Our Staff
Hiram Tabler is a retired Colonel from the Oklahoma Army National Guard (OKARNG) with over 32 years of Military experience. He also served 11 years on the Norman Police Department, obtaining the rank of Master Police Officer, prior to his active duty military tour. Tabler spent his entire military career working as a Military Police Officer with multiple Command assignments and overseas tours. His last assignment as the OKARNG Director of Military Support focused on joint domestic operations and response, emergency management, physical security, anti-terrorism and the force protection of National Guard facilities and personnel. He is also trained in Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the Incident Command System (ICS), and the response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) hazards and Weapons of Mass Destruction. Tabler is a graduate of East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement and a Minor in Military Science. He is a former member of the Oklahoma Information Fusion Center (OIFC) Governance Committee and a graduate of Leadership Norman Class of 2015. Tabler is also a graduate of multiple U.S. Army Military Police courses; to include advanced Anti-terrorism and Force Protection certifications.
Hiram.Tabler@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7330 Office
405-763-8350 Cell
Tracey joined OKOHS in June 2021 as the Community Preparedness and Public Outreach Manager. She originally started with the Department of Emergency Management in Hazard Mitigation doing disaster audits for just a few months and then transitioned to Field Services/Operations doing FMAG’s (Fire Management Assistance Grants) and became the interim NE Coordinator, which worked with the local emergency managers and partners in the NE part of the state building their capabilities and programs. In 2012 she moved to the NW area as the coordinator there until January of 2016 when she took over the exercise program as the State Exercise Officer, she ran the state exercise program to help prepare locals and partners for any natural or man-made disaster that might happen within the state. In 2019 she transitioned into Field Operations Manager as well as Operations Chief through the 2019 floods. In 2020 Tracey took on Logistics Manager in the COVID19 response to assist with the states PPE warehouse, logistics, deliveries, etc. Tracey looks forward to continuing her relationships with the locals, state, public and private partners to make Oklahoma resilient.
Tracey.Bender@oem.ok.gov
405-496-9327
Marc began teaching and lecturing for OKOHS in 2018. He began a 43 year law enforcement career as a police officer serving Yukon, OK. Marc then joined the Oklahoma Highway Patrol as a State Trooper working traffic assignment of Troop J Enid, OK, Executive Protection/Governors Protection Detail, and traffic assignments in Troop A metro Oklahoma City. Marc was recruited by the United States Marshals Service where he served 26 years, retiring as a Senior Inspector and Senior Tactical Paramedic supporting the Special Operations Group. He received medical training from physicians of John Hopkins Special Operations Emergency Medicine. During his service with the United States Marshals, he served on countless protections details and numerous fugitive investigations and arrests. He was detailed to the F.B.I.’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Senior Paramedic of the Operational Medical Support Unit, member of the United States Marshal’s National Incident Command Team, and Senior Inspector of the Sex Offender Investigations Unit. After retirement from the United States Marshals Service, he was recruited by the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office to serve as a Lieutenant of the Criminal Investigations Division and as a Tactical Paramedic. Marc obtain his Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician certification in 1979 and is a Nationally Registered Paramedic. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Oklahoma and a degree from Oklahoma State University in Police Science. Marc is an authorized C.L.E.E.T. instructor and teaches civilian and law enforcement response to acts of violence at houses of worship, public venues, workplace, and personal protection. Additionally, Marc is an authorized instructor of the Law Enforcement First Response (LEFT), First Response Tactical Casualty Care (LEFR-TCC), and Stop-the-Bleed.
Dave has been employed since 2016. He coordinates the OKOHS active threat and workplace violence program, which involves training for both law enforcement and civilian personnel. He retired in 2016 after twenty six years of federal service where he served as a federal agent in multiple roles and responsibilities primarily involving areas of terrorism, training, and tactical and protective operations. He has worked at the local, county, tribal law enforcement levels for thirty-four years. David holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Northeastern State University and a Master of Science from Oklahoma State University.
David.Culver@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-2204 Office
405-317-0506 Cell
Before coming to work for OKOHS, Nikki spent 20 years working in the telecommunications industry. She won numerous awards for outstanding sales achievements, provisioning and operations. In 1998/1999, she represented the first CLEC (Advanced Communications/lonex) to arrange a pro-active relationship with the Corporation Commission once local dialtone was deregulated to compete with Southwestern Bell in the Oklahoma City market. After leaving the private sector in 2007, Nikki began working for the Department of Public Safety serving as an Oklahoma Law Enforcement Telecommunications Operator. She came to OKOHS in 2008 to assist with Interoperable Communications planning. In March 2009, she moved into the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator position which includes planning for the state and coordinating the Statewide Interoperability Communications Plan (SCIP).
Nikki.Dallas@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-2869 Office
405-219-2866 Cell
Christina joined the OKOHS Grants Division in August 2009. She provides grants support to OKOHS which includes preparing various account and expenditure reports, preparing and distributing award documentation to sub grantees, reviewing Quarterly Status Reports as submitted by sub grantees and assisting with procurement and finance issues. Christina also facilitates the local sub grantee monitoring program. Before coming to OKOHS, Christina worked in the food and beverage industry and was responsible for bookkeeping, franchisee documentation, payroll and other administrative duties. Christina is also a Certified Procurement Officer (CPO). She attended Oklahoma City Community College with a focus in Business.
