Action City

Emmi and Katherine look back at their first season of Action City. They reflect on the 65 episodes (Can you believe it?) they have hosted over the past 15 months including their most listened to and most impactful ones. Tune in to hear their thoughts on the ride of a lifetime getting to know our city and some of its most loyal supporters including Emma Ryan, Emma Butler, Nyakio Grieco, Dr. Murali Krishna, Kaleo Maclay, and Megan Redford - just to name a few. We look forward to Season Two this spring. Welcome to Action City! 

Kristen Fares wasn't born in Oklahoma but boy was she bred. Kristin grew up in a close-knit family attending several different schools before graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Spanish. She met her husband at summer camp and now they have three wonderful children. Kristin didn't become a runner until after her third child was born. She attended a boot camp with friends and the rest is history. She and her husband, Eric, found a love of running together and have participated in races all over the country. Kristen jumped at the opportunity to host the first and only marathon podcast, Run to Remember Memorial Marathon Podcast. You would never know she isn't a professional podcaster. She hosts the show with grace and ease. You'll love listening to the stories of everyone involved in the marathon from survivors to first responders coaches, volunteers, city officials, and even the mayor. We can't wait for you to listen to this beautiful oral history of the bombing, its impact on our city, and how we have risen from the ashes all told from the perspective of the Memorial Marathon. Welcome, Kristin to Action City! 

Tanner Muse grew up in Yukon and has been creating art and music for as long as he can remember. As a kid, he spent his time sketching, dreaming, and researching art. He took a few piano lessons but for the most part, taught himself to play and even played keyboard in a band in high school. Tanner followed in his parents' and siblings' footsteps and attended OSU where he majored in Spanish and spent a semester abroad in Madrid.    After graduation, Tanner began working as a property manager. Now that he had his own space, he was able to experiment with paint and created larger pieces influenced by his home and his travels. It was only a year ago that Tanner hung his first true collection in Picasso Cafe. He would call his genre Western Contemporary Pop Art. From there, he gain representation from two galleries in the Paseo. Keeping his day job gives Tanner the freedom to create art when he is inspired. His plan is to keep it that way for as long as he can. Welcome to Action City Tanner!!                         

Whitney McClendon is the co-owner of Organic Squeeze. After growing up in Coweta, OK she attended high school at Holland Hall in Tulsa and college at Baylor University majoring in Chemistry and Biology, After graduation, she decided she wanted to be on the preventative side of medicine as opposed to the treatment side and so she turned down medical school to peruse her masters in epidemiology and biostatistics from UT Southwestern in Dallas. Whitney worked in epidemiology research focusing on nutrition at MD Anderson and then as a director at the Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center. She met her husband, Jack, on a flight from Houston to OKC and the rest is history! She's been in OKC for almost 10 years and has spent that time working on her passion for nutrition, health, and preventive medicine through food. She owned and operated Provision Kitchen and has now set her sights on growing Organic Squeeze. Welcome to Action City, Whitney! 

  Sarah bytyqi is a Texas-born, Oklahoma City-based real estate broker. She is the owner and founder of Verbode. Her 4 children keep her on her toes, and she wouldn't have it any other way.    Sarah started Verbode in 2011 alongside Gary Caplinger because she wanted a brokerage that focused on Ethics, Professionalism, Community, and Teamwork, rather than sales metrics. She helped pioneer the niche market of urban real estate in OKC.    Sarah began her real estate career in Oklahoma City as a Mortgage Originator at J.P. Morgan in 2001. She then moved to CA which helped her gain a larger understanding of real estate. This also opened her eyes to the necessity of Green sustainable design in Oklahoma.    After moving back to Oklahoma City, she began investing in and restoring residential properties and saw an opportunity to get her real estate license.    After getting licensed in 2007, she worked in new construction as an agent representative and saw a need in her network for her real estate knowledge. UI   Since opening Verbode in 2011, Sarah has been able to serve her clients in over 350 transactions personally and has helped oversee 1800+ transactions company-wide. Welcome, Sarah to Action City!

Dr. Bob Schoaps grew up in Seminole, Oklahoma before attending OU where he obtained a bachelor's degree and a medical doctorate. He went on to Penn State Medical Center where he completed a residency in Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine and a fellowship in Neurocritical Care. He then completed a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center before returning to Oklahoma. He is currently on faculty at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center with the Specialty Critical Care & Mechanical Circulatory Support Service. His career passions include cardiogenic shock, ECMO & other forms of mechanical circulatory support, and advanced ventilator management. Dr. Schoaps is married to his high school sweetheart and has three children.    Shannon Ohmann, BSN, RN, CCRN is an ECMO Coordinator with a nursing degree from SWOSU. She has been a member of the ECMO team at Integris since 2018. She is part of the rescue team charged with collecting patients from rural hospitals and transporting them back to Integris to be treated with ECMO. She has an 18th-month-old son and is an OKC metro native!    Welcome to Action City Dr. Schoaps and Shannon!

