Meet Our Commissioners

• John Schneider
• Jackie Aaron
• Jeffery Cartmell
• Clay Bullard
• Melinda Fruendt
• Keith Reed
• Jonathan Hall
• Bryan Larison
• Lindel Fields

• Sharon “Shel” Millington
• Dr. Kalie Kerth
• Jason Hicks
• Judge Mike Warren
• Timothy Michaels-Johnson
• Hannah Whipp
• Gregory Slavonic
• Luann Schmiedel
• Vacant

JOHN SCHNEIDER
CHAIRPERSON, COMMISSIONER
[Email]

• Representing a Statewide Association of Youth Services
• Appointed by the Governor

John Schneider is an energetic, motivated, and driven leader.  He has been committed to Youth & Family Services, Inc. (YFS) for 10 years. Throughout his service at YFS, he has served in various roles including Development Director, Assistant Director, and now Executive Director.

He is known for establishing creative partnerships and relationships to collaboratively provide life-changing solutions to some of our community’s most challenging social issues.

He has a business background and specialized knowledge in building effective teams, strategic relationship development, private fund development, and outcome-driven program management. 

JEFFERY CARTMELL
DIRECTOR, OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
[Email COMING SOON ]

Before assuming his role as Counselor to the Secretary of State in 2021, Cartmell served as Deputy General Counsel under Governor Stitt for two years. Between 2017 and 2019, Cartmell worked in the private sector as an associate attorney at Lytle Soule & Curlee after serving two years as a division director within the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. Cartmell was a Deputy General Counsel to former Governor Mary Fallin from 2012 and 2014.

Cartmell earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 2009 and 2012, respectively. Cartmell became an adjunct professor of law at his alma mater in 2021, teaching a seminar course on government law.

Clay Bullard
CEO of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

Coming Soon!

MELINDA FRUENDT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION SERVICES
[EMAIL]

As executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, Melinda Fruendt leads more than 1,000 state employees who served 76,134 Oklahomans with disabilities in 2021. She previously served as DRS chief of staff for DRS’ seven divisions with 25 statewide programs focused on employment, education, independence, and the determination of medical eligibility for disability benefits. Her past positions include executive-level project coordinator for DRS and program manager of the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council, a DRS partner.

Melinda grew up the youngest of six children on a family farm in Chouteau and continues to farm and ranch with her husband Paul in Guthrie where they have a cow-calf and stocker operation, as well as diversified crops production.

She was honored with the Workforce Champion award in 2016 from the Oklahoma Association of Workforce Development Boards and the Oklahoma Workforce Association.

KEITH REED, RN, MPH, CPH
COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH
OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

Keith Reed has worked for the State of Oklahoma for 24 years, the past 19 with the Oklahoma State Department of Health. While with OSDH, Keith has served in multiple positions within the agency, and currently serves as the Deputy Commissioner for Community Health Services. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Oklahoma’s Northeastern State University and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to his public health career, Keith is also a Colonel in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, serving multiple tours in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He is currently assigned as Commander, 137th Special Operations Medical Group, Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma City.

JONATHAN HALL
COMMISSIONER
[EMAIL]

• Representing business or industry
• Appointed by the Governor

Jonathan Hall currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors and is a Managing Principal at Warburton Capital where he manages day-to-day operations, leads the firm’s advisory and operations teams as well as directs efforts to attract and retain talent. Hall also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Finance at Oral Roberts University (ORU) teaching Personal Financial Planning and Capital Markets. He serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Emergency Infant Services (EIS) of Tulsa and has served on this board since 2014.

Commissioner Hall earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from ORU, where he served as President of the ORU Graduate Business Association. He further earned a Master of Science degree in Financial Services (M.S.F.S.) with an emphasis in Financial Planning from Saint Joseph’s University.

Bryan larison
COMMISSIONER
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

• Oklahoma Children's Agencies and Residential Enterprises
• Appointed by the Governor

Bryan Larison is the CEO of Lions Meadows of Hope, a foster care agency dedicated to serving children of all ages. Founded in 1938 as the IOA Ranch on the Cimarron, Bryan helped lead the transition from a group home that served only adolescent boys to a foster care agency serving children of all ages.

A seasoned mental health professional with over two decades of experience, Bryan is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a master’s degree in counseling from Oklahoma State University and has extensive training in trauma-informed care from institutions such as the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, and the Integrative Psychiatry Institute.

Committed to improving the lives of Oklahoma’s vulnerable children, Bryan serves on several boards, including Oklahoma Children’s Agencies and Residential Enterprises, Healthy Communities Healthy Children, and Resilient Payne County. He is also an active member of the Lions Club of Oklahoma and a Leadership Oklahoma alumnus.

A proud fifth-generation Oklahoman, Bryan is passionate about using his platform to shine a light on those that find themselves in the shadow of life. He believes that every individual deserves the opportunity to achieve.

Beyond his professional roles, Bryan cherishes his role as a “girl dad” to his three daughters, Keely, Hanna, and Adrian.

