Ally combines business acumen with diverse account management experience to achieve client goals.
She is a skilled crisis communicator who protects public images and clients’ livelihoods.

An instinctual leader, Ally sees the big picture and rallies resources to secure success. Whether
counseling clients or streamlining internal processes, Ally’s passion for perfection and empathetic
disposition elevate every aspect of Candor’s services.

She is a self-proclaimed political junkie who got her start in public affairs working in the nation’s capital.
Ally is accustomed to crafting grassroots strategies that influence state and federal legislative and
regulatory decisions.

Ally’s community involvement includes:

• Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma, 3rd Vice President
• Juliette Low Leadership Society, committee member
• Public Relations Society of America, Oklahoma City Chapter, member
• The Downtown Club of Oklahoma City, member
• Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, member
• Cookies & Cocktails, Co-Chair, 2019 and 2020

Awards & Honors:

• Leadership Oklahoma City, Class 42
• 405 Magazine, HER Industry Leader, 2024
• The Journal Record, Woman of the Year Nominee, 2024
• The Journal Record, 40 Achievers Under 40, 2023
• PRSA-OKC, PR Professional of the Year, 2022
• Leadership Oklahoma City, Paragon Award, 2021
• PRWeek, Outstanding Young Professional, 2019
• PRSA, Award of Excellence, Protect OKC Campaign, 2018
• LOYAL, Class XIII
• Ignite OKC, 2018 speaker
• United Way’s Board Serve, Class III
• Oklahoma NextGen Under 30 Award, 2016

She holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science, summa cum laude from the University of
Oklahoma.

You can catch Ally around Oklahoma City exploring the local dining scene, hanging out with friends and
family, and finding new group exercise classes to join. She’s also a bit of a bookworm.

Andrea is a native of northeast Oklahoma with deep roots in the Tulsa community. She has more than 20 years of public relations experience, including expertise in employee and stakeholder engagement, change communications, executive visibility and relationship building. Andrea has supported clients at the local and global levels across a wide range of industries.

She is also highly skilled in internal communications and is energized by creating and supporting inclusive workplace cultures. 

Andrea’s community involvement includes: 

• The University of Tulsa Alumni Association, St. Louis Chapter — past president  
• Resonance Center for Women — past president  
• Tulsa Press Club — past president  
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Tulsa Chapter — past president  
• Tulsa’s Young Professionals (TYPros) — co-founder and first chair 

Awards & Honors: 

• Leadership Tulsa, Class 71
• PRSA Tulsa, Professional of the Year 
• The Journal Record, 40 Achievers Under 40 
• Tulsa Regional Chamber, Chairman’s Award

She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in marketing from the University of Tulsa and earned an Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). 

Andrea enjoys being outdoors as much as possible, whether it’s working outside, hitting a patio for brunch or taking a walk through a local park. Fun fact: she hosts a podcast out of her home, chatting with interesting people about cool happenings in Tulsa. 

Stacy has almost 20 years of experience as a strategic operations executive. She brings a wealth of expertise in financial management, procedure creation, process optimization and team building.  

Having worked across diverse industries, including energy, retail, advertising and parks and recreation, she excels in creating efficient systems and fostering collaboration among cross-functional teams.  

No matter what challenge she tackles, she believes in being kind and brave. 

Stacy’s community involvement includes: 

• United Way, volunteer 
• Oklahoma City Ad Club, member 

A graduate of Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, she has also owned and managed a small business.  

Beyond the office, Stacy enjoys wandering through Oklahoma City’s unique retail shops and spending time with her family at the lake. 

Adam has worked on several aspects of media and professional communications in print, in broadcast and online. Before serving as managing editor of Oklahoma’s largest business publication, he spent a decade writing and editing news and features. Adam is a walking Associated Press Stylebook and Candor’s editor supreme.

He has extensive experience in the energy sector and has planned and executed communications strategies for organizations ranging from nonprofits to $30 billion corporations.

Adam relishes digging into legal and government documents to look for central ideas and interpret jargon. This passion has made him the firm’s go-to resource for understanding and navigating the complexities of issues such as regulation and taxation.

Adam’s current community involvement includes:

• Jewish Federation of Oklahoma City, immediate past president
• West Village District, president
• Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts, Food Committee member

Awards & Honors:

• Leadership Oklahoma City, Class 35

Adam grew up in Phoenix and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma.

