Devery Youngblood to speak at University Center luncheon May 19

The University Center at Ponca City, in conjunction with NOC, will be hosting Oklahoma Tomorrow CEO Devery Youngblood for an invitation-only luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 19.

Oklahoma Tomorrow is a coalition of engaged citizens and private-sector leaders representing the entire state, from the large metropolitan areas to rural towns. This organization fights to ensure there is proper funding for higher education so Oklahomans can prepare for the jobs they need to support their families and fulfill their potential.

As an independent nonprofit, Oklahoma Tomorrow fights to properly fund colleges and universities across the state as they produce the graduates necessary to grow Oklahoma’s economy.

Adam Leaming, CEO of University Center, said “Hosting Mr. Youngblood at the UC is an opportune time for our local leaders to fully understand how crippling budget cuts have been these past few years in Oklahoma. It’s also critical for our leaders to understand that our Oklahoma legislators are still debating what to do with this year’s state budget and its potential impacts on Oklahoma higher education. Both NOC and the UC are not immune to decisions being made in Oklahoma City, and we want to ensure our leaders are informed of how these decisions impact our institutions.”

The following information is taken from the Oklahoma Tomorrow website, http://www.oklahomatomorrow.org :

Youngblood’s decades-long career as an education and business leader in Oklahoma gives him unique insight on how higher education supports economic growth and why it must be protected. He spent nine years with the Chickasaw Nation, where he worked for Gov. Bill Anoatubby on economic and community issues.

He served four years as district director and senior advisor to U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook. He was the founding president of Downtown OKC Inc., where he spent eight years leading economic recovery efforts after the Oklahoma City bombing and directing private-sector development associated with Oklahoma City’s visionary MAPS program.

Youngblood has twice been appointed by Gov. Mary Fallin to the Oklahoma City Community College Board of Regents, and he is a member of the University Of Oklahoma College Of Public Health Advisory Board.

He has a degree in organizational leadership from Southern Nazarene University and a master’s of public administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.