Advancing Excellence in Public Service
For over half a century, the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA-OK), has served as the focal point for networking among public-service professionals in this state. ASPA-OK links thought and practice to celebrate public service in nonprofit and government agencies at local, state, tribal, and national levels!
Oklahoma Leaders Unite for Progress!
Please join us!
The most important benefit of membership is the ability to connect with your peers in Oklahoma and beyond as well as professionals in your specific discipline. Other benefits include access to the Public Administration Review journal, year-round e-learning opportunities, weekly online publications such as the PA Times, and over 30 special-interest sections ranging from finance and budgeting to crisis management. You can also become involved in our local chapter by participating in our sponsored local events such as workshops, seminars, and award presentations.
To become a member of ASPA-OK, simply join the national American Society for Public Administration at the following link:
Celebrating Oklahoma’s Public Servants!
We bring positive attention to Oklahoma’s unsung heroes who dedicate themselves to improving this state and its communities!
ASPA-OK sponsors the high-profile Administrator of the Year, Distinguished Public Service, Lifetime Achievement, and Kory B. Atcuson-Coley Organizational Service Awards. To nominate a dedicated public servant from the public or nonprofit sectors, simply get in contact with one of our Executive Board members.
List of Past ASPA-OK Award Winners
Administrator of the Year
2023 Christy Batterson, Housing and Community Development Manager, City of Edmond
2021 Deborah Gist, Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools
2017 Dr. Cindy Simon Rosenthal, Mayor, City of Norman and University of Oklahoma Professor
2009 Howard Hendrick, Director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services
2008 Blake Wade, Director of the Centennial Commission
2007 Lindy Ritz, Director of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City
2006 Zach D. Taylor, Executive Director of the Association of Central OK Governments
2005 Mike Fogarty, Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority
2004 Stanley F. Hupfeld, President & CEO of Integris Health
2003 George Moser, Exec Director of OK House of Representatives Research, Legal & Fiscal Divisions
2002 Robert Conner, Executive Director, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker AFB
2001 Jerry Regier, Cabinet Secretary, Health & Human Services, State of OK
2000 Leonard Martin, City Manager, City of Edmond, Oklahoma
1999 Hans Brisch, Chancellor, Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education
1998 Steven Gentling, Director, Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center
1997 Connie Irby, Director, State Senate Staff, State of Oklahoma
1996 Dr. Edward R. Johnson, Dean of Libraries, Oklahoma State University
1995 Oscar B. Jackson, Jr., Administrator, OK Office of Personnel Management
1982 Dr. Joan Leavitt, Commissioner of Health for the State of Oklahoma
1981 Benjamin Demps, Director, Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, Federal Aviation Admin.
1980 Dr. Francis Tuttle, State Director, OK State Dept. of Vocational & Technical Education
1979 Tom Heggy, Chief of Police, City of Oklahoma City
1978 Robert J. LaFortune, Mayor, City of Tulsa
1977 Albert J. Harrington, Civilian Training Officer, Tinker Air Force Base
1976 Chris T. Delaporte, State Parks Director, OK Department of Tourism & Recreation
1975 Howard MacMahon, City Manager of Oklahoma City
Lifetime Achievement Award
2024 Christopher D. Barnes, Vice Consul of Yekaterinburg, Russia, U.S. Department of State
2023 Dr. W. David Macey, Interim Dean, University of Central Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts
2021 Larry Stevens, City Manager, City of Oklahoma City
2020 Steve Housel, Professor, Rogers State University
Distinguished Public Service Award
2023 Dr. Shanna Padgham, Professor and Chair of Political Science, Oklahoma City Community College
2023 Dr. Lindsey Churchill, Director, The Center at UCO (Women’s Research Center/BGLTQ+ Student Center)
2023 Mark Shafer, Deputy Director, Oklahoma Climatological Survey, OU
2023 Barry Keim, Principal Investigator, Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program, OU
2021 Peggy Trice, Chairman of the Board, Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association
2020 Dr. Brett S. Sharp, Professor of Public Administration/MPA Director, University of Central Oklahoma
2017 Dr. Steve Housel, Professor of Public Administration, Rogers State University
2017 James Floyd, Principal Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation
2009 Dr. Cindy Simon Rosenthal, Mayor, City of Norman & OU Professor
2009 Steven Thompson, Executive Director, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
2008 Duane Smith, Director of the Water Resources Board
2007 Adam Walmus, Director of the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center in Muskogee
2006 Francie Wright, Education Officer of the Muskogee Regional Processing Office
2006 Lt. Col. Miles Crowell, Director of Staff of the 71st Flying Training Wing at Vance AFB
2005 Dr. Ernest Holloway, President of Langston University
2005 Norma Noble, Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Workforce Development
2003 Dee Faircloth Porter, General Administrator of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission
