7-25-2023
Rachel Hubbard is Executive Director of KOSU, the public radio station licensed to Oklahoma State University.
Originally from Virginia, Rachel’s family moved to Washita County to care for their family farm. She followed a family tradition of 4-H scholarships to attend Oklahoma State University. While completing her bachelors in agricultural communication, she started work at KOSU part-time and turned that into her career. She stayed in Stillwater for 10 years until KOSU moved their production studios to Film Row here in Oklahoma City. Rachel also earned her master’s degree in business with a focus on entrepreneurship from OSU.
Rachel is highly involved in professional organizations including as a board member for the Association of Independents in Radio, the NPR Joint Network Leadership Team, Public Radio in Mid America, and for Station Resources Group.
In addition to her work at KOSU, Rachel co-owns a Snap-On Tools franchise with her husband, Matthew Smith. They also have an active five-year-old and spend a fair amount of time at ball fields or at school activities. She enjoys cooking and making jams and jellies out of wild fruits. Staying close to her agricultural roots, they have a small menagerie with two horses, two dogs, a very ornery donkey and a small apiary with six beehives.
Rotarian sponsors Ted Streuli, Emily Lang, and Charlie Price
Sean O’Brien is Senior Project Manager at HSEarchitects, managing projects from predesign through post-construction.
He was born and raised in Tulsa until leaving for college at Oklahoma State University where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture before becoming a licensed architect in the state of Oklahoma. He moved to Oklahoma City when he accepted an internship at HSEarchitects and has made Oklahoma City home since.
In addition to his work at HSE, he serves as an adjunct instructor at OSU-OKC teaching several architecture-related courses throughout the year. He is also a volunteer and member of American Institute of Architects and an Emerging Leaders member.
When Sean is not at work, you can usually find him spending time with his wife and daughter. Some of their favorite hobbies include being outside fishing, hiking, camping or working in their yard. If the weather is less than ideal, you may also find him in his garage woodworking or “tinkering” as his wife, Lauren, calls it.
Rotarian sponsors Todd Edmonds, Blake Cherry, and Josh Dougherty
8-22-2023
Ellyn Hefner is Oklahoma State Representative for District 87.
She was born in Chicago, Illinois, but her family moved to Oklahoma in 1979 with her father’s position at General Motors. Her diverse background includes owning a business, working as a health coordinator with the Oklahoma Family Network, and serving as a financial Advisor specializing in special needs planning. She got more involved in public policy efforts after graduating from Partners in Policymaking, a leadership training program designed to teach people with disabilities and family members the power of advocacy to positively change the way people with disabilities are supported, viewed, taught, live and work.
Most of Ellyn’s advocacy is held in the disability realm where she is an ambassador for the ABLE accounts with the State Treasurer’s office. She has served on the state Developmental Disabilities Services advisory committee, which provides input on DDS policy by the Department of Human Services and has served as the board chair of the Daily Living Centers in Oklahoma City and the president of the Sotos Syndrome Support Association International.
Ellyn currently serves on the Santa Fe Family Life Center board, the development committee for JFK awards, a member of the National Council of Insurance Legislators, and an Achieving a Better Life Experience Ambassador for the State Treasurer. When not advocating for disabilities, Ellyn sweep rows with The River Sirens in the Riversport Rowing League.
Rotarian sponsors Emily Lang, Julia Kirt, and Carri Hicks
Sarah Amis McCombs is Business Development Specialist for William & Lauren Custom Clothier.
She was born and raised in Oklahoma City and earned her bachelors at the University of Oklahoma and her masters in early childhood education from The University of Central Oklahoma. Sarah and her husband Matt grew up in the same neighborhood and have lived within walking distance of each other since they were five years old. They have been married since 2011 and have two children, Jackson and Maggie Kate.
Outside of work, Sarah is active in the community and serves on the board of directors for ImpactOK, served as president of the Oklahoma City Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association, serves as a mentor for Y Achievers at NW Classen High School, a NOKC Soccer Club manager, a Chant Mini Cheer Coach and volunteers regularly with Christ the King School.
And if her previous work and volunteer experience listed wasn’t enough, Sarah also co-owns a pool e-commerce company called Skimmer Vortex and is a digital content creator working with local venues, restaurants, breweries, and boutiques through ambassador partnerships.
She loves to run with her son and read with her daughter. A born and bred Sooner, Sarah spends her fall weekends at OU football games. Her family vacations in Crested Butte, CO every summer and winter and they love to spend time at their family ranch at Lake Arbuckle.
Rotarian sponsors Alex Kaiser, Justin Hull, and Susan Davis Jordan
Seth Paxton is Manager of Government Affairs at Paycom.
