Dr. Anna Montgomery is the Executive Director of Northwest Green Chemistry (NGC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving human and environmental health through the application of green chemistry and engineering. Previously, she was a senior consultant, nonprofit leader in the arts, and small business owner. Well-versed in scientific research she has conducted diverse experiments in chemical alternatives assessment, genetic ecology, leadership, intersectoral collaboration, and organizational behavior and development. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Colorado College and her master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California (USC) Price. Anna earned her doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership at USC Rossier. Her dissertation research focused on nonprofit leadership development through managerial coaching. In 2020, she was invited to participate in the Tulsa Remote program. She has a passion for learning, nature, community building, STEAM fields, and poetry.
Ivan is originally from Veracruz, Mexico. In 2000, he moved to Tulsa when he was fourteen years old with his parents. He attended Nathan Hale High School. Ivan became involved as a community organizer and activist for Dream Act Oklahoma, a youth-led immigrant organization. In 2007, he was among the first in Oklahoma to openly come out as undocumented after graduating high school. This was the same year Oklahoma passed House Bill 1804 – the Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act – the strict law criminalizing and targeting immigrants. Among the various roles he holds, he is most honored to be a brother (to a THA student!), a son, a husband, and a proud Tulsa resident with the desire to help make our city better for all of us.
Ryan Myers is a Certified Public Accountant and works as the Chief Financial Officer at Imperial - a Tulsa-based food service company with more than 800 employees. A Tulsa-native, Ryan is a graduate of Oral Roberts University, and has over 20 years of experience in accounting and financial reporting. Ryan is a father to 4 young children and is passionate about helping kids get a chance to achieve.
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Omare Jimmerson is an advocate, a community educator, a program creator, a mentor, and a leader. Omare is the Executive Director for the Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative and has previously worked as the Deputy Director of Parks for the City of Tulsa, and Social Services Coordinator for Tulsa Public Schools, where she ensured her students were best served by various systems including education, healthcare and social services. Omare is the Co-Founder and previous Program Director of Strong Tomorrows, a school-based initiative for expectant and parenting students that provides guidance, support, and information. Omare is also on numerous nonprofit boards in Tulsa, and is currently the Board Chair of Reading Partners. Omare earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Oklahoma. She is a mother of two, that keep her on her toes.
I was born in Aguascalientes, Mexico. In 2001, I moved to Tulsa when I was about to turn 15 years old with all my family. I graduated from East Central High School. In 2017, I obtained my associate's degree from TCC and in 2019 my bachelor's degree from OU, both in Early Childhood Education. I have worked as a Teacher's Assistant and currently teaching Pre-Kindergarten at Tulsa Public Schools. Throughout all these years, one of the things that I love doing the most is volunteering, whether that is translating, interpreting or helping out in any way. I am a proud mom of two young teenagers (one currently at THA and one an alumnus of THA), a wife, the oldest sister of a family of six, and an immigrant that is eager to support our community and grow together.
Cynthia Jasso is the Associate Director of Community Engagement for the Birth through Eight Strategy for Tulsa (BEST), where she works on policy, sustainability, and sharing lessons learned locally and nationally. She joined GKFF after spending nearly 6 years in education, first as an educator and then moving into leadership roles at a national education-based nonprofit. Most recently, she worked at Teach For America Greater Tulsa where she led the region’s fundraising and communications efforts. She is a proud graduate of Leadership Tulsa’s Class 60 and the Hispanic Leadership Institute, and serves on several community boards and task forces. She attended the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) where she graduated with departmental honors in Political Science and Chicana/o Studies.
John Gawey is an attorney at Frederic Dorwart, Lawyers PLLC. John represents commercial banks, investment banks, private equity funds and other borrowers in connection with a variety of lending and M&A transactions. John was an associate with White & Case LLP in New York from 2013 to 2018. He also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Charles R. Wilson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. In addition to his work with Tulsa Honor Academy, John serves on the NextGen committee for Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma.
John received a B.A. in Letters summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma. He graduated magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School. In law school, Mr. Gawey was a member of the Notre Dame Law Review.
