Special guests
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr
Deputy Chief Bryan Warner
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr
Keynote speaker
Alison Anthony, President & CEO of Tulsa Area United Way
Alison Anthony serves as the President and CEO of the Tulsa Area United Way. She joined TAUW after a rewarding career at Williams Energy where she had opportunities to lead in HR, Diversity, Communications, and Community Relations. She departed as President of the Williams Foundation and Director of Strategic Outreach in 2017 to join the
Alison Anthony serves as the President and CEO of the Tulsa Area United Way. She joined TAUW after a rewarding career at Williams Energy where she had opportunities to lead in HR, Diversity, Communications, and Community Relations. She departed as President of the Williams Foundation and Director of Strategic Outreach in 2017 to join the United Way. Since becoming CEO in 2018, Alison has led the organization to raise more than $155 million dollars to improve lives and strengthen the community.
A number of non-profit organizations are proud to name Alison as a member of their Board of Directors, including the Tulsa Community Foundation, the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce, Teach for America, and more. To all her roles, Alison brings a passion for inclusion, justice, innovation, and a belief that we can join our talents together to make our community a place where we can all flourish and thrive.
Alison earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Oklahoma State University and has completed several leadership programs, including the Harvard Talent Pipeline Development Program.
Alison has received many honors throughout her 35-year professional career, most recently inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma State University Diversity Hall of Fame.
After a particularly exhausting stretch of work travel in 2001, while flying home to be with her husband and five kiddos, Alison wrote this question on an airplane napkin: “do the people and causes most important to me know that they are?” Alison tries to live each day so the answer yes and looks forward to many years ahead with her husband, Mark Wilson – traveling the pow wow highway where Mark frequently sings and emcees across Indian Country. The couple also enjoys serving their community, practicing yoga, and embracing their lively growing family, including four grandchildren.
Wado
2024 conference speakers
Ian Adair, MS, CNP, ACNP
Ian Adair, MS, CNP, ACNP
Ian Adair, MS, CNP, ACNP
Ian Adair has spent a career building successful nonprofits. Ian is a three-time nonprofit CEO, TEDX speaker, and recognized expert in leadership, fundraising, and nonprofit management. Over his 25+ year career he has raised tens of millions of dollars, managed regional and national programs, and presented at more than 200 conferences and
Ian Adair has spent a career building successful nonprofits. Ian is a three-time nonprofit CEO, TEDX speaker, and recognized expert in leadership, fundraising, and nonprofit management. Over his 25+ year career he has raised tens of millions of dollars, managed regional and national programs, and presented at more than 200 conferences and events around the world. Ian is also a speaker, author, and advocate concerning mental health and wellness in the workplace and works with organizations around the country to improve employee engagement, recognition, and retention—with the goal of enhancing the employee experience.
Ian is the Director of Leadership Development and Credentialing at the Association of Fundraising Professionals global office in Arlington, Virginia. AFP Global supports more than 28,000 members and 220 chapters around the world. Ian is currently leading AFP’s largest leadership development effort to date to support the next generation of fundraising leaders to fill the ever-growing leadership gap currently happening across the nonprofit sector.
Dan Billingsley, Ph.D.
Ian Adair, MS, CNP, ACNP
Ian Adair, MS, CNP, ACNP
Daniel Billingsley, Ph.D. has called the nonprofit and social benefit sector home for more than 25 years. As a fundraiser, marketing professional, board governance expert and strategic planning facilitator, Billingsley has helped advance the missions of more than 300 diverse charitable organizations and foundations. With renewed focus on
Daniel Billingsley, Ph.D. has called the nonprofit and social benefit sector home for more than 25 years. As a fundraiser, marketing professional, board governance expert and strategic planning facilitator, Billingsley has helped advance the missions of more than 300 diverse charitable organizations and foundations. With renewed focus on community health and organizational development, he most recently launched a new venture - MissionKarisma - to help build capacity in organizations through embedded consultation, strategic planning, outcomes management, program evaluation and board and leadership development.
He has particular interest in building capacity in organizations and helping them collaborate through systems and coalitions to effect change on community impact. He has worked in the arts, human services, healthcare and public affairs for the charitable and philanthropic sectors. He resides in Oklahoma City and works globally. In addition to his professional work, he serves on numerous boards and committees and calls himself an armchair expert on 1980s pop culture. In his free time, you can usually find him at the dog park chilling with his beagle, Poppy, or cooking inordinate amounts of food for dinner parties with friends.
