2022 State Budget Summit

 

Materials from the 2022 State Budget Summit:

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About the event 

With less than a month to go until the next Legislative session starts, Oklahomans are already starting to focus on next year’s state budget. We are, too! That’s why we want you to join us for OK Policy’s 2022 State Budget Summit, which will shine a light on the state’s fiscal outlook for the coming year. Now in its eighth year, OK Policy’s State Budget Summit provides an opportunity to hear from state and local officials, tribal leaders, community leaders, and engaged citizens about the state’s current fiscal circumstances, what we might expect during this year’s legislative session, and where we can improve our state’s budget and tax system.

We’re excited to announce this year’s keynote speaker is Angie Cooper, the executive director of Heartland Summit and Chief Program Officer for Heartland Forward, and she leads Heartland Summit and Heartland Forward’s programming efforts. The Heartland Summit is the flagship convening of Heartland Forward, a Bentonville, Arkansas-based “think and do” tank focused on advancing economic performance and opportunity in the center of the country. As Chief Program Officer, Angie is focused on turning Heartland Forward’s research into action, creating new partnerships, leading on policy solutions, and serving as a resource for Heartland communities. For more than 16 years, Angie worked in international and domestic public policy and government affairs for Walmart Stores, Inc., most recently as Senior Director of Global Public Policy. She is originally from Oklahoma and is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. 

During the State Budget Summit, we also will be discussing our soon-to-be-published report on making the state’s budget process more transparent and more responsive to the needs of everyday Oklahomans. This forthcoming report will be a companion piece to A Better Path Forward, our comprehensive analysis of the state’s budget and tax system along with proposed solutions to stabilize revenue while better supporting shared public services.   

NOTE: Due to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases, we have decided to move this year’s State Budget Summit to be entirely online. With this change, we also have decided to offer free registration, with donations welcomed to support our work. While we prefer to gather in person, the decision to move to a virtual format will protect everyone’s health while still providing this unique opportunity to hear from our panel of experts and ask your questions about our state’s budget and revenue outlook.

This year’s OK Policy’s State Budget Summit will be held:

Thursday, January 27, 2022
9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
Online event

There is no cost to register for the event, but a suggested donation of $55 is encouraged to help support our continued work. A link to the event will be emailed with the registration confirmation. 

The 2022 State Budget Summit will feature:

-A fiscal overview from OK Policy Health Care and Revenue Policy Analyst Emma Morris

-A panel discussion, scheduled to include:

  • Senator Julia Kirt, D-OKC;
  • Representative Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow;
  • Representative Danny Williams, R-Seminole;
  • Joe B. Hill, Executive Officer of Governmental Affairs and Partnerships, Chickasaw Nation; and
  • Paul Shinn, retired state and local budget official.
  • Moderated by OK Policy Board Member Jeff Berrong of Weatherford

-Keynote presentation from Angie Cooper, Executive Director of Heartland Summit and Chief Program Officer of Heartland Forward.

 

Agenda

  • 9:15 a.m. – Welcome, Ahniwake Rose, OK Policy Executive Director
  • 9:20-10:05 a.m. – “Everything is Not OK: Towards a Better Fiscal Policy for All Oklahomans,” Emma Morris, OK Policy Health Care and Revenue Policy Analyst
  • 10:05-11:20 a.m. – Panel Discussion
  • 11:20-11:35 a.m. – Break
  • 11:35 a.m.-12:15 p.m. – Keynote Address, Angie Cooper, Executive Director of Heartland Summit and Chief Program Officer for Heartland Forward
  • 12:15-12:30 p.m. – Concluding Remarks, Ahniwake Rose

 

Our Speakers 

Angie Cooper (Keynote)

Angie Cooper leads Heartland Summit and Heartland Forward’s programming efforts. The Heartland Summit is the flagship convening of Heartland Forward, a Bentonville, Arkansas-based “think and do” tank focused on advancing economic performance and opportunity in the center of the country. As Chief Program Officer, Angie is focused on turning Heartland Forward’s research into action, creating new partnerships, leading on policy solutions, and serving as a resource for Heartland communities. For more than 16 years, Angie worked in international and domestic public policy and government affairs for Walmart Stores, Inc., most recently as Senior Director of Global Public Policy. Angie also worked in various departments within Walmart including: Merchandising, Public Affairs, State and Local Government Relations and the Walmart Foundation. While at Walmart, Angie served as Walmart’s Chair of the Women’s Resource Council (WRC). The WRC is a group of women and men who cultivate an inclusive environment and act as a forum to connect, develop and advocate for their members. Angie has also served on the board for the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) and the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL). Angie currently serves on the board as chair for Common Threads, a nonprofit organization that provides hands-on, cooking and nutrition education to children, parents and educators in under-resourced communities. Angie is originally from Oklahoma and a graduate of Oklahoma State University.

