourism—
Dave Lopez
900 N Stiles, Oklahoma City 73126–0980
405/815–5306, FAX 405/815–5290
Secretary of Education—Phyllis
Hudecki
State Capitol, Room 105
2300 N Lincoln
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–4634, FAX 405/521–3353
Secretary of Energy—C. Michael Ming
100 N Broadway, Suite 2430
Oklahoma City 73102
405/285–9213, FAX 405/285–9212
Secretary of Environment—
Gary L. Sherrer
3800 Classen Boulevard
Oklahoma City 73118
405/530–8995, FAX 405/530–8999
Secretary of Finance and Revenue—
Preston Doerflinger
State Capitol, Room 122,
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–2141, FAX 405/521–3902
Secretary of Health & Human
Services—Terry Cline
1000 NE 10 Street, Oklahoma City 73117
405/271–5600
Secretary of Human Resources &
Administration—Oscar B. Jackson Jr.
2101 N Lincoln Blvd., Room G–80
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–6301, FAX 405/524–6942
Secretary of Information Technology
& Telecommunications—Alex Z. Pettit
3115 N Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–3710, FAX 405/522–3042
Secretary of the Military—
Major Gen. Myles L. Deering
3501 Military Circle
Oklahoma City 73111–4398
405/228–5201, FAX 405/228–5524
Secretary of Safety and Security—
Michael C. Thompson
3600 N Martin Luther King
Oklahoma City 73111
PO Box 11415
Oklahoma City, 73136
405/425–2424, FAX 405/425–2324
Secretary of Science & Technology—
Dr. Stephen (W.S.) McKeever
203 Whitehurst
PO Box 112
Stillwater 74078
405/744–6501, FAX 405/744–6244
Secretary of Transportation—
Gary Ridley
200 NE 21 Street, Oklahoma City 73105–3204
405/522–1800, FAX 405/522–1805
Secretary of Veterans Affairs—
Major Gen. (retired) Rita Aragon
2311 N Central, Oklahoma City 73105
405/521–3684, FAX 405/521–6533
16 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Secretary of State
Glenn Coffee
State Capitol, Room 101, 2300 N Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City
73105–4897 • 405/521–3912, FAX 405/521–2031 • www.sos.ok.gov
Glenn Coffee was appointed secretary of state by Governor Mary Fallin
on January 10, 2011. A businessman, attorney, and family man, Coffee
was the first Republican in Oklahoma history to serve as President Pro
Tempore, the top leadership position in the Oklahoma State Senate.
Coffee was also the longest-serving Republican leader in the Senate.
In 2008 Republicans made history by winning their first-ever major-ity
in the Oklahoma Legislature’s upper chamber. As the leader of the
new majority, Coffee was elected to a two-year term as President Pro Tempore serving from
2009 to 2010.
First elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 1998, Coffee quickly gained a reputation as a leader
and a reformer. He has served in a variety of leadership posts in the Senate, including minority
floor leader from 2004 to 2006, and as Senate Co-President Pro Tempore from 2007 to 2008.
Coffee earned an undergraduate degree in political science from Northeastern State University
in 1989, and was named Outstanding Senior. He received a law degree from the University
of Oklahoma College of Law in 1992.
Throughout his twelve years in the Oklahoma Legislature, Coffee was honored by numerous
organizations for his dedication to education, as well as for his efforts to improve public
safety and for his legislation aimed at better protecting Oklahoma’s children. The Higher
Education Alumni Association honored Coffee with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his
support of higher education, and Northeastern State University awarded Coffee the 2003
Citation of Merit, Young Alumnus Award. The Institute for Child Advocacy named Coffee
to its Child Advocates Hall of Fame. Coffee received appreciation awards from the District
Attorneys Council, the Oklahoma Sheriffs Association, and the State Troopers Association
for his support of law enforcement and public safety issues.
Coffee was selected as the 2009 Legislator of the Year by the Oklahoma Rifle Association
and the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association. In 2010 Coffee received the State
Chamber of Oklahoma’s Spirit of Leadership Award for creating the first Republican majority
in Oklahoma’s Senate history as well as becoming first Republican President Pro Tempore.
Coffee received the American Legislative Exchange Council’s 2010 National Legislator of
the Year Award.
Coffee serves as general counsel for the TVC Marketing Association, a family business
providing road and motor club services and other services to small businesses. Coffee lives
in Oklahoma City with his wife, Lisa, and their four children, sons Collin and Blaine and
daughters Anna and Kate.
The secretary of state is responsible for the following executive entities:
Secretary of State, Office of
Access to Justice Commission
Council on Judicial Complaints
Ethics Commission
Judicial Nominating Commission
National Conference of Commissioners on
Uniform State Law
Professional Responsibility Tribunal
State Election Board
Executive Branch 17
Secretary of Agriculture
Jim Reese
2800 N Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City 73105–4298 •
405/522–5719, FAX 405/522–0909
Jim Reese was appointed secretary of agriculture by Governor Mary
Fallin and has been serving in that capacity since January 10, 2011. Re-ese
was raised on a wheat and dairy farm in north central Oklahoma,
where he continues to farm today. He attended Deer Creek-Lamont
High School, Northern Oklahoma College, and Oklahoma State Uni-versity
and received a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology. In
1986 he was elected to the House of Representatives where he served
for fifteen years. While serving in the Oklahoma Legislature he was selected by the George
W. Bush administration to serve as state executive director of the Farm Service Agency for
eight years. He was then chosen by House Speaker Chris Benge to serve as policy advisor
to the Speaker of the House. Secretary Reese is a long time agricultural and rural advocate.
He and his wife, Margaret, have four children.
The secretary of agriculture is responsible for the following executive entities:
Agriculture Enhancement and
Diversification Advisory Board
Beef Council
Biofuels Development Advisory. Committee
Boll Weevil Eradication Organization
Bureau of Standards
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
Act Rule Advisory Committee
Conservation Commission
County Fair Enhancement Program
Dept. of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry
Eastern Red Cedar Registry Board
Farm to School Program
Fire Ant Research and Management
Advisory Committee
Oil Seed Commission
Peanut Commission
Pest Control Compact
Poultry Feeding Operations Act Rule
Advisory Committee
Sheep and Wool Commission
Sorghum Commission
South Central Interstate Forest Fire
Protection Compact and Advisory
Committee
Southern Dairy Compact
State Board of Agriculture
State Board of Registration for Foresters
Wheat Commission
Secretary of Commerce and Tourism
Dave Lopez
900 N Stiles, Oklahoma City 73126–0980 • 405/815–5306,
FAX 405/815–5290
Lopez was appointed secretary of commerce and tourism by Gover-nor
Mary Fallin, and began his duties on March 1, 2011. Long active in
corporate and community leadership positions, Lopez continues to
direct his energies to civic and business endeavors after retiring as an
officer of SBC Communications (now AT&T).
Before concluding a 22–year career with AT&T, Lopez held a variety of
executive positions with its predecessor company in Houston, Dallas,
St. Louis, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Austin. Lopez served as an officer of the corpora-tion,
including a four-year assignment as its president of Oklahoma and later as president
of Texas. After retiring from AT&T and returning to Oklahoma City, Lopez served as the
18 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
president of Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc., and of the American Fidelity Foundation.
He has been recognized for his contributions with honors that include induction into the
Hall of Honor and Commerce from Oklahoma City University, the Dean A. McGee Award
from Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc., and the Humanitarian of the Year from the Oklahoma
City Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. In addition, Oklahoma
Christian University has presented Lopez with an honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree
and he previously served as a regent of the Texas Tech University System.
Lopez was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and received a Bachelor of Science degree from
New Mexico State University in 1974, and a Master of Arts degree from the same institution
in 1979. Lopez is married to the former Lana Blakley. They have five children and seven
grandchildren.
The secretary of commerce and tourism is responsible for the following executive entities:
Commerce entities—
Department of Commerce
Department of Labor and Labor
Commissioner
Electronic Commerce Task Force
Employment Security Commission and
State Advisory Council and Board Review
Greenwood Area Redevelopment Authority
Midwestern Oklahoma Development
Authority
Northeast Oklahoma Public Facilities
Authority
Office for Minority and Disadvantaged
Business Enterprises
Oklahoma Capital Investment Board
Oklahoma Development Finance Authority
Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency
Oklahoma Industrial Finance Authority
Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority
Board
Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority
Small Business Regulatory Review
Committee
Southern Growth Policies Board
Sub-State Planning Districts
Workforce Investment Board
Tourism entities—
1921 Tulsa Race Riot Memorial of
Reconciliation Design Committee
African American Centennial Plaza Design
Committee
Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Corridor Advisory
Committee
Department of Tourism and Recreation
Geographic Information Council
Governor’s Commission for Oklahoma
Artisans
Historic Preservation Review Committee
Historical Records Advisory Board
Humanities Council
J.M. Davis Memorial Commission
Music Hall of Fame Board
Native American Cultural and Educational
Authority
Oklahoma Arts Council
Oklahoma Capitol Complex and Centennial
Commemoration Commission
Oklahoma Film and Music Advisory Comm.
Oklahoma Historical Society
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame
Oklahoma Sam Noble Museum of Natural
History
Register of Natural Heritage Areas
Scenic Rivers Commission
State Geographer
State Register of Natural Heritage Areas
Tourism and Recreation Commission
Tourism Promotion Advisory Committee
War on Terror Memorial Design Committee
Will Rogers Memorial Committee
Executive Branch 19
Secretary of Education
Phyllis Hudecki
State Capitol, Room 105, 2300 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City 73105 •
405/521–4634, FAX 405/521–3353
Hudecki was appointed secretary of education by Governor Mary
Fallin on November 24, 2010. A native of Morris, Oklahoma, she has
over thirty years experience in education. Hudecki began her career
in education as a teacher in Norwich, Connecticut, and served as an
assistant principal at a technical high school in Kansas City, Missouri.
