OKPOLICY.ORG
2016 Summer Policy Institute Agenda
(as of July 28, 2016; DRAFT subject to change)
July 31-August 3, 2016
ALL SUNDAY-WEDNESDAY EVENTS ARE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA, ALLEN CHAPMAN STUDENT UNION UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
Sunday, July 31st
12:00 – 1:00 – University Of Tulsa room check-in – Shiloh Kantz (OK Policy) – TU
1:00 – 1:30 – Check In & Welcome – David Blatt (OK Policy), Shiloh Kantz (OK Policy) – Chouteau
1:30 – 2:30 – Speed-friending – Kara Joy McKee (OK Policy)
Get to know your fellow SPI attendees and OK Policy staff in this fun, fast-paced getting to know you activity.
2:30 – 3:20 – Budget & Tax Overview – David Blatt (OK Policy) – Chouteau
In this presentation, OK Policy director David Blatt will discuss the major components of Oklahoma’s tax system and state budget, and will review recent changes in the state fiscal landscape.
3:20 – 4:00 – Overview: Set up to Fail: Barriers to exiting poverty (and a few bright spots) – DeVon Douglass (OK Policy) – Chouteau
Despite ample natural resources and a strong sense of charity, Oklahoma is one of the poorest states in the US. This presentation examines poverty in Oklahoma, and discusses factors keeping hardworking Oklahomans from exiting poverty – or why, if you’re behind, it can be nearly impossible to get ahead.
4:00 – 5:20 – Free time
5:20 – Optional tour of Tipton Community Garden, Kara Joy McKee (OK Policy) – 2211 E. 1st Street
Join us for a brief tour of one of the community gardens facilitated by the neighborhood non-profit Kendall Whittier Incorporated. As one of the first suburban neighborhoods in Tulsa, Kendall Whittier has seen half a century of changes and challenges including increases in poverty and food insecurity. The Tipton Community Garden aims to provide a hub of communication and cooperation among neighbors who work together to grow fruits and vegetables in their individual and shared garden plots.
5:45 – 9:00 – “Mekko” (Circle Cinema) and Dinner – 10 S. Lewis Ave.
Mekko gets out of prison after 19 years. He has no home or family so he makes his way to Tulsa. He tries to connect with a cousin but she turns him away. With nowhere to go Mekko ends up sleeping on the streets. He is taken in by the homeless native community. At times jovial, there is a dark undercurrent to the community. He begins having issues with a man named Bill. Bill is pure evil. Convinced that this man is a witch, Mekko turns to the old teachings of his grandmother in order to rid the community of this ‘witch’. It’s a story of redemption, and hope. Mekko is in search of his home and the strength to forgive himself of his past.
Panel Discussion:
Panelists: Sterlin Harjo, Connie Cronley (Iron Gate Executive Director), Sgt. Mary Culley (Veterans Affairs Administration)
Moderator: Dr. Lisa Byers (OU-Tulsa Department of Social Work)
Monday, August 1st
8:00 – 8:45 – Breakfast – Great Hall A
9:00 – 10:30 – Panel Discussion: Oklahoma’s Fiscal Challenges – David Blatt (OK Policy) – Great Hall A
In this session, policy leaders and academic specialists will discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by a changing budgetary landscape at the local, state and federal levels.
Panelists: Anthony Francisco (Finance Director, City of Norman), Aimee Franklin (Professor of Political Science, University of Oklahoma), Scott Inman (House of Representatives Minority Leader), Chuck Hoskin Jr. (Cherokee Nation Secretary of State), Mike Mazzei (Senate Finance Committee Chair), Leslie Osborn (House Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources and Regulatory Services Chair)
Moderator: Don Millican (OK Policy Board Member)
10:45 – 12:00 – Panel Discussion: What do we do to move people out of poverty? DeVon Douglass (OK Policy) – Great Hall A
Oklahoma ranks consistently among the top ten states for its high rate of poverty. Yet innovative efforts to expand access to economic opportunity and elevate political consciousness around poverty continue to move us forward.
