Among the OBA’s most important goals is the development of tomorrow’s leaders. Fifty-four bar members selected by OBA President Stephen Beam participated in the 2007 OBA Leadership Conference Aug. 23 and 24 at the Sheraton Hotel in Oklahoma City. Participants were recognized for their potential to seize the opportunity to guide the association, as well as their ability to inspire and challenge others.

Programs offered were designed to provide training and skills required to take charge in their professional, community and personal lives. Oklahoma City attorney Mike Turpen inspired the group at its opening luncheon with “Turpen’s Top Seven: Why Being a Lawyer is the Greatest Job in the World.”

Pam Westbrook, advocacy specialist with the Oklahoma Education Association, shared the concept of identifying one’s personality and leadership style using four basic colors. The colors – blue, gold, orange and green – have a special meaning. Participants were divided into two groups to explore solutions to today’s bar challenges, then the groups came together to discuss solutions. Discussion leaders were OBA President-Elect Bill Conger, 2006 OBA President Bill Grimm and OBA Executive Director John Morris Williams.

In the first day’s last session, Linda Pope from Tahlequah talked about “Servant Leadership: To Lead is to Serve.” The future bar leaders had an opportunity to get to know one another better and to visit with current Board of Governors members during a reception and dinner at Crabtown in Bricktown. The evening event was cosponsored by Beale Professional Services.

Starting out programming the morning of the second day were a series of quick roundtable presentations on the Young Lawyers Division, Board of Governors, board officers, committees, sections, departments, staff members and member benefits. Presenters were Chris Camp, Stephen Beam, Cathy Christensen, Carol Manning and Jim Calloway.

Judge David Lewis moderated a panel discussion about the gift of leadership. Sharing their personal stories and experiences were Judge Jerome Holmes, Judge Rick Bozarth, Deborah Reheard, Sharon Corbitt and Jon Parsley.

Ending the conference was a luncheon that featured Lt. Gov. Jari Askins as the keynote speaker. As a bar member and former judge, she spoke about her experiences of serving in all three branches of government and how this leadership opened up opportunities throughout her life.

The Leadership Conference Task Force, led by Bartlesville attorney Linda Thomas, was responsible for organizing the conference. Task force members are Stephen Beam, Chris Camp, Craig Combs, Donita Douglas, Kim Hays, Reneé Hildebrant, Alan Souter and John Morris Williams.

Graduates of the 2007 OBA Leadership Conference are :

Luke Adams
Tisdal Law Firm

Lauren Lester Allison
Law Office of Lauren Lester Allison

Lindsey W. Andrews
Echols and Associates

Molly A. Bircher
Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden & Nelson PC

Joe Carson
Buxton Carson, PLLC

Christine Cave
Abowitz, Timberlake & Dahnke

Casey T. Delaney
Fellers, Snider, Blankenship, Bailey & Tippens

Rebecca Farris
Farris Law Firm

Matt Farris
Barrow & Grimm PC

Robert R. Faulk
Faulk Law Firm PLLC

Jami Fenner
Lester, Loving & Davies PC

Luke Gaither
Inglish and Gaither PC

Juan Garcia
Custer County District Attorney’s Office

Amber Peckio Garrett
Garrett Law Office PC

Randy Grau
Oklahoma County District 3

Doris L. Gruntmeir
Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Regional Counsel

Leslie Guajardo
Wiggins, Sewell & Ogletree

Andrew T. Harrison
Herrold Herrold & Co. PC

Melissa Holderby
Robinett & Murphy

Tanayia Hubler
Hubler and Reynolds Law Office

Tina L. Izadi
Office of the Attorney General, State of Oklahoma

Doug Jacobson
Gary J. James & Associates PC

Melanie Jester
U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma

Nathan Johnson
Nathan Johnson, Attorney At Law

George J. Kanelopoulos
Kanelopoulos Law Office PC

Sam Kerr
Ogle & Welch PC

Terry Kordeliski
Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison & Lewis

Jeremy Looper
Olivarez & Looper PLLC

LeAnne McGill
The Law Firm of Cathy M. Christensen PC

Shanda McKenney
Love, Beal & Nixon PC

Ashley Bowen Murphy
Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden & Nelson PC

Molly B. Neuman
Law Office of Vincent Mesis Jr. PC

Saul G. Olivarez
Olivarez & Looper PLLC

Giovanni Perry
Law Offices of Giovanni I. Perry

G. Kay Powers
Powers at Law LLC

Javier Ramirez
Ramirez Law Firm PC

Shawnae E. Robey
The University of Oklahoma

Rick Rose
Miller Dollarhide

Briana J. Ross
Guaranty Abstract Company

Lara Russell
Assistant Public Defender, Tulsa County

Robert R. Snow
Snow Law Firm PLLC

Jason Alan Soper
Soper Law Firm

Kim Spady
Anderson, McCoy & Orta PC

Justin Stout
Wright, Stout, Fite & Wilburn

C. Decherd Thomas
C. Decherd Thomas PLLC

John Paul Truskett
Eldridge, Cooper, Steichen & Leach PLLC

Roy D. Tucker
Coulter Tucker PC

Judge Russell Vaclaw
Associate District Judge, Washington County

Joe Vorndran
Canavan & Associates PLLC

Jennifer Ward
Filbeck Law Office

Kimberly Warren
Cole & Reed PC

Jennifer White
Eldridge, Cooper, Steichen & Leach PLLC

Keri G. Williams
OSU Foundation

Brett Willis
W. Brett Willis/Calvert Law Firm