2017 Summer Policy Institute Agenda

2017 Summer Policy Institute Agenda 

 (As of July 28, 2017)

July 30-August 2, 2017

ALL EVENTS ARE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA, ALLEN CHAPMAN STUDENT UNION UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

Sunday, July 30th

12:00  12:30 – University Of Tulsa room and program check-in – Shiloh Kantz (Director of Operations and Development, OK Policy) Allen Chapman Student Union, TU

1:00 – 1:30 – Welcome and Introductions – David Blatt (Executive Director, OK Policy), Shiloh Kantz (Director of Operations and Development, OK Policy) Great Hall A

1:30 – 2:30 – Speed-friending – Kara Joy McKee (Outreach and Advocacy Specialist, OK Policy) Great Hall A

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 (Executive Director, OK Policy) Great Hall A

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: Criminal Justice – Ryan Gentzler (Policy Analyst, 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.

4:00 – 5:00 – Free time

5:00 – Optional tour of Tipton Community Garden – Kara Joy McKee (Outreach and Advocacy Specialist, OK Policy) 2211 E. 1st Street

Join us for a brief tour of one of the community gardens facilitated by the neighborhood nonprofit 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.

5:15 – 6:30 – Dinner at Andolini’s Food Truck (Circle Cinema) 10 S. Lewis Ave.

6:30 – 9:00 – “13TH” (Circle Cinema)  10 S. Lewis Ave.

The title of Ava DuVernay’s extraordinary and galvanizing documentary 13TH refers to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.” The progression from that second qualifying clause to the horrors of mass criminalization and the sprawling American prison industry is laid out by DuVernay with bracing lucidity. With a potent mixture of archival footage and testimony from a dazzling array of activists, politicians, historians, and formerly incarcerated women and men, DuVernay creates a work of grand historical synthesis

Discussion: “13th” – Facilitated by DeVon Douglass (Chief Resilience Officer, City of Tulsa)

Monday, July 31st

8:00 – 8:45 – Breakfast Great Hall A

9:00 – 10:30 – Panel Discussion: Oklahoma’s Fiscal Challenges – David Blatt (Executive Director, 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), John Sparks (Senate Minority Leader), Kim Teehee (Vice President of Government Relations, Cherokee Nation), Leslie Osborn (Oklahoma House of Representatives), Cynthia Rogers (Professor of Economics, University of Oklahoma), Mike Mazzei (Former State Senator)

Moderator: Don Millican (Board Member, OK Policy)

10:45 – 12:00 – Panel Discussion: Criminal Justice Reform – Ryan Gentzler (Policy Analyst, 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 solutions to end the cradle-to-prison pipeline. Other criminal justice reform ideas and issues will also be discussed.

Panelists: Kris Steele (Executive Director, TEEM), Jill Webb (Public Defender, Tulsa County), Rep. Bobby Cleveland (Oklahoma House of Representatives), Sheri Dickerson (Executive Director, Black Lives Matter OKC), Mike Carter (Chief of Police, Sand Springs), John Brasher (Assistant District Attorney, Tulsa County)

Moderator: Andrew Speno (State Director, Right on Crime Oklahoma)

12:00 – 1:00pm – Lunch Great Hall A

1:10 – 2:25 – Panel discussion: Oklahoma Campaigns and Elections Great Hall A

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: Ryan Kiesel (Executive Director, ACLU Oklahoma), Rep. Cyndi Munson (Oklahoma House of Representatives), Kitti Asberry (Executive Director, Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women), Cordon DeKock (Vice President of Political Affairs, State Chamber of Oklahoma)

Moderator: Tyler Parette (Outreach and Operations Associate, OK Policy)

2:30 – 2:55 – Overview: Economic Security – Courtney Cullison (Policy Analyst, OK Policy) Great Hall A  

Despite ample natural resources and a strong sense of charity, Oklahoma is one of the poorer states in the nation – our poverty rate is consistently above the national average.  This presentation examines poverty in Oklahoma, focusing on the daily challenges of poverty and factors that hinder economic opportunity and long-term economic security.  Why can it seem nearly impossible for the economically disadvantaged to get ahead?

3:00 – 4:30 – Panel Discussion: Economic Security – Courtney Cullison (Policy Analyst, OK Policy) Great Hall A 

Policymakers, service providers, and advocates will share their experiences in working with economically disadvantaged populations, and discuss the challenges of addressing poverty and increasing economic security and opportunity in the state.

Panelists: Shelley Cadamy (Executive Director, Workforce Tulsa), Rep. Carol Bush (Oklahoma House of Representatives), Suzette Chang (Director of Library Services, Guthrie Public Library), Jeff Jaynes (Executive Director, Restore Hope)

Moderator: DeVon Douglass (Chief Resilience Officer, City of Tulsa)

4:30 – Break for evening events

5:45 – Meet at Greenwood Cultural Center 22 N Greenwood Ave. 

6:00 – 6:45 – Tour of Greenwood Cultural Center

Docents from the Greenwood Cultural Center will lead a tour and discussion of exhibits in the museum.   

6:45 – 7:00 – Walk from Greenwood Cultural Center to Drillers Stadium

7:05 – 9:30 – Game & Dinner at Drillers Stadium 201 N. Elgin Ave.

OK Policy donors, SPI alumni, and elected officials join us for mingling and heavy hors-d’oeuvres while enjoying a Drillers home game from the Refinery Deck.

