About Us
Our mission is to identify, develop and connect diverse leaders who impact the community through service.
For 50 years, Leadership Tulsa has been providing community leadership development programs. We were founded in 1973 as a joint project of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and the Junior League of Tulsa to help build the leadership capacities of Tulsa area professionals.
Our Leadership Tulsa programs annually involve up to 200 adults representing a diverse cross-section of the community who learn about the infrastructure, needs and resources of Tulsa and how to get involved to effect positive change.
Classes are chosen through a competitive selection process. Class members participate in training and educational experiences focused on building leadership skills and understanding the community.
STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Leadership Tulsa is committed to creating an environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in processes, practices, and policies in the pursuit of our mission. We commit to cultivating an inclusive environment in which our employees, board members, youth and adult program participants, alumni, members, funders, and vendors understand, respect, and reflect the diversity of Tulsa. We embrace the rich aspects of identity in our community. We believe that together we have the power to create meaningful outcomes.
Once they have completed a program, individuals are offered the opportunity to stay connected through membership. We offer members multiple programs to expand their networks and gain continuing community education.
Long past their time in one of our programs, our members also stay involved in the community. As part of a recent membership survey we learned that our membership serve on more than 200 boards and volunteer hundreds of hours a year.
Leadership Tulsa is governed by 22 board members and has hundreds of dues-paying members committed to ensuring the future health and prosperity of the Tulsa community. We invite you to get involved in this dynamic and community-changing group by applying for one of our many specific leadership development programs.
LT TIMELINE
1973- Initiated by the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and Junior League of Tulsa
1975- Four Delegates are sent to the National Leadership Conference in Atlanta
1978- Officially incorporated
1978- Shirley Scott is hired as the first program coordinator
1979- First board internship component development for class 5
1979- Received official 501(c)3 designation
1980- 10th anniversary
1985- Past presidents council is created
1987- Mayor Dick Crawford declares January 15th as Leadership Tulsa Day
1987- First Paragon Awards
1989- Tulsa Insights Program is created
1991- Leadership Forum series is created
1993- 20th anniversary
1993- National Leadership Conference held in Tulsa with 795 attendees
1996- First golf tournament held at Cedar Ridge
1997- Youth Empowered Leadership pilot program began in partnership with University Center Tulsa and Youth Services of Tulsa
1998- First website created
1998- TulsaPeople Magazine features 25th anniversary
2001- Executive Leadership Series and Leadership Luncheons begin
2003- Initiated two classes a year with smaller class sizes
2003- Paragon awards and 30th anniversary celebration held at Mayo Hotel
2005- “Tulsa on Board” a Tulsa-themes “opoly” style board game launched as a fundraiser
2006- First customized “Tulsa at a Glance” tour
2008- Youth Leadership Tulsa program moved to Youth Services of Tulsa
2009- New Voices Board Internship Program began with Tulsa Area United Way
2010- North Tulsa Development Council came under LT’s umbrella
2011- LT Class 45 became the first class to use new geographic format
2013- 40th Anniversary celebrated at the Mayo Hotel
2014- LT Legacy Circle was established to recognize planned gifts
2016- Leadership Tulsa is awarded the Three Star award from Mosaic, the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s diversity business council
2017- Tulsa Changemakers youth leadership and development program comes under the Leadership Tulsa umbrella
2017- Good News Summit held to celebrate great things happening in Tulsa with presentations and a community fair
2017- Thrive Program is created as a deep dive into personal leadership development
2018-Hispanic Leadership institute (HLI) is created in partnership with Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
2018- First Women’s Leadership held at Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma
2019- LEAD Together LGBTQ Leadership Program is created in partnership with Oklahomans for Equality
2019- Leadership Tulsa hosts Association of Leadership Programs national conference with a theme of “Rewriting our Story”
2020- Destination Leadership Growth Campaign concludes, and we open the Leadership Tulsa Center in Gunboat Park
2021- Hosted digital Good News Summits, Community Showcases and Paragon Awards
2022- Tulsa Changemakers became the official youth arm of LT
2023- 50th Anniversary #BestWeekendEver
