Victoria Woods, Chair

Victoria Woods was appointed Commissioner in 2013 and reappointed in 2018 by Governor Mary Fallin. She has served as Financial Officer for the Commission. Woods is founder and CEO of ChappelWood Financial Services, a company creating customized strategies for millionaires and aspiring millionaires.

Known as The Financial Diva, Victoria is an author, and radio show host. She was named the National Association of Women Business Owners “Best of the Best,” one of Oklahoma City's Journal Record's 50 Most Influential Women, Innovator of the Year, National Community Inspiration Award.

Commissioner Woods has been featured in media outlets including the Today Show, Success Today TV, NewsWeek, Barron's, and Fox Business. She is a visionary entrepreneur who lives by her motto, “The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one doing it.”

Molly Vigil Wehrenberg, Vice Chair

Mrs. Molly Wehrenberg was appointed Commissioner in 2019 by President Pro Tempo Greg Treat. Prior to her appointment as Commissioner, she served on the OCSW Advisory Council.  A Transplanted New Mexican, Molly first came to Oklahoma to pursue a nursing degree at St. Anthony’s School of Nursing and Oklahoma City University. She became the head nurse at St. Anthony’s Hospital Eye Surgery Unit, and after retirement enjoyed Spanish translating for eye surgeons doing surgery on non- English speaking patients.

Commissioner Wehrenberg is actively involved in public service. She is a 2015 recipient of the George and Martha Washington Award, presented by the Defenders of Liberty organization, and the 2016 Good Samaritan Award from BOTT Radio. As a member of Visionary Oklahoma Women (VOW), she is involved in many different fields fostering creativity and enhancing global prosperity.

Active in her faith, Wehrenberg is a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and the Women’s Prayer Group at Christ the King. She enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends. She is married to Paul Wehrenberg and the mother of two successful sons, Aaron and Casey.

Shondra McCage, Financial Officer

Ms. Shondra McCage was appointed Commissioner in 2013 by the Speaker of the House T.W. Shannon and reappointed in 2018 by Speaker Charles McCall.  She is an enrolled Chickasaw citizen and works for the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health’s diabetes program. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist.

She is a committed advocate and is actively involved with the American Diabetes Association where she currently serves in two roles within the organization: Chairman for the Native American/Alaska Native Diabetes Action Council and board member for the Western Oklahoma Area.

Commissioner McCage graduated from East Central University in 1998 with a degree in Exercise Science. In 2005 she received her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center Women. Currently she is pursuing her Doctoral degree in Health Promotion Sciences at OUHSC Hudson College of Public Health.

Karen Sneary, Secretary

Ms. Karen Sneary was appointed Commissioner in 2012, and reappointed in 2017 by Governor Mary Fallin. She is the Director of Student Services at Canadian Valley Technology Center for the Cowan Campus in Yukon.  She is active in a variety of student activities and serves on various committees for continuous improvement within the CVTech district.  Sneary helps at the state level with student organizations and helping young people to grow and develop as leaders.

Commissioner Sneary has served as Secretary and Chairperson of the Advisory Council. She serves on the Board for Blessing Baskets, a non-profit organization in Canadian County that provides food, school supplies, and more to those in need.  She teaches as an adjunct business professor at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. 

Sneary graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. in Finance and earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.  She has completed post-graduate work at the University of Oklahoma.

Dr Nyla Khan, Advisory Council Chair

 

Dr. Nyla Ali Khan was appointed Commissioner in 2018 by Senate President Pro Tempore, Greg Treat. Prior to her appointment, she served on the OCSW Advisory Council. She is a faculty member at Rose State College, a visiting professor at the University of Oklahoma, and former Associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. She is the author of several books. Her latest book, The Life of a Kashmiri Woman: Dialectic of Resistance and Accommodation examines the life of her mother, Akbar Jehan "paint[ing] a loving and personal picture of a powerful woman whose role and actions gave Kashmir a model for women's political action in the critical period before and after the partition of India in 1947."

Commissioner Khan is an Oklahoma Humanities Scholar presenting public talks statewide, where she focuses on education and women’s empowerment.  She is a member of the Harvard-based Scholars Strategy Network. She has served on the board of Generation Citizen, a nonprofit organization seeking to empower the younger generation through civics education. Dr. Khan is an active member of the multicultural, multinational and multireligious Women’s Interfaith Alliance. 

