Sen. Hicks named a ‘50 Making a Difference’ honoree

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, is among 2020’s “50 Making a Difference” honorees.  Each year, the Journal Record newspaper honors 50 Oklahoma women for leadership in their professions and in their communities.  Honorees include outstanding women from business, government, education, and the nonprofit sector.

“I’m humbled and grateful to be included in this year’s 50 Making a Difference honorees,” Hicks said.  “I believe each of us has the ability to be a positive force in our community and in our great state, and that’s something I’ve tried to do in my work as an educator, in the nonprofit sector, and now in the Senate.  I’m deeply honored to be in the company of so many exceptional Oklahoma women.”

Hicks was a professional educator when her advocacy for greater public school funding inspired her to seek public office two years ago. At that time, she and her husband had two children and a third on the way.  Once in the Senate, Hicks not only continued to work on education issues, but also health care—particularly the impact of diabetes on the state.

“Our son was diagnosed at 17 months old,” Hicks said.  “With no prior history, and no awareness of the symptoms, we nearly lost him.  It has been challenging, and at times frightening, but I am deeply grateful for the insight it has given me and that I can use that knowledge in the Senate to help countless other Oklahomans who have diabetes.”

In her first term, she won unanimous support for a measure that enables emergency access to life-saving medications, including insulin.  She also went on to become co-chair of the Legislative Diabetes Caucus, a bipartisan, bicameral caucus focusing on issues related to diabetes in Oklahoma. 

Last month, Hicks was named co-chair of another bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators when Oklahoma became the 30th state in the nation to form a Future Caucus.  The members will include representatives and senators, age 45 or under, focusing on issues that are of importance to younger generations of Oklahomans.

“We want to keep our best and brightest right here in Oklahoma, and that means creating policy that helps us attract jobs, expand connectivity and address other critical issues that will help ensure a better future for our state for generations to come,” Hicks said. 

Hicks also serves on the Senate Education Committee, Transportation, Health and Human Services and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Select Agencies.

Hicks attended Oklahoma City University (OCU), where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and political science, a master’s degree focusing on leadership management, and a second master’s in early childhood education.  Early in her career, she worked for United Way of Central Oklahoma and Saint Luke’s United Methodist Church.  She was an elementary classroom teacher for seven years before becoming an adjunct professor at OCU in the College of Education. 

For more information, contact: Sen. Carri Hicks at 405-521-5543 or email Carri.Hicks@oksenate.gov.