Alice Jeffrey is a single mother and student. She has recent experience with the Oklahoma Family Courts and graduated from the Family Treatment Court Program in November of 2023. She has a wealth of lived experience with addiction and homelessness and is a passionate voice for families in our communities that are struggling. She is studying to become an addiction counselor and is driven to assist others. During her three years of sobriety, she has made many changes and considers her past to be a source of strength. She hopes to lead others by example and to be a communicator for those who may not currently have the confidence to speak for themselves. Above all, she is thrilled about the opportunity to serve the state of Oklahoma on this board.

Betty is the proud parent of a 14-year-old son born with Down syndrome. She is a member of the National Alliance Parent Partnership board. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree, a Bachelor of Science degree in Correctional Program Support, and an Associate of Arts degree in Healthcare Administration. She was on the planning committee for the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth’s Parent Partnership Board to inform and advance parent voice across the state. She is also a University of Oklahoma's Safe Families Parent Advisory Committee member. Her hope for the Parent Partnership Board is that it benefits the communities of Oklahoma by creating a lively parent voice that will lead to the total health of the family unit.

Cierra is a passionate advocate for children across the state, dedicated to supporting foster families and biological families navigating the challenges of the child welfare system. With a heart for fostering collaboration, she believes in the power of foster families working alongside biological families to create better outcomes for children.

As a parent to many—including biological children, foster children, and those who have aged out of the system—Cierra’s home is a testament to her unwavering commitment to love and community. She serves on the Post Adjudication Review board, volunteers as a CASA, and participates in numerous statewide initiatives providing resources and support to needy families.

Professionally, Cierra is the program coordinator for the SHARE program at OU Center for Public Management, where she empowers foster parents to share their stories and lived experiences. Her mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the realities of fostering, ultimately attracting and equipping high-quality foster parents.

She enjoys hiking, traveling, DIY projects, and relaxing at the lake in her free time, finding joy in life's simple and meaningful moments.

Colleen Howe lives in Southeast Oklahoma City with her husband and three daughters, whose ages range from preteen to toddler. Having struggled with her mental health during the early years of parenting, Colleen is passionate about reducing the stigma around utilizing family-serving systems and engaging the community in building a strong and accessible social safety net for diverse family systems. With a family history of mental health and substance abuse disorders, she is invested in raising awareness about how these can impact early relational health and child development. 

In her current role, Colleen helped establish funding for a program that increases access to mental health services for people who struggle to afford their out-of-pocket costs. In her previous role, she developed and implemented a classroom volunteer program to support early childhood teachers and the babies and toddlers in their care. This program engages the broader community in supporting the development of the next generation of Oklahomans. She finds meaning in her work to connect funders and community organizers with programs that build brighter futures with children and families. 

As the Grants Specialist at Sunbeam Family Services, she is dedicated to ensuring the sustainability and accessibility of programs serving families and children in Central Oklahoma.  

She holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Central Oklahoma and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, demonstrating her dedication to ethical fundraising and financial stewardship. Additionally, she is a trained Hope Navigator through the Alliance for HOPE International and has served on Sunbeam's DEIB committee. 

Delena is married and the proud mother to three children and grandmother to five grandchildren in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.  She graduated with her Master of Science Human Resources degree in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling from East Central University, where she was a Rehabilitation Service Administration Scholar and Selma Cody Strunk Graduate Scholar. She joined Oklahoma Rehabilitation Services through a Carl Albert Executive Fellowship in 2019. She works for Oklahoma Rehabilitation Services as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor-Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II in Chickasha, Oklahoma.  In addition, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate working at The Jetty Counseling Center in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.  She enjoys supporting the Pride of the Valley band program. She was active in the Johnson O'Malley Native Program.  She is passionate about addressing rural Oklahoma families' barriers, such as childcare, transportation, mental health services, and employment.  Delena hopes that she can help address the needs of rural Oklahomans to obtain resources, employment, and education while identifying community services needed to ensure success for all Oklahoma children, youth, and families. Her goal for the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth Parent Partnership Board is to help identify challenges that children and youth encounter daily in rural Oklahoma and to work to find resources and solutions that ensure success for this underserved population.  