Dr. Khan earned her Masters in Postcolonial Literature and Theory at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, and obtained her Ph.D. at the same institution. in 2018, she was recognized at the OK State Capitol for her human rights work, honored by the Oklahoma League of Women Voters as one of the 100 Trailblazers, and the Journal Record 50 Making a Difference.

Dr. Delores Runnels, Immediate Past Chairman

Dr. Delores Runnels was appointed Commissioner in 2018 by Senate President Pro Tempore, Greg Treat. Prior to her appointment, she served on the OCSW Advisory Council. She is the founder of Career Daze, a nonprofit organization focused on connecting the classroom with the real world. Before creating Career Daze, Runnels worked in the Putnam City School District for over 6 years. She was a substitute teacher for the PC School District, where she organized several young women's leadership conferences at Putnam City North High School. She also was a member of the Advisory Board for the Oklahoma City Career Academy for Douglas High School.

Commissioner Runnels serves as Senior Pastor along with her husband Keith, at The Father’s House Church located in Edmond.  In addition, she has served on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Children’s Theatre for several years,

Ms. Runnels earned a Masters degree in Theology, and a Doctorate of Scared Studies of Theology Global Inc, from Christian Life School of Theology, located in Columbus, GA.

Kitti Asberry, Executive Director

Ms. Kitti Asberry has served as Executive Director since 2015. Prior to that, she served as Office Administrator. From her experience as a longtime community leader, activist and volunteer in Oklahoma, she brings demonstrated leadership in advancing women's issues in our state and beyond. She is responsible for working with the Commission towards improving outcomes and expanding opportunities for women, girls and families in Oklahoma.

As Executive Director, she oversees programming, marketing, events, social media and daily operations of the Commission. Currently she serves as Vice President for the National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW.)  She serves as Secretary on the board of Directors for Sister Cities International of Oklahoma, an organization devoted to creating and strengthening relations around the globe. She is a board member of Sally's List, a progressive organization which recruits women to run for public office. In 2019 she was appointed by OKC Mayor David Holt to serve on the Board of Adjustments. She is a graduate of Leadership OKC, Class XXX.

Asberry earned her Bachelor of Science in Business /Management, and her Master of Business Administration / Human Resources Management from the University of Phoenix. She has completed work towards her Doctor of Business Adminsitraiton. In addition, she is a 1986 graduate of the George Meany School of Political Science and Labor Studies, in Washington, D.C.

 Brenda Barwick Jones, Commissioner

Ms. Brenda Jones Barwick was appointed Commissioner in 2011 , and reappointed in 2016 by Governor Mary Fallin. Brenda is a strong national advocate for women in business and in 2001 founded the national integrated communications agency, Jones PR. She has developed and implemented a national marketing campaign for the nation’s largest women’s business group, Women Impacting Public Policy, the voice for women in business in our nation’s capital. In 2015, the Association for Women in Communications (AWC) recognized her achievements in advocating for women with the National Headliner Award. Prior to establishing Jones PR, Brenda was Vice President of Public Relations at Ackerman McQueen. She returned to Oklahoma after 15 years in Washington, D.C., and Switzerland where she worked at The White House and The U.S. State Department for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Brenda has been very active in the community.

Commissioner Jones has served on the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Board of Directors and Executive Committee as a Vice Chair. She was selected to Leadership Oklahoma Class XXV and is an active member in Rotary Club 29. She represented Oklahoma City as a National Delegate to the Public Relations Society International Conference. Inc. magazine ranked Brenda’s company in 2015 on the coveted Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in America. 

Ms. Jones has received the national Clarion Award by AWC and the Paul E. Dannelly Harmony Award for achievements in public relations. Jones PR has won three Best of Show Awards by Public Relations Society of America, Oklahoma City chapter and several ADDY Awards. She earned national accreditation in public relations in 1999 and her B.A. in Journalism from OU. Brenda and her attorney husband, James, reside in Edmond

Representative Rhonda Baker, Commissioner

 Representative Rhonda Baker was appointed Commissioner in 2017 by Speaker of the House, Charles McCall. Prior to being elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2016, Representative Baker was a middle school English teacher who had spent nearly two decades in the profession at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level.

As a member of the House, she has served as the vice-chair of the House Common Education Committee and as a member of the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education. She also serves as a member of the Children, Youth, and Family services committee, Judiciary Committee of Criminal Justice and Corrections and the Oversight Committee.

