Meet Our Team

• Mary Mélon-Tully

  PRESIDENT & CEO
  

  Mary Mélon-Tully

  PRESIDENT & CEO

  Mary Mélon-Tully was named president and CEO of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation in Sept. 2014 after a 20+ year career leading a business publication, with local and national responsibilities. She, along with board members, district leaders and partners, spearheaded the development and implementation of the Teacher Pipeline Programs. Under her leadership, both the Bilingual and Diversity Teacher Pipeline programs have also joined New America’s national Grow Your Own Network which looks at ways to support community development efforts to improve and diversify the educator workforce. She received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and serves on the board of directors of the National Schools Foundation and received their Certified Leader designation. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma City/County Health Department where she serves as vice-chair, and the Regional Transit Authority where she serves as secretary and chair of the Outreach Committee. 

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• Newt Brown

  DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS
  

  Newt Brown

  DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

  Newt Brown currently serves as the Director of Finance & Operations for the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation and has been with The Foundation since 2011 when he was hired as Accounting Manager.  In this role at The Foundation Newt performs, coordinates or oversees all duties related to HR, payroll, accounting and IT.  Newt is a native of Norman, OK where he graduated from Norman High School and attended the University of Oklahoma obtaining a B.M.E in Vocal Music Education, magna cum laude.

  He began his career in the private sector working in restaurant management, customer service, accounting & HR and after approximately 10 years transitioned to the non-profit sector in 2010.  When not at The Foundation, Newt enjoys singing, travel, cooking/entertaining and spending time with family and friends.  He shares his home with two ornery cats, Erwin & Cody, which adopted him and mostly keep him out of trouble. 

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• Abbie Vaughan

  DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH
  

  Abbie Vaughan

  DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH

  Abbie Vaughan serves on the team at the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation as the Director of Community Outreach. In this role, she coordinates efforts to plan all Foundation events, manages the ReadOKC initiative, and works to foster new and existing community partnerships to support OKCPS. Abbie is a native Oklahoman and a product of Oklahoma City Public Schools, a graduate of the International Baccalaureate program at Classen School of Advanced Studies.

  She has worked in the non-profit sector since graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2014. She graduated from UCO with dual degrees in Outdoor and Community Recreation and Exercise/Fitness Management. Outside of work, you’ll find her cooking and hosting parties for friends and family, practicing yoga, and spending time with her husband Clay and their Bernese Mountain Dog, Norah.

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• Kelli Hayward Walsh

  Director of Development and Communications
  

  Kelli Hayward Walsh

  Director of Development and Communications

  Kelli Hayward Walsh serves as the Director of Development & Communications. Working alongside our President & CEO, her focus is on building support within our three focus areas while sharing the successes of our programs and how the investment of our donors is directly impacting our students and teachers. Kelli also oversees our communication efforts through various marketing, public relations and media initiatives.     

  Kelli joined the Foundation after a 20+ year career. For the past 15 years she led community relations and partnership initiatives for a local health system, and prior to that managed marketing and special events at a local publishing company.

  She is a native of Shawnee, OK and a product of public education; graduating from Shawnee High School. Kelli received a BA in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations from the University of Oklahoma in 2001.

  Kelli is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City, LOYAL class 6, a 2011 Forty under 40 honoree and a Journal Record Beacon Award winner recognized for an employee volunteer program she created and managed. She has served on the Boys & Girls Club board of directors, is a proud sustaining member of the Junior League of Oklahoma City and has received recognition as an Oklahoma City Panhellenic Woman of the Year and University of Oklahoma Panhellenic Outstanding Alumnae.

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• Rachel Davis

  ReadOKC and Communications Manager
  

  Rachel Davis

  ReadOKC and Communications Manager

  Rachel Davis serves as the ReadOKC and Communications Manager for the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation. In this role, she oversees ReadOKC programming including Reading Challenges, Reading Buddies & Book Clubs, and Access to Reading Materials. Rachel works closely with team members to plan Foundation Events, develop community partnerships, and make reading materials readily accessible to children in Oklahoma City Public Schools. She is also responsible for organizing communications materials for the organization.

  Rachel was born and raised in Oklahoma, graduating from Duncan High School, then earning her bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Oklahoma State University in 2014, and a bachelor’s in Fine Art from the University of Oklahoma in 2020. Rachel has experience working in the non-profit sector since 2020, and is proud to be returning to Oklahoma to serve the Oklahoma City community.  Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going on walks, and starting new art projects.

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• Alison Taylor

  ReadOKC On the Go! Program Manager
  

  Alison Taylor

  ReadOKC On the Go! Program Manager

  Alison serves as the Program Manager for ReadOKC On the Go! – Our rolling library is an ADA compliant school bus and carries over 3,000 books for students ages Pre-K to High School. Following a 40 year career in the financial services industry, Alison retired and became the first volunteer for the ReadOKC program helping it grow from a vision to a reality! Her initial involvement in ReadOKC was driven by her passion for literacy and her desire to bring the wonder and excitement of books to every child. In 2020, the opportunity to develop and manage the ReadOKC On the Go! Book Bus program was the natural next step. This role includes overseeing the bus retrofitting, grant writing, management of the book center, and effective teaming with the OKCPS schools. Her past leadership positions in both her professional career and the Oklahoma City non-profit sector were critical. A past recipient of the Journal Record Woman of the Year, Alison has previously served on the boards of Integris Baptist Medical Center, Allied Arts,  Leadership Oklahoma City (Class V), Westminster Presbyterian Church Foundation, and as president of the Center for Non-Profits. Her fall calendar is dedicated to following her alma mater – OU football – home and away! The rest of year she enjoys travel, three book clubs, and sharing time with her two grandchildren.

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• Mia Rojo

  Pipeline Programs Manager
  

  Mia Rojo

  Pipeline Programs Manager

  Mia Rojo serves on the team at the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation as the Pipelines Program Manager. In this role, she serves as manager/liaison/coordinator of all faces of the Bilingual and Diversity Teacher Pipeline programs, High School to Teacher Pipeline Program and the Bilingual and Diversity Aspiring Administrator Pipeline Programs.  Mia is a native of Mexico City but has been living in the United States since high school and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.

  Upon completing her Master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education she found that her passion is education and wants to help first generation students and adults achieve their educational goals. Outside of work, you will find her reading, crafting and organizing her schedule based on the activities of her teenager, and spending time with family and their Pomeranian dog, Becker. 

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• Karrie Reiswig

  Finance and Operations Specialist
  

  Karrie Reiswig

  Finance and Operations Specialist

  Karrie Reiswig serves as the Finance and Operations Specialist for the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation. She joined the team in August of 2022. In this role at the Foundation, Karrie supports the Director of Finance and Operations with bookkeeping and other projects. Karrie is a native of Oklahoma where she raised two awesome children.

  She comes to the Foundation after 20 years spent in quick service restaurant management roles, with the last 11 served at Chick-fil-A as the Director of Drive-Thru Operations. There, she polished her skills in systems creation, customer service, and creative problem-solving, which she looks forward to using in new ways to support the Foundation’s mission. Outside of work, Karrie can be found trying out new recipes with her son, Face-timing with her daughter at school, or reading the kind of mystery/thriller book that you just have to finish in one night.

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