About the Tulsa City CouncilOn February 14, 1989, Tulsa voters approved the most sweeping changes in city government since the original 1908 charter. A new council-mayor form of government was chosen to replace the outdated city commission.The mayor acts as chief administrator, prepares the initial draft of the operating budget for City Council review, and is in charge of all administrative departments, including, but not limited to: Police, Fire, Finance, Human Resources, Airport, Working in Neighborhoods, Planning and Development and the City Attorney s Office.The city auditor regularly reviews the city s financial activities for efficiency, effectiveness and legality. Findings of any investigations are reported to the mayor and the City Council.The Tulsa City Council functions as the legislative branch of city government, is the governing body of the City of Tulsa and essentially acts as the Board of Directors for the City of Tulsa. The City Council passes all local laws, reviews and approves the city s annual budget, monitors the efficiency and effectiveness of city operations and conducts investigations. Councilors also listen to concerns and suggestions from the residents of their districts.In November 2009, Tulsan s voted to change the City Charter to end staggered terms for city councilors. Since 2014, all city councilors elected serve two-year terms.
Campaign Phone
9183402779
Age
32
Education
Bachelors in Letters; Bachelors in Print Journalism; Juris Doctorate
Volunteer Service
Scouting America, No Boundaries International; Tulsa County Bar Association
I am a single child or a rural school teacher in Oklahoma who has experienced first hand the difficulty that working people face in our state. I obtained bachelor’s degrees and a law degree from OU, and my legal career has allowed me to have a close working knowledge of the law and of the difficulties that folks have in our city. I have earned an Eagle Scout award and served as a page at the House of Representatives under Ben Sherrer. I’ve tried lawsuits in Tulsa and the surrounding counties. As an attorney, I often have to mediate and find paths forward between parties who have crucial and fundamental liberties at stake, such as their freedom in criminal cases or their bodily integrity and ability to provide for their families in personal injury cases. I must work to find the common ground between the two estranged parties and work towards a common solution that protects the rights of my clients.
The most important thing that the City Council can do is to protect the investments of our residents while encouraging them to reinvest in our community. We do this, primarily, through robust code enforcement that protects the largest asset that most people have, their home.
Any expenditure by the City should be evaluated by comparing the assets that it brings to the City against the liabilities that it presents. A new road or bridge provides an asset in allowing our neighborhoods and city to be more connected. However, it also produces liabilities, such as, the cost to the city and whether or not the asset provides additional good in the way of increasing walkability or aesthetic beauty. Ultimately, any evaluation would hinge on whether the assets outweighed the liabilities and provided a clear return on investment for the City.
I am running because I believe Tulsa deserves active and energetic leadership that will prioritize progressive policies that improve the day to day lives of working people in Tulsa.
The progressive policies that I want to help implement are things like: increased support for family and children services, a focus on responsible budgeting that allows our city to continue to invest in its people, increased accountability for property owners that allow their properties to become abandoned or negligently maintained, provide the working people of Tulsa a strong voice on the council that actively collaborates with the diverse groups within Tulsa that make it such a vibrant and beautiful place to live, and support ordinances like the proposed Human Rights Ordinance.
The three major policies that I would pass in my first term would be:
1. A budget increase for code enforcement that provides the City with a robust team to protect the property values of those who live and work in Tulsa.
2. Improved bus stops utilizing the IOT2 Tulsa funds
3. Transparency and accountability for the City Council in their decision making to ensure that decisions are made collaboratively with as many of the shareholders as possible.
Campaign Phone
9186911901
Age
56
Volunteer Service
Served as PTA President at the elementary, middle school, and high schools where our children attended. Also served as President of Tulsa Council of PTA's. Currently serving on the Advisory Board for Marsy's Law
I bring experience, longstanding community relationships, and a clear understanding of how municipal government works. I first served District 5 from 2011 to 2018 and returned to the Council in 2024 after residents asked for experienced, responsive representation at City Hall. I now serve as Chair of the Council, which gives me both a district and citywide view of the issues Tulsa is facing, along with the ability to bring residents, community partners, city departments and fellow councilors together to address them. I understand the budget, the Charter, the departments, and the process it takes to move a resident's concern from problem to solution. I also understand District 5’s recurring challenges, which include our aging infrastructure, vacant and neglected properties, commercial redevelopment, neighborhood stability, and the need for better follow-through on basic services.
Retaining and attracting employers requires the same basic approach I bring to district issues: practical problem-solving, follow-through and a willingness to work with anyone serious about moving Tulsa forward. Attracting new employers starts with taking care of the employers, small businesses and commercial corridors we already have because businesses are more likely to invest and grow in Tulsa when city services are reliable, permitting is predictable and surrounding properties are being held to a high standard. That means paying attention to streets, drainage, sidewalks, lighting, code enforcement, zoning issues and the condition of nearby vacant or neglected properties. The City cannot control every private business decision, but we can enforce our codes, protect surrounding neighborhoods and be ready to support responsible redevelopment when opportunities arise.
With every major project, we should ask whether it is the right project at the right time. For a road or bridge, I would look at its physical condition, safety history, traffic volume, drainage issues, and the number of residents, schools, and businesses that depend on it. I would also consider how it might impact pedestrians, people with disabilities and transit users in our city. Most importantly, we have to consider the lifetime maintenance of the project as much as the up-front cost and whether we can partner with others to stretch our dollars. Community input also matters because the people who live in and travel an area every day usually best understand what's happening there and what's needed. I think the goal should be to prioritize projects that improve safety, support neighborhoods, protect taxpayers, and prevent more expensive problems later.
I always go back to the basics. Our top priorities need to be streets, drainage, water, sewer, parks, public safety, code enforcement, and everyday services because they impact people’s lives every day. If those things are not working, we feel it immediately. Aside from those constant priorities, we have to deal with the bigger issues we're facing, like housing, homelessness, and economic growth, because those issues impact the overall health of our city.
District 5’s top priorities are streets, drainage, sidewalks, lighting, parks, code enforcement, homelessness and dealing with vacant or neglected properties. I will keep holding monthly meetings, bringing residents and city departments together to identify where the needs are and how we can best tackle problems one by one. We have already been working together on how to invest our community development funds, and collaboratively decided on sidewalks near schools and improvements to recreation areas in our parks as our first projects. I will also continue working on larger district issues, including Promenade Mall and other neglected commercial properties and the apartment complexes where poor ownership has created problems for tenants and surrounding neighborhoods. District 5 has real opportunity, but it will take stable leadership and consistent follow-through from a councilor who stays the course to get the job done.