She has worked in the Iowa, Missouri, and Massachusetts state de-partments
of education as well as the U.S. Department of Education
in Washington, D.C. Hudecki also served as an associate director of the National Center for
Research in Vocational Education at the University of California-Berkeley from 1991 to 2000.
In June 2000, she became director of the Oklahoma Business & Education Coalition. She
holds a bachelor’s and doctorate degree in education from Oklahoma State University; an
educational specialist degree in education administration from the University of Missouri-
Kansas City; and a master’s degree in education from the University of Connecticut.
The secretary of education is responsible for the following executive entities:
Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering
Committee
Advancement of Hispanic Students in
Higher Education Task Force
Archives and Records Commission
Career and Technology Education Board
Career and Technology Education
Department
College and University Boards of Regents or
Trustees
Common Schools Capital Improvement
Needs Assessment Committee
County Government Personnel Education
and Training Commission
Department of Education
Education Commission of the States
Education Oversight Board
Educational Professional Standards Board
Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory
Committee
Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Division
of the Oklahoma Career and Technology
Education Advisory Committee
Oklahoma Commission for Teacher
Preparation
Oklahoma Community Service Commission
Oklahoma Educational Television Authority
Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board
Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness
Board
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education
Oklahoma Department of Career and
Technology Education
Physician Manpower Training Commission
Post-secondary Oversight Council
Private Vocational Schools Board
Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference
Center and Nature Park, and Board of
Trustees
Regional University System
School and County Funds Management
Commission
School of Science and Mathematics, and
Board of Trustees
Southern Regional Educational Compact,
and Board of Control
State Accrediting Agency
State Anatomical Board
State Board of Education
State Council on Vocational Education
State Regents for Higher Education
State Textbook Committee
Student Loan Authority
Student Tracking and Reporting
Coordinating Committee
Superintendent of Public Instruction
20 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Secretary of Energy
C. Michael Ming
100 N Broadway, Suite 2430, Oklahoma City 73102 • 405/285–9213,
FAX 405/285–9212
C. Michael Ming currently was appointed secretary of energy by Gover-nor
Mary Fallin on January 5, 2011. He formerly served as the president
of the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA),
and as an independent natural gas producer as a managing member
and principal of K. Stewart Energy Group and K. Stewart Petroleum
Corporation. He holds a bachelor of science degree with distinction in
petroleum engineering and a master of science degree in engineering
management, both from Stanford University. Ming is a registered professional engineer in
Oklahoma. Ming is an emeritus member and past chairman of the Petroleum Investments
Committee at Stanford University. He is actively involved in the University’s energy programs
and co-sponsored the MAP/Ming Visiting Professorship on Energy and the Environment.
He currently serves on advisory boards for the Stanford School of Earth Sciences, the Bureau
of Economic Geology at the University of Texas, and MAP. He formerly served on the Mas-sachusetts
Institute of Technology Future of Natural Gas Study, the Oklahoma Clean Energy
Independence Commission, as an adjunct professor in energy management at the University
of Oklahoma, and as an oil and gas strategic planning advisor to the Department of Energy.
The secretary of energy is responsible for the following executive entities:
Commission on Marginally Producing Oil
and Gas Wells
Corporation Commission
Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA)
GRDA Board of Directors
Interstate Mining Commission
Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Board
LPG Research, Marketing, & Safety
Commission
Miner Training Institute
Oklahoma Department of Mines
Oklahoma Energy Resources Board
Oklahoma Mining Commission
Southern States Energy Board
Southern States Energy Compact
Storage Tank Advisory Council
Secretary of Environment
Gary L. Sherrer
3800 Classen Boulevard, Oklahoma City 73118 • 405/530–8995,
FAX 405/530–8999 • www.environment.ok.gov
Gary L. Sherrer was named Oklahoma’s sixth secretary of environment
by Governor Mary Fallin on January 14, 2011. In addition to serving
as Governor Fallin’s lead advisor on environmental matters, he is
currently serving as assistant vice president for external relations in
Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and
Natural Resources (DASNR).
Sherrer served four consecutive terms in the Oklahoma House of
Representatives. Sherrer served as caucus chairman, assistant floor leader, and chaired
the House Agriculture Committee during his tenure in the legislature. He was appointed
by Governor David Walters to serve as Oklahoma’s first secretary of agriculture, and was
selected as commissioner and president of the State Board of Agriculture. Sherrer then
Executive Branch 21
served Governor Frank Keating as Secretary of Environment and executive director of the
Water Resources Board. The Murrah Building bombing occurred during Sherrer’s time
there which resulted in the complete destruction of the Water Resources Board offices. He
subsequently partnered with First Lady Cathy Keating for the administration of funds for
educational needs for families of victims.
On Governor Brad Henry’s Transition Team, he served as a member of the Agriculture Com-mittee,
chaired the Energy Committee and chaired the Environment, Utilities, and Natural
Resources Committee. Sherrer has served as chief administrative officer and assistant chief
executive officer for KAMO, a power generation and transmission firm in Vinita, Oklahoma.
Sherrer serves on the board of directors for Rural Enterprises, Incorporated.
Sherrer obtained a bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant.
He volunteered for military service and served as a combat medic during the Vietnam War.
Sherrer and his wife, Judith, live in Stillwater with their daughter Connor.
The secretary of environment is responsible for the following executive entities:
Air Quality Council
Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River
Compact Commission
Arkansas River Basin Interstate Committee
Arkansas-White-Red River Basins
Interagency Commission
Bioenergy Initiative, Oklahoma
Canadian River Commission
Carbon Sequestration Advisory Committee
Central Interstate Low-Level Radioactive
Waste Compact Commission
Compliance Advisory Panel
Department of Environmental Quality
Department of Wildlife Conservation
Environmental Quality Board
Hazardous Waste Management Advisory
Council
Kansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact
Commission
Laboratory Services Advisory Council
Lead-Impacted Communities Relocation
Assistance Trust
Oklahoma-Texas Red River Boundary
Compact
Radiation Management Advisory Council
Red River Compact Commission
Rural Action Partnership Program
Rural Area Development Task Force
Solid Waste Management Advisory Council
Water Law Advisory Committee
Water Quality Mgmt Advisory Council
Water Research Institute
Water Resources Board
Water Resources Research Coordinating
Committee
Waterworks and Wastewater Works
Advisory Council
Wildlife Conservation Commission
Wildlife Conservation Department
Secretary of Finance and Revenue
Preston Doerflinger
Room 122, State Capitol, 2300 N Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City
73105 • 405/521–2141, FAX 405/521–3902
Doerflinger was appointed secretary of finance and revenue by Gov-ernor
Mary Fallin on January 19, 2011. He also serves as the director of
the Office of State Finance (OSF). As director of OSF, Doerflinger plays
an important role in developing, communicating, and implement-ing
executive branch fiscal policies and oversees preparation of the
governor’s executive budget for submission to the legislature. Prior
to his appointment as secretary of finance and revenue, Doerflinger
founded and served as chief executive officer of PLD Management, a business consulting
and investment firm. In 2009 he was elected city auditor of Tulsa. He received a bachelor’s
degree in organizational leadership from Southern Nazarene University. Doerflinger and
22 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
his wife, Jill, live in Tulsa with their son Kros.
The secretary of finance and revenue is responsible for the following executive entities:
Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental
Relations
Board of Trustees/Teachers’ Retirement
System
Board on Legislative Compensation
Building Bonds Commission
Capitol Improvement Authority
Cigarette and Tobacco Tax Advisory
Committee
Commissioners of the Land Office
CompSource Board of Managers
CompSource Oklahoma
Consumer Credit Commission
Contingency Review Board
Council of Bond Oversight
Department of Consumer Credit
Department of Securities
Firefighters Pension and Retirement Board
Incentive Review Committee
Industry Advisory Committee
Insurance Commissioner
Insurance Department
Internet Applications Review Board
Judicial Compensation Board
Land Office Commissioners
Law Enforcement Retirement Board
Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Assoc.
Linked Deposit Review Board
Long-Range Capital Planning Commission
Lottery Commission Board of Trustees
Mortgage Broker Advisory Committee
Multiple Injury Trust Fund
Office of State Finance
Oklahoma College Savings Plan and Board
of Trustees
Oklahoma Development Finance Authority
Oklahoma Pension Commission
Okla. Public Employees Retirement System
Oklahoma Tax Commission
Physician Advisory Committee
Police Pension and Retirement System
Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty
Association
Property and Casualty Rates Board
Securities Commission
Special Agency Account Board
State Auditor and Inspector
State Banking Board
State Banking Department
State Board of Equalization
State Bond Advisor
State Treasurer
Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement
Committee
Teachers’ Retirement System
Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust
Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council
Secretary of Health & Human Services
Terry L. Cline PhD
1000 NE 10 Street, Oklahoma City 73117 • 405/271–5600
Cline was appointed secretary of health and human services by Gov-ernor
Mary Fallin on January 31, 2011. Cline also serves as Oklahoma’s
Commissioner of Health, a position he has held since June 30, 2009.
