MEET 1050
Leadership
Joy Hofmeister
EXECUTIVE ADVISOR AND CHAIR
In addition to her work at 1050 Forward, Joy is President of JLH Group, focusing on public-private partnerships, leadership development, and national education policy. Joy is also a professor of practice for visionary leadership in education at the University of Oklahoma doctoral program.
From 2015 to 2023, Joy was elected Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, managing a $9 billion annual budget and overseeing 541 school districts. Joy chaired the Oklahoma State Board of Education for eight years, enhancing school accountability, mental health support, and academic rigor.
Joy has been a trustee for the Oklahoma Teacher Retirement System, managing $20 billion in assets, and chaired the Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology Education. She is a Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellow and a Rural Community Leaders Fellow at West Texas A&M University. Before her public service, Joy was an entrepreneur and franchisee of Kumon North America for 14 years. Joy holds a Master of Education from the University of Oklahoma and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Texas Christian University, magna cum laude.
Brigette Zorn
SENIOR ADVISOR
Brigette, a 5th generation Oklahoman and graduate of Oklahoma City University, has worked in national and local politics, served as a nonprofit executive, and now specializes in strategic communications.
Although Brigette’s career began in politics, she also holds a master’s degree in health administration and has directed creative content and fundraising strategy for a large nonprofit hospital system across several states. A key health care leader, she built programs and introduced best practices that supported the success of a historic $100 million fundraising campaign. In addition to her work at 1050 Forward, Brigette now enjoys a consulting role where she advises bold projects and courageous candidates on how to reach their goals. She serves clients in a variety of industries including venture capital, publishing and philanthropy.
ADVISORY BOARD
1050 Forward’s place-based approach is guided in part by advisory board members who generously share their diverse and first-hand experience living and working in micropolitan communities and rural places.
Lt. Governor Chris Anoatubby
THE CHICKASAW NATION
ADA, OK
Lt. Governor Anoatubby was elected to serve in his first term as Lt. Governor in 2019. He began his service with the Chickasaw Nation in 1997 as a staff pharmacist. Throughout his career, Lt. Governor Anoatubby held positions including chief of pharmacy services, under secretary of tribal and commercial health for the Chickasaw Nation Department of Commerce and deputy secretary for the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health. He played an instrumental role in the implementation of the tribe’s first automated pharmacy refill center that opened in 2007 and the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center that opened in 2010.
He continues to utilize his experience in health, business and tribal government, overseeing many different health operations and numerous tribal programs. During the past decade, he has served on many different boards both in his local community, as well as in the OKC metro area. As a tribal leader, he advocates for the health and wellbeing of Chickasaw citizens and other First Americans, and is committed to enhancing the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people. He is married to Becky, and has three children, Brendan, Eryn and Sydney.
Kris Steele
FORMER OKLAHOMA SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE STATE REPRESENTATIVE (2000-2012)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TEEM FOUNDATION SHAWNEE, OK
Kris currently serves as the executive director of The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM). In this role, he leads a nonprofit focused on breaking the cycle of poverty and incarceration in Oklahoma by providing educational opportunities, character development courses, job training, and employment placement assistance for individuals reentering the community. Steele also serves on the Pardon and Parole Board and as a Trustee of the Sarkeys Foundation. As chair of Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, he works to enhance public safety by increasing access to treatment and addressing the root causes of crime.
Before joining TEEM, Kris served Oklahoma as a State Representative from 2000 to 2012 and was the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the 53rd Legislature. During his tenure, he led significant reforms in health care, human services, and criminal justice. Motivated by a state audit revealing Oklahoma's high incarceration rates, Steele examined successful re-entry programs and researched crime rates. Since 2012, his work at TEEM has been instrumental in transforming the lives of Oklahomans who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. Steele holds a B.A. in religion from Oklahoma Baptist University and an M.A. in education from East Central University.
Mayor Marlon Coleman
TWO-TERM ELECTED MAYOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MUSKOGEE TOURISM AUTHORITY MUSKOGEE, OK
Marlon was elected to be the 50th mayor of the City of Muskogee in 2020, the first African-American to ever hold the position. Prior to being elected mayor, he was a member of the Muskogee City Council, Ward 4, for six years. He served two terms as mayor before retiring from public office. Marlon is also the pastor of the Temple of Hope Church in Muskogee where he has served for 14 years, and has been in leadership ministry for 29 years. While serving as mayor, Marlon was instrumental in leading Muskogee through a renaissance of economic growth, adding over 100 miles of new road, street and bridge repair, adding new restaurants, retail and housing, and working with industry leaders to add nearly $1 billion of new industrial investment.
