City of OKC forms Youth Safety Advisory Committee to study youth violence and prevention efforts

Creating safer, more supportive communities is key to Oklahoma City’s long-term growth. The City of OKC has formed a Youth Safety Advisory Committee (YSAC) to study the root causes of youth violence and identify resources to better support at-risk youth. The committee began meeting monthly this year. 

“These committee members and their related organizations provide the background and expertise needed to develop long-term solutions that address the critically important issue of youth violence in our community,” said Andrea Grayson, OKC Public Safety Partnership implementation manager. “These individuals will help us identify the needs of OKC regarding acute youth violence, including researching programs that deal with mediation, conflict resolution and early intervention.” 

The YSAC’s creation advances recommendations 27 and 28 from a 2022 report presented to the City Council. Both focus on developing a neighborhood safety and violence interruption program. 

“A significant driver of violence in the community is youth violence, and we have to recognize that reducing it requires intervention and prevention,” said Mayor David Holt. “Law enforcement plays a role, but that’s often a last resort. We need to be earlier in the continuum, and we need to address root causes. Working together with public safety agencies, youth programs and violence interruption programs, we can coordinate efforts and have an even greater impact.” 

The YSAC’s goals include: 

• Conducting a scan of existing programs, organizations and trusted messengers focused on youth engagement and violence prevention 
• Reviewing evidence-based models for youth violence intervention 
• Engaging with community stakeholders, including service providers, young people, survivors and those with lived experience 
• Advising the City on the design of a potential youth violence intervention framework 
• Providing recommendations for a Request for Information (RFI) to identify a qualified community-based resource for a pilot or full-scale intervention strategy 
• The committee includes individuals and organizations from across the community who bring different perspectives and experience in addressing the causes of youth violence and identifying ways to support young people. 

Members of the YSAC include: 

Sarah Adams 
Co-Founder 
Matriarch & Cousins 

Vicki Zemp Behenna 
District Attorney 
Oklahoma County 

Teena Belcik 
President & CEO 
Boys and Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County 

David Conkerite II, MBA, SPHR 
Lead Consultant 
Community Belonging Consulting LLC 

Rodney Cox 
Principal, Rogers Middle School 
Oklahoma City Public Schools 

Wayland Cubit 
Director of Security 
Oklahoma City Public Schools 

Brandon Denton, MBA 
Executive Director 
Alpha Community Foundation 

Jonathan Dodson 
CEO 
Pivot 

Taylor Doe 
Founder 
And Then Moments 

Aurelius Francisco 
Executive Director 
Foundation for Liberating Minds 

Marcus Jackson 
Co-Founder & CEO 
Urban Bridge 

Pastor M.L. Jemison 
Sr. Pastor 
St. John Missionary Baptist Church 

Ganesha Martin 
Founder & CEO 
Meet Me In The Middle 

Dr. Jamie C. Polk 
Superintendent 
Oklahoma City Public Schools 

Dr. Carlos M. Robinson 
President & CEO 
Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce 

Cecilia Robinson-Woods, Ed.D. 
Superintendent 
Millwood Public Schools 

Derrick Sier 
Mentor/Trainer 
Reverb Mentoring 

Les Thomas, Sr. 
Executive Director of Community Engagement 
Urban Bridge 

Jabee Williams 
Program Director 
Live Free Oklahoma 

Kendra Wilson-Clements 
Co-Founder 
Matriarch and Cousins 

City Representatives 

Chief Ron Bacy 
Oklahoma City Police Department 

Lt. Johua Castlebury 
Special Operations Division 
Oklahoma City Police Department 

Jason Ferbrache 
Assistant City Manager 
City of Oklahoma City 

Andrea Grayson 
Implementation Program Manager 
Oklahoma City Public Safety Partnership 

Mankinta Holloway 
Court Administrator 
Oklahoma City Municipal Courts 

Bailey Siber 
Chief of Staff 
Office of the Mayor