He is a committed father, dog owner, runner and soccer player. Adam fervently hopes he lives long enough to see the U.S. Men’s National Team lift the World Cup.

Alex uses his wit and writing skills to create compelling content for digital campaigns. He is the king of A/B message testing and knows how to strategically use dollars to get the best online reach and results. He specializes in paid social and content marketing.

He keeps his finger on the pulse of constantly changing social media algorithms to develop and implement creative content strategy in numerous industries, including health care, food, travel/tourism, law, education and nonprofits.

Alex helps humanize brands through conversation-driven copy, knowing when and how to inject relatable humor into social posts and advertisements.

Certifications:

• Sprout Social Publishing Certified

Alex’s community involvement includes:

• AMA OKC, mentor
• Allied Arts Catalyst, member
• Central Oklahoma Humane Society, volunteer

He holds a bachelor’s degree in film and media studies from the University of Oklahoma.

When he’s not writing and strategizing, Alex listens to podcasts, finds new restaurants to frequent and looks for people to play basketball with (seriously, text him if you want to hoop).

Dedra has spent nearly 15 years honing her skills as a creative director and graphic designer. She is known for her eye for detail and passion for her work — when working with Dedra, clients can be assured she fully believes in every design she delivers.

She is particularly skilled in layout design, typography, branding, logo design and photography. Dedra has also won numerous ADDY awards for work related to digital and print advertising, including brochures, billboards, bus wraps, packaging design and more.

Dedra’s community involvement includes:

• Norman Youth Foundation, volunteer

Awards & Honors:

• Six-time ADDY Award winner

A native of Oklahoma City, Dedra attended Metro Technology Centers and studied graphic design. She was employed as a graphic designer before even graduating high school.

Dedra is passionate about music and is a former member of Oklahoma Victory Dolls, a local flat-track roller derby team. She also enjoys traveling and making classic craft cocktails in her at-home bar.

Rich is an artist at heart who has spent more than 25 years building brand identities through film and video. He gets in the zone when he’s on set, whether on a soundstage, in a foreign country or even in a rural sand pit. Rich is known for doing whatever it takes to get the shot, including becoming an FAA-certified drone pilot.

He has mastered every step in the video production process, from brainstorming concepts to scriptwriting to adding the final touches in the edit bay. Rich knows how to turn complicated subjects into visually compelling, easy-to-understand videos.

He has served a wide range of industries from tourism, energy, and healthcare to restaurants, banking and direct sales. With a passion for storytelling, he’s also been involved in more than 300 television shows for ESPN, Golf Channel, NBC and Fox Sports.

Rich is involved in varied community organizations, including:

• Life.Church
• Allied Arts
• Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma
• Fundación FANA orphanage in Bogotá, Colombia

Rich has a number of Gold Addys, an Emmy nomination and some Bronze Quill awards, too. He thinks awards are nice, but knows results matter most.

He holds a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications from Harding University.

In his free time, Rich loves hitting the links and spending time with his spunky sons, Reynolds and Rhodes.

Morgan is a lifelong Tulsan with nearly 20 years of experience in public relations, journalism and non-profit leadership. She has spent her career telling stories spotlighting impactful people, businesses and community organizations.

A natural collaborator, Morgan uses her expertise in media relations, content strategy and project management to help clients meet and exceed their business objectives.

Morgan’s community involvement includes:

• The MOTHERboard Foundation, a non-profit that supports working moms
• President of her neighborhood association
• Storyteller in her church’s preschool department

Awards & Honors:

• Emerging Leader Fellowship, International Downtown Association
• Storyteller of the Year, YMCA Tulsa
• Young PR Professional of the Year, PRSA Tulsa
• Magazine Writer of the Year, OK Society of Professional Journalists

Morgan has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations from Oklahoma State University, and she earned an Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

In her free time, Morgan enjoys exploring new places with her husband and daughters, finding a great TV series, gardening and planning her next vacation or house project. She is also a published author of a family devotional for parents of young children.

Annie specializes in strategic and experiential marketing, influencer relations and brand development. With a background in retail and fashion marketing, Annie is well-versed in the consumer experience and believes it boils down to: “Connection, then transaction.” 