Commissioner Baker is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a master’s degree in Education. She and her husband Les, also an educator, are owners of a successful small irrigation business, they have three children.

Jan Barrick, Commissioner

Mrs. Jan Barrick was appointed Commissioner in 2017 by Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman. Barrick began her career as a special education teacher in her hometown of Lawton. She later taught in public schools in Norman and Edmond as well as the University of Central Oklahoma before leaving the classroom to focus solely on her tutoring and consulting business.

In 1990, educator and author Barrick founded Alpha Plus Educational Systems, Inc.  a company helping low-performing schools in Oklahoma improve their state and federal accountability scores, through teacher training, aligned interim assessments and data-driven improvement of instruction. 

Commissioner Barrick serves on the board of advocates for OU's Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education as well as the board of trustees for the Oklahoma Foundation of Excellence and is active with other professional and civic organizations. She is married to Jerry Plant. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and volunteering to help women and small business owners become successful.

Marci Bond, Commissioner

 Marci Bond was appointed Commissioner in 2020 by Speaker of the House, Charles McCall. She is the Marketing Director for AmeriState Bank in Atoka, Oklahoma and the founder of MarciInTheMiddle.Com, a personal blog encouraging girls and women of all ages to live with purpose and passion.

She has served on the Atoka County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Alumni Association Board of  Directors. In addition, she serves as a worship leader and teacher at Victory Life Church and serves on various civic and educational boards in her community.

Mrs. Bond graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications & Public Relations followed by a degree in Secondary Language Arts Education.

 

Representative Carol Bush, Commissioner

 Representative Carol Bush was appointed Commissioner in 2017 by Speaker of the House, Charles McCall. She represents HD-70 in Tulsa Oklahoma. Prior to being elected, she owned and operated several retail stores in Oklahoma.  Currently she serves as Vice Chair of the Long-Term Care and Health Services Committee, member of the Public Health Committee, Children Youth and Family Services and Finance A&B subcommittee, member of the Oklahoma Commission on the status of Women, member of the Diabetes Caucus, and member of the Oklahoma Care-Giver Coalition.

Representative Bush has extensive experience as a community volunteer.  Over the years she has served on various boards in the Tulsa area including; Big Brothers and Sisters of Green Country, Tulsa Area United Way, Camp Fire U.S.A., Tulsa Public Schools Mentoring Council, Philbrook Art After Five, Board of Deacons at First Presbyterian Church, Emergency Infant Services,  YWCA,  and Board Member of the Junior League of Tulsa

Commissioner Bush is a graduate from Oral Roberts University, Tulsa Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business/Marketing. She has two daughters, Moriah and Nicole. Leisure time activities include bicycling, and travel.

Pat Carr, Commissioner

Ms. Pat Carr was appointed Commissioner in 2019 by Senate President Pro Tempore. She has mentored women of all ages in business for over 30 years. For the last six years she has mentored women in transition from prison to society through The Education & Employment & Ministry (TEEM.)

Commissioner Carr is the author of an inspirational & motivational book, “All Dreams Matter.” In August of 2019, she co- produced a video in cooperation with The Bridge Assembly of God Church, located in Mustang, OK and TEEM, titled “Because You Can.” The video is FREE for public use and can be seen and shared on YouTube or VIMEO.COM/369933989.

Ms. Carr is a home builder, decorator, image consultant, and motivational speaker. She is a successful business owner and entrepreneur.  She attended Apache High School and Cameron University in Lawton.

Denise Castelli, Commissioner

MS. Denise Castelli was appointed Commissioner in 2013 and reappointed in 2018 by Governor Mary Fallin. She is the owner of LimeLight Productions, a company booking talent for local Universities, producing Inaugural Balls, concerts, festivals, weddings, and one of Oklahoma’s largest Fireworks shows and PyroMusicals.

Commissioner Castelli is a Founder and current Board Member of Kingdom Media Club, an organization devoted to faith, family, and films. She is a past board member of DeadCenter Film Festival. Her past appointments include member of the Community Action Agency Executive Board serving Oklahoma and Canadian Counties, Advisor for First Start Programs, where she was instrumental in implementing the first Educare facility in Oklahoma City. In addition, she served on the OETA Authority Board, and the Oklahoma Film and Music Office Board.