Panelists: April Merrill (Attorney, Legal Aid Oklahoma), Rev. Steve Whitaker (Director, John 3:16 Mission), Tina Pollard (Consumer Lending Manager, Citizens Potowatamie), Shelley Cadamy (Executive Director, Workforce Tulsa), Gary Stanislawski (Oklahoma State Senator)
Moderator: DeVon Douglass (OK Policy)
12:00 – 1:00pm: Lunch – Great Hall A
Introduction by Vince LoVoi (OK Policy Board Member)
Keynote Speaker: Tulsa Mayor-elect G.T. Bynum, “How to Engage Young People in Public Service”
1:10 – 2:25 – Breakout Sessions #1
- Indigenous Sovereignty in Oklahoma – Sarah Adams Cornell (Live Indigenous OK/Matriarch/Not Your Mascot), Heather Shotton (Assistant Professor of Native American Studies, University of Oklahoma), Summer Wesley (Tribal attorney and member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) – Alcove
This session will provide a conversation about the changing relationships between Oklahoma’s tribes and other governments. The panelists will address what tribal sovereignty means, the challenges and opportunities facing Oklahoma’s native communities today and also identify some of the key skills and training needed for young people looking to careers in tribal policy.
- Grass Roots Advocacy – Kara Joy McKee( Outreach and Advocacy Specialist, OK Policy) , Andy Moore (Coordinator, Let’s Fix This) – Chouteau
This session will examine the need for grassroots advocacy in Oklahoma, the best practices to advocate via a grassroots network, and some of the challenges advocates face. Participants will have opportunities to discuss methods and ask questions of the Oklahoma Policy advocacy team
- Finding & Using Data – Gene Perry, OK Policy – Great Hall A
How do we do what we do? In this session, OK Policy staff will share tips for where to find data, how to use it, and what to watch out for when researching public policy.
- Food Security – Kathy Seibold (Executive Director of Student and Family Support, Tulsa Public Schools), Eileen Bradshaw (Executive Director, Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma) – Great Hall B
Oklahomans experience food insecurity, or inconsistent access to enough food, at a greater rate than most Americans. This has serious implications for health care, education, the economy, and other areas. In this session, attendees will learn what factors drive food insecurity, and what can be done to alleviate hunger in Oklahoma.
2:30 – 2:55 – Overview: Criminal Justice, Ryan Gentzler (OK Policy) – Great Hall A
Oklahoma locks up more people than almost any other state or country. The costs of mass incarceration for the state of Oklahoma and Oklahoma families, especially for low-income communities and people of color, are high. This session will examine what brought us to this point, recent efforts at reform, and the measures needed to make lasting progress in this area.
3:00 – 4:30 – Panel Discussion: Criminal Justice Reform: Ryan Gentzler (OK Policy) – Great Hall A
Leaders and experts in the criminal justice field discuss what is needed to reduce incarceration in the state, including job opportunities, mental health and drug treatment, and other innovative solutions to end the cradle-to-prison pipeline. Other criminal justice reform ideas and issues will also be discussed.
Panelists: Adam Luck (Policy Director, E Foundation for Oklahoma), Jill Webb (Community Resource Coordinator, Tulsa County Public Defender’s Office), Rep. George Young (D-Oklahoma City), Rep. Pam Peterson (R-Tulsa), Marq Lewis (Founder, We The People Oklahoma)
Moderator: Kris Steele (Executive Director, The Education and Employment Ministry)
4:30 – Break for evening events
5:45 – Shuttle leaves from TU for Tour of Greenwood and Brady District
6:15 – 7:15 – Tour of Brady District & Greenwood
Damario Solomon-Simmons leads a shuttle bus tour of the historical Brady District and Greenwood including a stop at the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park.
7:15 – 9:00 – Dinner at McNellie’s – 409 E. 1st Street
OK Policy donors, SPI alumni, and elected officials are invited to join us for mingling and heavy hors-d’oeuvres
9:00 – Shuttle leaves for University of Tulsa
Tuesday, August 2nd
(1st Annual SPI Morning Run – Time TBA)
8:00 – 8:45 – Breakfast – Great Hall A
9:00 – 9:30 – Overview: Oklahoma’s Health Landscape – Carly Putnam (OK Policy) – Great Hall A
Oklahoma is an unhealthy state. In this overview, we unpack some basic health statistics, review access to needed care, and recklessly speculate about the Affordable Care Act and the future of health care in Oklahoma. Also, pictures of cute animals.