Christina.Daron@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7591 Office
405-615-2415 Cell
Sean has over 25 years of Emergency Management, Public-Safety Communications, and Information Technology experience. Before joining our office in December 2018, Sean spent 16 years with the City of Tuttle where he served as Grant Writer, 911 Supervisor, Public-Safety Radio System Manager, IT Director, and EM Director. He also chaired the SW Region's Communications Committee, was a member of the OEMA Communications Committee, and is a volunteer Communications Specialist for Grady County Emergency Management. Sean is an Oklahoma Certified Emergency Manager and holds certifications as Professional Emergency Manager, Communications Unit Leader and Technician, Planning Section Chief, Resource Unit Leader, Hazmat Awareness, and has been a licensed Amateur Radio Operator for almost 30 years. Sean earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Bowling Green State University in 1996.
Sean.Douglas@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7275 Office
405-659-1065 Cell
Curtis joined OKOHS in March 2014. Curtis retired after 25 years of service for the Oklahoma City Fire Department. His background includes Hazardous Materials Technician, EMT, Rescue Technician, and Fire Service Instructor. Curtis is responsible for working with responder agencies to help them achieve their departmental training goals. Curtis is currently representing FEMA Region 6 on the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium as part of their SAA Advisory Council and is a sitting member for the Oklahoma Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Commission. Curtis collaborates with state and federal partners to develop training curriculum, standards, and exercises.
Curtis.Driscoll@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7512 Office
405-249-5177 Cell
Scott joined OKOHS in August 2021. Scott retired from the United States Army, in 2019, as a Lieutenant Colonel with over 28 years’ service. During this time, he possessed several occupational specialties including: Military Intelligence (35D), Military Police (31A), Emergency Responder (R8), Logistics (90A), and Human Resources (42A). The majority of Scott’s operational experience is in Military Intelligence. He has practical experience operating with NATO partners, Five-Eyes partners, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Intelligence Fusion Center (Steering Committee) and the U.S. Department of State/Diplomatic Security Service. Scott specialized in the collection, analysis, review and dissemination of tactical and strategic human, signal, measures and imagery intelligence and information. His experience also includes multiple commands, numerous joint tactical, operational and strategic exercises; as well as, various overseas operational deployments. Scott was certified as a HAZMAT Technician and was trained in the Incident Command System (ICS) while commanding the 63rd Civil Support Team-WMD. In this role, he directed the military response or participated in numerous federal, state and local events or missions. Scott was instrumental in developing the cyber plan and funding procurement for the establishment of the first permanent sensitive compartmented information facility (Top-Secret-SCI) in the Oklahoma National Guard. Scott has also worked for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (2 years) and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (5 years). He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma, and a Master of Arts-with honors (Criminal Justice) from the University of Central Oklahoma. Scott also holds certifications in Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection, Physical Security, Open Source Intelligence, and Radiological Incident Response.
Scott.Houck@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7285 Office
405-420-2597 Cell
April joined the OKOHS staff in the Spring of 2012 and has served in several different capacities. Most recently, she acts as a liaison to the National Training Consortium where she schedules training courses within the state for first responders. She coordinates all NIMS ICS-300, ICS-400, Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program (HSEEP), and Position Specific training. April administers Oklahoma's ICS and Position Specific Instructor programs and acts as the administrator of the OKOHS website. In addition, she oversees NIMS Compliance, assisting jurisdictions and academic institutions throughout the state in reaching their compliance goals. April also collaborates with other state and federal agencies to enhance the State of Oklahoma Training and Instructor programs.
April.Keeler@okohs.ok.gov
405-227-4701 Cell
Hannah joined the OKOHS Grants Division in September of 2022. She provides grants support to OKOHS, which includes preparing various account and expenditure reports, preparing, and distributing award documentation to sub-grantees, reviewing Quarterly Status Reports as submitted by sub grantees, and assisting with procurement and finance issues. Before coming to OKOHS, Hannah worked for ODOT and OMD doing administrative work and managing a statewide program. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Georgia State University and a Master of Arts from The University of Oklahoma.
Hannah.Kopisch@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7455 Office
405-291-0573 Cell
Melanie joined the OKOHS team as the Administrative Grants Assistant in April 2022. She provides grant support to OKOHS which includes all purchasing, expenditure reports, state budget reports, procurement and finance issues and overall daily office management duties. Before joining OKOHS, Melanie was in the medical field working as an Admissions Director that was responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining revenue-generating strategies related to admissions and patient capacity. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology (BA/BS) from Mid-America Christian University.
Melanie.Lewis@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-2133 Office
405-397-9893 Cell
Before coming to work with OKOHS in October 2019, Michael was a career firefighter for the Oklahoma City Fire Department for 30 years. During his career Michael was a Hazardous Material Technician, Emergency Medical Technician, and Part of the Urban Search and Rescue Team. Michael was also a Fire Service Instructor and the Planning Officer on Oklahoma Task Force 1. He retired in 2015 at the rank of Major, responding and supervising personnel on emergency scenes. Currently as the Regional Response Coordinator, Michael prioritizes the needs of the Regional Response System by replacing and maintaining equipment using money provided by the Homeland Security Grant.
