Governor Kevin Stitt Announces Dr. Brandon Tatum as Chief of Staff

Governor Kevin Stitt today announced today Dr. Brandon Tatum will serve as his chief of staff. Dr. Tatum officially replaces interim chief of staff Zachary Lee, who will return to the private sector after nearly three years of state service.

“Brandon is an overachiever who brings the right temperament and personality to lead our team,” said Governor Stitt. “As someone who loves Oklahoma and as a father, parent, and husband, Brandon is ready to give back and serve his state. His experience in higher education will be important in my second term and I am excited to welcome him on board.”

“It’s a privilege to serve the great state of Oklahoma in this capacity” said Dr. Tatum. “Governor Stitt has laid out a bold vision for Oklahoma, and it’s humbling to know that I will become another contributor alongside the strong team he has built.”

Zachary Lee has been serving as interim chief of staff following Bond Payne’s departure in August. Lee has served in the Governor’s Office since March of 2020, and will now be returning to work in the private sector.

“Zack is a true Oklahoman who has been a key part of the team and helped move the needle in our state over these past three legislative sessions. I am thankful for his leadership, loyalty and steadfast commitment to serving our state and wish him nothing but the best,” said Governor Stitt.

Prior to this role, Dr. Brandon Tatum served Oklahoma Christian University as the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer where he brought a concentrated effort to align their strategies that guided the university forward. He has led all strategy initiatives for the university including creation, implementation, assessment, and improvement and was also responsible for developing key relationships with Oklahoma industries and engaged partners like Integris Health, Mercy Hospital Systems, and Tinker Air Force Base. Dr. Tatum has made great strides in the university’s contribution to workforce shortages through scalable solutions to offer degrees at affordable prices for nursing and teaching, and by partnering with four statewide hospital systems and sixteen public school districts across the state to help fill these critical jobs.

Dr. Tatum received his doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University. He formerly served on the governor’s education transition committee focused on personalized learning and innovation and was his appointee on the Statewide Virtual Charter Board. Brandon and his wife Megan have a son, Sawyer, and twin daughters, Blakely and Gentry.