Cléo Rajon is the Executive Director of the Independent Shopkeepers Association, a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization for local shops in the state of Oklahoma. Prior to ISA, Cléo worked closely with local shops for seven years, including through the management of the Holiday Pop-Up Shops in Midtown. She also worked as the Internal Communications Coordinator for the City of Oklahoma City's Public Information Office for five years. Cléo was born and raised in France and moved to Oklahoma City in 2011. Welcome, Cleo to action city! 

Dr. Douglas Horstmanshof is Co-Director of INTEGRIS Advanced Cardiac Care and the program director of the Heart Failure Institute (HFI) at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. “Dr. Doug” came to Oklahoma in 2005 to serve patients suffering from advanced heart failure with a complete array of services, including personalized medical management, heart transplantation, and left ventricular assist devices.   Dr. Doug was raised in Michigan and earned his undergraduate degree at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended medical school at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society while there. Subsequently, he completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at Washington University in St. Louis / Barnes-Jewish Hospital. He also served as Chief Resident for the internal medicine training program, providing administrative and educational oversight to approximately 150 medical residents. He received advanced training as the Hawes Fellow in Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation at Washington University, which was followed up by a faculty appointment there until moving to Oklahoma.  He is board-certified in both Cardiovascular Disease and Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation by the American Board of Internal Medicine.   As Co-Director of the Advanced Cardiac Care team at INTEGRIS Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute (NZTI), Dr. Doug has always focused on individualized patient care with a human touch while utilizing the most advanced heart therapies available in the state of Oklahoma. He and the IACC team have made important contributions to research in the field of advanced heart failure, with publication in multiple journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine. He is also an internationally active educator and speaker with a passion for educating health care providers and patients about heart failure and mechanical circulatory support. Dr. Doug is married to his college sweetheart and has three children. Welcome to Action City, Dr. Doug! 

Clay Taylor is the principal lobbyist of Taylor Capital Group, an Oklahoma City-based political consulting and lobbying firm, and the principal attorney for Clayton C. Taylor Jr PLLC. Taylor is a native of Oklahoma City but has lived in Houston, TX, Denver, CO, Washington, D.C., Muskogee, OK, and on the island of Aruba.    A graduate of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, Taylor went on to earn a degree from Oklahoma State University in Political Science and then completed his Juris Doctor at Oklahoma City University. Taylor has been involved in Oklahoma politics all his life and has made it his profession, choosing to lobby full time at the state capitol.    Politics is the family business, but Taylor branched out early to forge his own path running a successful congressional campaign before starting his lobbying career. Taylor attended law school while lobbying full time and has blended a career of lobbying and legal work that allows him to offer clients a full range of services, whatever their needs might be.    Representing a wide array of organizations from independent businesses, associations, to large corporations, Taylor continues to focus his lobbying work on helping businesses maintain and create a strong climate in the state. Taylor also boasts strong contacts with members of the Oklahoma congressional delegation and has helped Oklahoma clients navigate federal issues.    Outside of politics, Taylor is passionately committed to community involvement in his hometown of Oklahoma City and across the state. Over the years, Taylor has been involved with nearly every major non-profit and charitable cause in Oklahoma and most recently serves on the board of Infant Crisis Services and the Men's Dinner Club as well as being a member of Rotary Club #29.    Taylor is married to his college sweetheart Becky and together they have two children, Josie and Trip and they have a third on the way. Taylor and his family are avid travelers and maintain a very active lifestyle between sports and children's activities. 

Jo Lynne Jones was named the John Kirkpatrick Executive Director of Oklahoma City Ballet in February 2018. As Executive Director, she has the primary responsibility of fundraising, financial accountability, administrative management and board engagement. Prior to joining the staff at Oklahoma City Ballet, she spent almost 17 years as Director of Development and Communications at Infant Crisis Services. She has won numerous awards for her public relations and marketing campaigns including Best of the Best from the American Marketing Association for a social media campaign.   The Edmond native attended Oklahoma State University and the University of Central Oklahoma, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications. Before her nonprofit career, Jones worked in the broadcast industry both out-of-state and locally, where she anchored the Saturday morning newscast on KWTV and the evening news on OETA. She also owned a successful children's clothing boutique, The Bean Stalk. Jones is a member of Leadership Oklahoma City Class 30 and serves on the Alumni Board.   Welcome Jo to Action City! 

Tori Arnold is the franchisee with her husband, Chad, of Summer Moon Coffee, a Texas-based wood-fired coffee roaster that people drive across town to savor. They are opening the third Summer Moon location in the metro soon. Tori grew up in Dallas, the middle of three daughters. She has a close-knit family and was home-schooled by her mother until she went to college on a volleyball scholarship to Southwestern Christian University in Bethany. Tori and Chad met in college and have a shared love for God, family, and entrepreneurship. Their first venture together was flipping a house and since then they have started a business and built a house together. We are impressed! Welcome, Tori to Action City! 