Michael.mahoney@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7453 Office
405-664-6056 Cell
Stephanie Prince spent 24 years in law enforcement. She started as a dispatcher and worked her way up to Patrol Sergeant with the Weatherford Police Department. She also served with the Custer County Sheriff’s Department, Oklahoma Department of Corrections – Probation and Parole, and Chief of Police at Caddo Kiowa Technology Center. Before joining the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security, Oklahoma School Security Institute, Prince served fourteen years teaching Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement classes as well as industry safety training. Prince is a graduate of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma and holds a Master of Science in Education.
Stephanie.Prince@okohs.ok.gov
405-593-4439 Cell
Rohit has been with OKOHS since June 2009. His primary focus is the state’s critical infrastructure and the Continuity of Operations & Continuity of Government (COOP/COG) program. Among his other duties, he is a liaison between OKOHS and the private sector, conducts analysis of intelligence data and criminal activity, follows up on intelligence information received, and interacts with law enforcement across the state to facilitate the exchange of information about criminals and crimes. Rohit is responsible for the annual submission of the Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) and the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), which are requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He also coordinates multiple annual reports on the state’s critical infrastructure for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Rohit graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor’s in Public Affairs and Administration as well as a Master’s in Public Affairs and Administration with a focus in Organizational Leadership.
Rohit.Rai@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7455 Office
405-542-7465 Cell
Ben W. Rosser is a retired Special Agent from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), with over 21 years of investigative experience, where he specialized on major crime cases. He also retired from the Norman Police Department with 11 years as a Detective, specializing in Crimes Against Persons. He also worked 2 years as an investigator with the Oklahoma Office of Attorney General. He is a CLEET certified Firearms Instructor; instructing in Basic Academies, Basic and Advanced Firearms Instruction and Active Shooter Drills. Rosser is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Law Enforcement Administration. Rosser has also served as an instructor in CLEET Academies, Norman Police Department Academy, Reserve Officer Schools, as well as in-service classes on investigations and firearms across Oklahoma.
Ben.Rosser@okohs.ok.gov
405-593-6602 Cell
Gary Shelton is a retired 24-year veteran of the Norman Police Department. During his service as a police officer, Shelton achieved the rank of Lieutenant and served as a supervisor over the Patrol, Community Policing, Criminal Investigations, and Narcotics Divisions. Shelton was a certified Drug Recognition Expert and Instructor that worked with Norman Public Schools through the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program and traveled throughout the state teaching D.I.T.E.P. (Drug Impairment Training for Education Professionals). Shelton is a graduate of Northeastern State University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. He is also a certified Prevention & Deterrence of Terrorist Acts Instructor as well as a Risk Management for Interscholastic Athletics & After School Events Instructor.
Gary.Shelton@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-2933 Office
405-593-6882 Cell
Tim Smith is a retired Sergeant from the Norman Police Department with 26 years of service and 6 year veteran of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department. During his career with the Norman Police Department Smith served as a Field Training Officer (FTO), (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) D.A.R.E. Officer working with Norman Public Schools, Community Relations/Crime Prevention Officer, a Motor Officer and as a PEER Support Response Team Leader. Smith holds a CLEET Advanced Law Enforcement Certification. Smith is a certified instructor in Crime Prevention Though Environmental Design (CPTED), Crime Prevention, Below 100 as well as a CLEET Instructor. Smith has developed and presented classes on local and national levels on topics ranging from "Train the Trainer on Speaking with Children About Drugs" to PEER Support, PTSD and Crisis Stabilization for Children. Smith is actively involved with the following nonprofits as an instructor/PEER Support Team Member: Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S), Survivors of Blue Suicide Foundation and Warrior’s Rest Foundation.
Tim.Smith@okohs.ok.gov
405-425-7274 Office
405-397-6950 Cell
Tenna Whitsel has been involved in education for over 35 years. Ms. Whitsel began her teaching career in Coweta, Oklahoma and later transferred to Tulsa Public Schools to work with high school special education students. After 10 years in the classroom, she served as a high school counselor and as the academic dean at Will Rogers High School in Tulsa. Ms. Whitsel was later promoted as assistant principal of the school and finally as principal before moving to the district office. In the district office she served as Director of Student Services for Secondary Education and finally as Director of Family and Community Engagement. She has served in various coordinator roles, including Title IV – Safe and Healthy Schools where she facilitated several student support programs, safe school initiatives, and grants for the district. She has played a critical role in facilitating district discipline and student service policies, and served on the district’s School Threat Assessment Team to promote a safe learning environment for all students and staff through student intervention and support plans. Whitsel holds a Bachelors Degree of Science in Elementary Education and in Special Education from the University of Tulsa as well as a Master's of Science Degree in Learning Disabilities from Northeastern State University. She has pursued additional certifications in School counseling and Secondary School Administration.
Tenna.Whitsel@okohs.ok.gov
405-250-9945 Cell