9:30 – 10:45 – Panel Discussion: Health Care in Oklahoma – Great Hall A
In this session, community leaders, policy experts, and health care providers will share and explain their perspectives on the health care safety net in Oklahoma, discussing challenges and opportunities in providing care; characteristics of those covered and those still in need of care; and the future of health care in Oklahoma.
Panelists: Chuck Grimm (Deputy Executive Director, Cherokee Nation Health Services), Sen. Angela Monson (Associate Provost for Community Partnerships and Health Policy, OUHSC), Nico Gomez (CEO, Oklahoma Health Care Authority), Susan Savage (CEO, Morton Comprehensive Health Services), Jaclyn Cosgrove (health reporter, The Oklahoman)
Moderator: John Schumann (President, University of Oklahoma-Tulsa)
11:00 – 12:00: Networking Hour – Shiloh Kantz (OK Policy) – Great Hall B
During this hour, selected businesses and organizations will have the opportunity to meet the SPI attendees and share information about their organization. SPI attendees will make some new connections with businesses and organizations that may be related to their field of study and possible future career choice or possible future volunteer opportunities.
12:00-1:00 – Lunch – Great Hall A
1:00 – 2:15: – Breakout Sessions #2
- Gender – Danne Johnson (Constance Baker Motley Professor of Law, OCU School of Law) – Great Hall A
The session will address the pervasive occurrence of gendered oppression in Oklahoma. The data and commentary is eye opening. This session explores race and class as they intersect with gender in the political landscape. Gender violence (both intimate and structural) and disenfranchisement continue to narrow life choices and frustrate economic advancement.
- Direct Lobbying – Tyler Parette (OK Policy) – Chouteau
This session will examine the best practice for direct policy advocacy in Oklahoma and the best practices to advocate directly to a legislator. It will also look at the lobbying system as a whole. Participants will have opportunities to discuss methods and ask questions of the Oklahoma Policy Outreach and Operations Associate.
- Infographics – Gene Perry (OK Policy) – Alcove
You have the data. Now let’s make it shine! In this session, Oklahoma Policy Institute’s Policy Director Gene Perry will share tips and tools for visualizing your data as charts, maps, infographics, and more.
- Grass Roots Advocacy – Kara Joy McKee (Outreach and Advocacy Specialist, OK Policy) and Erin Taylor ( Coordinator, Partners in Policy Making with the OK Developmental Disabilities Council) – Great Hall B
This session will examine the need for grassroots advocacy in Oklahoma, the best practices to advocate via a grassroots network, and some of the challenges advocates face. Participants will have opportunities to discuss methods and ask questions of the Oklahoma Policy advocacy team
2:30 – 3:00: Overview: Education Issues – Gene Perry (OK Policy) – Great Hall A
Education policy has been the focus of some of the most contentious debates at the Capitol in recent years. This overview will discuss debates over such issues as education funding, high-stakes testing, and racial and economic inequities in education, and how these translate to what’s happening in the classroom.
3:00 – 4:30 – Panel Discussion: Education – Great Hall A
State leaders and education experts will discuss the state of public education in Oklahoma and how state, local, and national policies are affecting schools, educators, and students.
Panelists: Superintendent Rick Cobb (Mid-Del Public Schools), Superintendent Sherry Durkee (Sand Springs Public Schools), John Lepine (reading specialist at McLain Magnet High School for Science & Technology and research associate with Oklahoma Center for Education Policy), Etta Taylor (Oklahoma PTA President-Elect), Rep. Dennis Casey (R-Morrison)
Moderator: Superintendent Joe Siano (Norman Public Schools, OK Policy Board Member)
4:30: Break for the evening activities
6:30 – 9:00 – Dinner: McNellie’s Bond Event Center – 608 E. 3rd Street
Panel: Public Leadership: Myths and Realities,
Several of Oklahoma’s most respected current and former leaders will share reflections and insights from their years in public service. They will focus on some of the ways that the reality of holding elected and appointed office and exercising leadership differ from popular myths, and will also reflect on some of the toughest challenges and proudest success of their careers.
