THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR 2023 BOOMTOWN ATTENDEES
TYPROS Boomtown Awards is a premier celebration to recognize and honor those in our city who further our mission of making Tulsa awesome. This year we celebrate the legacy of young professionals in Tulsa and their mark on our city’s past, present and future. Join us for an evening honoring the individuals, organizations and businesses that make Tulsa exceptional.
In addition to being one of Tulsa’s liveliest award galas, TYPROS Boomtown Awards is also our largest annual fundraiser benefitting the TYPROS Foundation. Since 2015, the TYPROS Foundation has provided catalytic funding for placemaking projects that engage young people across our city.
Support those who #MakeTulsaAwesome!
Want to support the TYPROS Foundation without all of the fanfare? No problem, you can still make a direct donation. Thank you for your support!
Thank you to our 2023 Boomtown Sponsors!
Event Host Sponsor
Outsiders House Museum Level Sponsor
Black Wall Street Mural Level Sponsors
Outsiders House Level Sponsors
David & Leanne Tollette
Tulsa Remote
Great Raft Race Level Sponsor
Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust
Explorer Pipeline
Want to sponsor next year’s Boomtown Awards? Contact David Tollette for more information.
Congratulations to the 2023 Boomtown Award Nominees
Award Categories:
Individual
This award celebrates the contributions of a Tulsan under 40 who has dedicated their time, energy, and influence to the causes that TYPROS holds dear. They are a champion for young professionals and are helping build a better Tulsa.
Organization
This award recognizes the contributions of a business or organization in service of young professionals. They are value aligned and serve as a positive representation of TYPROS’ commitment to developing the next generation of leaders.
Legacy (over 40+)
This award celebrates the contributions of a Tulsan over 40 who has served as an advocate of TYPROS. They have used their position and influence in the community to help develop the next generation of leaders and helped amplify the voices of young professionals in the region.
Individuals
Venita Cooper is the visionary behind Silhouette Sneakers & Art, a unique sneaker resell and apparel boutique nestled in Tulsa's historic Black Wall Street district. Venita's entrepreneurial journey is marked by innovation and community spirit. Cooper, a former educator who opened her store in fall 2019, has built a powerful retail concept centered around the hot sneaker resale market and an art gallery showcasing a rotating selection of street art. Venita's contribution to Tulsa extends beyond her business. Her philanthropic endeavors, including partnering with an anonymous donor to provide new shoes to the Hale boys championship basketball team, reflect her commitment to her community.
Diamond Marshall, an accomplished Afro-Latina middle school educator, devotes her career to social justice and equity. Her passion for education extends beyond the classroom as she champions equitable policies, tackling the root causes of inequality. As a dedicated community organizer, she unites diverse groups, orchestrating impactful events and campaigns spotlighting vital issues. Diamond's unwavering efforts amplify the voices of marginalized communities, ensuring their representation and fostering positive change. Through her teaching and advocacy, she inspires the next generation while actively shaping a more just and inclusive society.
Lauren Orr has served in the Tulsa nonprofit sector since 2015, and in that time has stood out as a true embodiment of compassion and dedication. She shined during her tenure at Meals on Wheels, before joining the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma as Volunteer Center Manager earlier this year. Her work ethic is second to none, and her ability to both learn from her peers and teach those around her sets her apart. She exemplifies leadership with excellence, being recognized for a NextGen 30 Under 30 Award in 2021. Lauren's contributions to the Tulsa community extend beyond her professional life, as she consistently goes above and beyond to support and care for those fortunate enough to cross paths with her. Lauren Orr is a testament to the transformative power of service, and someone with a dedication to making the world a better place.
Organizations
WINNER
Founded in Tulsa, The Uma Center of Tulsa is a local non-profit with the mission to advance the health and economic well-being of underserved communities through culturally responsive programs and services. Uma Tulsa provides health and business education in Spanish and coordinate health screenings and vaccination clinics in partnership with government agencies and community-based organizations.
Tulsa Service Year is a dynamic post-baccalaureate gap year program that recruits graduates from both top national universities and local and regional institutions. It is designed to provide recent college graduates with the opportunity to engage in a year of high-impact work in a city celebrated for its culture of innovation. This immersive program aims to create a close-knit community of eager learners and active participants, offering a unique chance to join a vibrant network of young leaders dedicated to driving social change and fostering civic engagement. The core objective of Tulsa Service Year is to catalyze personal and professional development for its fellows while simultaneously contributing to the enhancement of Tulsa. This mission is accomplished by placing fellows in nonprofit organizations across the city, where their work becomes instrumental in advancing the goals of these nonprofits, supporting career growth, fortifying the local community, and establishing a lasting positive influence on Tulsa.
The Tulsa Opera Incorporated, formed back in 1948, serves as an outgrowth of Tulsa’s booming spirit and cultural richness. Today, as the 18th oldest opera company in North America, Tulsa Opera produces three grand operas annually and is recognized as one of America's top 10 regional opera companies. Its performances and educational programs serve the Tulsa region, as well as a broader audience encompassing Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas. Supported by nearly 700 dedicated volunteers and a Board of Directors consisting of 55 individuals from diverse Oklahoma businesses and organizations, Tulsa Opera continues to thrive as a cornerstone of arts and culture in the region, contributing to the betterment of the community.