Marlon now serves as the executive director of the Muskogee Tourism Authority where he leads Visit Muskogee's tourism program for the City of Muskogee and oversees operations for Muskogee's historic Roxy Theater.
Jennifer Bowman Gray
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, CHOCTAW NATION EDMOND/DURANT, OK
Jennifer is currently the Senior Government Affairs Strategist for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. In this role, her job is to develop and execute strategies to advance the Choctaw Nation’s governmental state advocacy priorities via legislation and regulatory action. Jennifer also maintains relationships with elected and appointed officials at the municipal, county, state, and national levels to ensure that Choctaw Nation’s leadership is properly positioned with key officials.
Prior to joining Choctaw Nation, Jennifer spent 4 years working for Senator Inhofe in Washington, D.C. as his chief healthcare and education policy advisor. In 2018, she moved back to Oklahoma to successfully run State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister’s re-election campaign.
Jennifer is a University of Oklahoma graduate currently living in Edmond with her husband Jonathan and 3-year-old son Holden.
Dr. Marcie Mack
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GROW ENID
ENID, OK
Marcie is the executive director of the Enid Regional Development Alliance, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in economic development. She previously served as director of talent acquisition at MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor, Oklahoma, state director for Oklahoma CareerTech, and assistant superintendent at Autry Technology Center in Enid. Dr. Mack earned a doctorate in educational leadership and a master’s degree in telecommunications management from Oklahoma State University, where she also completed her Bachelor of Science in education. She has dedicated many hours to serving on various boards, supporting their missions with her expertise.
Passionate about economic development, Dr. Mack focuses on attracting and retaining businesses in Enid. She aims to unite business, education, and community efforts to meet local needs. A native Oklahoman, she is driven to create a thriving environment where individuals can establish roots and prosper. Marcie and her husband Curtis have three children and two grandchildren. For Marcie, making Enid a great place to live, work, and play is both a professional goal and a personal commitment.
Kurt Bollenbach, J.D., JAG
CEO, TEOCALLI EXPLORATION
KINGFISHER, OK
A graduate of Kingfisher High School, Kurt Bollenbach has also served as a municipal judge for the city of Kingfisher. He is currently active in the oil and gas industry as an executive at Teocalli Exploration, a vertical well operator in western Oklahoma. Prior to working in the oil and gas industry, Bollenbach served as an attorney at a variety of legal offices, including Harrison & Mecklenburg, and in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
Upon completion of Officer Basic Course in 2006, Kurt was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany where he acted as general counsel for Commanders, provided legal assistance to service members, and acted as a military claims officer. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has a law degree from the University of Oklahoma School of Law.
Dreama Gentry, J.D.
PRESIDENT AND CEO, PARTNERS FOR RURAL IMPACT BEREA, KENTUCKY
As the founder, president and CEO of Partners for Rural Impact, Dreama works to ensure the success of all rural students. For 25 years, those efforts were focused on Appalachian Kentucky, where she developed strategies to increase investment and improve outcomes on six indicators of success – kindergarten readiness, third-grade reading, eighth-grade math, high-school graduation, postsecondary degree attainment, and individual wellness. Through the experience of designing and leading the first rural Promise Neighborhood, she created a place-based, cradle-to-career approach for improving outcomes for rural students and communities across the country. The model has been shared with and adopted by communities across the country, including Walla Walla and the Yakima Valley in Washington, Cocke County in Tennessee, as well as ones in South Carolina, Mississippi and Texas.
In 2018, Dreama launched the annual Rural Summit to bring practitioners and leaders from across the nation to share inspirations and ideas for improving the educational outcomes for students from rural communities.
Our Mission
Equip micropolitan communities with the leaders, tools and connections needed to remain vibrant for generations to come.
1050 Forward is an initiative developed by George Kaiser Family Foundation and is derived from its commitment to the American ideal of equal opportunity for all.