Melissa McLawhorn Houston
Melissa Houston is an attorney who has more than 20 years of experience on the front lines of public policy development and implementation in the state of Oklahoma. She has served in a variety of capacities including most recently as Oklahoma Labor Commissioner, Secretary for Education and Workforce Development, and previously as Chief of Staff for the Oklahoma Attorney General. She served on the Transition Team for Governor Kevin Stitt as a strategic advisor and managed his policy agenda development. She has worked extensively in agency operations, regulatory reform, public policy development, legislation and administrative rules, and numerous high profile litigation matters.
Melissa is an experienced administrator and strategic advisor with a reputation for hard work, integrity, creativity and strategic thinking. She has spent her career in the intersection between policy and politics and has sophisticated political knowledge and unparalleled policy experience. She has an insider’s view on how regulation impacts business, and how to influence the policy making process in the right way at the right time. Throughout her career she has worked in a bipartisan manner effectively messaging practical solutions to complex problems. She views challenges as an opportunity to shine and maintains a positive attitude, which has allowed her to excel throughout her career in the public sector regardless of the controlling political party.
(Photo by Brent Fuchs)