Art Burton, BA & MA
Ian Adair, MS, CNP, ACNP
Shawn Crittenden, Deputy Executive Director of Education Services
Art T. Burton received a B.A. and a M.A. in African American Studies from Governors State University. He retired in 2015 after spending 38 years in higher education. He was a history professor, at Prairie State College and South Suburban College and worked as an administrator in African American Student Affairs at Benedictine University
Art T. Burton received a B.A. and a M.A. in African American Studies from Governors State University. He retired in 2015 after spending 38 years in higher education. He was a history professor, at Prairie State College and South Suburban College and worked as an administrator in African American Student Affairs at Benedictine University, Loyola University Chicago, and Columbia College Chicago.
In 1991, Burton wrote the first book on African American and Native American outlaw and lawmen in the Wild West. It is titled “Black, Red and Deadly: Black and Indian Gunfighters of the Indian Territory, 1870-1907.” In 1999, Burton wrote the first book on African Americans who were scouts and soldiers in the Wild West. The book is titled “Black Buckskin and Blue: African American Scouts and Soldiers on the Western Frontier.” In 2007, Burton wrote the first scholarly biography on an African American lawman of the Wild West. This work is titled, “Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves.” His most recent work, "Cherokee Bill: Black Cowboy, Indian Outlaw” is out now!
Some of the honors Mr. Burton has received include being named a “Territorial Marshal” by Gov. David Walters of Oklahoma in 1995; being inducted into “Who’s Who in Black Chicago” in 2007; inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum in Fort Worth, Texas in 2008; inducted into “Who’s Who in America” in 2010; and was given the “Living Legend Award” by the Bare Bones Film Festival in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 2015.”
Burton has appeared in four documentaries for the History Channel on cable television. He was a participant on BET’s Teen Summit with Mario Van Peebles for discussion on the movie “Posse.” In 2015, Burton appeared on FOX Cables’ Legends and Lies Series, episode title, “The Real Lone Ranger” and was a participant in the AHC Cable series Gunslingers episode on Bass Reeves. Burton spoke at the B.B. King Symposium at Mississippi Valley State University in the fall of 2018 on African American and Native American cultures. In July 2019, Burton was the keynote speaker at the 10th Anniversary Bass Reeves Western History Conference in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He was recently named the historian for the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum of Fort Worth, TX.
He is passionate about the Wild West and continues to bring unsung heroes to light.
Shawn Crittenden, Deputy Executive Director of Education Services
Shawn Crittenden, Deputy Executive Director of Education Services
Shawn Crittenden, Deputy Executive Director of Education Services
Shawn Crittenden was raised in Peavine, Oklahoma and graduated from Stilwell High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in education from Northeastern State University in 2007. Prior to running for office, Crittenden worked as an auctioneer, musician, and Greasy Public Schools teacher. Shawn served as the Cherokee Nation’s tribal coun
Shawn Crittenden was raised in Peavine, Oklahoma and graduated from Stilwell High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in education from Northeastern State University in 2007. Prior to running for office, Crittenden worked as an auctioneer, musician, and Greasy Public Schools teacher. Shawn served as the Cherokee Nation’s tribal councilman for the 8th district in 2015 and for a second term in 2019. Now he is the Deputy Executive Director of Education Services for the Cherokee Nation.
Amy Curran, Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Shawn Crittenden, Deputy Executive Director of Education Services
Catherine Foreman Gray, History & Preservation Officer
Amy most recently spent seven years as the executive director of Generation Citizen (GC) South Region, a nonprofit building an education movement that equips and inspires young people to transform our democracy. She has spent over 25 years addressing community issues specifically around empowering youth and providing opportunities throug
Amy most recently spent seven years as the executive director of Generation Citizen (GC) South Region, a nonprofit building an education movement that equips and inspires young people to transform our democracy. She has spent over 25 years addressing community issues specifically around empowering youth and providing opportunities through education.
She began her career with Project Transformation, a community-oriented summer day camp focused on improving literacy among elementary-aged children from Oklahoma’s low-income urban neighborhoods.