Cline previously completed a post as Health Attache at the U.S. Embassy
in Baghdad, Iraq, where he advised the U.S. Ambassador, the Iraqi
Minister of Health, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services on health-related challenges in Iraq. He served in this capacity
under the administrations of President George W. Bush and President
Barack Obama. Cline also served as administrator for the federal Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration from 2006–2008, where he directed the $3.3 billion
agency that is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity, and effectiveness of
the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health service
delivery systems. In 2004 he was appointed by Governor Brad Henry as Oklahoma’s secretary
of health. He also served as the commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health
and Substance Abuse Services. His professional history also includes staff psychologist at
Executive Branch 23
McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts; clinical instructor in the Harvard Medical
School Department of Psychiatry; and chair of the governing board for a Harvard teaching
hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cline earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from
the University of Oklahoma in 1980. He received a master’s degree and doctorate degree in
clinical psychology from Oklahoma State University. The secretary of health and human
services is responsible for the following executive entities or their successors:
Advisory Committee for Medical Care for
Public Assistance Recipients
Advisory Council on Alcohol and Drug
Abuse
Advisory Council on Traumatic Spinal Cord
and Traumatic Brain Injury
Agent Orange Outreach Committee
Aging Council
Alarm and Locksmith Industry Committee
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention & Life
Skills Education Advisory Council
Alcohol and Drug Counselors
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention,
Training, Treatment & Rehabilitation
Authority
Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Community
Mental Health Planning and
Coordination Boards
Alzheimer’s Research Advisory Council
Barber Advisory Board
Blind Vendors Committee
Boxing Commission
Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and
Treatment Advisory Committee
Cerebral Palsy Commission
Child Abuse Examination Board
Child Abuse Prevention
Child Abuse Prevention Training and
Coordination Council
Child Death Review Board
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Advisory Committee
Children and Youth Commission
Community Hospitals Authority
Community Social Services Center
Authority
Consumer Advocacy
Cord Blood Donations Advisory Council
Department of Health
Dept. of Mental Health/Substance Abuse
and Board
Developmental Disabilities Council
Early Childhood Intervention Interagency
Coordination Council
Emergency Response Systems Development
Advisory Council
Faith-based and Community Initiatives
Food Service Advisory Council
Genetic Counseling Advisory Committee
Governor’s Advisory Committee on
Employment of People with Disabilities
Governor’s Council of Physical Fitness and
Sports
Governor’s Health Care Workforce
Resources Board
Governor’s Interagency Council on
Homelessness
Governor’s United We Ride Council
Group Homes for Persons with
Developmental or Physical Disabilities
Advisory Board
Handicapped Concerns Advisory
Committee
Handicapped Concerns Office
Health Care Information Advisory
Committee
Health Care Study Commission
Health Care Workforce Resources Board
Hearing Aid Advisory Council
Home Health Advisory Board
Hospice Advisory Board
Hospital Advisory Council
Human Services Commission
Human Services Department
Interstate Compact on Mental Health
J.D. McCarty Center for Children with
Developmental Disabilities
Juvenile Affairs Board
Juvenile Affairs Office
Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group
Licensed Behavioral Practitioners Advisory
Board
Licensed Marital and Family Therapist
Committee
Licensed Professional Counselors Advisory
Board
Long-Term Care Administrators Board of
Examiners
Long-Term Care Facility Advisory Board
Medical Direction Subcommittee
Medical Micropigmentation Advisory
Council
Mental Health Advisory Committee on
Deafness & Hearing Impairment
24 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Oklahoma Health Care Authority
Oklahoma State University Medical
Authority
Organ Donor Education and Awareness
Program Advisory Council
Partnership for Children’s Behavioral
Health
Placement of Children Interstate Compact
Post Adjudication Review Advisory Board
Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy and
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Public Guardian Office
Rehabilitation Services Commission
Rehabilitation Services Department
Residents and Family State Council
Sanitarian and Environmental Specialist
Registration Advisory Council
Santa Claus Commission
Services to Mentally Ill Homeless Persons
Interagency Council
State Board of Health
State-Tribal Relations Joint Committee
Statewide Independent Living Council
Strategic Planning Committee on the
Olmstead Decision
Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund
Board of Directors
Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation
Advisory Committee
Trauma Systems Improvement and
Development Advisory Council
University Hospitals Authority
Vision Screening Advisory Committee For
Children
Youth Suicide Prevention Council
Secretary of Human Resources
and Administration
Oscar B. Jackson Jr.
G–80 Jim Thorpe Building, 2101 N Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City
73105 • 405/521–6301, FAX 405/524–6942
Oscar Jackson serves as cabinet secretary of Human Resources as well
as administrator of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). As
such, Jackson provides general oversight and serves as liaison with
several state government agencies. OPM administers a comprehensive,
multi-functional human resources system for the state service. Major
components of the system include position classification, compensa-tion
and benefits, salary administration, recruitment and certification,
personnel assessment, human resources development, workforce planning, the Certified
Public Manager Program, the Certified Personnel Professional Program, the Carl Albert Public
Internship Program, and the State Employee Assistance Program. In addition, OPM monitors
state agencies’ affirmative action efforts, and provides staff support for the Affirmative Ac-tion
Review Council, the Oversight Committee for State Employee Charitable Contributions,
the State Productivity Enhancement Program, the Employee Assistance Program Advisory
Council, and the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women
In 1991 Jackson was appointed by Governor David Walters as OPM administrator and cabinet
secretary of Human Resources. Governor Frank Keating reappointed him to both positions
in 1995. In 2003 Governor Brad Henry continued his appointment as OPM administrator and
expanded his role to cabinet secretary. Governor Mary Fallin continued the appointments
in January 2011. Jackson has announced his retirement effective November 1, 2011.
The secretary of human resources and administration is responsible for the following execu-tive
entities or their successors:
Accountancy Board
Advanced Practice Nurse Formulary
Advisory Council
Affirmative Action Review Committee
Alternative Fuels Technician Examiners
Hearing Board
Executive Branch 25
Athletic Trainers Advisory Committee
Board of Licensed Social Workers
Capitol-Medical Center Improvement
and Zoning Commission and Citizens
Advisory Committee
Certified Public Manager Advisory Board
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Formulary Advisory Committee
Chiropractic Examiners Board
Compensation and Unclassified Positions
Review Board
Construction Industries Board
Dentistry Board
Department of Central Services
Dietetic Registration Advisory Committee
Electrical Examiners Committee and
Hearing Board
Electronic and Information Technology
Accessibility Advisory Council
Embalmers and Funeral Directors Board
Employee Assistance Program Advisory
Council
Employee Child Daycare Advisory
Committee
Home Inspectors Examiners Committee
Horse Racing Commission
Human Rights Commission
Incentive Awards for State Employees
Committee
Licensed Architects, Landscape Architects,
and Interior Designers Board
Licensed Social Workers
Manufactured Home Advisory Committee
Medical Examiners Committee and Hearing
Board
Medical Licensure and Supervision Board
Mentor Selection Advisory Committee
Merit Protection Commission
Motor Vehicle Commission
Nursing Board and Formulary Advisory
Council
Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee
Office of Personnel Management
Oklahoma Commission on the Status of
Women
Optometry Examiners Board
Osteopathic Examiners Board
Oversight Committee for State Employee
Charitable Contributions
Perfusionists Board of Examiners
Pharmacy Board
Physical Therapy Committee
Physician’s Assistant Advisory Committee
Plumbing Examiners Committee and
Plumbing Hearing Board
Podiatric Medical Examiners Board
Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
Board of Registration
Psychologist Board of Examiners
Public Employees Relations Board
Real Estate Appraiser Board
Real Estate Commission
Registered Electrologists Advisory
Committee
Respiratory Care Advisory Committee
Sanitarian Registration Advisory Council
Savings and Loan Advisory Council
Sheriff’s Personnel Task Force
Speech Pathology and Audiology Board of
Examiners
State Board of Cosmetology
State Capitol Preservation Commission
State Employees Benefits Council
State Use Committee
State/Education Employees Group
Insurance Board
Used Motor Vehicle and Parts Commission
Veterinary Medical Examiners Board
Secretary of Information Technology and
Telecommunications
Alex Z. Pettit
3115 N Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City 73105 • 405/521–2710,
FAX 405/522–3042
Pettit was appointed secretary of information technology and tele-communications
by Governor Mary Fallin on January 5, 2011. He also
serves as the state’s chief information officer in the Office of State
Finance, where he manages the Information Services Division. Pettit
26 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
has jurisdictional responsibility related to information and telecommunications systems
of all Oklahoma state agencies as provided under the Oklahoma Services Information
Act. Moreover, he is responsible for approving state agencies’ procurement of information
technology and telecommunication hardware, software, maintenance, and consulting
services. Pettit has global industry, government, and Big 4 consulting experience, and is a
recognized leader in Enterprise Architecture. He has directed both industry and consulting
organizations in diverse roles as a chief technology officer, vice president of BCP service line
leader, and senior manager and regional director of technology and telecommunications.
He has received the Best of Texas Award for IT leadership, the Public Technology Institute
IT Leadership Award, and the Society for Information Management IT Executive of the
Year Award for his leadership. Pettit is a published author on IT leadership in Studies in
E-Government, Government Technology magazine, the Journal for Enterprise Architecture,
and most recently in the 2009 SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture. He is certified by the
Disaster Recovery Institute International as a certified business continuity professional. He
also holds certifications with Novell, Filenet, Sun Systems, and IBM.
The secretary of information technology and telecommunications is responsible for the
following executive entities or their successors:
Electronic and Information Technology
Accessibility Advisory Council
State Governmental Technology
Applications Review Board
Secretary of the Military
Major General Myles L. Deering
3501 Military Circle, Oklahoma City 73111–4398 • 405/228–5201,
FAX 405/228–5524
Major General Myles L. Deering serves as the secretary of the military
as well as the adjutant general of Oklahoma. As such, he is responsible
for commanding units of the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard.
He also serves as the military advisor to the governor. Deering was com-missioned
in 1976 through the Texas Army National Guard. After his
transfer into the Oklahoma Army National Guard, he rose through the
ranks to command the 700th Support Battalion and served as director
for the Human Resources Directorate as well as the director for the Plans, Operations, and
Training Directorate. He served as joint staff director before he assumed command of the
45th Infantry Brigade in December 2004. He commanded the 45th Infantry Brigade during
deployments to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2008. Governor
Henry appointed Deering as secretary of the military in February 2009, and Governor Mary
Fallin reappointed him to the position on December 13, 2010.
