Cathy Keating
Cathy Keating, wife of the Governor of Oklahoma, is a product of Tulsa, and a fourth-generation Oklahoman. This First Lady of Oklahoma was launched into the national spotlight following the Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. Cathy initiated the healing process for survivors and families of the victims with the Statewide Prayer Service, which was quickly expanded into an international event. Ms. Keating coordinated a book with Random House to benefit Project Recovery Oklahoma City. The book, In Their Name: Oklahoma City: The Official Commemorative Volume is due in book stores in mid-August with best-seller distribution. Cathy was largely responsible for "Heroes in the Heartland", a poster designed to honor the bombing victims and provide financial relief for the families. Cathy has also taken on as her project the healing of the victims and their families, which includes raising millions of dollars to cover uninsured personal losses. Cathy Keating's efforts to assist the families of the bombing victims, as well as to heal the nation, are only the latest in a lifetime devoted to helping others. While her husband has pursued a career that took him from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the Governor's Office, she has been equally active in pursuit of her own unique interests. A lifelong volunteer, Cathy has been active in the Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., the American Heart Association, the Arts Council of Tulsa, the Philbrook Art Center, the Tulsa Ballet, the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tulsa Zoo's Oxley Nature Center, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire, and various parent-teacher organizations. Cathy has served as a board member of the Tulsa River Parks Authority, was honored as an Outstanding Young Woman of America, and was nominated from Tulsa as Good Housekeeping magazine's Most Outstanding Woman of America under 35. Since becoming Oklahoma's 25th First Lady, Cathy has served as Honorary Chair for Oklahoma for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica program and serves as Honorary State Chair for the American Cancer Society's Project Woman. In addition to these appointments, she has assumed numerous leadership roles in a variety of health and community charities. Cathy has served as an officer of the National Speakers Forum, as a consultant to U.S. News and WorldReport and as president of her own home restoration company. Cathy continues to demonstrate her ability to unite private and public sectors through her supervision of a major, privately-funded restoration of the historic Governor's Mansion in Oklahoma City. In addition, she has been appointed to the National Trust for Historic Preservation Board of Advisors and the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Board of Trustees. The Governor and Mrs. Keating are recipients of the Salvation Army's William Booth Award. They were also honored by Tom Brokaw as NBC's "People of the Week" - A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in elementary education, Cathy and her husband Frank have three children: Carrie, Kelly, and Chip. |
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