Oklahoma Independent Living Program
Oklahoma Area Independent Living Staff
| TeRessa Kaemmerling, MSW; Assistant Program Director |
| TeRessa is responsible for the management
and development of the NRCYS Oklahoma Independent Living Program.
She has served as a direct care worker for a youth services' shelter,
a shelter administrator and a group home assistant director. TeRessa
received her master's of social work degree from The University
of Oklahoma. Contact: (405) 573-6843 • Email: tkaemmerling@ou.edu |
| Misty Codrey, MA; Program Supervisor |
| Misty is the program supervisor for the Oklahoma
Independent Living Program. Misty provides training, implementation
and coordination of independent living events and conferences. She
places an emphasis on providing technical assistance to adolescents,
department workers and contract service providers in the area of
independent living and youth development. Contact: (918) 660-3706 • Email: mcodrey@ou.edu |
| Kristi Freshwater, MSW; Senior Program Development Specialist |
| Kristi coordinates the Yes I Can! program
that serves young adults, ages 18-21, who
have aged out of foster care in the state of Oklahoma. Services
include case management, financial assistance, life skills education,
and referral to other community resources. Kristi is a former child
welfare specialist for the Children's Justice Center in Tulsa, OK,
and she currently delivers training in interviewing in the field
of child maltreatment, the dynamics of disclosures in child abuse
cases, cultural diversity, and worker safety. In addition, Kristi serves as the central point of admission to the Youth Opportunity University Career Academy which is a program component of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s Project M.O.V.E.S. and is funded by the United States Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. Kristi also provides supportive services to the youth enrolled in the program. Kristi earned her
master's degree in social work from The University of Oklahoma. Contact: (918) 660-3700 • Email: kfreshwater@ou.edu |
| Mary Plank, MHR; Program Development Specialist |
| Mary provides services to eligible youth through
the Oklahoma Independent Living Program and the Yes I Can! Program.
These services are designed to help youth transition to adulthood
and assist young adults leave foster care. Services include case
management financial assistance, life skills education and referral
to other community resources. Mary has worked with the Child Abuse
Network, Inc. as a case manager and child advocate. She has a masters
degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. Contact: (918) 660-3700 • Email: mcplank@ou.edu |
| Jessica Dobson, BS; Group Home Education Specialist |
| Jessica is the Group Home Education Specialist
for the Oklahoma Independent Living Program. Jessica provides technical
assistance to eleven group homes throughout the state contracted
by OKDHS. This assistance includes, but is not limited to, assessing
the educational needs and career plans of the youth and developing
a plan to build community supports for the group home. Contact: (918) 770-3396 • Email: dobson@ou.edu |
| Nancy Mason, MHR; Education Specialist |
| Nancy serves as a resource
person, assists youth with education and career planning, tracks
independent living services, conducts training for child welfare
workers in independent living, and provides life skills training
to youth. Contact: (918) 660-3745 • Email: nmason@ou.edu |
| Theresa West, BS; Area I Independent Living Specialist |
| Serving Cimarron, Texas, Kay, Beaver, Harper,
Woods, Alfalfa, Grant, Custer, Ellis, Blaine, Roger Mills, Woodward,
Major, Noble, Garfield, Pawnee, Logan, Dewey, Kingfisher, Payne,
and Beckham counties. Contact: (580) 548-2051 • Email: theresa.west@okdhs.org |
| Courtney Burress, BS; Area II Independent Living Specialist |
| Serving McClain, Love, Garvin,
Murray, Carter, Jefferson, Stephens, Grady, Caddo, Cotton, Comanche,
Tillman, Kiowa, Greer, Jackson, Washita and Harmon counties. Contact: (918) 457-8580 • Email: courtney.burress@okdhs.org |
| Laura Osbun, MS; Area III Independent Living Specialist |
| Serving Cleveland and Oklahoma
B, G, and J counties. Contact: (405) 573-6870 • Email: laura.osbun@okdhs.org |
| Stacy Williams, BA; Area IV Independent Living Specialist |
| Serving McCurtain, Choctaw, Bryan, Marshall,
Johnston, Atoka, Pushmataha, Pontotoc, Pittsburg, Hughes, Seminole,
Okfuskee, Coal, Lincoln, and Pottawatomie counties. Contact: (918) 421-6148 • Email: stacy.williams@okdhs.org |
| Kathy Chamberlain, BS; Area V Independent Living Specialist |
| Serving LeFlore, Latimer, Adair, Haskell,
McIntosh, Okmulgee, Muskogee, Mayes, Wagoner, Cherokee, Craig, Sequoyah,
Rogers, Delaware, Ottawa, and Nowata counties. Contact: (918) 781-5938 • Email: kathy.chamberlain@okdhs.org |
| Katherine Hargus, BA; Area VI Independent Living Specialist |
| Serving Osage, Washington, Creek, and Tulsa
counties. Contact: (918) 581-2848 • Cell: (918) 605-9550 • Email: katherine.hargus@okdhs.org |
| Jennifer Hughes, Program Development Specialist |
| Jennifer is responsible for coordinating
events throughout the state including the Life Skills Seminar
Series, Funfest, Oklahoma Teen Conference and more. Contact: (918) 660-3717 • Email: jennihughes@ou.edu |
| Brian Raney, Program Development Specialist |
| Brian provides services to eligible youth through the Oklahoma Independent Living Program and the Yes I Can! Program. These services are designed to help youth transition to adulthood and assist young adults leaving foster care. Services include case management, financial assistance, life skills education and referral to other community resources. Brian has worked with the Department of Human Services as a social worker supervisor for the Oklahoma Independent Living Program at state office. Brian has a bachelor's of arts degree from Southwestern College - Kansas. Contact: (918) 660-3765 • Email: braney@ou.edu |
| Susan Hull, Program Development Specialist |
| Susan is a program development specialist for the Oklahoma Independent Living Contract. She provides supervision to two conference specialists. Susan manages the OKIL databases, reporting, and web pages. She received her Bachelor of Science/Management of Information Systems degree from the University of Tulsa. Contact: (918) 660-3718 • Email: susanhull@ou.edu |