Amy is a founding leader for the Oklahoma Civic Learning Coalition, working to improve access to civic engagement and opportunities and learning from pre-k to continuing adult education across the state. She holds a B.A. in Letters from the University of Oklahoma and a Masters in Religious Education from Oklahoma City University. She serves as the Vice-Chair for the OKCPS Bond Community Oversight Committee, is a founding member of VEST Her, a private network of women working together to expedite the pipeline of women in positions of power and is a member of Leadership Oklahoma City class 38.
She enjoys adventures with her husband and two sons, knitting, cooking dinner with friends, and rowing on the Oklahoma River.
Catherine Foreman Gray, History & Preservation Officer
Shawn Crittenden, Deputy Executive Director of Education Services
Catherine Foreman Gray, History & Preservation Officer
Cherokee Nation citizen, Catherine Foreman-Gray, is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and has been employed as a history and preservation officer for Cherokee Nation for over 10 years. Previously, she worked as an archivist for Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism and is a former park ranger at the Fort Smith National Historic Site.
C
Cherokee Nation citizen, Catherine Foreman-Gray, is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and has been employed as a history and preservation officer for Cherokee Nation for over 10 years. Previously, she worked as an archivist for Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism and is a former park ranger at the Fort Smith National Historic Site.
Catherine serves as one of the tribal historians on Cherokee Nation’s Advisory Committee on History and Culture. She also serves on the board of directors for the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas as the official representative for the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes, and Three Rivers Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Catherine consults with museums and institutions across the nation on exhibits and video production relating to the history of Cherokee Nation, Give Tribes, and Indian Territory.
Catherine was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and raised in Warner, Muskogee County, Oklahoma. A few of the Cherokee lines she descends from are the Starr, Toney, Muskrat, Davis, Fields, and Downing families. Catherine has been a speaker at numerous conferences and events where she enjoys presenting on the outlaw and lawmen history of Cherokee Nation and Indian Territory.
Noel Grayson, JOM School Specialist & National Treasure
Noel Grayson, JOM School Specialist & National Treasure
Noel Grayson, JOM School Specialist & National Treasure
Noel Grayson and his brothers used to make bows and arrows as kids using sticks and
chicken feathers. As he grew up, he dedicated himself to learning how to make these tools in
the traditional Cherokee manner. What started off as a hobby, soon became his passion as he
worked to perfect his craft. Noel was one of the youngest people to be rec
Noel Grayson and his brothers used to make bows and arrows as kids using sticks and
chicken feathers. As he grew up, he dedicated himself to learning how to make these tools in
the traditional Cherokee manner. What started off as a hobby, soon became his passion as he
worked to perfect his craft. Noel was one of the youngest people to be recognized as a
Cherokee National Treasure, a distinction given to Master Craftspeople who are carrying
on and teaching the traditional crafts of the Cherokee Nation.
Ryan B. Mackey, CLMAP Manager
Noel Grayson, JOM School Specialist & National Treasure
Noel Grayson, JOM School Specialist & National Treasure
My name is Ryan B. Mackey. I work for the Cherokee Nation as a Cherokee language teacher, and I work for the Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program (CLMAP.)
Like most language teachers, I started teaching with an emphasis in grammar, in time though, I began to learn about total language immersion. Total Physical Response (TPR) was my
My name is Ryan B. Mackey. I work for the Cherokee Nation as a Cherokee language teacher, and I work for the Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program (CLMAP.)
Like most language teachers, I started teaching with an emphasis in grammar, in time though, I began to learn about total language immersion. Total Physical Response (TPR) was my original preference for immersion teaching. In Cherokee Nation’s Education Department, we developed an employee language class that was to be a part of the new employee orientation process. As a part of every new Cherokee Nation employees’ orientation, they were required to take 40 hours, one entire week, of Cherokee Language Immersion.
Before I worked for the Cherokee Nation, I was a Cherokee language teacher for our local community language classes under contract for both the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma (UKB.) I had already taught Cherokee in a few public schools in Oklahoma and had also worked as an adjunct instructor in a few different Cherokee language courses for some of our small universities in northeastern Oklahoma.