Special episode with our first return guest, Rosemary Walker! She shares her secrets for staying fit and gives a sneak peek into the restaurant she planning on opening in LA next year. Using her sommelier and general management expertise, she's on a roadshow to raise the funds it will take to get to the finish line. Welcome Rosie to Action City, again! 

Willy James McNeal III is an entertainer at heart. Born in NE Oklahoma City, Will loved being on stage as a kid. When he was in middle school he joined a dance group, Sex Mob. They traveled all over the southeast during his teenage years experiencing the highs and lows of childhood fame. In his early twenties, Will met his wife, Toni, of 15 years of and they have built a beautiful family of five. Will co-hosts, Go Ask Your Daddy, a live Facebook show on Tuesday nights. He produces content for his YouTube channel, Macordie, and his Instagram, @willymac_. We're on the edge of our seats waiting to hear what he'll be up to next. Welcome to Action City Will! 

Megan Radford is a #FreeBritney advocate from Oklahoma City, OK. She helps plan courthouse rallies in LA and co-manages @FreeBrineyLA social accounts. Megan has appeared in the documentaries Framing Britney Spears and Controlling Brinet Spears both by the New York Times and available on Hulu. She is a marketing director, wife, and mom to 3-year-old Brecken. Welcome to Action City.  To Donate, please click here>  #FreeBritneyMovementFund

Today, I had the pleasure of talking to two of the three hosts of the podcast, OKC Foodcast.  Nabeel and Cristina are immigrants who made their way to OKC in their late teens. Becoming friends as adults, they bonded over their shared love for food. They now host OKC Foodcast with their third cohost, Josh, who couldn't make it today. I loved talking about all things food and learning about their favorite OKC spots. You can catch their podcast, OKC Foodcast, every Monday. Welcome, Nabeel and Cristina to Action City.

Melissa Pepper has served as the Chief Development Officer of Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma since April 2017 when she was recruited to manage fund development, business and community relations and a $13.2 million dollar capital campaign to build a new urban STEM camp.  Prior to Girl Scouts, she worked for OETA Foundation as their Major Gifts Officer and Myriad Botanical Gardens as their Director of Festivals and Events.   Before moving to Oklahoma City in 2012, she was the Event Manager for The Kansas City Zoo.  A graduate of The University of Kansas, she earned a BS in Journalism and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.  She has been a long-time community volunteer in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma for organizations such as Head Start, Children's Mercy Hospital, Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, and Ronald McDonald House, just to name a few.  Melissa was a member of Leadership OKC Class 37 and a proud mother of her five-year-old son, Jack. Please welcome Melissa to action city!           

Lynn Muir is the co-founder and head baker of Railyard Pie Company. Growing up, Lynn learned to make pies from her grandmother. After living all over the United States as a kid, she learned the skill of making friends. She made her final stop in Edmond, Oklahoma, where her pie shop resides today. Her story is, in a word, inspiring, and she's living proof that believing in yourself means you can accomplish anything. Now you can find her pies at Sunnyside Diner, and her shop is located in the railyard. Please welcome Lynn to Action City!

Jenee Naifeh Lister is a Wealth Management Advisor in Oklahoma City providing high net worth clients a wide array of investment services including wealth management, retirement planning, estate planning, and investment development. After graduating Casady School in 1982, Jenee completed an undergraduate degree in Finance and Economics from Oklahoma State University. Jenee joined her current firm in 1988. In 2004, she earned the Certified Investment Manager Analyst (CIMA®) designation through the Investment Management Consultants Association in conjunction with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Jenee currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Casady School, Oklahoma City University, and The United Way of Central Oklahoma. Jenee and her husband, Darren, reside in Oklahoma City. They have two children, Dylan age 33, and Madelyn age 19, a current student at Tulane University. 

Cody Laurendi is a native of Melbourne, FL! Growing up near NASA, he watched numerous space shuttle launches and that must have planted the seed to explore the world around him. Luckily professional soccer, hard work, and a ton of resilience have taken him from Belgium to Puerto Rico, Austin, Los Angeles, and finally OKC. After 5 years as OKC Energy's starting goalie, Cody is retired and settled into life as an entrepreneur. He still has his hands in the soccer world as a registered intermediary or soccer agent, an advisor to Soccer Allies, and a soon-to-be podcast host. Cody is met his wife, Allison, in 2018. They call Oklahoma City home. Welcome to Action City Cody!! 

