Science and Innovation Council Members

Elizabeth Pollard was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt to serve as Secretary of Science and Innovation from June 2020 to March 2023. In that position, Pollard places a strategic emphasis on enabling science and innovation to impact health, economic development and education for Oklahoma.

Elizabeth’s cabinet includes the award-winning Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) where she serves as Chair for the Oklahoma Science, Technology, Research and Development Board (OSTRaD). Elizabeth also chairs two councils for the Governor - the Science and Innovation Council and the Aerospace, Autonomous Systems and Defense Council. Under her leadership, these Councils published the 2021-2026 Science and Innovation Strategic Plan for the State of Oklahoma. As the Cabinet Secretary, she plays a critical role in developing and leading Oklahoma’s innovation economy. Her cabinet collaborates with key stakeholders across government, industry, academia, research institutions, and nonprofits to identify opportunities to invest in Oklahoma’s future through science, technology, and innovation with emphasis in areas where Oklahoma has key resource strengths: Biotechnology/Life Sciences, Advanced Mobility and Defense, and Energy Diversification.

Elizabeth is a Silicon Valley C-suite veteran and has extensive global experience scaling businesses, building public and private partnerships, and bringing to market highly specialized technology, primarily to enable biotechnology.  Partners she has worked with span leading universities, government research facilities such as the NIH, CRO’s, pharmaceutical companies and emerging diagnostic companies. Elizabeth is widely recognized as a strategy creator and implementor, advising companies and serving on corporate boards. Most recently, she was elected finance chair for the YPO Global Board of Directors, YPO is a global leadership community of more than 32,000 chief executives representing 142 countries. YPO member-run companies employ >16 million people and generate >USD 6 trillion in annual revenues.