The secretary of the military is responsible for the following executive entities or their suc-cessors:
Military Department
Oklahoma Homefront Task Force
Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning
Commission
State Adjutant General
Executive Branch 27
Secretary of Safety and Security
Michael C. Thompson
3600 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Oklahoma City 73111; PO Box
11415 Oklahoma City 73136 • 405/425–2424, FAX 405/425–2324
Michael C. Thompson was appointed secretary of safety and security
by Governor Mary Fallin on December 20, 2010. He also serves as
commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. As commissioner,
Thompson is directly responsible for the Department of Public Safety,
which includes the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP). Thompson rose to
the rank of major with the OHP before being appointed commissioner
by Governor Fallin. While assigned to the OHP, he graduated from the
FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Thompson is also a colonel in the Oklahoma
National Guard, and a decorated combat veteran of two deployments to Iraq in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom. He received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Langs-ton
University; a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University; and a master’s degree
in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. He is a graduate of the 208th Session of
the FBI National Academy.
The secretary of safety and security is responsible for the following executive entities:
Adult Offender Supervision, Oklahoma
State Council for Interstate
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Policy Board
Alcohol and Drug Influence Board of Tests
Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement
Amber Alert
Attorney General
Chief Medical Examiner
Corrections Board
Crime Victims Compensation Board
Corrections Department
Council on Law Enforcement Education
and Training
District Attorney’s Council
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Advisory Council
Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board
Driver’s License Compact
Driver’s License Medical Advisory Comm.
Emergency Management Advisory Council
Emergency Management Department
Hazardous Materials Emergency Response
Commission
Highway Safety Coordinating Committee
Highway Safety Office
Homeland Security Director, Office of
Governor’s Executive Panel on Security &
Preparedness
Governor’s Committee on Homeland
Security Funding
Indigent Defender System Board
Indigent Defense System Board, Appellate
Board of Medicolegal Investigations
State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous
Drugs Control
State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous
Drugs Control Commission
National Crime Prevention and Privacy
Compact Council
Nonresident Violator Compact Board
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation,
and Commission
Pardon and Parole Board
Polygraph Examiners Board
Public Safety Department
Sentencing Commission
Sick Leave Review Board
State Fire Marshal Office
Statewide Nine-One-One Advisory Board
28 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Secretary of Science and Technology
Dr. Stephen W.S. McKeever
203 Whitehurst, Stillwater 74078 • 405/744–6501, FAX 405/744–6244
McKeever was appointed secretary of science and technology by Gov-ernor
Mary Fallin on January 6, 2011. He also serves as vice president
for the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Research and Technology
Transfer, and as the executive director of the OSU Multispectral Lab
in Ponca City. McKeever joined the OSU physics faculty in 1983, and
attained the rank of associate in 1986, full professor in 1989, and regents
professor in 1990. He was named a Noble Research Fellow in Optical
Materials 1987, served as head of the department from 1995 to 1999, and
as associate dean for research in the College of Arts & Sciences from 2000 to 2003. McKeever
was named the MOST (More Oklahoma Science and Technology) Chair of Experimental
Physics in 1999. He became vice president in 2003.
McKeever’s research and technology transfer experience has led him to strong interests and
substantial experience in how best to transition technology from the state’s research institu-tions
into commercial enterprises for the benefit of the local and state economies, and the
creation of innovative and scalable models for technology commercialization and job growth
within the state. His personal research interest involving radiation sensor development has
led to new patents and licenses, a new company formation in Stillwater, and almost $13
million in external funding for the university. He formed and created the Radiation Physics
group at OSU, now consisting of four full-time faculty members plus postdoctoral assistants,
graduate, and undergraduate students.
McKeever has authored or co-authored over 190 scientific publications and six books. He
has six U.S. and nine international patents. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society,
a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, and a member of the Health Physics Society. He sits on
numerous committees and boards including the Oklahoma Technology and Research Park,
the Oklahoma BioEnergy Center, the Oklahoma Bioscience Association, Oklahoma EPSCOR,
and the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research. He has served on several editorial
boards, and is presently consulting editor of the Elsevier journal Radiation Measurements.
The secretary of science and technology is responsible for the following executive entities:
Archeological Survey
Biological Survey
Climatological Survey
EDGE Fund Policy Brd, and Brd of Investors
Experimental Program to Stimulate
Competitive Research Advisory
Committee (EPSCOR)
Geological Survey
Science and Technology Council
Science and Technology Research and
Development Board
Oklahoma Center for the Advancement
of Science and Technology
Oklahoma Institute of Technology
Secretary of Transportation
Gary Ridley
200 NE 21 Street, Oklahoma City 73105–3204 • 405/522–1800, FAX 405/522–1805
Longtime transportation executive Gary Ridley was appointed secretary of transportation
by Governor Brad Henry in May 2009 and reappointed by Governor Mary Fallin in Novem-ber
2010. He also has held the positions of Oklahoma Department of Transportation direc-tor
since August 2001, and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority director since October 2009.
Executive Branch 29
Ridley’s journey up through the ranks provided him with first-hand insights into the whole
spectrum of department operations. His ODOT service began in 1965,
when he joined the department as an equipment operator. He has
served as maintenance superintendent in Kingfisher; traffic superin-tendent
in Perry as well as field maintenance engineer; Division Five
maintenance engineer and division engineer in Clinton. In 2001 he
was named assistant director of operations, and later ODOT director.
A native of Chicago, Ridley is a registered professional engineer. He
and his wife, Eula, live in Yukon. They have two children, Daphne and
Joe.
The secretary of transportation is responsible for the following execu-tive
entities:
Aeronautics Commission
Highway Construction Materials Technician
Certification Board
All Port Authorities
Tourism Signage Advisory Task Force
Transportation Commission
Transportation Department
Transportation County Advisory Board
Transportation Tribal Advisory Board
Trucking Advisory Board
Turnpike Authority
Oklahoma Space Industry Development
Authority
Waterways Advisory Board
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Major General (retired) Rita Aragon
2311 N Central, Oklahoma City 73105 • 405/521–3684,
FAX 405/521–6533
Aragon was appointed secretary of veterans affairs by Governor Mary
Fallin on November 19, 2010. Aragon was born, raised, and graduated
high school in rural Dale, Oklahoma. She received a bachelor’s degree
in education, a master’s degree in guidance and counseling, and an
administrative certification from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Aragon’s post graduate work was in education administration at
Oklahoma State University. For twenty-three years she was employed
in the Oklahoma City public schools as an elementary teacher, guidance counselor, and
principal. Aragon enlisted in the Oklahoma Air National Guard on September 9, 1979, as
an airman basic in the 219th Engineering Installation Squadron (EIS) in Oklahoma City. She
received her commission through the Academy of Military Science at Knoxville, Tennessee
on October 1981. She returned to the 219th EIS as an administrative officer. In 1989 Captain
Aragon became the first female commander in the Oklahoma Air National Guard when she
assumed command of the 137th Services Flight at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base. She
became the first female to hold the rank of brigadier general in the Oklahoma Air National
Guard, and the first female commander of the Oklahoma Air National Guard in March 2003.
Aragon was promoted to the rank of major general in November 2005. She retired from
the Oklahoma Air National Guard in 2007. She served as director of the Advanced Military
Programs at the University of Oklahoma in Norman from 2008–2010.
The secretary of veterans affairs is responsible for the following executive entities:
Veterans Affairs Department
War Veterans Commission
30 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Legislative
Branch
32
33
President Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb
President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman
Majority Floor Leader Mike Schulz
Assistant Floor Leader Anthony Sykes
Assistant Floor Leader Clark Jolley
Assistant Floor Leader John Ford
Majority Whip Cliff Branan
Majority Whip Dan Newberry
Majority Whip Gary Stanislawski
Majority Whip Rob Johnson
Caucus Chair Bryce Marlatt
Minority Leader Andrew Rice
Asst. Min. Floor Leader Sean Burrage
Asst. Min. Floor Leader Roger Ballenger
Asst. Min. Floor Leader John Sparks
Asst. Min. Floor Leader Charles Wyrick
Min. Whip Earl Garrison
Min. Whip Judy E. McIntyre
Min. Caucus Chair Tom Ivester
Min. Caucus Vice Chair Susann Paddack
Dist. Name
1 Charles Wyrick (D)
2 Sean Burrage (D)
3 Jim Wilson (D)
4 Mark Allen (R)
5 Jerry Ellis (D)
6 Josh Brecheen (R)
7 Richard Lerblance (D)
8 Roger Ballenger (D)
9 Earl Garrison (D)
10 Eddie Fields (R)
11 Judy Eason McIntyre (D)
12 Brian Bingman (R)
13 Susan Paddack (D)
14 Frank Simpson (R)
15 Jonathan Nichols (R)
16 John Sparks (D)
Dist. Name
17 Charles Laster (D)
18 Kim David (R)
19 Patrick Anderson (R)
20 David Myers (R)
21 Jim Halligan (R)
22 Rob Johnson (R)
23 Ron Justice (R)
24 Anthony Sykes (R)
25 Mike Mazzei (R)
26 Tom Ivester (D)
27 Bryce Marlatt (R)
28 Harry Coates (R)
29 John Ford (R)
30 David Holt (R)
31 Don Barrington (R)
32 Randy Bass (D)
Dist. Name
33 Tom Adelson (D)
34 Rick Brinkley (R)
35 Gary Stanislawski (R)
36 Bill Brown (R)
37 Dan Newberry (R)
38 Mike Schulz (R)
39 Brian Crain (R)
40 Cliff Branan (R)
41 Clark Jolley (R)
42 Cliff Aldridge (R)
43 Jim Reynolds (R)
44 Ralph Shortey (R)
45 Steve Russell (R)
46 Andrew Rice (D)
47 Greg Treat (R)
48 Constance Johnson (D)
State Senators by District
This list of senators by district is given as a cross-reference. In the section following, senators’
names are arranged in alphabetical order.