Alison Naifeh Dick brings 25 years of experience as a Location Professional in Oklahoma. Alison began her career in Los Angeles working for Canon Film Group and NBC Productions. She has served many roles in the industry: Location Manager, Assistant Location Manager, Location Directorial/Location Scout, and Production Coordinator. Alison's current credits include feature films; “ Stillwater”, “American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story” and Hulu/ FX Series, “Reservation Dogs”. Additional credits include: “August Osage County” (2013), “The Veil” (2014), “Starbright” (2016) Location Management Department, “WildLife”(2016) Scout, and “I Can Only Imagine” Directors Scout/Location Scout (2016).   Alison's prestigious National Commercial resume includes work with Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Nike, Foot Locker, Sprint, True Religion, Mountain Dew, Air Jordan/Michael Jordan, NBA, and numerous national works.   Allison is a native of Oklahoma. She grew up in Enid and attended Oklahoma State University and the University of Southern California both in their Film and TV schools. Alison, welcome to Action City! 

As artistic director of Oklahoma Contemporary, Jeremiah Matthew Davis serves in a key leadership role as the institution moves to its new, central location in downtown Oklahoma City. A native of Oklahoma, Davis leads the strategic plan for the growth of artistic programming and Studio School, piloting innovative programming that will remain the core of the institution's work in its new home. Since joining Oklahoma Contemporary in 2016, Jeremiah has overseen forward-looking curatorial programming, including Ed Ruscha: OKLA, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh: Oklahoma is Black and Jeffrey Gibson: Speak to Me, and performance, including the Art + Tech and Women in Performance series, while continuing and strengthening staple youth and adult education programs. Prior to joining Oklahoma Contemporary, Jeremiah focused on an immersive theatrical production, working with some of the most accomplished artists in the country, including Tony Award-winning designer Christine Jones, Sleep No More producer Randy Weiner, international composer Andile Khumalo, and emerging installation artist Cosmo Whyte. He has collaborated with leading theatrical institutions, ranging from the Woodshed Collective, New York Theatre Workshop, and St Ann's Warehouse, as a dramaturg, writer, consultant, producer, and technical director. His work in this sphere has been consistently grounded in education, including teaching roles at New York University, Barnard College, and Columbia University and his continuing tenure as a faculty member at the Todoroff Conservatory.   Jeremiah holds a graduate degree in dramaturgy from Columbia University, where he was Dean's Fellow. He studied theater and social science at Bennington College.

As artistic director of Oklahoma Contemporary, Jeremiah Matthew Davis serves in a key leadership role as the institution moves to its new, central location in downtown Oklahoma City. A native of Oklahoma, Davis leads the strategic plan for the growth of artistic programming and Studio School, piloting innovative programming that will remain the core of the institution's work in its new home. Since joining Oklahoma Contemporary in 2016, Jeremiah has overseen forward-looking curatorial programming, including Ed Ruscha: OKLA, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh: Oklahoma is Black and Jeffrey Gibson: Speak to Me, and performance, including the Art + Tech and Women in Performance series, while continuing and strengthening staple youth and adult education programs. Prior to joining Oklahoma Contemporary, Jeremiah focused on an immersive theatrical production, working with some of the most accomplished artists in the country, including Tony Award-winning designer Christine Jones, Sleep No More producer Randy Weiner, international composer Andile Khumalo, and emerging installation artist Cosmo Whyte. He has collaborated with leading theatrical institutions, ranging from the Woodshed Collective, New York Theatre Workshop, and St Ann's Warehouse, as a dramaturg, writer, consultant, producer, and technical director. His work in this sphere has been consistently grounded in education, including teaching roles at New York University, Barnard College, and Columbia University and his continuing tenure as a faculty member at the Todoroff Conservatory.   Jeremiah holds a graduate degree in dramaturgy from Columbia University, where he was Dean's Fellow. He studied theater and social science at Bennington College.    

Mindy Nix and Susanne Huffman are mother-daughter French and Spanish educators whose love of language and travel inspired them to launch Oui & Sí.   They have worked as college professors, primary school teachers, and tutors for all levels sharing their love of language, culture, and travel along the way. Mindy and Susanne create courses, products, and events that teach French and Spanish language and culture in a fun, approachable way. They are thrilled to share their passions with others! Bienvenue à Action City!

Annie Tucker is an OKC/Edmond native. She started baking cookies in her parents' kitchen in 4th grade and a love affair with cookies was born. In college at OU, she started her blog, Take a Bite as a creative outlet. For the past 10 years, she has shared her loves, passions, and obsessions with all things food, fashion, interior, and travel. Soon after graduating college, she went to work for The Social Order and has been there ever since. Annie is now the Director of Marketing at The Social Order and can't imagine being anywhere else. If you looking for healthy make-at-home lunch ideas or the best chocolate chip recipe around, you can follow along with her on Instagram. Annie has been working non-stop on Eat Spark, The Social Order's newest concept, with is set to open in Scissortail Park in September. We're pretty excited about everything she's done for OKC. Welcome to Action City, Annie!