Panelists: Bill John Baker (Principal Chief, Cherokee Nation), Jari Askins (Administrator, Oklahoma Courts), Chris Benge (Oklahoma Secretary of State), Jane Wiseman (Judge, Court of Civil Appeals)
Moderator: Linda Edmondson (OK Policy Board Member)
Wednesday, August 3rd
8:00 – 8:45 – Breakfast – Great Hall A
9:00 – 9:30 – Legislative Introduction – Damario Solomon-Simmons (OK Policy) – Great Hall A
At the end of the day, politics is nothing but the process of who get what, when, and how of the public’s resources and power. So, while political campaigns draw most of the non-stop media coverage, it is the mostly mundane, but extremely important legislative process where the bulk of the State’s resources and power are allocated. This seminar will provide participants an overview understanding of the Oklahoma State Legislature process, timelines, and procedures.
9:30 – 10:45 – Panel discussion: Careers in Public Policy – Great Hall A
You’ve learned about these issues. Now how do you make a career in public policy? In this panel, you’ll hear from members of the OK Policy staff as well as Oklahomans, whose careers have taken them to Washington DC and elsewhere, speak about how they got to where they are today.
Panelists: Robb Gray (Director of State Engagement & Partnerships, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities), Kim Teehee (Vice President of Special Projects at Cherokee Nation Businesses), Nicole Hagar (Staff Member, Senator Jim Inhofe), Gene Perry (Policy Director, OK Policy), Bailey Perkins (Policy Fellow, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families), and Moises Echeverria (Interim President/CEO, Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice)
Moderator: Kara Joy McKee (OK Policy)
11:00 – 12:15 – Oklahoma Campaigns and Elections – Great Hall A
Will Oklahoma remain the reddest state in the nation? Will Democrats ever again win a statewide office in Oklahoma? What, if anything, can be done to get more citizens engaged in the political process? The panelists will discuss the state of electoral competition and political participation in Oklahoma.
Panelists: Pat McFerron (Senior Political Consultant, CMA Strategies), Kendra Horn (Executive Director, Women Lead OK), Ryan Kiesel (Executive Director, ACLU Oklahoma), Charity Marcus (Avenu Consulting), Rep. Cyndi Munson (State Representative, House District 85)
Moderator: Randy Krehbiel (Reporter, Tulsa World)
12:20 – 1:30 – Lunch and Debate – Great Hall A
There will be a debate on SQ777, the November ballot measure to entrench the “right to farm” in the Oklahoma Constitution, which would constrain the Legislature’s ability to pass legislation affecting agriculture in the future.
Panelists: Drew Edmondson (Oklahoma Stewardship Council), Michael Kelsey (Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association)
Moderator: Logan Laydon (StateImpact, Oklahoma)
1:45 – 3:00 – Breakout Sessions #3
- Advocacy and Public Policy: From Oklahoma to D.C.– Robb Gray (Center on Budget & Policy Priorities) – Great Hall A
How advocacy changes from the state level to the national level
- Race in Public Policy–Lawrence Ware (Lecturer and Diversity Coordinator, Oklahoma State University) – Great Hall B
This session explores policy, past and present, affecting people of color in Oklahoma. Violence, bias and disenfranchisement continue to narrow life choices and frustrate economic advancement. Yet innovative equity movements, to expand access to opportunity for all Oklahomans and elevate our political consciousness, continue to move us forward.
- Our Environment: Work Left to Do – Drew Edmondson (Oklahoma Stewardship Council) – Chouteau
Oklahoma is a state known for its rich natural beauty. This session will explore environmental challenges facing our state, as well as discuss ways we can move forward toward environmental responsibility.
3:15 – Wrap Up Activity, Alumni Engagement, Goodbyes, and Certificates – Great Hall A