Oklahoma State Senate
Senate Leadership
34 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Senators Contact Reference List
The Senate switchboard number is 405/524–0126. (Agency Code 421; IA)
Senator Phone Room E-mail
Adelson, Tom (33) 405/521–5551 527A adelson@oksenate.gov
Aldridge, Cliff A. (42) 405/521–5584 511 aldridge@oksenate.gov
Allen, Mark (4) 405/521–5576 415 allen@oksenate.gov
Anderson, Patrick (19) 405/521–5630 417A anderson@oksenate.gov
Ballenger, Roger (8) 405/521–5588 527B ballenger@oksenate.gov
Barrington, Don (31) 405/521–5563 515A barrington@oksenate.gov
Bass, Randy (32) 405/521–5567 528B bass@oksenate.gov
Bingman, Brian (12) 405/521–5528 422 bingman@oksenate.gov
Branan, Cliff (40) 405/521–5543 417C branan@oksenate.gov
Brecheen, Josh (6) 405/521–5586 513A brecheen@oksenate.gov
Brinkley, Rick (34) 405/521–5566 512 brinkley@oksenate.gov
Brown, Bill (36) 405/521–5602 413A brownb@oksenate.gov
Burrage, Sean (2) 405/521–5555 529B burrage@oksenate.gov
Coates, Harry E.(28) 405/521–5547 531 coates@oksenate.gov
Crain, Brian A. (39) 405/521–5620 417B crain@oksenate.gov
David, Kim (18) 405/521–5590 520 david@oksenate.gov
Eason McIntyre, Judy (11) 405/521–5598 429 easonmcintyre@oksenate.gov
Ellis, Jerry (5) 405/521–5614 535 ellis@oksenate.gov
Fields, Eddie (10) 405/521–5581 514B efields@oksenate.gov
Ford, John W. (29) 405/521–5634 424A fordj@oksenate.gov
Garrison, Earl (9) 405/521–5533 528A whitep@oksenate.gov
Halligan, Jim (21) 405/521–5572 416 halligan@oksenate.gov
Holt, David (30) 405/521–5636 411A holt@oksenate.gov
Ivester, Tom (26) 405/521–5545 529A ivester@oksenate.gov
Johnson, Constance N. (48) 405/521–5531 534B johnsonc@oksenate.gov
Johnson, Rob (22) 405/521–5592 413 johnsonr@oksenate.gov
Jolley, Clark (41) 405/521–5622 425 jolley@oksenate.gov
Justice, Ron (23) 405/521–5537 423 justice@oksenate.gov
Laster, Charlie (17) 405/521–5539 533B laster@oksenate.gov
Lerblance, Richard (7) 405/521–5604 535A lerblance@oksenate.gov
Marlatt, Bryce (27) 405/521–5626 427 marlatt@oksenate.gov
Mazzei, Mike (25) 405/521–5675 424 mazzei@oksenate.gov
Myers, David F. (20) 405/521–5628 519 ingraham@oksenate.gov
Newberry, Dan (37) 405/521–5600 414 newberry@oksenate.gov
Nichols, Jonathan (15) 405/521–5535 428 nichols@oksenate.gov
Paddack, Susan (13) 405/521–5541 533A paddack@oksenate.gov
Reynolds, Jim (43) 405/521–5522 412 reynolds@oksenate.gov
Rice, Andrew (46) 405/521–5610 522 rice@oksenate.gov
Russell, Steve (45) 405/521–5618 428B russell@oksenate.gov
Schulz, Mike (38) 405/521–5612 418 schulz@oksenate.gov
Shortey, Ralph (44) 405/521–5557 514A shortey@oksenate.gov
Simpson, Frank (14) 405/521–5607 513B simpson@oksenate.gov
Sparks, John (16) 405/521–5553 533 sparks@oksenate.gov
Stanislawski, Gary (35) 405/521–5624 427A stanislawski@oksenate.gov
Sykes, Anthony (24) 405/521–5569 426 lewis@oksenate.gov
Treat, Greg (47) 405/521–5632 530 treat@oksenate.gov
Wilson, Jim (3) 405/521–5574 533C wilson@oksenate.gov
Wyrick, Charles (1) 405/521–5561 521 wyrick@oksenate.gov
35
Oklahoma State House of
Representatives
House of Representatives Leadership
Speaker Kris Steele
Speaker Pro Tempore Jeffrey Hickman
Majority Leader Dale DeWitt
Majority Floor Leader Daniel Sullivan
Assistant Majority
Floor Leader Gary W. Banz
Assistant Majority
Floor Leader Lisa J. Billy
Assistant Majority
Floor Leader George Faught
Assistant Majority
Floor Leader Mike Jackson
Assistant Majority
Floor Leader Dennis Johnson
Assistant Majority
Floor Leader Leslie Osborn
Majority Whip Sky McNiel
Assistant Majority Whip Dennis Casey
Assistant Majority Whip Marion Cooksey
Assistant Majority Whip Corey Holland
Assistant Majority Whip Fred Jordan
Assistant Majority Whip Steve Martin
Assistant Majority Whip Randy McDaniel
Assistant Majority Whip Mike Sanders
Assistant Majority Whip Paul Wesselhoft
Majority Caucus Chair Weldon Watson
Majority Caucus
Vice Chair Harold Wright
Majority Caucus
Secretary Marian Cooksey
Minority Leader Scott Inman
Minority Floor Leader Chuck Hoskin
Deputy Minority
Floor Leader Eric Proctor
Assistant Minority
Floor Leader Wes Hillard
Assistant Minority
Floor Leader Steve Kouplan
Assistant Minority
Floor Leader Al McAffrey
Assistant Minority
Floor Leader Jeannie McDaniel
Assistant Minority
Floor Leader Wade Rousselot
Assistant Minority
Floor Leader Mike Shelton
Minority Whip Ben Sherrer
Assistant Minority Whip Cory T. Williams
Minority Caucus Chair Jerry McPeak
Minority Caucus
Vice Chair Joe Dorman
Minority Caucus
Secretary Donnie Condit
36 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
State Representatives by District
This list of representatives by district is given as a cross-reference. In the following section,
representative’s names are arranged in alphabetical order.
Dist. Name
1 Vacant
2 John Bennett (R)
3 James Lockhart (D)
4 Mike Brown (D)
5 Doug Cox (R)
6 Chuck Hoskin (D)
7 Larry Glenn (D)
8 Ben Sherrer (D)
9 Marty Quinn (R)
10 Steve Martin (R)
11 Earl Sears (R)
12 Wade Rousselot (D)
13 Jerry McPeak (D)
14 George Faught (R)
15 Ed Cannaday (D)
16 Jerry Shoemake (D)
17 Brian Renegar (D)
18 Donnie Condit (D)
19 R.C. Pruett (D)
20 Paul Roan (D)
21 Dustin Roberts (R)
22 Wes Hilliard (D)
23 Sue Tibbs (R)
24 Steve Kouplen (D)
25 Todd Thomsen (R)
26 Kris Steele (R)
27 Josh Cockroft (R)
28 Tom Newell (R)
29 Skye McNiel (R)
30 Mark McCullough (R)
31 Jason Murphey (R)
32 Danny Morgan (D)
33 Lee Denney (R)
34 Cory T. Williams (D)
35 Dennis Casey (R)
Dist. Name
36 Sean Roberts (R)
37 Steve Vaughan (R)
38 Dale DeWitt (R)
39 Marian Cooksey (R)
40 Mike Jackson (R)
41 John Enns (R)
42 Lisa Billy (R)
43 Colby Schwartz (R)
44 Emily Virgin (D)
45 Aaron Stiles (R)
46 Scott Martin (R)
47 Leslie Osborn (R)
48 Pat Ownbey (R)
49 Tommy Hardin (R)
50 Dennis Johnson (R)
51 Corey Holland (R)
52 Charles Ortega (R)
53 Randy Terrill (R)
54 Paul Wesselhoft (R)
55 Todd Russ (R)
56 Phil Richardson (R)
57 Harold Wright (R)
58 Jeff Hickman (R)
59 Mike Sanders (R)
60 Purcy Walker (D)
61 Gus Blackwell (R)
62 T.W. Shannon (R)
63 Don Armes (R)
64 Ann Coody (R)
65 Joe Dorman (D)
66 Jadine Nollan (R)
67 Pam Peterson (R)
68 Glen Mulready (R)
69 Fred Jordan (R)
70 Ron Peters (R)
Dist. Name
71 Daniel Sullivan (R)
72 Seneca Scott (D)
73 Jabar Shumate (D)
74 David Derby (R)
75 Dan Kirby (R)
76 David Brumbaugh (R)
77 Eric Proctor (D)
78 Jeannie McDaniel (D)
79 Weldon Watson (R)
80 Mike Ritze (R)
81 Randy Grau (R)
82 Guy Liebmann (R)
83 Randy McDaniel (R)
84 Sally Kern (R)
85 David Dank (R)
86 William Fourkiller (D)
87 Jason Nelson (R)
88 Al McAffrey (D)
89 Rebecca Hamilton (D)
90 Charles Key (R)
91 Mike Reynolds (R)
92 Richard Morrissette (D)
93 Mike Christian (R)
94 Scott Inman (D)
95 Charlie Joyner (R)
96 Lewis H. Moore (R)
97 Mike Shelton (D)
98 John Trebilcock (R)
99 Anastasia Pittman (D)
100 Elise Hall (R)
101 Gary Banz (R)
(Editor’s Note: Rusty Farley
(R) from District 1 died on
July 4, 2011).