Jane Jenkins is President and CEO of Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership. Jane was born in Virginia and moved to Charleston, SC in high school. It's is there she discovered her love of historic downtowns. Jane moved to Tulsa to attend Oral Roberts University and fell in love with Oklahoma. With a degree in communications and education, Jane taught school for several years before “taking a break” to move to Wagner, OK to run their historic downtown. 30+ years later she is still taking a break and honing her skills and love for revitalizing and managing downtowns in Pawhuska, Boulder, and for the past 12 years, Oklahoma City. Jane is an internationally recognized speaker and expert on urban issues. She is a former Chairman for the International Downtown Association Board of Directors and is also active in the International Economic Development Council, Urban Land Institute, and the American Institute of Architects. In 2014, Jane earned accreditation from the Congress for New Urbanism and she was recently named a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Place Management in Manchester, England. Welcome, Jane to Action City! 

Kaleo Kanahele Maclay was born with a genetic defect called an osteotomy, or a club foot, and at 8 months old underwent surgery to place pins through the toe and heel bones. Kaleo with left with limited calf muscle and ankle mobility. She loves sports as a child and was encouraged by her mother to try them all. At 10 she discovered volleyballs and at 12yrs she began training with the Paralympic Sitting Volleyball team. Since then she has become a 2-time Paralympic Medalist gaining a Silver Medal in London 2012 Paralympic Games and a Gold Medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Kaleo has been married to Matthew Maclay since August 2016 and has a son named Duke born in 2017. She currently lives and trains in Oklahoma City where she and her husband own a coffee, bakery, and flower shop called Flower & Flour. Kanahele-Maclay also owns Cookies by Kaleo which is a custom decorated cookie company. Kaleo and the Paralympic Sitting Volleyball Team are currently training with their sites set on another Gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Welcome, Kaleo to Action City!!

Nathan Sheldon was born and raised in the Brazilian jungle where his family was working as linguists. He moved to the Brazilian city of Brasilia when he was 11 and there had electricity and running water for the first time. When Nathan was a senior in high school, his family moved to Colorado Springs. After college, he moved to Norman, OK. Nathan began his career, as an accountant at Deloitte.   In October 2014, Nathan Sheldon was named the tenth Head of School for Casady School after serving as Interim Head of School for four months. Since Mr. Sheldon joined Casady in 2003, he has served as Associate Head of School and Chief Financial Officer.    Mr. Sheldon is married to Staci, a native of Norman. Together they have two children, Sarah and Steven. Welcome, Mr. Sheldon to Action City! 

Welcome to the Action City Restaurant Extravaganza! In this episode, Katherine and Emmi dive into their picks for favorite local restaurants of Oklahoma City in over 40 categories. They talk favorite bakery to favorite patio and favorite burger to the favorite local dish. From restaurants old and new, they comb the city and find the best of the best. For all the foodies, please enjoy their take on restaurants in OKC! 

Avery Cannon grew up in Edmond and attended Edmond North. He spent a lot of his free time watching movies, making movies with his friends, and listening to music. His love of film and music has been informing his creativity since the beginning.    He bounced around after high school and along the way discovered his creative spirit through food and restaurants. After learning to roll sushi in Norman, he moved to Denver and joined the chef team at Investco Field. About 10 years ago, Avery moved back to Oklahoma City and started Pachinko Parlor with his cousin, Eric Smith.    From there, Cannon's take on groundbreaking food concepts and appreciation for finely selected ingredients has translated into a series of innovative restaurants in Oklahoma City, such as Empire Slice House and Wheeze the Juice. This past July, Cannon embarked on a new project that was a year in the making:  Café Contemporary. The restaurant is located inside Oklahoma Contemporary and is a place where people can enjoy art in its many forms, including gastronomy.    Please welcome Avery to Action City! 

Kristin Allen is the owner of Cyclebar Classen Curve. Growing up in Weatherford, Kristin made her way to Oklahoma Christian where she met her husband Kelley. After marrying, they both ended up working for her family's business Alfredo's Mexican Cafe and learned a lot about entrepreneurship and hard work. Seeing a hole in the market for boutique fitness and cycling, Kristin brought the Cyclebar franchise to OKC. Kristin has built an amazing community within OKC at Cyclebar. Through the pandemic, she was able to innovate and find creative ways to keep the Cyclebar community engaged. Now after learning about the industry, Kristin will be bringing the Rumble Boxing franchise to OKC next year. She and Kelley have a son and are expecting their second in December. Welcome, Kristin to Action City! 