Mercury Lounge is a neighborhood dive-bar by day and a regional, benchmark music venue by night. They have resident artists, bringing some of Tulsa's best original music, almost every weeknight. Mercury Lounge has always served as a shining example of a business that cares. They are a top notch venue that hosts diverse acts and widely displays messages of inclusion and belonging. They make a point to bring musicians and drag performers and host fundraisers for an array of organizations. They've also been home to events on behalf of Reservation Dogs, Red Dirt Relief Fund and dog fostering agencies. They are never afraid to support neighbors and be a home base for community gatherings. The Mercury Lounge is exactly the kind of business that makes Tulsa an amazing place to live.
LEGACY
Elliot Nelson, is the founder and CEO of McNellie’s Food Group. While he was a student at Notre Dame, Elliot studied abroad in Ireland. While he was in Ireland he fell in love with the atmosphere and unique hospitality that he experienced every time he walked into classic Dublin pubs. When he returned to his hometown of Tulsa after graduating he couldn’t find a pub that felt right, he decided to build one himself. He’s since grown the McNellie’s group to a food and hospitality company with ten unique brands spread across twenty locations, four cities and two states. Elliot Nelson’s visionary leadership, dedication to community development, and exceptional generosity and compassion have brought numerous exciting developments to Tulsa, making a significant positive impact on the local economy and community. They have always believed Tulsa could be a thriving place and we are all excited to see the future developments he bring to our city.
Welcome To Memory Lane
Congratulations to the 2022 Boomtown nominees and winners!
Individuals
Stephanie Regan serves as the Director of Corporate Citizenship at AAON, Inc. Prior to this role, Regan held positions as Community Affairs Director at APSCO Manufacturing, Corporate Market Director for the American Heart Association and worked as a recruiter in industrial staffing. She earned a degree in International Affairs from the University of Georgia and serves various nonprofits and organizations locally and nationally including the Manufacturing Institute, the State Chamber of Oklahoma, Leadership Oklahoma, Resonance Center for Women, Sustainable Tulsa, Tulsa Regional Stem Alliance, Family and Children’s Services, the Leadership Exchange Academy, the Tulsa Ballet, the Rotary Club of Tulsa, the Oklahoma Academy, the Tulsa Regional Chamber, and the Tulsa Area Manufacturer’s Association.
Leslie Neal-Emery is a versatile change agent and social entrepreneur dedicated to tackling tough social issues through innovative solutions. As a proud, 5th generation Tulsan, Leslie is committed to connecting our community and ensuring that everyone has access to the wonderful services and opportunities that Tulsa has to offer. In 2017, she founded Modus, a non-profit organization with the mission of removing barriers through innovative transportation solutions, education, and advocacy. Under her leadership, Modus has become a leading social enterprise and has helped over 17,000 Tulsans through their three programs, Modus Drive, ModusEd, and Modus Delivers.
WINNER
Andrea Pemberton is a champion for elevating the voices of young professionals, creating inclusive cultures, and building the next generation of leaders in Tulsa. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Andrea served as executive director of TYPROS where she helped build the most diverse leadership board in the organization’s history, supported the launch of a new program to train young professionals to run for local government, and raised the largest amount of funds in TYPROS Foundation history - $50,000 for projects that honored the legacy of Black Wall Street. Today, Andrea serves as the Talent & Organizational Effectiveness Lead at Arrowhead Consulting, where she specializes in solving complex organizational problems, helping organizations build inclusive, productive cultures, and supporting organizations in their talent attraction, development, and retention efforts.
Businesses
Goldmill Co. / Greenwood Ave, With over 15 years of experience in design, marketing, and creative direction, Trey Thaxton has served multiple clients in a variety of industries including Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, T-Mobile, and Transformation Church. In 2017, he launched Goldmill Co., which quickly became one of the fastest-growing creative agencies in the Midwest. While design has been his craft, Trey is an entrepreneur at heart. He is also the founder of 19&21 and Greenwood Ave., a celebration of Greenwood’s entrepreneurial spirit and inspiration for the next generation of doers.
At Rose Tax Solutions, we are a committed team of Tax and Accounting Experts dedicated to help you remove the overwhelm getting organized. With over 18 years of experience, we have helped hundreds of small businesses just like you to grow and scale their profits without overpaying in taxes. Our mission is to ensure every household knows how to leverage the tax code to build generational wealth. move to the next level in their business. We believe in global economic justice for all households and that every household should know how to leverage the tax code to build wealth.
WINNER
ACT House, Inventor, investor, and a student of people, culture, and teams, Dominick Ard’is has designed and directed accelerators, developed innovation programming across ecosystems in America, and transformed the minds of early stage founders for the past decade. Alongside a dynamic team of Architects, Creatives, and Techies, Dominick launched ACT House’s $5 million accelerator - ACT Tulsa - that has invested in 26 Black and Latino-led startups in the past 18 months, while serving as managing partner of ACT Venture’s a subsidiary of ACT House, INC. Fundamentally, Dominick is provoked by the notion to love God, love people, and serve the community. It’s not good enough to just think different–you must ACT different.
