Sheree Powell is the Coordinator of Communications and director of the Office of Communications for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. She has served the majority of her career in OKDHS as a communications professional, promoting the agency’s mission and success stories while developing relationships with the media and community partners.    

Powell began her career with the agency in 1984 in the Office of Inspector General where she worked for five years while attending college. After graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma, she transferred to the OKDHS Information Services Division (predecessor to the current Office of Communications) where she worked two years as a public information specialist. 

In 1991, she was recruited to work in the OKDHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) during the difficult years of the Homeward Bound vs. The Hissom Memorial Center class-action lawsuit. For 19 years Powell was responsible for communications and public education for DDSD programs and services. She was the writer-editor of the division’s news magazine, Interface, and managed the division’s web content. 

Throughout her career, Powell has won numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Public Relations Society of America.  In 2008, she produced a 90-minute documentary about Oklahoma’s history of serving persons with intellectual disabilities. The program, “Wagons to Waivers: A Century of Change," narrated by country music superstar Reba McEntire, is currently airing on OETA and may be found on the agency’s website.

In addition to her work, Powell enjoys volunteering her time teaching advocates in the disability and aging communities how to work with the media, tell their stories and advocate for change. In 2010, Powell was named the Media Advocate of the Year by TARC, an advocacy organization for persons with developmental disabilities. 

Powell is married, and she and her husband, Jim, have three children and two grandchildren.