Bryn Schockmel is a Curator at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Originally from upstate New York, Bryn earned her B.A. from Skidmore College, her M.A. from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, and her Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance art history from Boston University. After graduating in 2019, Bryn moved to Oklahoma City to begin her Fellowship for Provenance Research at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.  After her fellowship, She began her new position as Curator at OKCMOA in November 2020 and is currently working on the Museum's major summer exhibition The Painters of Pompeii:  Roman Frescoes from the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. Prior to moving to OKC, Bryn worked at a number of different museums in the Northeast, including the Clark Art Institute and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Please welcome Bryn to Action City!       

Rachel Cannon and Matt Payne are the co-founder of Prairie Surf Media which is located in the old Cox Convention Center. Rachel Cannon is an entertainment executive, entrepreneur, mentor, accomplished television actress, writer and producer. With an acting career in Los Angeles that spans 20 years with over 80 network television credits, Cannon has been featured on iconic television series like “Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Mad Men,” and for the last 6 years she played Deidre on ABC's hit comedy, “Fresh Off The Boat.” Combining her on-set experience with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Cannon is determined to bring more creative opportunities for film and television to her home State. She believes this industry will create sustainable jobs, economic diversity and a creative path for the next. Matt Payne is a two-time Emmy-nominated filmmaker, writer, photographer and educator based in Oklahoma City. In his 15 years based in Los Angeles, Payne worked as a writer on CBS's “Vegas,” “Without a Trace” and “The Defenders.” In 2015, Payne moved back to Oklahoma City and since then, has taken a key role in the Oklahoma film community producing documentaries for Griffin Communications and the OETA Foundation as well as teaching film business and screenwriting at Oklahoma City University among other things. Please welcome Rachel and Matt Action City!      

Kari Watkins, a third-generation journalist, became the Oklahoma City National Memorial's first staff member as the Communications Director in March 1996. She was named Executive Director in 1999. Today, she oversees the operations of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum; one of Oklahoma's most visited sites and is Race Director for the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.   Kari guided 2020's signature educational/outreach/training program for the 25th Anniversary – Better Conversations. Through online and in-person programs, visitors experience a safe space to have candid conversations about tough subjects including racial reconciliation, collective memory, and uniting and moving a city forward.   Locally, she has been recognized with several awards including the 2000 Women in Communications Byliner Award, 2005 Journal Record Woman of the Year, 2006 Stanley Draper Award for Community Excellence, 2011 University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism Distinguished Alumni Award, 2016 Lee Allan Smith Oklahoma Legacy Award, and the 2017 John F. Kennedy Community Service Award.   Kari serves on the board of directors for the OKC Convention and Visitors Bureau, MAPS3 Park Sub-Committee, Board of Visitors for the University of Oklahoma's Gaylord College of Journalism & Mass Communications and is an elder at Crossings Community Church.   She and her husband Hardy have two children, Ford and Caroline.   Welcome to Action City!

Robert J. Ross currently serves as Chairman and CEO of Inasmuch Foundation which was founded by Edith Kinney Gaylord in 1982. After working as an attorney at McAfee & Taft, Bob left to work full-time with Inasmuch and has been there since 2003. He is a graduate of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School and Washington and Lee University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He received his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma. Ross is a member of too many boards to mention but a few of the notable ones are Board of Directors: Colorado College, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, Oklahoma State Fair, John Rex Charter School, and OU Foundation. He is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO). Bob has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Gaylord family to better the lives of Oklahomans. He is a bright light and the ultimate cheerleader for our city. Bob is married to Heather Ross and has a daughter, Lilly, and a son, Frank. Welcome to Action City, Bob!

Sara Parker is the lead teacher for Junior Kindergarten at Fort Worth Country Day in Fort Worth, Texas. After growing up in OKC and attending Westminster and Casady School, she made her way to the University of Arkansas where she majored in early childhood education. After graduation in 2015, she came back to OKC to be a teacher at the Chesapeake child development center and met her now-husband at Emmi's wedding. She then was offered a job at Fort Worth country day as the Kindergarten Associate and in two short years was promoted to start FWCD's first  Junior Kindergarten program. Her knowledge of education is astonishing and I constantly ask her about my own children's development. Anyone who knows Sara knows how beloved she is by her students and how much she loves them. Please welcome Sara to action city! 

There are very few people in the world who love to eat as I do. But I guess it's only fitting that my sister, Rosemary Walker, is one of them. She is the product of a long line of foodies. After finishing her "lifer" experience at Casady, Rosie headed east to play college field hockey and has spent the past 20 years bouncing back and forth between the East Coast and West Coast. She turned her love of food and wine into a career with the Rustic Canyon Group in Los Angeles. From there she went on to study for her first sommelier exam through the Court of Masters and has since passed her second level test. She flourished as a member of the somm teams at the Nomad LA and Nomad NY. During the pandemic, she founded a virtual wine-tasting business, TOGERTHER--NESS. Welcome to Action City, Rosie!

