The Tulsa Regional Chamber has announced staffing changes within its government affairs division, which oversees annual development of the OneVoice Regional Legislative Agenda and advocates year-round on behalf of the northeast Oklahoma business community.

Elizabeth Osburn, the Chamber’s senior vice president of government affairs, is departing after eight-plus years with the organization.

Osburn’s new role beginning Jan. 29 will be director of public advocacy at ONE Gas, a natural gas utility based in Tulsa.

During her Chamber tenure, Osburn worked with elected officials at the city, county, state and federal levels, advocating for issues important to the nonprofit and its members within the business community.

“Elizabeth Osburn has been an exceptional member of our executive leadership team and Chamber staff for more than eight years,” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “Her professional relationships with legislators and elected officials at all levels have deepened Chamber members’ understanding of the business sector and the role it plays in our community.

“She has worked closely with City of Tulsa and Tulsa County officials on the passage of two capital improvement packages totaling more than $1.5 billion, and she has campaigned to ensure the passage of Tulsa Public Schools bond propositions. Elizabeth also helped strengthen the governing boards of the TulsaBizPac and the OklahomaBizPac to recruit and support pro-business candidates.

“We applaud her commitment to the Chamber, and while saddened by her departure, we’re excited about continued engagement with her as she pursues these new ventures at an outstanding member company, ONE Gas.”

“I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity to work with so many amazing business leaders and elected officials during my time at the Tulsa Regional Chamber,” Osburn said. “I’m proud of what we accomplished by partnering together, and I’m incredibly excited to see the Chamber’s government affairs team in such talented hands moving forward.”

Former state legislator Katie Henke, currently the organization’s vice president of government affairs, will assume the senior vice president role.

“Katie is the ideal person to lead the government affairs staff at our Chamber,” Neal said. “Her extensive experience in the Oklahoma legislature and education sectors, combined with her skill at building collaborative regional relationships, will make this a seamless transition.

“We congratulate Katie and are confident she will continue to strengthen the Chamber’s proud legacy of advocacy in support of the business community and northeast Oklahoma. 

“Katie has cultivated excellent working relationships with our city, county, state, federal and tribal partners in very successfully advocating for many OneVoice and Chamber legislative priorities. I know she will work well with our members and regional chamber and economic development partners.”

Henke, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, joined the Chamber in 2019 after serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for three terms. She served in several capacities, including Vice Chair of the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education, Majority Caucus Secretary and Floor Leader. Prior to her stint in the legislature, she was a schoolteacher in the Tulsa area for more than five years. 

At the state capitol, Henke authored several key pieces of legislation, one of which amended the Reading Sufficiency Act, empowering parents and educators to make individualized decisions for Oklahoma students.

She also penned a bill that created the Oklahoma Transportation Network Company Services Act, establishing a framework for ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft to operate in Oklahoma.

“I’m extremely proud of the work Elizabeth and I have accomplished together during the past five years,” Henke said. “Although she will be greatly missed, I am grateful for the foundation she laid for me to be able to transition into this role and build off our many successes.

“We have created strong partnerships in all areas of government, and I look forward to engaging with our elected officials and community partners to continue to advocate for meaningful policies that will allow the Tulsa region to remain a great place to live, work and play.”

Makala Barton, the Chamber’s director of government affairs, will succeed Henke as vice president. With the Chamber since June, Barton previously served as community relations liaison at the City of Broken Arrow. Before that, she held public relations, retail and economic development positions in Colorado, where she also was a small business owner.

“Makala has been an amazing partner at the Chamber,” Henke said. “Her diverse background in economic development, retail and small business will continue to serve her well as she advocates for our members in her new position.”