Legislative Branch 37
Representatives Contact Reference List
The House switchboard number is 405/521–2711. (Agency Code 422, IA)
Representative Phone Room E-mail
Armes, Don (63) 405/557–7307 440 donarmes@okhouse.gov
Banz, Gary W. (101) 405/557–7395 406 garybanz@okhouse.gov
Bennett, John (2) 405/557–7315 326 john.bennett@okhouse.gov
Billy, Lisa J. (42) 405/557–7365 302A lisajbilly@okhouse.gov
Blackwell, Gus (61) 405/557–7384 305A gusblackwell@okhouse.gov
Brown, Mike (4) 405/557–7408 545 mikebrown@okhouse.gov
Brumbaugh, David (76) 405/557/7347 329B david.brumbaugh@okhouse.gov
Cannaday, Ed (15) 405/557–7375 339B ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov
Casey, Dennis (35) 405/557–7344 300B dennis.casey@okhouse.gov
Christian, Mike (93) 405/557–7371 537C mike.christian@okhouse.gov
Cockroft, Josh (27) 405/557–7349 315 josh.cockroft@okhouse.gov
Condit, Donnie (18) 405/557–7376 500A donnie.condit@okhouse.gov
Coody, Ann (64) 405/557–7398 439 anncoody@okhouse.gov
Cooksey, Marian (39) 405/557–7342 409 mariancooksey@okhouse.gov
Cox, Doug (5) 405/557–7415 410 dougcox@okhouse.gov
Dank, David (85) 405/557–7392 400 david.dank@okhouse.gov
Denney, Lee (33) 405/557–7304 436 leedenney@okhouse.gov
Derby, David (74) 405/557–7377 337 david.derby@okhouse.gov
DeWitt, Dale (38) 405/557–7332 433 daledewitt@okhouse.gov
Dorman, Joe (65) 405/557–7305 507 joedorman@okhouse.gov
Enns, John (41) 405/557–7321 434 john.enns@okhouse.gov
Faught, George (14) 405/557–7310 301A george.faught@okhouse.gov
Fourkiller, William (86) 405/557–7394 510B will.fourkiller@okhouse.gov
Glenn, Larry (7) 405/557–7399 502 larryglenn@okhouse.gov
Grau, Randy (81) 405/557–7360 324 randy.grau@okhouse.gov
Hall, Elise (100) 405/557–7403 321 elise.hall@okhouse.gov
Hamilton, Rebecca (89) 405/557–7397 510 rebeccahamilton@okhouse.gov
Hardin, Tommy (49) 405/557–7383 323 tommy.hardin@okhouse.gov
Hickman, Jeff (58) 405/557–7339 411 jwhickman@okhouse.gov
Hilliard, Wes (22) 405/557–7412 500 weshilliard@okhouse.gov
Holland, Corey (51) 405/557–7405 537 corey.holland@okhouse.gov
Hoskin, Chuck (6) 405/557–7319 509 chuck.hoskin@okhouse.gov
Inman, Scott (94) 405/557–7370 548 scott.inman@okhouse.gov
Jackson, Mike (40) 405/557–7317 441 mikejackson@okhouse.gov
Johnson, Dennis (50) 405/557–7327 435 dennis.johnson@okhouse.gov
Jordan, Fred (69) 405/557–7331 333 fred.jordan@okhouse.gov
Joyner, Charlie (95) 405/557–7314 336 charlie.joyner@okhouse.gov
Kern, Sally (84) 405/557–7348 304 sallykern@okhouse.gov
Key, Charles (90) 405/557–7354 405 charles.key@okhouse.gov
Kirby, Dan (75) 405/557–7356 334 dan.kirby@okhouse.gov
Kouplen, Steve (24) 405/557–7306 546 steve.kouplen@okhouse.gov
Liebmann, Guy (82) 405/557–7357 331 guyliebmann@okhouse.gov
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McDaniel, Jeannie (78) 405/557–7334 508 jeanniemcdaniel@okhouse.gov
McDaniel, Randy (83) 405/557–7409 302B randy.mcdaniel@okhouse.gov
38 ABC: Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
Representative Phone Room E-mail
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Judicial
Branch
40
41
Oklahoma Court System
The Oklahoma Court System is made up of the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals,
the Court of Civil Appeals, and seventy-seven District Courts.
Courts of Last Resort Civil—Supreme Court
Criminal—Court of Criminal Appeals
Intermediate Appellate Court Court of Civil Appeals
Courts of General Jurisdiction District Courts
Courts of Limited Jurisdiction Court on the Judiciary
Court of Tax Review
Workers’ Compensation Court
Municipal Criminal Courts of Record
Municipal Courts Not of Record
Court-Related Entities Judicial Nominating Commission
Dispute Resolution Advisory Board
Unlike most states, Oklahoma has two courts of last resort. The Oklahoma Supreme Court
determines all issues of a civil nature, and the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decides
all criminal matters. Members of these courts, and of the Court of Civil Appeals, are appointed
by the governor from a list of three names submitted by the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating
Commission. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has nine justices; the Court of Criminal Appeals,
five judges; and the Court of Civil Appeals, twelve judges.
The Court of Civil Appeals is responsible for the majority of appellate decisions. These opin-ions
may be released for publication by either the Oklahoma Supreme Court or the Court of
Civil Appeals. When the opinions are released by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, they have
precedential value. The Court of Civil Appeals is made up of four divisions, each composed
of three judges. Two divisions of the Court of Civil Appeals are located in Oklahoma City,
and two are in Tulsa.
Deciding cases is only one of the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s functions. The court is also
responsible for administering the state’s entire judicial system. The court establishes rules
of operation for all other courts in the state. The court formulates rules for practice of law,
which govern the conduct of all attorneys, and it administers discipline in appropriate cases.
Administrative services for the court system are provided by the Administrative Office of
the Courts. For more information please contact the Administrative Office of the Courts at
405/556–9300.
42
Supreme Court
Constitution, Article 7 § 1
History and Function—The Oklahoma Supreme Court determines all issues of a civil
nature in the State of Oklahoma. Members of this court are appointed by the governor
from a list of three names submitted by the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission.
Name City District
Steven W. Taylor, Chief Justice McAlester 2
Tom Colbert, Vice Chief Justice Tulsa 6
Douglas L. Combs Shawnee 8
James Edmondson Muskogee 7
Yvonne Kauger Colony 4
Noma D. Gurich Oklahoma City 3
John F. Reif Tulsa 1
Joseph M. Watt Altus 9
James R. Winchester Chickasha 5
Administration—Michael D. Evans, Administrative Director of the Courts; Mike
Mayberry, Deputy Director; Debra Charles, General Counsel. Administrative Office
of the Courts is located in the Denver Davison Building, 1915 North Stiles, Suite 305,
Oklahoma City 73105 • 405/556–9300 • www.oscn.net • Agency Code 677, IA
Clerk of the Appellate Courts (Constitution, Article 7 § 5; 20 O.S. 2001, § 78),
Michael S. Richie. Clerk Office is located in Room B-2, State Capitol, Oklahoma City,
OK 73105 • 405/556–9400
Staff Attorneys
Name Justice Name Justice
David Dixon Tom Colbert W. Kyle Shifflett Yvonne Kauger
Kate DoDoo Tom Colbert Sharon Schooley John Reif
Sheldon Jones Douglas L. Combs Hilda Harlton John Reif
Frank Sewell Douglas L. Combs Donna Embry Steven W. Taylor
Vacant James Edmondson Barbara Kinney Steven W. Taylor
Michael Elliott James Edmondson Paul White James Winchester
John W. Turner Noma Gurich Jill van Egmond James Winchester
Vacant Noma Gurich Vicki Angus Joseph M. Watt
Julie Rorie Yvonne Kauger Cindy George Joseph M. Watt
Referees—Greg Albert, Louise Helms, Daniel Karim, Barbara Swimley
Judicial Branch 43
Justices of the Supreme Court
Chief Justice Steven W. Taylor, District 2. Born on June 7, 1949, in Henryetta,
Oklahoma, Taylor attended McAlester Public Schools. He received
a bachelor’s degree in political science from Oklahoma State Uni-versity
in 1971 and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of
Oklahoma College of Law in 1974. He is the only person to have
received the highest alumni awards at both OSU and OU. Taylor
joined the United States Marine Corps and served both active duty
from 1974 to 1978. He was trained as an infantry platoon com-mander
and later served as a prosecutor and chief defense counsel.
In 1977 he became the youngest judge in the U.S. armed forces. He
achieved the rank of major. Following his military career, Taylor practiced law in McAl-ester
from 1978 to 1984. Taylor’s public service career began in 1980, when he was
elected to the McAlester City Council. In 1982 he was elected mayor of McAlester, mak-ing
him the youngest in the city’s history. In 1983 he received recognition as one of three
“Outstanding Young Oklahomans.” Recognizing Taylor’s leadership in economic
development, the City of McAlester named a multi-million dollar industrial park for
him, where many industries now employ several hundred Oklahomans. The city further
honored Taylor in 1997 by naming him “Citizen of the Year.” Governor George Nigh
appointed Taylor associate district judge in 1984. Taylor became the first associate
district judge elected president of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference. In 1994 he was
elected district judge and chief judge of the eighteenth Judicial District that included
McIntosh and Pittsburg counties. In 1997 and 2003 he was elected presiding judge of
the East Central Judicial Administrative District that encompasses ten counties. During
the twenty years Taylor served as a trial judge, he presided over more than 500 jury
trials including Terry Nichols’s Oklahoma City bombing trial. He has received numer-ous
awards including the Oklahoma Bar Association 2003 “Award of Judicial Excellence.”
On September 23, 2004, Governor Brad Henry appointed Taylor as justice of the Okla-homa
Supreme Court. In 2007 Oklahoma magazine named him as one of the “100 Who
Shaped Us,” a list of Oklahomans who influenced the first one hundred years of our
state. In 2009 he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Taylor can be reached
at Suite 1, Oklahoma Judicial Center, 2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or
405/556–9368.