Danny McCarter, Museum Interpreter & National Treasure
Noel Grayson, JOM School Specialist & National Treasure
Danny McCarter, Museum Interpreter & National Treasure
Danny McCarter is a blowgun and blowgun-dart maker. McCarter has an extensive knowledge of blowgun making. The history of its use was handed down to him by his brother in the 1980s at the Ancient Village at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill. McCarter has worked at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Diligwa as a villager, tour guide,
Danny McCarter is a blowgun and blowgun-dart maker. McCarter has an extensive knowledge of blowgun making. The history of its use was handed down to him by his brother in the 1980s at the Ancient Village at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill. McCarter has worked at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Diligwa as a villager, tour guide, and historic interpreter. He still shares his wisdom of Cherokee history and culture at the Cherokee National History Museum in Tahlequah.
Charla Nofire, Genealogist
Jessica Manry, Ph.D., Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Danny McCarter, Museum Interpreter & National Treasure
Charla Nofire is currently a genealogist at the Cherokee National Research Center in Tahlequah. Growing up on the Cherokee Nation reservation, she specializes in Cherokee Ancestry. She has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice/Paralegal and minor in Native American Studies. She is a member of the Oklahoma Genealogical Society. She is a descendent of Nancy Ward and Redbird Smith.
Jessica Manry, Ph.D., Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Jessica Manry, Ph.D., Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Jessica Manry, Ph.D., Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Jessica grew up in Tulsa and values the indispensable work nonprofits do in Oklahoma. Her current role at OKCNP allows her to combine her abiding passions—facilitation, learning, and engaging community change work—on a daily basis. On any given week, she facilitates Nonprofit Management, leadership cohorts, coaching, board governance trai
Jessica grew up in Tulsa and values the indispensable work nonprofits do in Oklahoma. Her current role at OKCNP allows her to combine her abiding passions—facilitation, learning, and engaging community change work—on a daily basis. On any given week, she facilitates Nonprofit Management, leadership cohorts, coaching, board governance trainings and provides consulting services to nonprofits across Green Country (and beyond). In her work, she thrives on the “aha” moments that can shift the direction of someone’s thinking or make an organization’s work in the community more powerful.
Jessica returned to Oklahoma in 2019 after spending eight years at the University at Albany, SUNY, where she received a doctorate in English Literature. Jessica began teaching at universities in 2009; since then, she has taught at the University of Oklahoma, the University at Albany, and the University of Tulsa. In her most recent role at the University of Tulsa, she was a Student Success Coach and Curriculum Coordinator for 30+ sections of First Year Experience, Transfer Experience, and Effective Learning Strategies courses. There, she oversaw instructor training and the design and implementation of first-year courses. As a certified coach, Jessica worked with students in one-on-one sessions to provide a holistic, individualized support. Her coaching and curriculum work with first-year students emphasized Community, Finances, Effectiveness, Time Management, and Academics.
Jessica brings experience with families and children involved in foster care. As a Child Welfare Specialist, Jessica worked collaboratively with children and families to ensure both child safety and that the medical, educational, physical, and psychological needs of children and parents were met in order to move families toward either reunification or alternative plans for permanency.
Jessica’s work with nonprofits includes community organizing and direct service with immigrant and refugee families through New Sanctuary for Immigrants. In 2016, with a group of ten others, she co-founded and began service on the coordinating committee for ICE-Free Capital District, a nonprofit organization committed to defending immigrant community members through public and political advocacy in the state of New York. She has also served as a union organizer with the Graduate Student Employees Union (CWA 1104) at UAlbany. Through these organizing roles, she has facilitated numerous community workshops on Rapid Response, Know Your Rights, Cultural Consciousness, Advocacy, and more.
Rob Sheehan, Ph.D.
Jessica Manry, Ph.D., Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Jessica Manry, Ph.D., Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Dr. Rob Sheehan, is a Senior Lecturer at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is also Principal of Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting where he provides consulting services in strategic planning, board development, and leadership & teamwork development for nonprofits.
Rob has more than thirty ye
Dr. Rob Sheehan, is a Senior Lecturer at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is also Principal of Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting where he provides consulting services in strategic planning, board development, and leadership & teamwork development for nonprofits.
Rob has more than thirty years of executive management experience, including eighteen years as the CEO of two different national nonprofits. He received his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. He is author of the book, Mission Impact: Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, which introduces a new innovation-based approach to strategic planning for nonprofit organizations.
Rob has been a lifelong volunteer for various nonprofits and is a Trustee Emeritus of LeaderShape, Inc., where he is Past Board Chair.