Annie’s community involvement includes: 

• AMAOKC, Community Relations Board member
• Allied Arts, Catalyst member 
• Ad2OKC, member 

Awards, Honors & Certifications:

• Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) Certified
• NextGen 30 Under 30 Award Winner, 2022

She holds a bachelor’s degree in international security from the University of Oklahoma. Although her degree isn’t directly related to marketing, Annie credits her diverse education with the ability to understand varied and unique perspectives. 

Outside of work, Annie enjoys hiking with her husband, reading every issue of Vogue magazine and exploring the Metaverse. She is a proud dog mom of two rescues, Emmy and Jackie. 

Emily’s background is rooted in journalism and advertising copywriting, though she creates content for a variety of clients and platforms. She has extensive experience writing for traditional media like television and radio and is skilled at crafting engaging news releases to grab readers’ attention. 

She is also a proficient digital marketer and strategist, combining eye-catching graphics with concise copy to achieve results. Emily’s paid search work has been recognized by Google and its prestigious Brand Accelerator Program. 

Her areas of expertise include project management, email marketing, blog writing, copyediting and presentation development. 

Emily’s community involvement includes:

• AAF Oklahoma, Email Marketing Chair
• Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma’s Cookies & Cocktails fundraising event, Marketing Committee chair
• Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma’s Cookies & Cocktails fundraising event, Silent Auction Committee member
• Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts, PR committee member
• ZOOtroop, member

Awards, Honors & Certifications:

• Mailchimp Certified
• HubSpot Content Marketing certified
• HubSpot Inbound Marketing certified
• Google AdWords certified
• Wylie Communications “Think Inside the Inbox” master class certified
• NextGen Under 30 Award Winner, 2016

She holds a bachelor of arts degree in journalism with an emphasis in advertising and a minor in film & media studies from the University of Oklahoma.

Emily has been a vegetarian since age 15 and enjoys cooking and sharing recipes on her blog. She is a notorious book worm and reads a variety of works to help her grow as a writer. Emily is a new(ish) mom to toddler Oliver, who was born in August 2021. When Oliver’s napping, you can probably find her watching British television with her husband and three rescue dogs. 

Ashley excels in coordinating cross-functional teams, building strong relationships with stakeholders, and driving progress through effective communication and project management. 

She has served in various roles in corporate and agency settings, including public relations, user experience research, market research, website content creation, and marketing project management. 

Ashley’s community involvement includes: 

• Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Leadership Class V 
• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Central Oklahoma Chapter, Founder of Mentorship Program and VP of Membership, 2018-2021 
• Goodwill Generation Good Emerging Leaders, board member

Awards & Honors: 

• Oklahoma NextGen Under 30 Award, 2019 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication, summa cum laude, from the University of Central Oklahoma. 

In her free time, Ashley loves hosting friends, vintage shopping, reading, throwing pottery, and hanging out with her husband and their pets, River and Theo.

Bowie is a storyteller at heart who utilizes their diverse skill set and enthusiasm to help clients tell their most impactful stories.  

A writer, strategist and experience designer, they have worn many hats across industries for the last 15 years, including enterprise organizations and startups.  

Bowie’s community involvement includes: 

• Tulsa Dog Training Club, member 
• Tulsa Tough Divas, member 
• Philbrook Museum of Art, member 
• Tulsa Remote, member 
• Austin Film Festival, volunteer 

Awards & Honors: 

• Ragdale Foundation Artist Fellowship 
• University of Pittsburgh Arts & Sciences Fellowship 
• Kenyon Review Peter Taylor Fellowship 

Bowie earned a bachelor’s degree and Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and media studies from the University of Pittsburgh. They also hold certifications in big data, content strategy and UX design. 

When they’re not working, they can be found running, reading, cycling, tinkering with new technology, learning languages or hiking with their two rescue pups, Henry and June.  

Chanté offers a wide range of skills to Candor’s clients, including writing engaging press releases; earned media research, pitching and reporting; influencer relations and – in her spare time – pop culture expertise!

She previously interned at a global communications agency and worked at the University of Oklahoma’s on-campus advertising agency. Chanté holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. Her community involvement includes serving as a volunteer for the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition.

Chanté’s community involvement includes:

• JayMac Alumni Association, board member
• PRSA Oklahoma City Chapter, member

When not hustling for Candor’s clients, Chanté loves to wind down with a good book, a crocheting project or a hot coffee with a ton of creamer. Send her your coffee recommendations — Chanté is always on the hunt for the next best cup.