Dr. Sumeeta Nanda is an OBGYN at Women's Preventive Health at Integris. After growing up in Michigan and going to undergrad and med school at the University of Michigan, she met her husband while training at John's Hopkins and then they moved to OKC when her husband got a job here. Dr. Nanda has been practicing for over 25 years, and we loved asking her all our burning medical questions. From PSOC to how the pandemic has affected her patients, in this podcast, we really dive into more than just typical OB issues. Dr. Nanda looks at her patients' lives as a while and treats more than just their bodies but their minds and spirits as well. Welcome, Dr. Nanda to Action City!

Miki Farris is a founder and currently serves as the executive director of Infant Crisis Services. 37 years ago, Miki and her Sunday school class at Westminster Presbyterian Church needed a service project and decided they wanted to make a difference in their community. Little did Miki know that her childhood and early adult life would inform her passion to help mothers, fathers, and babies in crisis as a career.  Infant Crisis Services' mission is to provide life-sustaining food, formula, and diapers to infants and toddlers in crisis. The organization is entirely privately funded and hosts events throughout the year to supplement individual and corporate donors and foundation grants. Their biggest event of the year, Boots and Ball Gowns, which many of you may have attended gets voted one of the best non-profit events in Oklahoma City year after year.    Miki is an Oklahoma State University graduate, sustainer in the Junior League of Oklahoma City, board member and past president of the Alumni Board of Leadership OKC, member of the Kiwanis Club of OKC, member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni, and an active member of the United Methodist Church of the Servant. She is married to Jim Farris and has three daughters and one son: Jacquelyn, Abbey, Ally, and Josh.   Welcome to Action City! 

Growing up in a fishing town in southwest Oregon gave Erin Cooper the work ethic and creative spirit she embodies today. At 18, Erin left home for the Air Force to enter their graphic design and video production program. Eight years later, she met her husband and co-founder of Cooper House, Tim in Denver. They eventually made their way back to Tim's hometown, and we are luckier for it. Erin and her team have spearheaded the manifestation of some of the coolest brands in our city including The Oklahoma CIty Museum of Art, Good Egg Group, the Wheeler District, Prairie Surf Media and The Ellison Hotel. Please Welcome Erin to Action City!      

Richard Taplin is the owner of Blacken Studios and the producer of Action City. Richard talks to us about experiencing racism at a young age and how that shaped his development as a person. Through health scares and therapy, Richard was able to become the son, husband, and father he is today. We talk about how he began producing podcasts and the future of Blacken Studios. We feel fortunate we get to work with him, please welcome Richard to Action City!

Jamie Crone is the owner of Evolve Fitness in Casady Square. After dancing her whole life, she discovered Pilates while working in New York City and became a certified Pilates instructor in Brooklyn. Jamie made her way back to OKC and discovered that she wanted to cross-train people using different types of workouts. Through this discovery, Evolve Fitness was born. The business has grown enough that she's recently taken on a new partner. We can't wait to see what the Evolve duo will bring us next. Welcome, Jamie to Action City!

Jayme Phillips is the current Director of Development at Scissortail Park in downtown Oklahoma. After she graduated from OU, Jayme headed west to Los Angeles where she landed at CAA in the TV/Film and Sports Department. Eventually, she had the opportunity to put her communications degree to the ultimate test as a talent publicist for stars like Bradly Cooper and Taylor Lautner. In 2016, family nudged her back to Oklahoma and a role as Development Officer at the Oklahoma Contemporary convinced her to stay. Jayme has some wild stories about Hollywood, and we're lucky she shared a few of them with us. Welcome, Jayme to Action City!

After a chart-topping major-label career, numerous EV appearances, and hundreds of sync placements, Graham Colton continues to expand on the label "singer-songwriter." He has logged thousands of miles on the road and shared stages with some of music's biggest artists including Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Kelly Clarkson, The Wallflowers, Counting Crows, John Mellencamp, Maroon 5, and many many more. We're pretty lucky Graham found his way back to his hometown where he co-founded and co-owns and operates Oklahoma City's (and Action City's) most talked about restaurant and music venue, The Jones Assembly. He promises us you'll be able to catch him on stage at the Jones one day. Welcome Graham to Action City!

Emma Butler, a native of central Oklahoma, is the Founder of The Hair Initiative and a legal assistant at The Funk Companies. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and a member of L.O.Y.A.L. Class XIV. The Hair Initiative is a comprehensive, diversity-conscious hair resource for youth and their caregivers. It's dedicated to addressing the inequity in access to hair hygiene for youth across the state. Emma discusses with hosts, Katherine and Emmi, how this issue affects more youth than she even first realized. Since becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate in 2014, Emma has been an advocate for foster children and has found her passion for volunteering for various local organizations and their committees in the metro area including Boys & Girls of Oklahoma County, YWCA, the Post Adjudication Review Board, City Rescue Mission, and Girl Scouts - Western Oklahoma, Please Welcome Emma Butler to Action City!