With a passion for promoting healthy media content, and for helping young singer/songwriters cultivate their craft and navigate the music industry, Commissioner Castelli mentors many talented young Oklahoma filmmakers and musicians.

Dr. Lee Denney, Commissioner

 Dr. Lee Denney was appointed Commissioner in 2015 by Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman and reappointed in 2020 by Speaker McCall. She is Co-owner of Veterinary Medical Associates, Inc. in Oklahoma and has been since 1979. She served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2004-2016, representing HD-33 in Payne County.  While in the House, she served as the Speaker Pro Tempore working on educational issues and criminal justice.

Commissioner Denney served on the Cushing City Commission and filled the roles of Mayor and Vice Mayor. Currently she serves as President of the Federal Executive Board of Oklahoma and as the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association President. Lee received the New Legislator of the Year 2006 Honor, along with the 50 Women Making a Difference and the Leadership Oklahoma Class VII.

Dr. Denney earned her degree in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University, and then went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Oklahoma State University.

Julie Dermody, Commissioner

Ms. Julie A. Dermody was appointed Commissioner in 2021 by Speaker of the House, Charles McCall. She is the Rogers County Election Board Secretary and is responsible for making sure that elections in the County are held correctly. As secretary, she manages and trains an office staff of four along with, approximately one hundred and eighty paid volunteer poll workers.

Commissioner Dermody is also the part time Director of Community Outreach and Special Events for Keystone Chevrolet, and continually monitors their social media presence. She has had a successful sales, marketing, and promotional career with more than a decade of communications experience.

Julie holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Rogers State University with a Major in Corporate Communications and a Minor in Art. She holds an Associates Degree from Tulsa Community College with a Major in Liberal Arts and an Associates Degree from Oklahoma Jr. College with a Major in Travel and Tourism and a Minor in Business.

Janie Dillard, Commissioner

Janie Dillard was appointed Commissioner in 2021 by Speaker of the Charles McCall. House. She began her career with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma in 1982 as a secretary for Community Health. A  modern-day trailblazer, Janie set her roots in the gaming industry when the Choctaw Bingo Palace opened in 1987. 

As Director of Gaming, she led the Nation’s expansion throughout southeastern Oklahoma. By 2001, she was Executive Director of Gaming, managing the Tribe’s gaming compact with the State of Oklahoma and opening four casinos including the $300 million flagship Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant. Ms. Dillard became Senior Executive Officer for the Division of Commerce in January 2018.

In 2010, Janie was awarded the OIGA Warriors Award for lifetime achievement. In 2011, Janie one of 11 gaming professionals presented with Casino Enterprise Management’s “2010 Great Women of Gaming Proven Leader Award” for her outstanding professionalism, perseverance, drive, commitment and mentorship.

Jana Gridley, Commissioner

Jana Gridley was appointed Commissioner in 2021 by Governor Kevin Stitt. She is Marketing and Brand Manager for Claims Management Resources in downtown Oklahoma City.

A seasoned communications professional, Jana has enjoyed working in a variety of industries including subrogation, nonprofit, telecom, publishing, and dental consulting, giving her a variety of experience and a diverse network within the Oklahoma City metro.

Jana is founder and co-director of Polished Oklahoma City, a network that gathers working women to navigate the workplace and explore faith together in authentic community. Jana is passionate about women leading out in the workplace, community, and local church to use their skills and God-given talents.

 

Commissioner Gridley is a graduate from Hardin-Simmons University with a Bachelor of Behavioral Science in Political Science and Communication. She lives in Edmond, OK with her husband and two sons. Jana is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City's LOYAL Class VI and is active in their alumni program. 

 

 

Jessica Grogis, Commissioner

 

 

 Jessica Grogis was appointed Commissioner in 2022 by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat. She serves as deputy executive director for the Oklahoma Tax Commission where she has led development and execution of legislative strategy for the agency since 2020. Grogis previously spent five years as the director of communications and legislative liaison for the Oklahoma Commissioner of the Land Office. She was also the director of government relations and business affairs for Oklahoma Roofing & Sheet Metal.

 

Grogis served as a field representative for U.S. Representative Tom Cole’s office in southwest Oklahoma. Prior to that, she was the recipient of three Inspector General’s Awards for her work at the Office of the Inspector General Management & Planning Division in the United States Department of Justice.

