Gov. Stitt appoints Annie Vest as Director of OK Emergency Management

GOVERNOR STITT SELECTS EXPERT DISASTER MITIGATOR AS DIRECTOR OF OKLAHOMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

OKLAHOMA CITY (December 15, 2023) - Today, Governor Kevin Stitt announced his appointment of Annie Mack Vest to serve as the Director of Oklahoma Emergency Management.

"Annie is an impressive industry leader for disaster mitigation and community preparedness," said Governor Stitt. "With over a decade of experience at the state and federal levels, Annie brings the right temperament and skill set to lead Oklahoma in emergency preparedness and response. I'm grateful for her willingness to serve, and I look forward to working alongside her to protect Oklahomans."

Vest assumed the role of mitigation and disaster planning lead at the Tulsa-based infrastructure and engineering consulting firm Freese and Nichols in 2022. Responsible for emergency management consulting and resilience planning, Vest provides disaster-related services to clients across the southeast United States and Oklahoma, including the City of Tulsa, the City of Oklahoma City, and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Between 2017 and 2022, Vest held the position of planning department manager for Meshek & Associates, where she helped navigate the 2019 Arkansas River flood crisis and worked to secure millions in federal mitigation and recovery funding.

Before entering the private sector in 2017, Vest served as the state hazard mitigation officer for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. Notably, Vest assumed the role during the recovery of the May 2013 tornadoes and aided in the formation of the inaugural FEMA Regional Advisory Council Subcommittee for Mitigation.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be named as the director of Oklahoma Emergency Management, and I'm deeply appreciative to Governor Stitt for the opportunity to serve my state," said Vest. "I'm confident that, together, we can implement new strategies to fortify Oklahoma's resilience and empower Oklahomans in the face of any emergency or challenge."

Vest earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Disaster Management from Northwest Missouri State University. She later earned a master’s degree in Executive Development for the Public Sector and a master's degree in Adult and Community Education from Ball State University.

Governor Stitt's appointment of Annie Mack Vest can be found here [PDF].