Jake Walter is the State Seismologist of the Oklahoma Geological Survey at the University of Oklahoma. He holds an undergraduate degree in geology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Jake is uniquely qualified to lead Oklahoma in its understanding of the increased earthquake activity over the past 10 years through his research, fundraising, outreach, and connections. Jake didn't grow up here but his wife is an Oklahoman and luckily she gave him the little nudge he needed to accept the position he has today. Welcome, Jake to Action City!

Dr. Chinni Pokala is a doctor of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology at Oklahoma Children's Hospital in the Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases in Children. Emmi and Katherine talk to Dr. Pokala about his journey from Texas to Oklahoma and how he chose to specialize in caring for children with leukemia, lymphoma, and blood diseases. Dr. Pokala has amazingly found time to run 27 marathons, including the Boston Marathon where he raised $19,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He's currently competing in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Man of the Year Campaign. Please welcome Dr. Pokala to Action City. You can donate at https://pages.lls.org/mwoy/ok/okc21/hpokala  

Dr. R. Murali Krishna is co-founder and president of the James L. Hall, Jr. Center for Mind, Body, and Spirit. Additionally, he serves on many professional and civic boards and committees. Most notable, he is the current president of the Oklahoma State Board of Health.. Dr. Krishna was born in India and because of a traumatic incident in his childhood, he's spent his life finding answers for his loved one. He made his way to London and then a few years later to Oklahoma City. He spent decades as a physiatrist at St. Anthony and was the first physiatrist to be named the Chief of Staff there just months before the Oklahoma City bombing. Katherine and Emmi talk with him about how the bombing was a pivotal moment in his career and how much they loved his book, Vibrant: To Heal and Be Whole. Last year, after working for 10 years on the project, Dr. Krishna and his world-class team, open Arcadia Trails Integris. Betty Ford has proclaimed it "the best rehab center in the country". Dr. Krishna is an Oklahoman through and through and it's very apparent in our conversation. Please welcome Dr. Krishna to Action City!

Co-hosts, Emmi and Katherine, talk to Chris further about his career and his time at Commonplace kitchen and now The Market at Commonplace. He gives amazing local restaurant recommendations and talks about the growth of his commercials real estate venture and Ranger Creative. Welcome, Chris back to Action City. 

Chris Castro is a realtor, artist, graphic designer, and chef. After making his way to Oklahoma from California, Chris found many ways to celebrate his Mexican heritage, but most particularly through food and family. Co-hosts, Emmi and Katherine, have dubbed him a modern Renaissance man. His company, Ranger Creative, created all of the brandings for Action City and many other local businesses. Please enjoy part 1 of our conversation and welcome Chris to Action City!

Katherine and Emmi host their husbands, Jim Buxton and Jeff Kobbs, for a fun Valentine's Day episode. They play the Newlywed Game where the stakes are high as the losing couple has to take the winning couple to dinner of their choice. Welcome to City, Jim and Jeff!   Special thank you to Action City's newest sponsor Lifesquire @lifesquire    

Nyakio Grieco is the founder of Nyakio™, a collection of award-winning premium skincare products inspired by beauty secrets she discovered through her family, friends, and world travels. Nyakio is a first-generation American of Kenyan descent. She grew up in Norman, where her father was the Professor of African Studies at the University of Oklahoma – her alma mater. Upon graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Business Marketing, Nyakio moved to Los Angeles to work in the entertainment industry. She held positions at Creative Artists Agency, Elephant Walk, and 3 Arts Entertainment. Nyakio, however, was passionate from a young age about beauty. Her interest in beauty, coupled with a yearning to be an entrepreneur, prompted Nyakio to thoroughly research the cosmetics industry, leading her to the realization that while many cultures were represented, the sophistication of Africa was missing. She decided to not only fill the void in the market but also honor her heritage by bottling Africa's timeless beauty traditions, as well as traditions from across Asia, Europe, and India. Nyakio partnered with Sundial Brands, a subsidiary of Unilever, to develop her skincare line and bring global beauty secrets of natural ageless beauty to the U.S. market. She curated her family's recipes and translated cultural traditions from 13 countries, incorporating them into nakio™, which is handmade with ethically and sustainably sourced natural ingredients from around the world, that have been used for generations for their hydrating, revitalizing, soothing, and anti-aging benefits. Nyakio's authentic story and one-of-kind natural skincare products are must-haves for Hollywood's elite. In 2020, Nyakio realized that beauty brands founded by black and brown founders were underrepresented, so she founded Thirteen Lune. An online beauty marketplace that highlights black and brown-founded beauty brands that resonate with all skin colors. Nyakio lives in Los Angeles with her husband, renowned sculptor David Grieco, daughter Lulu, son Rocco, and dog Summer.    @nyakio @nyakiobeauty  @thirteenlune