Grogis graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics.  She received her Master of Science in Agricultural Communications from Oklahoma State University.

 
Joy Hammons, Commissioner

Joy Hammons was appointed Commissioner in 2021 by Governor Kevin Stitt. She is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Foreword, a leadership development and strategy consulting firm located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She previously served as Director of IT for Devon Energy where she had responsibility for strategic portfolio solutions.

 

Her passion lies in coaching individual leaders and teams to success, both personally and professionally. She is certified as a Life Coach, a previous United Way and American Heart Association Board volunteer, a previous advisory board member for Women in Technology, involved in STEM related activities, and a lifetime member of the FBI Citizens Academy.

 

Commissioner Hammons holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma City University. She is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma Class 32 and is also a lifetime member of that organization

Linda Haneborg, Commissioner

Ms. Linda C. Haneborg, was appointed Commissioner in 2014 and reappointed in 2017 by Governor Mary Fallin.  She serves as chairman of Linda Haneborg Associates, a full-service communications and marketing firm. As a business owner, corporate executive, women’s and political activist and community leader, she has dedicated herself to empowering women in their careers.

In 2013, she was inducted into Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame. Haneborg is past chair of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives and board member of the IFA Educational Foundation. A member of the International Franchise Association and the International Women’s Forum, she also served on the U.S Chamber of Commerce Labor Relations Board and the Wall Street Journal Opinion Leaders Research Panel.

Commissioner Haneborg is a graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in Sociology and Anthropology, she completed graduate studies at Southern Methodist University. Having served as an adjunct professor in OU’s School of Entrepreneurship in the MBA program, Haneborg is also a past member of the board of trustees at St. Gregory’s University.

Carol Hefner, Commissioner

Carol Hefner was appointed to the Commission in 2021 by House Speaker Charles McCall.  She is a president of HELM Investments LLC, Vice President of Cedars Commercial Real Estate and Development Company, and President of Galimaro LLC Food Development.  She is the founder of the Aliya Hefner Pediatric Fellowship at OU Children’s Hospital.

 

Her civic involvement includes non-profit board membership that spans 38 years and 43 community boards and committees dedicated to the welfare of families and children. Her credits include numerous appearances in television including guest host of Discover Oklahoma and representation of numerous Oklahoma based companies including Braum’s Dairy.

 

Commissioner Hefner is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, she has been married to Robert A. Hefner IV for 37 years.  She regards her roles as mother to 5 accomplished adult children and grandmother “Nonnie” to 9 beautiful grandchildren, her greatest life’s work and blessing. 

 

 

Estela Hernandez, Commissioner

Ms. Estela Hernandez was appointed Commissioner in 2019 by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat. She has been in the construction and real estate business for over 15 years as a small business owner and a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams.

Hernandez is known for her role in Oklahoma politics, serving as Vice President of Engagement for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and Vice Chairwoman of the Oklahoma Republican Party. As a public speaker, she addresses topics relating to women in business, politics, faith, and family.  Estela was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt to the OK State Department of Education as a Board Member. 

Commissioner Hernandez She holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business. She has been married for 18 years and is the mother of 3 children.  

Jean Lehr, Commissioner

Mrs. Jean S. Lehr was appointed Commissioner in 2013, and reappointed in 2018 by Governor Mary Fallin. She is the CEO of J. Lehr Advertising/Marketing, a division of Timeline, Inc. Her agency services include branding, marketing plans, media analysis and buying, radio and television commercials, print materials and more. Her professional / business affiliations include, President, Oklahoma Media Network, Oklahoma City, 2006-2009~Board of Advisors, Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, “Best of the Best Woman Business Owner,” Governor’s Conference for Women in Business, Oklahoma, 2001~President/CEO, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO.)

Her awards, honors and distinctions include, but are not limited to,2012~”Ladies in the News” honoree for exceptional personal and professional contributions to the state, Oklahoma Hospitality Club, 2011~Patti Meis Award for character, integrity and professionalism in advertising, Oklahoma Media Network, Oklahoma City, 2002~Named to Circle of Excellence, The Journal Record Woman of the Year.

Commissioner Lehr earned her Master of Education from the University of Central Oklahoma with Honors and a Bachelor of Science from Oklahoma State University. Her motto is “Not advertising is like winking in the dark; you know what you’re doing, but nobody else does.