Micah specializes in project management, driving earned media coverage, developing public affairs campaigns and coordinating strategic events. She thrives in a collaborative environment where she can thoroughly execute a project from start to finish.

Micah’s community involvement includes: 

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County, young professionals committee chair 
• Oklahoma AAF, American Advertising Awards chair, 2023-25 
• AMA OKC, mentor 
• Allied Arts, Catalyst member

Awards, Honors & Certifications: 

• LOYAL Class XIX 
• Oklahoma AAF, American Advertising Awards Young Professional of the Year, 2024 
• NextGen 30 Under 30 Award Winner, 2022 

She holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in strategic communication from Oklahoma State University. Her undergraduate degree includes a certification of nonprofit management. 

Micah is always on the go. She is an exercise enthusiast and has a competitive spirit which shines on pickleball courts across Oklahoma. Her wanderlust makes her ready for any adventure at the drop of a hat. 

Natalie brings experience as a marketer, copywriter and photographer to Candor. Her background includes more than 15 years’ involvement in B2B, B2C and nonprofit projects of all sizes, working on a wide array of marketing initiatives utilizing print, digital, social, AI and beyond.  

An Oklahoma State University graduate, Natalie recently returned to her home state after four years in Boston and eight years in Houston. 

Awards, Honors & Certifications:

• 3-time Business Marketing Association Lantern Award winner  
• HOW In-House Design Award winner  
• Biggest Loser’s Marketing Excellence grant winner 
• Tyson Foods’ Digital Canned Food Drive winner 
• Oklahoma Magazine – People With Style  

Outside work, Natalie is an avid birder and bird photographer. You might also find her playing tennis, seeing live music at a local venue, or watching Korean dramas on Netflix at home with her two British shorthair cats, Kiki and Yoyo. 

Haley’s areas of expertise include storytelling, earned & paid media coordination, video production and print advertising. She is additionally skilled in Adobe Creative Suite and Google Analytics.

While attending the University of Oklahoma, Haley served as a floor manager and camera operator to the school’s award-winning student-led newscast, OU Nightly. 

Haley’s community involvement includes: 

• Art with a Heart, 2023 event chair 
• St. Jude’s Children Hospital, volunteer, 2018-2021 

She holds a bachelor of arts degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in history from the University of Oklahoma. 

Haley is a big fan of good old fashioned road trips and enjoys skiing, tennis and playing board games — ask her about her card trick! She’s also an avid reader and oil/acrylic landscape painter. Fun fact: she has a fraternal twin sister, Cassidy.  

Emily’s expertise includes storytelling, crisis communications and earned and paid media. Previously, she led communications and advertising for a convenience store company, gaining invaluable experience in a 24/7 industry. 

Emily’s community involvement includes: 

• Public Relations Society of America OKC Chapter, Committee Member 
• Oklahoma Parkinson’s Alliance, Committee Member 

Awards & Honors: 

• NextGen Under 30, Most Outstanding Honoree Award Winner, 2021 

Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications from Oklahoma State University. While attending the university, she also gained experience in nonprofit communications and editorial writing.    

Outside of work, Emily enjoys getting lost in a good book, exploring new local restaurants, riding her beloved stationary bike and walking with her husband and their two precious pups, Augie and Watson. 

Sarah specializes in public and media relations, easily identifying the “news hook” of clients’ stories and developing engaging materials to earn coverage. She’s well-versed in using multiple lenses to consider how messages might be received and providing strong recommendations to protect clients’ reputations. 

She transitioned to agency life after spending seven years in the event industry, in which she honed her attention to detail and logistical knowledge. Sarah continues to use these skills to benefit Candor clients and manage events of all sizes. 

Sarah’s community involvement includes:

• AMA OKC, mentor
• Kappa Alpha Theta, alumna mentor

Certifications:

• Google Analytics certification 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in human relations from the University of Oklahoma.  

Outside of work, Sarah enjoys cooking stovetop recipes like Italian minestrone soup and Spanish seafood paella. A history buff, she loves delving deep into 20th century affairs by listening to podcasts. In the evenings, you can probably find her sipping on a mug of hot cinnamon spice tea and spending time with her husband, daughter, son and two dogs. 

Ciara’s expertise in B2B marketing includes managing campaign elements such as field events, digital marketing, social media and more. With her experience in tech startups, she understands the importance of leveraging every marketing dollar strategically to achieve results.  