Vice Chief Justice Tom Colbert, District 6. Colbert, the first African-American
to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court, was born in Oklahoma
City. He graduated from Sapulpa High School, earned an associ-ate’s
degree from Eastern Oklahoma State College in 1970, and a
bachelor of science degree from Kentucky State University in 1973.
While at Kentucky State, Colbert was named an All-American in
track and field. Colbert served in the United States Army and
received an honorable discharge in 1975. He earned a master of
education degree from Eastern Kentucky University in 1976 and
taught in the public schools in Chicago. Colbert received his juris
doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 1982. He was an assistant dean at Mar-quette
University Law School from 1982–1984, and an assistant district attorney in
Oklahoma County from 1984–1986, before entering private law practice at Miles-LaGrange
44 Judicial Branch
Supreme Court
& Colbert from 1986- to 1989. Colbert continued his practice under the name Colbert and
Associates from 1989 to 2000. He also served as an attorney for the Oklahoma Department
of Human Services from 1988 to 1989 and again in 1999. In March 2000, Colbert became
the first African-American appointed to the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals. He served
as chief judge of that court in 2004. On October 7, 2004, Governor Brad Henry appointed
Colbert to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. In January 2011, Colbert was sworn in as the
court’s first African-American vice chief justice. Colbert is a member of the American Bar
Association, the National Bar Association, the Oklahoma Bar Association, and the Tulsa
County Bar Association. He is a frequent speaker at schools. Colbert can be reached at
Suite 1, Oklahoma Judicial Center, 2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105, or
405/556–9365.
Justice Douglas L. Combs, District 8. Born on October 17, 1951 in Shawnee, Okla-homa,
Combs was appointed by Governor Brad Henry to the Okla-homa
Supreme Court on January 1, 2011. He served as district judge
in the twenty-third judicial district from 2003 through 2010, and served
as special judge from 1995 to 2003. Prior to taking the bench, Combs
was in private practice and served as an assistant state attorney gen-eral
and as a deputy clerk for the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Combs
graduated from Shawnee High School in 1969. He attended St.
Gregory’s Junior College, now St. Gregory’s University, and the Uni-versity
of Oklahoma to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science
in 1973. He earned his juris doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law
in 1976, and was admitted to the bar the same year. Combs has served as chief judge of
the twenty-third judicial district and as the presiding judge of the North Central Admin-istrative
Judicial District. He served as a board member of the Oklahoma Judicial Confer-ence
from 2006 to 2010 and held the office of president of the Oklahoma Judicial Confer-ence
in 2009. Combs is married to Janet Lea Combs, and they have two children, Chris-topher,
a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association, and Eric, a third year law student.
He is a resident of Shawnee, Oklahoma. Combs can be reached at Suite 1, Oklahoma
Judicial Center, 2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105, or 405/556–9361.
Justice James E. Edmondson, District 7. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Edmond-son
received a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University
in 1967. He served in the United States Navy from 1967 to 1969. Fol-lowing
his military service, Edmondson enrolled at Georgetown
University Law School and received his law degree in 1973. His legal
career includes serving as Muskogee County’s assistant district attor-ney
from 1976 to 1978, assistant United States attorney from 1978 to
1980, and acting U.S. attorney for Oklahoma’s Eastern District from
1980 to 1981. Edmondson entered private law practice and was a
partner in the Edmondson Law Office from 1981 through 1983. He
served as district judge for District 15 in 1983 and continued in that capacity for twenty
years. Governor Brad Henry appointed Edmondson as justice to the Oklahoma Supreme
Court on December 2, 2003. He served as chief justice in 2009 and 2010. He and his wife,
Suzanne, have two grown children, Jimmy and Sarah, and a grandson, Jack. Edmondson
can be reached at Suite 1, Oklahoma Judicial Center, 2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK
73105, or 405/556–9316.
Judicial Branch 45
Supreme Court
Justice Noma D. Gurich, District 3. Born on September 26, 1952, in South Bend,
Indiana, Gurich graduated from Penn High School in Mishawaka,
Indiana. She graduated magna cum laude from Indiana State Uni-versity
in 1975 with a degree in political science. Gurich received her
juris doctorate degree from the University of Oklahoma College of
Law in 1978. She was an editor of the American Indian Law Review,
and received the Professional Responsibility Award. Gurich has lived
in Oklahoma City for more than thirty years. Before she began her
judicial career, Gurich was engaged in private law practice in Okla-homa
City for ten years. In 1988 she was appointed by Governor
Henry Bellmon to serve as a judge on the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court. She
served as presiding judge of that court for four years. She was reappointed for a second
term by Governor David Walters in 1994. After being appointed by Governor Frank Keat-ing
to the district court bench in July 1998, she won a county-wide election for district
judge that same year. She was re-elected without opposition in 2002, 2006, and 2010.
Gurich served as the presiding administrative judge for the Seventh Judicial District,
Oklahoma County, from January of 2003 to December 31, 2004. She presided over more
than 190 jury trials during her career as district judge. While serving as a district judge,
Gurich served as the presiding judge of both the 11th and 12th Multi-county Grand Juries
(2007–2008 and 2009–2010) by order of the chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Gurich was appointed by Governor Brad Henry as the third woman justice of the Okla-homa
Supreme Court, and she took office on February 15, 2011. Gurich served as president
of the William J. Holloway, Jr. American Inn of Court from 2007 to April of 2008. She
continues as a master member of the Inn. She received the 2003 Mona Salyer Lambird
Spotlight Award from the OBA Women in Law Committee. She is a three time Journal
Record Honoree for Woman of the Year in 2005, 2008, and 2011. She is past president and
member of the Kiwanis Club of Oklahoma City, and was only the second woman president
of the ninety-year-old club when she served from 2006 to 2007. Gurich serves annually
on the Application Screening Committee for the Oklahoma School of Science and Math-ematics.
She is an active member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, where she is a
volunteer Mobile Meals driver and television camera operator. Gurich served as a mis-sionary
to Russia in 1993, 1997, 2000, 2002, and 2004. Gurich is married to John E. Miley,
who is the general counsel of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. Gurich
can be reached at Suite 1, Oklahoma Judicial Center, 2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma 73105 or 405/556–9362.
Justice Yvonne Kauger, District 4. A fourth generation Oklahoman, Kauger was
born in Cordell, Oklahoma, on August 3, 1937, and raised in Colony.
A graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University and the
Oklahoma City University School of Law, Kauger served as presiding
judge for the Court on the Judiciary, and on the Law School and Bench
and Bar Committees of the Oklahoma Bar Association. Governor
George Nigh appointed her as justice to the Oklahoma Supreme Court
on March 11, 1984. She served as the court’s chief justice from January
1997 to December 1998, and she is the only woman to serve as the
court’s chief justice and vice chief justice. Kauger founded the Gallery
of the Plains Indian in Colony, cofounded Red Earth, and has served as coordinator for
46 Judicial Branch
Supreme Court
the Sovereignty Symposium since its inception in 1987. The symposium is a seminar on
Indian law sponsored by the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Kauger has received numerous
honors and awards throughout her distinguished career including being named valedic-torian
of her graduating class at Colony High School, and graduating first in her class from
the OCU School of Law. In 1984 she was adopted by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of
Oklahoma. She was named National Delta Zeta in 1988, and received the Oklahoma City
Pioneer Award in 1989. Kauger served as the featured speaker at the Twentieth William
O. Douglas Lecture Series at Gonzaga University in 1990. She received an honorary doc-torate
degree from OCU in 1991, and has been named as an honorary alumnus by both
OCU and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. In June 1999 the American Judicature
Society awarded Kauger the Herbert Harley Award in recognition of her outstanding
efforts to improve the administration of justice. That same year, the Oklahoma Bar Asso-ciation
honored her with the Judicial Excellence Award. In March 2001 Justice Kauger was
inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame. In 2004 she was named one of the
ten most notable women in Oklahoma City by the Oklahoma City Orchestra League. In
July 2004 she donated Main Street in Colony, which her great grandfather built, to South-western
Oklahoma State University to be used to promote the arts in western Oklahoma.
In 2005 Kauger received the Governor’s Art Award. In addition, she is a member of the
District State-Federal Judicial Council and the Washita County Hall of Fame. Kauger can
be reached at Suite 1, Oklahoma Judicial Center, 2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK 73105,
or 405/556–9364.
Justice John F. Reif, District 1. Born on June 19, 1951, Reif attended Cascia Hall in
Tulsa, graduating in 1969. He attended the University of Tulsa, where
he received a bachelor’s degree in 1973 and a Juris Doctor degree in
1977. Reif’s business and professional positions as well as his public
service include serving the public as a police officer in Owasso from
1973 to 1975. He was employed as a planner and grants specialist for
the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, Indian Nations
Council of Governments from 1974 to 1977. From 1978 to 1981 he worked
as an assistant district attorney for Tulsa County. In addition, he was
a business law adjunct professor at Oral Roberts University from 1983
to 2007, and has served as a faculty member for the National Tribal Judicial Center of the
National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada. He received the President’s Distinguished
Service Award in 1995 from Oral Roberts University. Reif’s judicial service includes a
position as special district judge for the Fourteenth Judicial District from 1981 to 1984. In
1984 he was appointed judge for the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, serving the court
in that capacity until 2007, both as the court’s vice chief judge in 1993 and 2001, and as
chief judge in 1994 and 2002. On October 22, 2007, Governor Brad Henry appointed Reif
as justice to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, and he was retained by the voters for a six-year
term in 2008. Reif has been a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association since 1978. He
has received the 2010 Oklahoma Bar Association Earl Sneed Award in recognition of
annual presentations at OBA-sponsored continuing legal education and community
education programs over the past thirty years. He and his wife have been married for
thirty-five years. Reif can be reached at Suite N-249, Oklahoma Judicial Center, 2100 N
Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or 405/556–9360.