Seth grew up on a farm west of Tuttle, OK. To the east was Braum’s Dairy and to the west was the Ross Honey Plant so they appropriately called the area “the land of milk and honey.” A seventh generation Oklahoman, his family still farms their original Choctaw-allotted lands in northern Grady County.
After completing undergraduate study at Oklahoma State University and law school at the University of Oklahoma, he began working as a legislative liaison for the Choctaw Nation, based in Texas. He returned to his Oklahoma roots and moved to Oklahoma City in early 2022.
Seth is active in the community and is a Trustee of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum Trust Authority, board member for Honestly, member of the Oklahoma Bar Association, member of the Luther Bohanan American Inn of Court, and member of the OU Law Order of the Barrister.
Seth is a proud member of the Choctaw Nation and remains involved in many tribal activities. He is an avid gardener and has planted a vegetable garden nearly every year for the last 12 years. He also enjoys playing piano, traveling to state capitals, college football, Broadway theatre, and spending weekends with friends at Grand Lake.
Rotarian sponsors Ed Long, AJ Griffin, and Jake Yunker
Sonny Wilkinson is Senior Director of Philanthropy and Planned Giving at OMRF.
He was born and raised in Oklahoma City and both sides of his family have several generations of history in OKC. In fact, the story goes that his great-great grandparents met during the land run. Following graduation from Bishop McGuiness, Sonny earned his bachelors at the University of Oklahoma. In 2015, he became one of only 80 Certified Fund Raising Executives in Oklahoma.
Sonny is also very active in the community and has served as a City Council member for the City of the Village since 2015 which includes having been named Mayor three times. He is very engaged with Leadership Oklahoma City as a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City LOYAL Class IX and Signature Class 38. For the next two years, he will serve as the YLX Youth in Action Class Co-Chair. Sonny also serves as board member for Executive Service Corps of Central Oklahoma and comes to us as a past president of the Exchange Rotary Club of Oklahoma City.
He and his wife Susan live in The Village with their adopted puppy Lincoln. They love traveling and will find any excuse to experience new cultures and locations. He loves baking, backpacking, playing the piano and all things related to the Olympics.
Rotarian sponsors Kelley Dowd, Andy Rine, and Carrie Blumert
Tami Bearden is Vice President and financial planner with T.S. Phillips Investments, Inc.
She and her husband, Seth, are high school sweethearts from Duncan, Oklahoma where she was born and raised. College brought them to Edmond to attend the University of Central Oklahoma where Tami would earn her bachelors in finance. She went on to earn her certificate of financial planning, her Certified Financial Planner certificate and her Chartered Special Needs Consultant certificate.
Tami is very active in her daughters’ lives and serves where needed. She is a member of the Newcastle Elementary PTO, and volunteers with Canterbury Youth Voices and Girl Scouts. She is also a Wings Special Needs Community volunteer.
Some of Tami’s hobbies include cooking with her daughters, rock climbing, golfing, painting, and watching baseball with her family.
Rotarian sponsors Tom Phillips, Bill Hughes, and Lexi Skaggs
Brent Hart is Executive Director of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Brent attended the University of South Alabama and the University of Mobile and has since completed many continuing education programs in Human Resources and Leadership Development. He moved to Oklahoma City in 2004 to be closer to family after working internationally for Royal Caribbean Cruises.
Brent has stayed active in our community and has served in volunteer and board capacities for several organizations including Allied Arts, deadCenter Film Festival, OACF’s “Red Tie Night”, a Steering Committee/Board member for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and is a past board president for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
In his free time, Brent enjoys live performances and travel and outdoor activities from swimming and team rowing to hiking and skiing.
Rotarian sponsors Robert Clements, Jerrod Shouse, and Terri Cooper
Mike Hoskins is the owner of Hoskins-212 Consulting, Chief of Police for Alex, OK, and an adjunct professor in graduate studies at Southern Nazarene University.
A native of Oklahoma, he grew up in Bethany and Oklahoma City. His many educational experiences include earning his bachelor’s and Master of Management at Southern Nazarene University. He also participated in the 61st National Security Forum Class with the US Air War College and the FBI National Academy.
Mike currently serves on the advisory council to the Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women specializing in human trafficking and is a member of the Retired Officers Association after having served more than 30 years with the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Mike has many hobbies in addition to his public speaking and professional life including taking more than 40 years of martial arts training. He is also a drummer and enjoys real estate investing. Mike is passionate about continuing community conversations regarding human trafficking and overdose awareness and prevention.
Rotarian sponsors Brooke Haneborg, Dawn Byram, and Terri Watkins