Lindel Fields
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

Lindel Fields is a nationally recognized leader in education, organizational culture, and leadership development, with more than 30 years of experience transforming schools, agencies, and businesses. He currently serves as Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction, where he is focused on improving reading proficiency, strengthening teacher recruitment and retention, and expanding career pathways for students across the state.

Before his appointment as superintendent, Fields served as CEO and Superintendent of Tri County Technology Center in Bartlesville, where he led the organization to historic national recognition — including the 2018 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and multiple appearances on Fortune’s “Great Places to Work” list, ranking as high as #7 nationwide.

A lifelong educator, Fields began his career in 1991 as a horticulture instructor before advancing to leadership roles overseeing training and workforce programs throughout Oklahoma’s CareerTech system. After retiring from CareerTech, he founded Your Culture Coach, a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations build trust, strengthen communication, and cultivate thriving workplace cultures. His consulting work has supported education systems, tribal nations, state agencies, and private enterprises in unlocking the potential of people to serve communities and drive sustainable growth.

Fields believes that strong leadership and healthy culture are the levers that move communities forward. His mission is to partner with leaders who want to make their organizations both excellent and equitable — because when we get leadership right, we get outcomes right.

Sharon “Shel” Millington
interim eXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF JUVENILE AFFAIRS
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

Sharon “Shel” Millington is a licensed professional counselor and is currently serving as the Chief Clinical Officer at Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS). Before joining OKDHS in June 2025, Shel served as Deputy Executive Director of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA).

Millington first joined OJA as the Director of Behavioral Health in August 2020 and was promoted to Deputy Executive Director in August 2024. While at OJA, Millington led the implementation of Functional Family Therapy, a nationally recognized, evidence-based, family-focused intervention that was not previously available in Oklahoma. She also led the implementation of Dialectical Behavior Therapy at OJA’s secure treatment facility.

In addition to her leadership in implementing high-quality behavioral health services for youth and families involved in the juvenile justice system, Millington actively collaborates with community-based child-serving agencies to drive positive change. She supports community and residential placement providers in adopting best practices for custody youth, oversees program-based reforms across all levels of Oklahoma’s juvenile justice system continuum, and delivers statewide training to enhance awareness and implementation of best practices.

Millington has also served as the co-director of Treatment Programs for Children and Adolescents with Problematic Sexual Behaviors at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She served as a supervisor and lead clinician in an assessment clinic for children with prenatal exposure. She is a Master Trainer in Problematic Sexual Behavior and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with the National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth.

Millington is a certified therapist, formally trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She is a Level I trainer for Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and has presented at many professional conferences throughout her career.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma.

DR. KALIE KERTH
COMMISSIONER
[EMAIL]

• Representing the Post Adjudication Review Boards
• Appointed by the Governor

Dr. Kalie Kerth is a practicing clinical pharmacist at Southwestern Oklahoma State University College of Pharmacy in Weatherford, Oklahoma. She is the Founder and CEO of Harley’s House Crisis Nursery, a local nonprofit serving children and families in Western Oklahoma. Dr. Kerth is an avid child advocate and serves on the Custer Washita child protective team and as a board member for the Family Drug Treatment Court in those counties. Dr. Kerth serves on the Commission as a member of the Post-Adjudication Review Board representing a foster parent with an agency. Dr. Kerth and her family have welcomed over 37 children into their home during their 5-year foster journey.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY JASON M. HICKS
COMMISSIONER
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

• Representing the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council
• Appointed by the Governor

Jason M. Hicks serves as District Attorney for the Sixth Prosecutorial District, which includes Caddo, Grady, Jefferson, and Stephens Counties. He was elected in 2010 and ran unopposed for the position in 2014 and 2018.

Hicks was born in Oklahoma City and grew up in Chickasha, graduating high school in 1987. In December 1997, Hicks graduated from Cameron University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. His studies in the criminal justice area sparked an interest in Hicks to become a prosecutor. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Hicks attended the University of Oklahoma, College of Law earning his J.D. in 2001.

Prior to graduating from the University of Oklahoma, College of Law, Hicks was hired as an intern for District 6 where he also served as an Assistant District Attorney. During his time as an ADA for Stephens County, Hicks successfully prosecuted countless cases. His caseload included responsibility for one-third of all felonies filed in Stephens County, misdemeanors, juvenile delinquents, juvenile and deprived, along with other tasks assigned to him through the course of daily business.

Hicks left the District Attorney’s Office in 2004 to become a partner in the law firm Ellis, Buckholts & Hicks where he specialized in adoption law and all other areas of family and criminal law. During his time in private practice, Hicks was aware that his calling was to be a public servant. This calling became a reality when he made the decision to run for the position he now holds in 2009.

Hicks and his wife, Marla, were married in 1993 and reside in Stephens County. They have three children, Jackson, Chandler, and Reagan.

