Tricia Everest serves as the Cabinet Secretary of Public Safety for the State of Oklahoma. As secretary, she has championed workforce initiatives and women’s leadership in public safety and worked to create more educational opportunities for incarcerated people. Everest began her law career as assistant attorney general for the State of Oklahoma, and she currently serves as chair of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice authority.
Everest is the founding chair of Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, which removes barriers to service for victims of abuse, and was the founding chair of ReMerge, which diverts mothers from prison and empowers them to build health foundations for themselves and their children. She also previously served as the first female chair of the YMCA in its 128-year history and serves on several nonprofit boards and commissions.
Everest received the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime 2021 Volunteer for Victims Award for her work with crime victims. In 2019, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma City University Meinders School of Business Hall of Honor for Business and Commerce. In 2023, she was inducted into the Order of the Owl, University of Oklahoma College of Law’s highest honor. Everest holds a J.D. from the University of Oklahoma School of Law and a B.S. from Vanderbilt University.