Dena is a proud single mom to two young children, both adopted from Oklahoma's foster care system. One is a medically complex and neurodiverse child born with a congenital heart defect requiring three open-heart surgeries before starting kindergarten. The other is a high-needs toddler working through trauma from the foster care system. Both children inspire Dena’s advocacy for families navigating similar challenges.

Deeply committed to supporting children and families, Dena serves on the Mended Little Hearts of Oklahoma Board of Directors, the Cleveland County Disability Coalition, and ZERO TO THREE’s Network of Parent Advocates. She and her children were selected to represent Oklahoma at the 2024 Strolling Thunder event in Washington, D.C., advocating for issues such as paid leave, affordable childcare, and early childhood mental health.

Dena Drabek is Vice President of External Relations for The Arc of Oklahoma, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. In her role, she oversees advocacy, public policy, and communications initiatives.

Before joining The Arc in 2019, Dena was the Chief Operating Officer for Oklahoma Watch, a statewide investigative news organization. She began her career as a television news reporter and has held several prominent roles, including press secretary for former Lieutenant Governor and Congresswoman Mary Fallin, media relations for the Chickasaw Nation, and Vice President of Communications for the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City.

Dena holds degrees in journalism and administrative leadership from the University of Oklahoma, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa with distinction and participated in the President’s Leadership Class. She is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma, Leadership Oklahoma City, and the Salt and Light Leadership Training program.

Demetrius Mayhue Sr. resides in Central Oklahoma with his wife and two biological children. Demetrius completed his Bachelor of Science in Corrections at the great Langston University. Demetrius has always had a heart for serving today's youth. Demetrius was the Program Director of a Level E group home for several years. He shaped the future of 100+ children in DHS custody, all receiving extensive trauma. This work inspired Demetrius and opened his foster home to children with extensive abuse/trauma. Through this, he has served as the role of "pops" to 13 children over the past three years. Demetrius moved to become the Operations Manager at Positive Tomorrows- a private school that serves families experiencing homelessness. In addition to being a therapeutic foster parent, Demetrius is the Youth Pastor of his local church, leader of an outreach ministry, and a mentor to many. His desire for the OCCY Parent Partnership Board is to help others become aware of foster parents' needs and abilities and identify resources many foster parents may not be aware of. Demetrius is excited to learn through this journey and influence positive outcomes for all Oklahoma youth and families.

Dr. Turner-Addison is married and has two daughters, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. She currently serves as the Director for Pine Premier Child Care, managing day-to-day operations, where there is a “Commitment to Growth and Success of Our Future Leaders and Staff.”  She is also the President of the North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative nonprofit organization. She served as the City of Tulsa Human Rights Director (2007 - 2012), OSU-Tulsa Community Relations Manager, Fiscal Accountant, and Bursar (1992 - 2007). She also served as an elected Tulsa Public Schools Board Member from 2005-2017, amongst other volunteer service roles.  Her areas of interest and focus relate to designing and implementing programs, policies, and practices in support of creating, investing, and advocating building wealth for families. She hopes the OCCY Parent Partnership Board will work collaboratively to benefit all families, with an equity mindset focused on strengthening families and improving overall outcomes for all children.

Mitch Sutter currently holds the position of Re-Entry Coordinator at The Health & Wellness Center, Inc. Since 2020, Mitch has dedicated his career to serving as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist for Substance Use Disorder (SUD), bringing valuable insights and support to those in need.

Mitch shares his passion for recovery with his wife, Mikayla, a dedicated Peer Recovery Support Specialist. Together, they manage a blended family of seven remarkable children, including one biological, four stepchildren, and two foster children aged 15 to 4.

