Powell Named OKDHS Communications Coordinator

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Coordinating communications efforts at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services will be a 26-year veteran of the agency.
Sheree Powell has served the majority of her career in OKDHS as a communications professional, promoting the agency’s success stories while developing relationships with the media and community partners. Most recently, she managed communications within the agency's Developmental Disabilities Services Division.     

Powell began her career in the Office of Inspector General where she worked for five years. After graduating with a degree in journalism, she transferred to the Information Services Division (predecessor to the current Office of Communications) where she worked two years as a public information specialist. 

In 1991, she began working in DDSD during the difficult years of the Homeward Bound class-action lawsuit. For the past 19 years, Powell has been responsible for communications and public education for DDSD programs. She was the editor of the news magazine, Interface and managed the division’s web content.

Powell has won numerous awards for her communications work. Her videos on the Best-of-the-Best in Developmental Disabilities Services can be found on the agency’s website. She is also the producer of a documentary about Oklahoma’s history of services to persons with intellectual disabilities. The program, “Wagons to Waivers: A Century of Change," narrated by Reba McEntire, is currently airing on OETA.

She is experienced in agency web content management having served on the OKDHS web governance board since its inception in 2007.

Over the past year, Powell has been an active member of the OKDHS communications team and has participated in developing the agency’s current strategic Communications plan and strategy.   

She will officially assume her new post on Oct. 4.

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Note to editors: high resolution photographs are available upon request by e-mail.