Former U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn, D-Oklahoma, will join the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation as president and CEO on Oct. 21, succeeding the nonprofit’s longtime executive director. (Photo provided)
OKLAHOMA CITY — A big year leadership change in Oklahoma City Public Schools is now hitting the district’s fundraising arm, where former U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn will take over as president and CEO.
The Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation announced Wednesday that Horn will succeed Mary Mélon-Tully, who is retiring after 10 years leading the organization. Horn will join the foundation on October 21 to work with Mélon-Tully, who the former congresswoman said has “big shoes to fill” until her retirement at the end of the year.
The Oklahoma City district experienced a change of ownership on July 1 the resignation of Superintendent Sean McDaniel and the promotion of Jamie Polk, a member of McDaniel’s leadership cabinet, to the top job. Adding to the state of flux are the three new school board members sworn in this year.
“I feel like this is an opportunity for us, as different players, to build relationships and work together and listen to each other and understand what the needs are and what each of us can contribute to,” Horn said in a speech. interview with Oklahoma Voice on Thursday.
The OKCPS Foundation, which reported $6.2 million in total net assets by 2023, is an advocate and fundraiser for programs that benefit the district. Her role, as Horn put it, is to “fill the gaps” that schools, educators and students need. It also acts as a bridge for community leaders and businesses.
The nonprofit organization provides free books to students and donates coats to poor families, among other things.
The Teacher Pipeline Program includes tuition assistance for classroom assistants to earn a bachelor’s degree and become certified teachers, with an emphasis on those who are bilingual and racially diverse. The foundation launched a similar master’s program for teachers who aspire to school administration.
“Kendra’s longstanding support for public education makes her an invaluable partner as the district continues our work to provide equitable access to a world-class education for each of our 33,000 students,” Polk said in a statement. “As honorary members of #TeamOKCPS, we look forward to working with Kendra and the entire foundation team to empower our students and ensure that each graduate is ready to fulfill their unique purpose in a vibrant, healthy community. ”
The key tenets of the CEO job — leading a nonprofit, raising money and advocating for public schools — are “all things I’ve done before,” Horn said.
Horn, 48, graduated from Chickasha High School, became a lawyer and worked in public relations at the Space Foundation and for former U.S. Rep. Brad Carson, D-Oklahoma.
After managing Democrat Joe Dorman’s 2014 campaign for governor of Oklahoma, Horn led Sally’s List and co-founded Women Lead Oklahoma, organizations both focused on recruiting progressive women who want to run for office and are civically engaged want to be.
Horn rose to prominence in 2018 when she defeated incumbent Rep. Steve Russella Republican, in political turmoil for Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District, which covers much of the Oklahoma City area.
She was the only Democrat in Oklahoma’s federal delegation during her two-year term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Representative Stephanie Bice won the seat back for the GOP in the 2020 general election.
Since leaving elected office, Horn has worked as a political consultant and unsuccessfully campaigned for a 2022 U.S. Senate seat.
Horn said she has no plans to run for office again, but called herself a “never say never” person.
“I have decided that this (new position) is my focus and this is what I want to do and this is how I believe I can make a difference,” she said.
While politics are in the back of her mind for now, the experience will be an asset in her next chapter, Horn said. She worked with school districts, including OKCPS, while advocating for more federal funds to support students living in poverty and children with disabilities.
She was a member of Congress when it passed the first rounds of stimulus during the COVID-19 pandemic, including billions of dollars for public schools.
Horn, a former member of the centrist Problem Solvers Caucus, said she preferred to reach across the aisle and find common ground rather than focus on political extremes.
“There is more that unites us than divides us,” Horn said. “Issues like support and funding for our public schools have a broad base of support across the political spectrum, and we need to be able to have those conversations about why things are important, why we need our public schools, what the challenges are and how we deal with it.”
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