During college, Ciara’s personal foodie social media account fueled her initial passion for influencer marketing. 

Ciara’s community involvement includes:

• OU Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni Association, member 
• Barre3, instructor 

Awards & Accomplishments

• Google Search Certified  
• Google Display Certified 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Oklahoma. 

When not working, Ciara is typically outside playing pickleball, walking while enjoying a podcast or reading a book.  

Dolores combines five decades of varied business experience to provide strategic account support for Candor. Using her background in administration, real estate, human resources, payroll and accounting, Dolores assists with administrative tasks and brings a unique perspective to the table.

Her thoroughness and can-do attitude ensure her colleagues and clients have everything they need to succeed.

After a 20-year career at Southwestern Bell, Dolores worked in the real estate and art publishing industries before spending more than a decade with a nonprofit ministry doing church loan administration. Prior to joining Candor, she worked at a marketing and public relations firm for five years as an account coordinator. Dolores is passionate about serving others, making her an ideal teammate.

Her community involvement includes:

• Mission of Hope in Haiti
• Camp Barnabas for children with special needs

Dolores holds a bachelor of arts in elementary education from Oklahoma City University.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, participating in church activities and attending group exercise class.

Kylie’s expertise is in advertising, content creation, and account management. Passionate about digital engagement, she specializes in social media strategy and video production.  

Kylie’s community involvement includes: 

• WingsOK Young Professionals Board 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of Oklahoma.  

In her free time, Kylie enjoys exploring workout classes around OKC, reading, baking, and cheering on OU football and the OKC Thunder. She is also an avid podcast listener, always seeking inspiration and new ideas from industry experts. 

Emma is passionate about digital advertising and finding creative solutions for enticing users to interact across multiple online platforms. She is skilled at defining targeted audiences for online content and crafting attention-grabbing ad messaging based on the most up-to-date industry trends.

Emma also has a background in paid media management, in which she develops and implements cross-channel strategies for varied clients.

Emma’s community involvement includes:

• Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma’s Cookies & Cocktails fundraising event, co-chair
• AMA OKC, mentor
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Oklahoma, junior committee member

Certifications, Awards & Honors:

• Google Ads certified
• Advanced Google Analytics certified
• Google Tag Manager certified
• Bing Ads certified
• HubSpot Inbound Marketing certified
• Union High School Athletic Hall of Fame for Golf, 2022
• NextGen 30 Under 30 Award Winner, 2023

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing from Oklahoma City University.

Outside of work, Emma enjoys visiting local concert venues and watching all things Bravo. On weekends, you can probably find her and her husband playing with their rescue pup, Penny.

Zach has experience strategizing, creating, executing and managing paid social media campaigns across a variety of platforms. He is a skilled content creator and crafts copy for everything from meme-focused, trending topics to informative, conversion-driven posts. Zach is additionally skilled in video editing, voiceover work and audio production. 

He holds a bachelor of applied technology degree with an emphasis in music performance from the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma. He also received a master of science degree from Arizona State University with an emphasis in digital audience strategy. 

Zach is a dog dad to Australian Shepherd mix Rebel. He’s a self-described “guitar pedal nerd” and is a big fan of pop-punk music. If you keep your eyes peeled, you might just find him with a band onstage in OKC. 

Ryan has over a decade of agency experience and is passionate about helping clients invest their social media budgets in creative ways to drive results. He specializes in social media advertising and creating engaging organic content. 

His voice may be familiar. After earning his bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from the American Broadcasting School, Ryan spent seven years hosting/producing radio shows for Oklahoma’s independent sound (The Spy FM) and largest NPR affiliate (KOSU). 

Certifications, Awards & Honors: 

• HubSpot Inbound Marketing certified 
• Google Ads certified 
• Facebook Blueprint certified 
• Facebook Digital Marketing certified 
• Hootsuite Social Marketing certified 
• NextGen Under 30, 2017 
• Confluence Conference speaker, 2014  

Outside of work, Ryan is known for his epic 1990-2000s dance parties and DJing at some of Oklahoma City’s most popular events. He spends quieter times at home listening to his record collection with his cat, Brain (no, not Brian). 

As a social media specialist, Logan brings savvy graphic design and writing skills to the table, along with experience helping brands define their image and voice. She is talented at crafting witty social media copy and creating on-trend TikTok videos.