Tuesday, August 1st

8:00 – 8:45 – Breakfast Great Hall A 

9:00 – 9:30 – Overview: Oklahoma’s Health Landscape – Carly Putnam (Policy Analyst, OK Policy) Great Hall A

What’s happening with health care in Oklahoma? In this overview, we’ll review health stats, talk about who has access to what kinds of care, discuss state and federal funding, and dive into what lies ahead for health care reform.

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: Buffy Heater (Chief Strategy Officer, Oklahoma Health Care Authority), Susan Savage (CEO, Morton Comprehensive Health Services), Jessica Hawkins (Senior Director of Prevention Services, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services), Melissa Gower (Senior Advisor, Policy Analyst, Chickasaw Nation Division of Health), and Reggie Ivey (Chief Operating Officer, Tulsa City-County Health Department)

Moderator: John Schumann (President, University of Oklahoma-Tulsa)

11:00 – 12:00 – Breakout Sessions

  • Gender and Public Policy – Jan Wilson (Wellspring Associate Professor of History, The University of Tulsa) Great Hall A

This session will focus on the intersections of disability, gender, race, and class in producing inequities in educational opportunities in Oklahoma and how these inequities help to magnify the precarity of already marginalized groups.

  • Infographics/Finding and Using Data – Gene Perry (Policy Director, OK Policy) Great Hall B

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. We will also share tips and tools for visualizing your data as charts, maps, infographics, and more.

  • Direct Lobbying – Bailey Perkins (Legislative Liaison, OK Policy) and Tyler Parette (Outreach and Operations Associate, 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 lobbying staff.

12:00 – 1:00 – Lunch Great Hall A

1:00 – 2:45 – Careers in Public Policy: Round Table Discussions Great Hall A 

Running for office isn’t the only way to have a career in public policy. In small groups, students will have an opportunity to ask questions of policy professionals from a wide range of fields. Make sure you take a look at the policy professionals’ bios in advance. Time will allow for participants to participate in three small group discussions.

Participants: Rep. Forrest Bennett (Oklahoma House of Representatives), Kara Joy McKee (Outreach Specialist, OK Policy), Ed Long (Principal and Founder, Cross Sector Innovations), Moises Echeverria (CEO, Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice), Tamya Cox (Lobbyist and Attorney), Courtney Cullison (Economic Security Policy Analyst, OK Policy), Amy Curran (Oklahoma Site Manager, Generation Citizen)

2:45 – 2:55 – Break

3:00 – 3:45 – Legislative Introduction – Bailey Perkins (Legislative Liaison, OK Policy)  Great Hall A

At the end of the day, politics is nothing but the process of who gets what, when, and how of the public’s resources and power. 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.

3:45 – 4:30 – Follow up questions, House discussions, and SPI Network

This is an opportunity to check in with your SPI House members, answer some questions from the question box, and hear about staying connected with OK Policy after Summer Policy Institute through the SPI Alumni Network.

4:30 Break for the evening activities

6:30 – 9:00 – Dinner at 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 (Chief, Cherokee Nation), G.T. Bynum (Mayor, City of Tulsa), Angela Monson (Director of Health Policy Development and Analysis, OU Health Sciences Center), Lee Denney (Former Speaker Pro Tem., Oklahoma House of Representatives)

Moderator: Jane Wiseman (Judge, Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals)

Wednesday, August 2nd

8:00 – 8:45 – Breakfast Great Hall A

9:00 – 9:30 – Overview: Education Issues – Gene Perry (Policy Director, 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.

9:30 – 10:45 – 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: Amber England (Executive Director, Stand for Children), Rep. Michael Rogers (Chair, House Common Education Committee), Dr. Gloria Sly (Education Liaison, Cherokee Nation), Rob Miller (Assistant Superintendent, Sand Springs Public Schools), Anna King (National PTA Board Member and Past-President, Oklahoma PTA)

Moderator: Gene Perry (Policy Director, OK Policy)

11:00 – 12:15 – Keynote “The Growing Disconnect Between Citizens and Government”Suzanne Mettler (Clinton Rossiter Professor of American Institutions, Cornell University) Great Hall A

Contemporary U.S. politics revolves around a paradox that can be termed a “government-citizen disconnect.” Americans today rely more on social benefits from the federal government than ever before for income security and to help them afford housing, health care, and college education. These patterns span social and economic differences including income, generation, partisanship, and place. Yet, most people hold highly negative views about government, which have worsened dramatically over time. The talk will describe the parameters of this paradox and probe for answers by exploring the impact of different types of public policy as well as the role of partisanship and other factors. We will also consider how policy experiences relate to political participation, and ponder how this growing disconnect can be mitigated, to restore the health of democracy.

12:20 – 1:30 – Lunch Great Hall A

1:45 – 3:00 – Breakout Sessions #2

  • Race in Public Policy– Lawrence Ware (Lecturer and Diversity Coordinator, Oklahoma State University) Great Hall A

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.

  • Grass Roots Advocacy – Kara Joy McKee (Outreach and Advocacy Specialist, OK Policy) 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.

  • Food Security – “Working Today, Hungry Tomorrow” – Eileen Bradshaw (Executive Director, Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma) Great Hall B

This session will explore the myths and realities of who the food insecure in today’s America really are, and why it is happening. It will examine elements of the public- private partnership of food assistance, and why both partners are so critical to keeping food on the collective table.

3:15 – Wrap Up Activity, Alumni Engagement, Goodbyes, and Certificates Great Hall A