11-28-2023
Tricia Everest, a native of Oklahoma City and 4th generation Oklahoman, attended Casady High School before receiving her Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University. Tricia started her legal career as a legal assistant at Crowe and Dunlevy splitting some of her time working with Oklahoma Lawyers for Children. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from University of Oklahoma School of Law. After graduation she served the State as an assistant attorney general. In 2010, Tricia left the Attorney General’s office to help build public/private partnerships to help people find hope and purpose by creating pathways for stronger lives. Tricia was the founding Chair of ReMerge, which diverts mothers from prison and empowers the women to build healthy foundations for themselves and their children. She plays an integral role as the founding Chair of Palomar, which removes barriers for abuse victims to access the services they need. Her other philanthropic endeavors include Chair of Allied Arts, past-Chair of YMCA – the organization’s first female chair in its 128-year history – and service on numerous nonprofit boards and commissions. Amongst a number of recognitions, Tricia received the Lee Allen Smith Oklahoma Legacy Award in 2013. OCBA presented her with the President’s Professional Award in 2017. In 2019, she was inducted into the OCU Meinders Hall of Honor for Business and Commerce. Tricia received the State’s Highest Honor in 2019 with her induction into the Oklahoma Hall Of Fame. Tricia received the 2020 Volunteer of the Year from the Department of Justice for her work with crime victims. In 2023, inducted into the Order of the Owl, University of Oklahoma College of Law’s highest honor. She also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Oklahoma City University. Tricia currently is the Cabinet Secretary of Public Safety for the State of Oklahoma.
Lauren Krisai is the Deputy Director of the Justice Action Network (JAN), the largest bipartisan organization focused on criminal justice reform at the state and federal levels. As Deputy Director, Lauren oversees the Justice Action Network’s expanding state work. JAN has supported more than 175 bills that have been signed into law since its creation in 2015, and currently has a presence in 15 states. The organization has been represented by A&A Advocates in Oklahoma since 2016. Previously, Lauren served as the Director of Criminal Justice Reform at the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank.
Jeffrey Cartmell currently serves as the Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Prior to his appointment, he most recently served as Counsel to Secretary of State Brian Bingman and as a Senior Advisor to Governor Kevin Stitt. In these roles he provided strategic legal, policy, and ethical counsel to the Governor, Secretary Bingman, and other senior level administration officials. Before assuming his role as Counsel to the Secretary in 2021, Cartmell served as Deputy General Counsel under Governor Stitt for two years. Between 2017 and 2019, Cartmell worked in the private sector as an associate attorney at Lytle Soule & Curlee after serving two years as a division director within the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. Cartmell was a Deputy General Counsel to former Governor Mary Fallin from 2012 to 2014.
Cartmell earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 2009 and 2012, respectively. Cartmell became an adjunct professor of law at his alma mater in 2021, teaching a seminar course on government law.
Chair of the Day
Sarah Roberts serves as Vice President of Programs at Inasmuch Foundation where she has been employed for over 20 years. The Foundation was founded by Edith Kinney Gaylord in 1982 and provides grants to enrich the quality of life and strengthen organizations to benefit people and communities. Inasmuch Foundation’s grantmaking approach focuses on partnership and collaboration to inspire lasting change in Oklahoma City by focusing on specific areas: education, human services, community and journalism. The Foundation has placed emphasis on forging public/private partnerships to fund evidence-based interventions for vulnerable children and families as well as attracting much needed federal investments to Oklahoma City. Examples of a few successful public/private partnerships are Community CARES Partners, Metafund Impact Accelerator, Oklahoma City Educare, Oklahoma Clearinghouse for Early Childhood Success, Pivot, ReMerge, and Key to Home.
Sarah previously served as Chairman of the Board of ReMerge and Sunbeam Family Services. She co-chaired the ReMerge and Center for Nonprofits capital campaigns where she assisted in raising over $20 million and acquiring an allocation of new market tax credits. Sarah was appointed by Governors Mary Fallin and Kevin Stitt to serve as Vice Chair of the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Board of Directors. Sarah was also appointed by Mayor David Holt to serve on the MAPS 4 Neighborhoods Subcommittee. Additionally, Sarah serves on the Board of Directors for: United Way of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and City Rescue Mission. Sarah previously served on the following Boards: Integris Center for Mind, Body & Spirit, Oklahoma City Metro Literacy Coalition, ReMerge, Sunbeam Family Services, Community Action Agency, Wes Welker Foundation, Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation and Police Athletic League. Sarah is a 2016 graduate of SALLT, Class 8 (Salt and Light Leadership Training) and a 2019 graduate of Leadership Oklahoma, Class 32. In 2008, Sarah was recognized by OKCBusiness as a recipient of the Forty under 40 Award. In 2020, Sarah was recognized by Pivot as their Advocate of the Year for building collaborative efforts to address youth homelessness in Oklahoma City. In 2022, Sarah was recognized with the Prism Award for her early childhood work from Rainbow Fleet and the President’s Award at the Oklahoma Center of Nonprofits Visions Awards, which honors those who act as agents of change in the community, providing leadership to enrich and enliven those whom they serve.
Sarah was previously an instructor with the Clarksville Montgomery County School System in Tennessee where she taught 5th grade. Sarah is a graduate of Bishop McGuinness High School (1992) in Oklahoma City and Sweet Briar College (1996) in Virginia where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a teaching certificate. Sarah has been married to Hayden Roberts for more than 24 years. Hayden works for Oklahoma State University. They live in Oklahoma City and have two sons, Jackson who is 20 years old and Owen who is 14 years old.