With a personal commitment to overcoming Substance Use Disorder, Mitch actively seeks opportunities to share his story and provide assistance to others on their recovery journeys. He aspires to contribute meaningfully to OCCY's Parent Partnership Board by offering a unique perspective on the challenges of managing a blended family while promoting resilience and hope.

Eager to share his experiences and learn from fellow parent partnership board members, Mitch looks forward to fostering a collaborative environment that encourages growth and understanding in the pursuit of recovery.

Sunnie is a proud single mom to her 14-year-old daughter. She works at Catalyst Behavioral Services as a Behavioral Health Case Manager and an Admissions Coordinator. Sunnie has a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Sunnie is a person in recovery and a graduate of the Remerge program.  She has a real passion for families affected by substance abuse.  Sunnie’s professional experience and lived experiences drive her to be a change-maker in the community. Her hope for the OCCY Parent Partnership Board is to help improve the collaboration between family-serving agencies.

James Ray is a proud father of two children. He is a Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) Parent Partner for Northcare. His role at work focuses on assisting parents who have open Oklahoma Department of Human Services cases.  As a PRSS Parent Partner, he provides support, mentorship, and advocacy for each parent while their case is processed.

His lived experience includes his own addiction battle, but he has been sober for more than four years.  Throughout this battle, he worked hard to be reunified with his daughter. As a member of the Parent Partnership Board, he hopes to help make changes and expand upon the resources provided by mental health and substance abuse services. He would also like to help families before and after involvement with child welfare services to achieve long-lasting positive change.

Heather Monroe is the proud mother of a 23-year-old daughter and a 21-year-old son. She serves as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) Parent Partner for NorthCare, where she supports parents with open DHS (Department of Human Services) cases as they navigate the system. Her goal is to help parents achieve stability for themselves and their children, ensuring they are prepared for life once DHS is no longer involved. Heather has also been involved in the ENGP program with the Annie E. Casey Foundation for the past two years and is a member of the Birth Family Advisory Board. Her life’s mission is to create meaningful change, one step at a time.

Heather’s dedication to her work is deeply rooted in her own lived experiences. Having fought her own battle with addiction, she has now been sober for eight years. She successfully completed Family Treatment Court and was reunified with her children after a 19-month DHS case. As a member of the Parent Partnership Board, Heather aspires to be a voice for the parents she works with, contributing her lived experience to drive meaningful change. She is passionate about advocating for families to receive the support they need before DHS makes the decision to remove children from their homes.

Wyjuana Montgomery, an Oklahoma City resident, is a devoted wife of 20+ years.  She has a 21-year-old son, a 16-year-old daughter, and a 17-year-old niece currently in her care.  She has an adult stepdaughter and three grandchildren, ages 12, five, and two.

 She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in African and African American Studies from Duke University and a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University.  

She is a Seattle native who relocated to Oklahoma City with her family in October 2008 and became the Oklahoma City Thunder's first Community Programs Manager. Wyjuana has spent nearly all of her professional life in education and community outreach-related work.  This includes the Seattle Girls' School, community relations for the NBA Seattle Supersonics and WNBA Seattle Storm, Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma, and multiple educational and technology companies that serve teachers and students across the United States. 

In Oklahoma, she founded the Reach Forward Foundation in January 2018, a mentorship program for 6th-12th graders in the OKC metro area. She has served on the Faculty Advisory Committee (FACS) and Career Technology Education (CTE) Advisory Boards for Oklahoma City Public Schools, Putnam City Schools, and Edmond Public Schools. She also sat on the Epic Charter School Board for two years.

Wyjuana believes that education should prepare students for their adult lives in practical ways. She is passionate about helping young people explore their natural gifts and talents to pursue an education and career track aligned with their strengths, skills, and interests. Throughout her career, she has discovered that many young people come from unstable homes and suffer the effects of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACES). She knows it is hard for them to plan for their futures. 

By serving on the Parent Partnership Board, Wyjuana aims to partner with juvenile justice organizations to develop innovative practices for diversion, prevention, intervention, and mentorship programs.  She would also like to collaborate with community partners to give all students hope for their futures.