Tara Cullum was named the Deputy Chief Innovation Officer in February 2022. Cullum oversees all modernization and innovation-related efforts, including Third-Party Solutions and Transportation Research for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

Cullum previously served as ODOT's Coordinator of Executive Administration and served in numerous and oftentimes concurrent roles from 2013 to 2017.

Her state service career originally began at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services before she moved to the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System. She holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Oklahoma State University.

Cullum is a member of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials serving on multiple committees. She serves as the Co-Chair for the State Transportation Innovation Council as well as the Advisory Board Chair for the Southern Plains Transportation Center.

Originally from Ardmore, she and her three children reside in Moore.