Logan’s community involvement includes:

• Allied Arts, Catalyst member
• AMA OKC, member

She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations from the University of Oklahoma and graduated with special distinction.

Logan grew up in a tiny town on the south side of the Red River with just three restaurants, so she’s always looking for new eats to try. When she’s not seeking out new dishes, Logan enjoys hiking and thrifting at local vintage shops.

Micah is a passionate storyteller who has gone from making movies with his childhood friends to becoming an award-winning videographer and photojournalist. 

He spent 10 years at local news stations, where he developed an expertise in nonlinear filmmaking. Later, through his work at an advertising agency, Micah became highly skilled in cinematic lighting, camera movement and documentary filmmaking. 

Micah’s honors include: 

• Two regional Emmy Awards for news 
• Three regional Emmy Awards for documentaries 
• A regional and national Edward R. Murrow Award 

When he’s not working, Micah rides his skateboard, attends concerts, visits art museums and spends time with his family.

Sam has spent nearly a decade as a graphic designer, honing his expertise in branding, typography, layout design and illustration. He’s dedicated to continuous improvement as a creative, always seeking opportunities to solve problems and develop innovative concepts for clients.

Sam’s community involvement includes:

• Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, volunteer
• Tulsa Youth Sports League Soccer, coach
• Edison Prep High School Soccer, coach
• Citizens Against Banning Books, member

Sam earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from East Central University.

In his free time, he loves to travel, hike, game and spend time with his golden retriever, Oakley, and orange tabby cat, Cheeto. When Sam’s not coaching soccer, he’s either playing it or watching his team — Liverpool FC.

Carla is a seasoned advertising media buyer with a passion for strategically planning campaigns to deliver maximum impact. With 20+ years’ experience, she brings a blend of creativity, critical thinking and industry knowledge to every project undertaken. Her focus on ad performance and optimization maximizes the impact of every campaign, regardless of size.

Carla has extensive national experience in managing and negotiating high-volume buys. She has cultivated strong relationships across a wide range of media channels, including traditional broadcast, cable and sponsored content. She excels at negotiating the best rates and prime time slots for clients, all while ensuring campaigns stay within budget.

On summer mornings, you can find Carla appreciating the sunrise with a cup of coffee or kayaking on a lake. She also volunteers as a youth basketball coach and is learning to read, write and understand Korean.

Amanda is known for her attention to detail, problem-solving abilities and customer service skills. She previously served as a lead processor for an appraisal management company and has experience with bookkeeping, data entry and acting as a liaison between clients and vendors.

She also enjoys networking, creative writing and editing photos and videos. 

A native Rhode Islander, Amanda loves attending farmers markets, supporting local bands and promoting small businesses via social media. She is also a makeup artist, avid book worm and once won a contest for reciting the most digits of pi. 

Amanda studied business at Oklahoma City Community College. 

Karen protects reputations and provides candid counsel using her 35+ years’ experience in communications. As a former television news reporter turned public relations practitioner, she gets giddy when conducting media training and excels in crisis communications.

She first developed her storytelling skills working for PBS, CNN and CBS affiliates. She later served as director of external affairs for the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and was region president for Oklahoma’s oldest public relations firms.

In 2012, Karen founded Candor, which was acquired by Salient Global in 2023. Today, she serves on the Salient board of directors.

Karen’s community involvement includes:

• University of Oklahoma, Gaylord Board of Advisors
• Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, Board of Advisors
• AutismOklahoma, board member
• Leadership Oklahoma, graduate
• Leadership Oklahoma City, graduate
• Leadership Tulsa, graduate
• The Rotary Club of Oklahoma City, member

Awards & Honors:

• Distinguished Woman in Advertising, Oklahoma City Ad Club, 2021
• University of Oklahoma Gaylord College Distinguished Alum, 2020
• University of Oklahoma Student Media Hall of Fame, 2019
• Female Entrepreneur of the Year, International Stevie Awards, 2016
• Byliner Award, Association for Women in Communications, 2014
• Board Member of the Year, American Red Cross, 2013
• 50 Making A Difference, The Journal Record, 2013

Karen holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in human relations from the University of Oklahoma.

To switch her mind from work to play, Karen seldom skips her Saturday morning coffee club or daily exercise. She’s also known to listen to at least one business podcast per day and quiz her co-workers over current events.