2003 Debbie Straughn, Principal of Deer Creek Elementary School
2002 Joe Davenport, Director of Personnel Assessment, OK Office of Personnel Management
2002 Jess Nelson, Mayor of Guymon, Oklahoma
2002 LeAnn Jenkins, Executive Director, OK Federal Executive Board
2001 Michael A. Deihl, Administrator, Southwestern Power Administration (Tulsa)
2001 Howard H. Hendrick, Director, Oklahoma Department of Human Services
2000 Glenn Deck, City Manager of Oklahoma City
2000 James D. Bednar, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System
1999 Margaret Milner, Senior Community Builder/OKC Coordinator, U.S. Dept. Housing & Urban Dev
1999 Jerry Scribner, Assistant State Treasurer in Oklahoma
1997 Gerald Yanker, Executive Director of Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker AFB
1997 Leonard Martin, City Manager of Edmond, Oklahoma
1996 Pamela Warren, Oklahoma Deputy Secretary of State
1996 Neal A. McCaleb, Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
1995 Charles Huerta, Tinker Air Force Base
1995 Robert E. Lytle, Tinker Air Force Base
1995 Sheila K. Jones, Tinker Air Force Base
Kory B. Atcuson-Coley Organizational Service Award
2023 Dr. Brett S. Sharp, Director of the Master of Public Administration, University of Central Oklahoma
2021 Steve Housel, Professor, Rogers State University
2020 Kory B. Atcuson, City Clerk, City of Edmond
ASPA-OK Award Descriptions
ASPA Oklahoma Public Administrator of the Year Award
The Administrator of the Year Award is presented to a public service practitioner whose recent achievements exhibit the highest standards of excellence, dedication, and accomplishment. The requirements for nomination of this award are:
The nominee must be an active employee of federal, state, tribal, or local government; a nonprofit organization; or an institution of higher education operating in Oklahoma.
The nominee must have achieved a noteworthy success in the past 1-2 years which has served to advance the practice or study of public service in Oklahoma and which exhibits the nominee’s adherence to the highest standards of excellence and dedication in the practice of their work.
The nominee must not have been the recipient of the Public Administrator of the Year Award within the past two (2) nomination years.
ASPA Oklahoma Distinguished Public Service Award
The award is presented to an individual who has promoted excellence in public service. The requirements for nomination are:
The nominee must have significantly contributed to the advancement of public service in Oklahoma, either in a professional or voluntary capacity, through a specific program or project or over the course of the nominee’s career.
The nominee must not have been the recipient of the Distinguished Public Service Award within the past two (2) nomination years.
The nominee may be an active or retired employee of a public, nonprofit, or private sector organization, but must have aided the advancement of the public service vocation within Oklahoma.
The nomination requirements for the Distinguished Public Service Award are intentionally broad. This is to allow for the recognition of a diverse set of nominees who have contributed to the accumulation of expertise and the spread of innovation in the state’s public service community.
ASPA Oklahoma Lifetime Achievement Award
The award was established to honor a public administrator's career accomplishments and contributions to public service and ASPA over a lifetime. To be eligible for nomination, the nominee must not have been the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for any previous nomination year. The award criteria include:
Career Accomplishments: The nominee may be retired or still in the workforce but must have: At least 20 years of professional public service, with at least ten years for organizations operating in Oklahoma. Made outstanding contributions to an organization or organizations on a sustained basis
Contributions to Public Service: Service and contributions to the public sector, nonprofit sector or academia are important factors in this award. Such activities will include: Responsibility for programs, projects, or studies which have contributed to the advancement of the public service profession. Responsibility for programs, projects or studies which have significantly benefitted the general public.
Leadership: The nominee must have a proven history of leadership in the public sector, nonprofit sector or academia. Such a history will include: Management of an organization division of an organization in the public sector, nonprofit sector or academia. Mentorship of students or public servants who would seek to continue such professionalism in service to the public.
ASPA Oklahoma Kory B. Atcuson-Coley Organizational Award
This award was established to recognize an ASPA member who has had outstanding contributions to the ASPA Oklahoma Chapter. The requirements for nomination of this award are:
The nominee must not have been the recipient of the Kory B. Atcuson-Coley Organizational Award within the past two (2) nomination years.
The nominee must have gone beyond the call of duty as an officer, committee member, or general member and has furthered the mission of ASPA Oklahoma to advance the practice and study of public service in Oklahoma. Such service will include:
Significant involvement in a project or initiative which advanced the effectiveness of the Chapter in fulfilling its mission.
Significant involvement in a project or initiative which initiated positive change in the Chapter.