Rachel Mathews, Commissioner

Ms. Rachel Mathew was appointed Commissioner in 2020 by Governor Kevin Stitt. She is Partner and Co-Owner of Polston Tax Resolution & Accounting, an Oklahoma-based Tax Law and Accounting firm. Rachel began her career as a tax accountant in 1999. After working as an accountant for many years, she was inspired to become a tax attorney to use her knowledge of complex tax law to help the public navigate the difficulties of tax issues.

 

On top of her work as a tax attorney, Rachel is incredibly involved in her community. She works with many organizations, including the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, Oklahoma City Charter Review, Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library Endowment Trust, and the Oklahoma City University School of Law Executive Board.

 

Her love for the people she helps each day has earned her numerous recognitions, including but not limited to: Oklahoma Bar Association Tax Section Chair, Best-Selling Author for “Get In the Game”, Monthly FOX 25 TV Tax Segment Host, Guest TV Commentator on News 9, OCU Law Outstanding Young Alumna Award, and “40 Under 40” Award. She received her Juris Doctor from the Oklahoma City University School of Law.

Representative Cyndi Munson, Commissioner 

Representative Cyndi Munson was appointed Commissioner in 2017 by Speaker of the House Charles McCall. She was elected to represent HD- 85 in September of 2015. Upon her election, she became the first Asian-American woman elected to the Oklahoma Legislature.

Commissioner Munson has spent a decade working and volunteering in Oklahoma City’s non-profit community, including Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma City, Infant Crisis Services. She is an alumni member of Leadership Oklahoma City’s LOYAL Class VIII.

A first-generation college student, Munson graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, where she served in student government at the University of Central Oklahoma. She earned a Master of Science in Leadership Education from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. In addition, Munson is a 2006 graduate of the National Education for Women's (N.E.W.) Leadership program through the University of Oklahoma, a program for undergraduate women interested in public service.

Shauna Peters

Appointing Authority, Senate President Pro Tempore, Greg Treat (Photo and bio coming soon)

Jill Shero, Commissioner

Ms. Jill Shero was appointed to the Commission in 2021 by Governor Kevin Stitt. She serves as the strategic, grassroots director of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma, a non-partisan education reform organization aimed at amplifying the voices of and providing resources for Oklahoma educators, parents and community leaders who want a better education system for our kids.

For the past ten years, she has worked with federal, state, and local governmental entities.  Previously she worked in D.C. on the Troubled Asset Relief Program or T.A.R.P. In 2015, she was tapped for field work and State Department casework in the office of Congressman Frank Lucas. In 2018, working as political director, she led the passage of Marsy’s Law, a national movement that aims to ensure victims of crime have meaningful and enforceable constitutional rights in the criminal justice system.

 

Commissioner Shero has an International Business degree, with a diplomacy minor. In 2022 she will earn her Master’s degree in Indigenous Law at Oklahoma University. She has a passion to see the commission highlight issues of trafficking in the state.

 Ollie Starr, Commissioner

MS. Ollie Starr was appointed Commissioner in 2020 by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat. In 2019, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame.  From Claremore, Starr has a heart for service and is an asset to her community.

Starr was instrumental in revitalizing the Indian Women’s Pocahontas Club. Established in 1899, the Club began as a past-time club for native women returning home in the summers from seminaries and colleges. Currently she serves as Executive Director. In her role, she promotes issues for elder Cherokees, securing grant money to enable young women to pursue higher education and helping improve living conditions for Cherokee seniors.

In 2014, she received the Cherokee National Leadership Award. In 2015 she received the AARP Oklahoma Ardus Award, and in 2017, she received the Cherokee Nation Lifetime Achievement Award.

  
Representative Tammy West, Commissioner

Representative Tammy West was appointed Commissioner in 2017 by Speaker of the House, Charles McCall.  She was elected November 2016, to represent HD - 84. Currently she serves as Vice Chair of the Majority Caucus.

A strong supporter of local control of schools, Commissioner West was first elected to the Putnam City School Board in 2009 and reelected in 2014, both times unopposed. She served as president of the Putnam City Board of Education in 2013.

A graduate of Central State University (now UCO) with a degree in business management, she has owned and operated a successful small business, Wellness Plus, for more than 20 years. Commissioner West and her husband Jon are active members of Council Road Baptist Church and have three grown children.