Emma Morris (Presenter)

Emma Morris joined the Oklahoma Policy Institute as the Health Care and Revenue Policy Analyst in April 2021, and she previously worked as an OK Policy intern and as the Health Care Policy Fellow. She has worked as a case manager with justice-involved individuals and volunteered as a mentor for youth in her community. Emma holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies and Public and Nonprofit Administration from the University of Oklahoma, and is currently working on a Master of Public Administration degree from OU-Tulsa. She is an alumna of OK Policy’s 2019 Summer Policy Institute and The Mine, a social entrepreneurship fellowship.

Senator Julia Kirt (Panelist)

Senator Julia Kirt was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate in 2018. Kirt represents District 30 in northwest Oklahoma County, which includes parts of Oklahoma City, Bethany, Warr Acres and The Village. She is an experienced community leader who has led statewide nonprofit organizations for almost 20 years. She most recently served as the Executive Director of Oklahomans for the Arts, which works to improve the economy, education and communities through the arts. Previously, she led the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, working with thousands of artists across the state to develop strong small businesses and connect with audiences. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Master in Art History and Macalester College in St Paul, Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree.

Representative Kyle Hilbert (Panelist)

Kyle Hilbert is the State Representative for Oklahoma House District 29, which consists of rural Creek and Tulsa counties. Kyle and his wife Alexis live in Bristow, Oklahoma. He attended Oklahoma State University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness. While at OSU, Kyle served as Student Government Association President. As a first-term legislator, Hilbert carried 8 bills that were signed into law, was an Assistant Majority Whip and served on three appropriations subcommittees. Kyle is currently the Chair of the House Rural Caucus and Vice Chair for Appropriations & Budget. Hilbert’s primary policy focus since joining the legislature has been on the state budget & workforce development. 

Representative Danny Williams (Panelist)

Danny Williams serves as State Representative for Oklahoma House District 28, which consists of Pottawatomie and Seminole counties. He serves as Vice Chair of the Technology Committee and serves on the committees for Appropriations and Budget Education, General Government, and Public Safety. He owns Statewide Communications, a small business that provides high-speed internet service to rural Oklahomans. He also is board chairman of Seminole County Hope House, a residential addiction treatment program that he helped start. A graduate of Southern Nazarene University, Danny and his wife Joyce have two adult sons and nine grandchildren. 

Joe B. Hill (Panelist)

Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby appointed Idabel native Joe B. Hill as Executive Officer of Governmental Affairs and Partnerships in 2019. Hill works on legislative and policy issues at federal, state and local levels, as well as building and maintaining relationships with other Native American tribes. In addition, he focuses on developing community partnerships within the Chickasaw Nation’s boundaries. He began his career working as a field representative in southern Oklahoma for Congressman Dan Boren. After several years of congressional work, Hill transitioned into the position of vice president of the Ada Jobs Foundation where he worked to recruit and retain businesses. Hill then began working for the Chickasaw Nation as a corporate development associate, where he traveled throughout the Chickasaw Nation to identify and evaluate investment opportunities. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education, both from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. 

Paul ShinnPaul Shinn (Panelist)

Paul Shinn served as the Oklahoma Policy Institute’s Budget and Tax Senior Policy Analyst from May 2019 until December 2021. Before joining OK Policy, he held budget and finance positions for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the Department of Human Services, the cities of Oklahoma City and Del City, and several local governments in his native Oregon. While with the Government Finance Officers Association, Paul worked on consulting and research projects for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and several state agencies and local governments. He has taught political science and public administration at universities in Oklahoma and California. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from University of Oklahoma and degrees from the University of Oregon and the University of Maryland College Park.

Jeff Berrong (Panel Moderator)

Jeff Berrong serves on the Oklahoma Policy Institute’s Board of Directors. A resident of Weatherford, Berrong is a third generation owner in his family’s independent insurance agency, Ed Berrong Insurance Agency, Inc., which has been in business since 1948 and now has locations in Weatherford and Edmond. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma in 2004. Before returning home to western Oklahoma in 2006, he served as a field representative for former Oklahoma Congressman Dan Boren. He is very involved in his community where he has served on the board of directors of the Great Plains Family YMCA, the Weatherford Rotary Club, the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Weatherford Area Economic Development Foundation. 

 Information on Previous State Budget Summits