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About the Event

Formerly the State of Education, the Chamber’s largest workforce and talent event convenes area education institutions, career tech and workforce training partners to hear about current and future trends, innovation and opportunities in the talent and education ecosystem. District superintendents and higher education administrators, community leaders, employers and legislators are expected to attend.

Networking hour

From 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the reception area outside the event room, Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute (OCII) will demonstrate a robot dog, drone and cyber-attack map. OCII at the University of Tulsa focuses on developing, testing and deploying cyber research outcomes and technology developments. TU leverages nationally recognized cyber leaders in academia and research, in addition to Tulsa’s dynamic business and innovation community, to meet the global demand for cyber talent and technology.

First panel: Employers in Emerging Industries

This panel will discuss what their companies do in emerging industries, including tech and data infrastructure, space, cyber security and AI for the workforce. Panelists will discuss what skillsets they need now and in the future.

• Ryne Sherman, Chief Science Officer at Hogan Assessments: In his current role, he leads the organization’s research, data science and product development strategy. A personality psychologist by training, his work focuses on advancing the science and application of personality assessment in organizations, with particular attention to validity, fairness and the ethical use of AI. He is also co-host of The Science of Personality podcast, which explores the latest research and practical insights in the field. He will also deliver opening remarks at this event.

• Tzeitel Buchanan, Director of Public Sector Programs and Community Partnerships, Lumen Technologies: She has more than 25 years of experience advancing connected communities, Tribal broadband, and infrastructure investment. A member of the Cherokee Nation, she leads partnerships through Lumen’s Tribal Center of Excellence to expand network access, workforce development, and community driven digital growth. Tzeitel regularly moderators and speaks on Tribal connectivity, AI ready communities, and STEM equity across industry and association events. Her honors include the 2025 Trailblazer Award in STEM, Community Champion Award, President’s Volunteer Award and 2026 Women Changing Fiber for Good Award. She serves on multiple civic and professional boards in Oklahoma.

• Jarrod Cavner, Director of Sales, JMARK: He has been part of Tulsa's IT community since the late 1990s. After working his way through nearly every technical and sales role put in front of him, he moved into technical and sales leadership, building and mentoring high-performing teams along the way. In his current role, he brings a steady, client-first approach grounded in his personal mantra: see the whole board. He and his teams look beyond the immediate issue to design solutions that make sense both now and down the road. 

• Jim Vasher, General Manager of the Space Test Center, Agile Space Industries: With more than two decades of leadership experience across engineering, advanced materials, and precision manufacturing, Jim is known for building collaborative teams, driving operational excellence, and fostering a culture of innovation and accountability. His career spans both entrepreneurial start-ups and large multinational organizations, giving him a unique perspective on scaling businesses from concept to execution. Jim has led turnarounds, guided operational transformations and delivered sustainable growth by uniting diverse teams around shared goals and clear execution strategies. Grounded in integrity and teamwork, Jim’s leadership philosophy emphasizes empowering people to perform at their best while developing organizations that deliver lasting value to customers and stakeholders alike. 

Second panel: Talent Pipelines in Emerging Industries

This panel represents the organizations that work on initiatives that serve components of these emerging industries and how they are contributing in building the talent pipelines.

• Lawrence Ganti, Director of Workforce Intermediary at Tulsa Innovation Labs: In his role, he works to align employers, educators, community organizations and policymakers around the talent needs driving regional growth. Having spent much of his career hiring, developing, and leading technical talent, Lawrence brings an employer's perspective to workforce strategy and ecosystem design. He brings nearly 30 years of global business leadership experience across startups, high-growth companies, and multinational organizations, having led operations on five continents, managed businesses exceeding $1.5 billion in revenue, and overseen complex global value chains. 

• Jason George, General Manager of Skyway Range: is a management executive with 15+ years of experience in operations, business development, economic development, and stakeholder partnerships. He currently serves as General Manager of Skyway Range, where he supports UAS testing, aerospace development, tenant engagement, and regional Advanced Air Mobility growth. His background includes leading municipal economic development initiatives, advancing business recruitment and revitalization strategies, and supporting tribal enterprise growth through construction oversight, market development, and operational improvement. Jason holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Northeastern State University.

• David Keely, Executive Director of Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute: He brings passion, expertise and a deep understanding of the cybersecurity landscape that are critical to the success of the organization’s diverse initiatives. Keely maintains a strategic vision for progressing OCII’s core mission while overseeing the institute’s budget, helping ensure the longevity needed to continue supporting Oklahoma’s small businesses, educators, and communities. Keely retired from the U.S. Air Force and Oklahoma Air National Guard in 2019 as a colonel with nearly 40 years of experience in cyber operations, communications, logistics and security/law enforcement. Among his key positions were adviser to the commander of Air Force Space Command, adviser to the commander of Air Forces, Central Command, adviser to the commander of Air Forces Cyber, and deputy director of cyber and communications for Air Combat Command.

• Panel Moderator: Dr. Laura Latta, Executive Director of the Tulsa Higher Education Consortium: Dr. Laura Latta is a dedicated educator with experience in Pre K through postsecondary instructional leadership, cross-sector community development, and education research design and analytics. Laura, a lifelong Tulsan, has committed her entire career to education and has held leadership roles as an award-winning teacher, professor, school administrator, community school coordinator, researcher, and nonprofit director. Throughout her career, Laura has used her experience to bring together leaders in education, business, civic and community organizations to work collaboratively toward high quality education and equitable access to learning opportunities for all students from early childhood through postsecondary. Dr. Latta also serves as the Chair of the City of Tulsa’s Women’s Commission. 

Additional Event Details

Dress Code: Business attire encouraged
Parking: Available on-site free for attendees

 

Registration

• Registration is required. Seating is limited, so early registrations are encouraged.
• Ticket sales will close July 13. 
  
  
  

After You Register …

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Sponsorship

If your company is interested in sponsoring this annual event, please email [email protected] to learn more.

Photo & Media Use Policy

By registering, you consent to being photographed/videoed during the event and allow the use of your likeness in event photos and videos in recaps, marketing and communications.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Due to costs incurred for attendee registrations, this policy ensures effective management of Chamber resources for events. Individual tickets (member and non-member) are eligible for full refunds up to three weeks before the event. Individual tickets (member and non-member) are transferrable only to another individual within the same organization up until 10 business days before the event. Partial or no-show refunds are not available.

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