Judicial Branch 47
Supreme Court
Justice Joseph M. Watt, District 9. Watt was born on March 8, 1947, in Austin,
Texas. He graduated from Austin High School in 1965, received a
bachelor’s degree in history/government from Texas Tech Univer-sity
in 1969, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of
Texas Law School in 1972. Admitted to practice law in both Texas and
Oklahoma, Watt moved to Altus, Oklahoma, in 1973, where he worked
in private law practice from 1973 to 1985. He also served as Altus city
prosecutor from 1973 to 1985, and as city attorney from 1980 to 1985.
Watt was appointed special district judge for Jackson County in 1985,
and was elected associate district judge in 1986. He served in that
capacity until January 1991, when he was asked to serve as general counsel in Governor
David Walters’s administration. Watt was appointed as justice to the Oklahoma Supreme
Court on May 18, 1992. Watts’s judicial service also includes Oklahoma Supreme Court
chief justice for two terms from 2003 to 2006; and vice chief justice from 2001 to 2002;
Oklahoma Judicial Conference vice president, 1993 to 1994; Oklahoma Judicial Conference
president elect, 1995; Oklahoma Judicial Conference president, 1996; Court on the Judi-ciary
Appellate Division, 1997–2002; and Supreme Court Liaison to the Oklahoma Bar
Association, 1997–2002. His honors include the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity Outstand-ing
Law Student in the Nation in 1972; University of Texas Circle of Omnicron Delta
Kappa National Honorary Leadership Society, 1972; Paul Harris Fellow; Graduate of the
Inaugural Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Citizens Academy, 2004; Honorary
Alumnus, Oklahoma City University School of Law, 2005; and Honorary Highway Patrol
Trooper, 2006. He has served as secretary and as president of the Altus Rotary Club. Watt
is a member of the Oklahoma and Texas bar associations. He and his wife, Cathy, have
four grown children and three grandchildren. Watt can be reached at Suite 1, Oklahoma
Judicial Center, 2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or 405/556–9359.
Justice James R. Winchester, District 5. Winchester was born on March 23, 1952,
in Clinton, Oklahoma, and graduated from Clinton High School in
1970. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Okla-homa
in 1974, and a Juris Doctor degree from Oklahoma City Univer-sity
in 1977. Winchester practiced law in Weatherford and Hinton
before being named associate district judge for Caddo County in
January 1983. In December 1983, at the age of thirty, Winchester
became one of the youngest district judges in the state, when he was
appointed district judge for the Sixth Judicial District of Oklahoma.
During his tenure as district judge, he tried more than 200 jury trials
ranging from fraud to first-degree murder. The Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association named
Winchester the “Outstanding State Trial Court Judge” in 1986. He served as an executive
board member of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference from 1992 to 1996. He also served as
president of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference in 1995. From August 1997 to January 2000,
Winchester served as a United States administrative law judge. Governor Frank Keating
appointed him to the Oklahoma Supreme Court on January 4, 2000. Winchester and his
wife, former State Representative Susan Winchester, have one son, Davis. Winchester
believes children are one of this state’s most valuable assets, and he established the sec-ond
in-state program entitled “Children Coping With Divorce” to assist children during
that difficult time. Winchester resides in Chickasha and is a member of the Chickasha
First Presbyterian Church. Winchester can be reached at Suite 1, Oklahoma Judicial Cen-ter,
2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or 405/556–9360.
48
Court of Criminal Appeals
Constitution, Article 7 § 1
History and Function—The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest court
in Oklahoma with appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases. It is the state court of last
resort in criminal matters. The court derives its origin and jurisdiction from the state
constitution, which was formulated by the constitutional convention and submitted
to and adopted by the people of Oklahoma at the first election on September 17, 1907.
Members of this court are appointed by the governor from a list of three names submit-ted
by the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission.
Name City District
Clancy Smith Tulsa 1
Charles A. Johnson Norman 2
Gary L. Lumpkin Madill 3
Arlene Johnson, Presiding Judge Oklahoma City 4
David Lewis, Vice-Presiding Judge Lawton 5
Administration Office—Oklahoma Judicial Center, Suite 2, Third Floor, Oklahoma
City, OK 73105 • 405/556–9600 • www.okcca.net • Agency Code 199, IA
Staff Attorneys
Lendell S. Blosser Gaylene Henley
David C. Bugg Lou Ann Kohlman
Brant Elmore Maria Kolar
Byran Dupler Brad Little
Pete Gelvin Melanie Stucky
Patty Grotta M. Caroline Mitchell
Suzanne Heggy Allen Smith
Russ Wheeler Hilary Cohen-Stolzenberg
Judicial Branch 49
Judges of the
Court of Criminal Appeals
Presiding Judge Arlene Johnson, District 4. Johnson received a Bachelor of
Arts degree in English from the University of Oklahoma and Juris
Doctor degree from the OU School of Law. After admission to the
Oklahoma Bar on July 29, 1971, she practiced law with the Okla-homa
City law firm of Bulla and Horning, and subsequently served
as judicial law clerk to the Court of Criminal Appeals. Johnson
worked as Oklahoma County assistant district attorney and as
assistant Oklahoma Attorney General. She served as assistant
United States attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma for
twenty-one years. She received the U.S. Attorney General’s John
Marshall Award for Outstanding Legal Achievement (1998), and the FBI’s Commenda-tion
for Exceptional Service in the Public Interest (1998). Johnson is admitted to practice
before the United States Supreme Court, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the
United States District Court for the Western District. Governor Brad Henry appointed
Johnson to the Court of Criminal Appeals, District 4, on February 18, 2005. She is a
former member of the Tenth Circuit Uniform Criminal Jury Instruction Committee, the
Admissions and Grievance Committee for the Western District of Oklahoma, and is a
former member of the United States Magistrate Merit Selection Panel for the Western
District of Oklahoma. Johnson has also served as an adjunct professor at the Univer-sity
of Oklahoma College of Law. Johnson may be reached at Suite 2, Oklahoma Judicial
Center, 2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or 405/556–9640.
Vice Presiding Judge David Lewis, District 5. Lewis was born in Ardmore,
Oklahoma, and currently serves as vice presiding judge for 2011–2012.
Governor Brad Henry appointed him to the position on August 4,
2005. Lewis earned a bachelor’s degree with high honors from the
University of Oklahoma in 1980. He also earned his law degree from
the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1983. He spent four
years in private practice. He served four years as a Comanche
County prosecutor. Lewis served as Comanche County special
district judge from 1991 to 1999. He was a district judge for Coman-che,
Stephens, Jefferson, and Cotton counties from 1999 to 2005.
Moreover, he has served as president of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference and is a
fellow of the Oklahoma Bar Association. Most recently, Lewis was selected as a mem-ber
of the Class of 2008 Henry Toll Fellowship Program of the Council of State Govern-ments.
Lewis and his wife Dr. Sharon Lewis have a son, David Jr., and a daughter,
Danielle. Lewis can be reached at Suite 2, Oklahoma Judicial Center, 2100 N Lincoln,
Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or 405/556–9611.
Judge Charles A. Johnson, District 2. Johnson was born in Kansas City, Missouri,
and graduated from Ponca City High School. He attended the University of Oklahoma,
where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1955.
Johnson served in the United States Air Force and retired with the rank of colonel from
the United States Air Force Reserve, having received the Meritorious Service Medal and
50 Judicial Branch
Court of Criminal Appeals
the Legion of Merit. Following his release from active duty, Johnson practiced law in
Pawhuska. He later moved to Ponca City and began his own law
practice. He was a senior partner of Phipps, Johnson, Holmes &
Hermanson, later Johnson & Hermanson, and finally the Johnson
Law Firm. Johnson continued to be a private practitioner of law until
Governor Henry Bellmon appointed him to the Court of Criminal
Appeals in 1989. Johnson was honored as one of three Outstanding
Young Oklahomans by the Oklahoma Junior Chamber of Commerce,
and was selected the 1993 Oklahoma Trial Lawyer Association Out-standing
Appellate Judge of the Year. He is a member of the American
and Oklahoma bar associations. Johnson and his wife Janis have three children—Mike,
Jill, and Eddie. Johnson can be reached at Suite 2, Room N 346, Oklahoma Judicial Center,
2100 N Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or 405/556–9641.
Judge Gary L. Lumpkin, District 3. Originally a native of Sentinel, Oklahoma,
Lumpkin graduated from Weatherford High School in 1964. He
received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from South-western
State College in 1968, and a Juris Doctor degree from the
University of Oklahoma School of Law in 1974. Lumpkin served in
the United States Marine Corps from 1968 to 1971, serving eighteen
months in Vietnam. He retired in 1998, after thirty years of service,
with the rank of colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves. He com-pleted
his military service as one of only two Marine Reserve judges
assigned to the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals.
Lumpkin worked as a staff attorney for the Oklahoma Department of Consumer Affairs.
He was appointed assistant district attorney for Marshall County in 1976, and subse-quently
first assistant district attorney for the Twentieth District. Lumpkin served as
associate district judge for Marshall County from 1982 to 1985, and as district judge,
Twentieth Judicial District, Division II from 1985 to 1989. Governor Henry Bellmon
appointed him to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, and he began his service on
the court in January 1989. Lumpkin was named Outstanding Young Man of America by
the U.S. Jaycees in 1979, and Outstanding Assistant District Attorney of the Third Congres-sional
District by the Oklahoma District Attorneys Association in 1981. He also received
the 1999 William J. Holloway Jr. Professionalism Award from the William J. Holloway Jr.
American Inn of Court. Southwestern Oklahoma State University selected him as their
2007 Distinguished Alumnus and inducted him into the University Hall of Fame. Lump-kin
is a member of the Marine Corps Reserve Association; Oklahoma, Oklahoma Coun-ty,
and Marshall County bar associations; Oklahoma Bar Foundation; Oklahoma Judicial
Conference; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4611; and the William J. Holloway Jr. Ame