Board Voices

Life Made Richer by deadCenter

Since 2009, I’ve had the honor of volunteering with deadCenter Film Festival - an experience that has grown alongside me, shaping not only my career and business but, more importantly, my world.

As a 38-year-old Oklahoma City native, for the past two decades I’ve worked in the hospitality industry building teams, restaurants, and business groups rooted in the simple but powerful idea of serving others first. My career has taken me from event planning for weddings, conferences, and political and private clients, to leadership with brands like W Hotels and Hilton. The past ten years I've been building independent restaurants across Oklahoma with others who have a passion for hospitality. No matter the title or task, my work has always centered on people, or rather, on connection.

Connection is what drew me to deadCenter, and what’s kept me here. What began as a volunteer role evolved into service on the advisory board, then as a contractor, and now as a board member. Each step deepened my sense of belonging to something greater than myself.

Through this festival, I’ve met countless friends, many now like family, and built a life far more rich and interesting than I ever imagined. Each summer, we gather not just to celebrate film, but to engage in something deeper: the exchange of kindness, the bridging of differences, the quiet power of showing up together.

In a time of deep political and social division, spaces like deadCenter are more essential than ever. Community events - especially those fueled by volunteerism, offer something that feels increasingly rare: authentic human connection. These exchanges, however small, are powerful. Personal, human exchanges regulate our emotional well-being, they bring balance, and they remind us of our shared humanity.

Volunteering has given me more than I could ever give back. It’s shown me that when we come together, not for profit or politics, but simply to serve and connect, we create something profoundly healing. We need more of this. More hands offered, more stories shared, more spaces where kindness is the currency.

deadCenter is exactly that kind of space, and I am forever grateful to belong!