2024 fall award nominations

The Steven A. Novick Child Advocacy Award

Steven A. Novick served as the legal counsel for the children who brought forth the “Terry D” lawsuit against the State of Oklahoma. Through his effort to represent these children and the thousands of others who benefited from this case, reforms were brought about to improve the conditions of Oklahoma youth in state care. It was in the aftermath of the “Terry D” lawsuit that OICA was created. The award is for excellence in child advocacy by an unsung advocate who works "in the trenches" to improve children's lives.

The Laura Choate Resilience Award

Laura Choate has served as a lifelong advocate for Oklahoma children and was the first recipient of the Resilience Award. She worked with OICA to reform the state’s child welfare and juvenile justice system to better serve and protect Oklahoma children, and currently sits as a board member. As a youth, Choate served as a plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit that resulted in dramatic changes to Oklahoma’s juvenile justice system and was used as a model by many other states to establish higher standards. The award is for someone who, like Laura, has overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges to become an effective child advocate.

The H.E. "Gene" Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award

The H.E. "Gene" Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award is to honor those industries and businesses who have invested in programs and policies to improve children's lives. Gene Rainbolt is a prominent figure in the Oklahoma banking industry, having founded BancFirst, the largest state-chartered bank in the state. A strong advocate of improving and diversifying the Oklahoma economy, Mr. Rainbolt has worked long and hard to improve health, education, provide better access to capital, and develop Oklahoma’s infrastructure system. He says his “mission in life is to create an Oklahoma in which every child would have the opportunity to become all he or she could become.”

The Ray and Pat Potts Community Leader Award

The Ray and Pat Potts Community Leader Award is to recognize the work of individuals who invest their time and treasure toward improving the lives of Oklahoma's children through advocacy and action. Pat Potts, along with her late husband Ray, co-founded the Potts Family Foundation and she also co-founded the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits where she served as president and CEO for 20 years. Pat’s focus has always been on leveraging resources “to address root causes and build the human potential of the people of our state one child and one organization at a time.” In her work in the nonprofit sector, she previously served as President on the Oklahoma City School Board, Oklahoma City Beautiful the Oklahoma City Zoo Trust and the Society of Fund Raising Executives. Pat was honored for her accomplishments and contributions by being named Journal Record’s “Woman of the Year” in 2012, and in 2019 she was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame and awarded the Lifetime Achievement award from Leadership Oklahoma.

The Judy Eason McIntyre Award for Inclusion

The Judy Eason McIntyre Award for Inclusion recognizes those Oklahomans who have reached out across economic, cultural, and political divides to make a difference in the lives of Oklahoma's youngest residents. A breast cancer survivor who grew up in segregated north Tulsa, Judy Eason McIntyre built a career in social work, served on the Tulsa Public Schools Board, and spent 10 years in the Oklahoma Legislature, serving as a state representative, then a state senator. Through that time, she has helped break down race barriers and elevate difficult conversations for the betterment of generations to come. Judy spent 31 years working with child abuse cases, and she could not have kids of her own, so she felt that she could legitimately always be a kid. After having breast cancer, forming the breast cancer support group (Soulful Survivors) and learning more about breast cancer, she realized how precious life is and has made the most of it.

The Jasmine & Melvin Moran Kidizenship Award

The Kidizenship Awards is the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy’s statewide awards program recognizing and rewarding excellence in youth philanthropy. The Awards provide young Oklahomans under the age of 18 across the state with the opportunity to celebrate and showcase their activities which benefit their peers – other young people in Oklahoma. The Awards represent the true Oklahoma Standard – the opportunity to demonstrate how young Oklahomans are making this a great state! The awards are named after Melvin and Jasmine Moran, philanthropists in their own right, who have spent their lives celebrating opportunities for the youth of Oklahoma. Though most well-known as the founders of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum in Seminole, Oklahoma, the Moran Family has spent decades dedicated to the improvement of lives of children all across our state.

The Jon Hansen Public Servant Award

The Jon Hansen Public Servant Award honors those members of law enforcement, fire departments, or emergency medical service who have gone above and beyond the call of duty for Oklahoma's children. Jon Hansen began his 26-year career with the Oklahoma City Fire Department in November 1973 promoting through the ranks to become Fire Marshal in 1995. As Assistant Fire Chief, he served as the department’s Public Information Officer. Following the bombing, Hansen kept the public informed by routinely giving updates to media outlets around the world about the tragic event and what was being done to help the victims and protect the public.

The Dr. Dwight Sublett Award in Healthcare

The Dr. Dwight Sublett Award in Healthcare will go to a member of the healthcare field who has improved the health of the state’s children. Dr. Dwight Sublett was the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics - Oklahoma Chapter for a number of years. He was an extremely accomplished man, and received a multitude of distinguished awards, but the highlight of his career was the children he attended, and the countless lives he touched.

The Sandy Garrett Educator Award

The Sandy Garrett Educator Award goes to an educator who has made a significant positive impact on Oklahoma’s children. The Honorable Sandy Garrett, a lifelong educator, was first elected state Superintendent for Public Instruction in 1990, and again in 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006. Garrett was the first woman to hold the office of Superintendent and is the only woman to hold a statewide office for five consecutive terms.