Speakers

Tricia Louise Everest is a native of Oklahoma City and fourth-generation Oklahoman. She graduated from Casady High School before earning her Bachelor of Science Degree from Vanderbilt University in 1993 and, after returning home to Oklahoma, her Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2003. She also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Oklahoma City University. 

Timothy Tardibono serves as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council (CJAC). The CJAC’s community vision is that Oklahoma County would be a community that has an economical, efficient, and smart local justice system that reflects our values of fairness, compassion and good governance. The CJAC was created by an interlocal agreement between Oklahoma County, the City of Oklahoma City, the City of Edmond, and the City of Midwest City after an intensive taskforce process by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber with nationally known research partner the Vera Institute of Justice. 

Steve Lewis is former Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. He graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University then received his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma. While at OU Mr. Lewis was a member of Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity and won the practice court award for best presentation of a jury trial. Mr. Lewis served in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. For three years he was Station Legal Officer for the U.S. Naval Station, Sangley Point, Luzon, Republic of the Philippines. He returned to Shawnee after serving in the Navy and was an Assistant District Attorney and the elected District Attorney in Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties between 1971 and 1979 where he tried numerous jury trials.

Stephen Butler joined OCU Law in August 2016 and supervises the law school’s fundraising, alumni engagement, marketing, and events. He came to OCU after serving as the Director of Law Associates for Pepperdine University. Previously, Stephen served as a grant writer and organizer for the Industrial Areas Foundation in Los Angeles and Dallas, Texas, where he worked with member institutions to create solutions to the lack of healthcare options in South Los Angeles, the subprime mortgage crisis, and the challenges facing public schools. As an organizer he worked with leaders of the Massachusetts-based Algebra Project and Los Angeles Unified School District to create an Algebra Project cohort at Crenshaw High School.

Dr. Stephen Galoob is Chapman Professor of Law at the University of Tulsa College of Law, where he teaches courses on legal theory and criminal law and policy. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and U.C. Berkeley’s Jurisprudence and Social Policy program, Stephen is the author of over 20 publications in forums such as Yale Law Journal, Southern California Law Review, Legal Theory, and Oxford Studies in Political Philosophy. Since 2018, Stephen has worked with University of Tulsa law and undergraduate students as part of Project Commutation, which brings together criminal lawyers, criminal justice policy experts, and other advocates for criminal justice reform as part of an effort to reduce Oklahoma’s rate of incarceration. This team’s efforts have assisted over 500 people in the commutation process and, to date, have helped secure commutations for more than 300 people. 

As Research Director at the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Ryan Gentzler oversees the organization's work to harness data in pursuit of policy and programmatic goals. Ryan joined OK Policy in January 2016 as a policy analyst focusing on criminal justice issues. He then served as the Director of Open Justice Oklahoma, a program of OK Policy that gathers and analyzes hard-to-access data to open the black box of our justice system. A native Nebraskan, he holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma and a BA in Institutions and Policy from William Jewell College. He served as an OK Policy Research Fellow in 2014-2015.

Meagan Taylor is the Director of Programs at the Diversion Hub. Meagan graduated Oklahoma City University School of Law in 2015 and immediately started her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma County. Meagan spent time as an attorney in misdemeanor, general felony, and diversion courts while at the District Attorney’s Office. During her time at the District Attorney’s Office, Meagan’s passion of the diversion programs and diverting individuals and families away from the criminal justice system continued to expand.

Since joining CEO in 2011, Kelly has led the launch of CEO’s Tulsa site and subsequently its Oklahoma City site and six offices across Colorado, Ohio, and Michigan. For over 10 years Kelly has been dedicated to helping people connect with employment after incarceration. In 2019, Governor Kevin Stitt appointed her to the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. Kelly began her career in finance and administration for an international aid agency completing tours in Darfur, South Sudan, and the hurricane-affected areas of Louisiana. She holds an M.A. from the University of Chicago and a B.S. from the University of Montana.

Jim Roth is the thirteenth dean of Oklahoma City University School of Law. Dean Roth is an alumnus of OCU Law, earning his Juris Doctor degree in 1994. He also holds graduate certificates from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, the United States Air War College’s National Security Forum at Maxwell Air Force Base, and the Institute of Public Utilities at Michigan State University.

Jari Askins has served the people of Oklahoma for more than 30 years in a variety of roles ranging from judge to legislator to Lieutenant Governor.  She currently serves as Administrative Director of the Courts where, under the supervision of the Chief Justice and the Oklahoma Supreme Court, she coordinates judicial operations and personnel throughout the state.  The Administrative Office of the Courts also provides leadership and staff support for the Judicial Nominating Commission, the Oklahoma Children’s Court Improvement Project, the Board of Certified Courtroom Interpreters and the Oklahoma Access to Justice Commission.