Hannah whipp
COMMISSIONER
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

• Representing the Metropolitan Juvenile Bureaus
• Appointed by the Governor

Commissioner Hannah Whipp currently serves as Director of the Oklahoma County Juvenile Bureau (OCJB), a role she was appointed to on Sept. 21, 2022. Her journey with OCJB began in 2013, and over the last decade, she’s worked through key positions in detention, probation, internal affairs, and human resources. She became Human Resources Manager in 2017 and served in that leadership role until stepping into her current position as Director. Commissioner Whipp holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Southern Nazarene University and earned her Master of Business Administration in 2015. She is also a Senior Certified Professional with the Society for Human Resource Management. With a strong commitment to public service, Commissioner Whipp offers deep institutional knowledge, dedication to staff support, and a clear vision for strengthening juvenile justice in Oklahoma County.

VACANT
COMMISSIONER
[EMAIL]

• A member with a demonstrated interest in improving children services who is not employed by a state agency or a private organization that receives state funds
• Appointed by the President Tempore of the Senate

Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic, USN (Ret.)
interim commissioner
oklahoma department of mental health and substance abuse services
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

Retired Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic was named Interim Commissioner for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services by Governor Kevin Stitt.

Admiral Gregory Slavonic previously served as the director for the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to state service, he was an assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs, as deputy and principal assistant to the secretary of the Navy, and as chief operating officer and chief management officer for the Department of the Navy. He served in the U.S. Navy for 34 years.

He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and received a master’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma.

JUDGE W. mike warren
chair of the SJR 13 oversight committee
[EMAIL]

Mike Warren has been a Judge of the District Court for the State of Oklahoma for more than 31 years.  He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BA in Accounting and received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Tulsa in 1981.  He is licensed to practice in both State and Federal courts.

Judge Warren began his career as a partner in a general practice law firm for 10 years, and prior to becoming a State judge, was a Municipal Judge for seven years, and a City Prosecutor for three years.

Judge Warren is the Chair of the Juvenile Justice Oversight Advisory Committee, a committee of nine judges selected by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to examine children’s issues, state statutes, as well as provide mandatory training curriculums for all judges with juvenile dockets, meet regularly with all state agency heads regarding children, meet with legislators seeking advice on proposed state childrens’/juvenile statutes, and make recommendations to the Chief Justice and Supreme Court on matters involving children.

Judge Warren represents the Oklahoma Supreme Court as a Board Member of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth, created by statute to assist entities throughout the State with children’s issues.

Judge Warren was selected by the Oklahoma Attorney General as a member of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, which reviews deaths in Oklahoma involving acts of domestic violence.  He is an advocate to stop violence against children, as well as domestic violence in general.

In 2007, Judge Warren was selected as one of five judges to rewrite the entire Children’s Code and Juvenile Code (two statute law books) for Oklahoma and became state law, effective November 2009. 

In 2007, he also chaired the sub-committee which created and implemented the very first Deprived Child Uniform Orders, addressing all events for a deprived child, from the time the child is removed from the home until the child receives final permanency, either through reunification or parental rights termination, and adoption.  

Mike was selected in 2012, by the Oklahoma Attorney General, to sit as a member of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board.  He is an advocate to stop violence against children, as well as domestic violence in general. 

Mike is married to his sweetheart and has a 35-year-old married daughter, a 13-year-old son, and a four-year-old grandson.  He is an accomplished pianist and singer and is a licensed pilot.  

Timothy michaels-johnson
COMMISSIONER
[EMAIL COMING SOON]

• Representing the Oklahoma Bar Association
• Appointed by the Governor

Having earned his Juris Doctorate with Honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2011, Commissioner Timothy Michaels-Johnson focused his career on child welfare. He joined the District Attorney’s Office of Tulsa County and prosecuted deprived child cases for nearly 5 years. In July 2016, Commissioner Michaels-Johnson joined Tulsa Lawyers for Children, representing children and training TLC’s volunteer attorneys. He subsequently served as TLC’s third Executive Director until April 2024. Michaels-Johnson now assists with developing and rolling out Oklahoma’s new central office of parent and child representation as the Region 5 Managing Attorney for Child Representation with the Oklahoma Office of Family Representation. In addition, Commissioner Michaels-Johnson has returned to the University of Tulsa College of Law as an adjunct professor teaching Juvenile Law.

Luann Schmiedel
COMMISSIONER

• A parent of a child with special needs
• Appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives

Luann Schmiedel has spent more than 39 years serving Oklahoma’s communities through leadership, advocacy and public service. In addition to her long-standing role at Oklahoma’s Credit Union, where she currently serves as president and chief executive officer, Schmiedel has led efforts that support children, families and youth across the state. She has championed programs that promote financial literacy, expand access to services for at-risk youth and strengthen local partnerships that benefit underserved populations. Her commitment to people-centered leadership is reflected in her active involvement with organizations like the Global Woman’s Leadership Society, Sasquatch Shaved Ice and Sugar and Spurs.

At OKCU, Schmiedel has guided the institution through a period of transformative growth, helping expand assets from $20 million to more than $870 million and increasing membership from fewer than 10,000 to over 55,000. She co-founded the Oklahoma Credit Union Political Action Committee (OCUPAC) in 1986 and has held numerous statewide board and leadership roles within the credit union community. Her professional record is grounded in the philosophy of “people helping people,” and her continued public service reflects a deep commitment to strengthening the well-being of Oklahoma families.