Organizations
The Black Wall Street Times was founded by Nehemiah D. Frank in 2017. Nehemiah is a descendant of families who lived in the Greenwood District, which became famously known as Black Wall Street after Booker T. Washington dubbed the community the “Negro Wall Street of America.” This prosperous community was the victim of the worst act of racial violence against Black people in American history during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. As a means of honoring the victims, survivors, and descendants, Nehemiah named his publication The Black Wall Street Times. He currently serves as the publication’s editor-in-chief.
The mission of the Terence Crutcher Foundation is to create just and liberated communities free from racial violence and harm. We do this through building power, policy advocacy, community development, and education. We engage the community, law enforcement, and policymakers to identify, prevent, and confront racial inequities in Tulsa, Oklahoma and across the country.
WINNER
BeHeard Movement: Evan Dougoud is a 26 year old from Virginia, who moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2019. He founded the Beheard Movement in 2020 after building a relationship with youth experiencing homelessness. All he had to start with, was a broken camera and a small snack pack. Fast forward to today, BeHeard Movement is an award winning nonprofit that has a mobile drop in center that provides showers through a mobile shower trailer, laundry through a mobile laundry trailer, clothing through a clothing trailer, haircuts through a barbershop bus, case management and radical care to those who are experiencing homelessness.
Jerica D. Wortham is a Tulsa, OK native. She is a best selling author and award winning spoken word artist. She is the founder of J’Parlé LLC , J’Parlé Artist Group Inc., (B)Light Tulsa, EnChante outdoor gallery, Community Pride Gardening Club and the Pärlā Creative Festival. Her passions include championing BIPOC creatives, supporting continued education goals, and providing placemaking activities for people of color throughout the city of Tulsa. She is currently raising two incredibly bright, and fearless boys, and wife to an amazingly supportive husband.
Congratulations to the 2023 TYPROS Foundation Grant Recipients!
Community Skate Court at McClure Park - Mandy Durham
Roller skating as a sport has had a major resurgence. This project helps create a well-designed, family-friendly outdoor skating rink at McClure Park in Tulsa. The grant improves the skating rink by providing amenities like barbecue grills and outdoor seating. This project provides fun, safe, affordable entertainment, particularly for families in north and east Tulsa, helps address the detrimental effects the pandemic has had on mental and physical health and our ability to socialize, and brings people together from all parts of the city who want to skate.
The Business Cycle – This Machine Bike Share
This Machine Tulsa Bike Share is a nonprofit program that connects people to places where they live, work, and play through cycling. The Business Cycle program will raise awareness around the employee benefits of cycle commuting for businesses, including cost savings; improved mental and physical health, improved concentration, fewer sick days, and better productivity. This program will also raise awareness about additional benefits of cycle commuting, such as reduced motor vehicle expenses, increased calorie burn, improved mental and physical health and pollution reduction. Through this grant, the Business Cycle program will encourage Tulsans to commit to cycle commuting one day a week to make a big impact for themselves and their community… a simple one day commitment that will make a large impact over time.
Cultural Night Market and Food Festival - APIDA Tulsa
The goals of this event are to promote cultural diversity through food, support local, minority-owned small businesses and restaurants, and bring Tulsa’s unique cultures together through ongoing cultural events. Two night markets will be held in 2023. These events will invite Tulsans to meet, mingle, enjoy delicious food and vendors from various cultures, and build community with their neighbors.
Sister City Spotlight - Twisted Arts
"Sister City Spotlight" is a series of free, live performances in which a local LGBTQ+ artist from Tulsa will share a stage with a world-class underground LGBTQ+ artist from outside Oklahoma. These special evenings will highlight local talent and give Tulsa artists the chance to gain national exposure, as well as bring amazing performers to Tulsa from major cities around the country. Shows will include cabaret, drag, performance art and music.
Mental Health Education Project - Andrew Duffy
The Mental Health Education Project will offer free, accessible mental health classes to Tulsans. Through lectures, guided discussions, and coping skill practices, licensed therapists will create safe and inclusive environments for people to come and learn about mental wellness. Classes are open to all ages. Everyone is invited to come out and learn more about how to be mentally healthy.
Art Workshops and Tours in ASL - Nic Annette Miller - LoLoLook
This innovative project produced by LoLoLook will bridge the gap between the deaf community and major museum establishments in Tulsa by producing up to five guided tours at Tulsa museums in American Sign Language, followed by hands-on art activities. This program will be led by a Deaf educator or teaching artist directly in ASL. There are 71,000 deaf individuals in Oklahoma, yet programming for the Deaf community is limited. Making art accessible in ASL provides an opportunity to reach a large audience of visual learners. These programs will educate Deaf adults and children, along with their families, on a multitude of topics, inspire creativity, and encourage discourse from multiple perspectives. LoLoLook elevates American Sign Language programs at cultural institutions.
Want an update on the 2023 TYPROS Foundation Grant Recipients?
Check out these special moments from last year’s awards.
