Building a Stronger Tulsa: A Conversation with PartnerTulsa’s Chief Operating Officer
For many, the decision to relocate is life-changing. For Ronita Wade, Tulsa Remote provided the opportunity to put down roots in a city with family ties. Now, as the inaugural Chief Operating Officer of PartnerTulsa, she is dedicated to driving economic growth and community development.
As she steps into her new role, Ronita shares the key initiatives driving her passion and how PartnerTulsa is creating a lasting impact on the city.
What led you to Tulsa?
“So, the short answer is Tulsa Remote. The longer story is that my husband, Jeremy, and I were living outside the country until 2021. At that time, we were planning our wedding at the Philbrook Museum of Art here in town, and we thought, ‘why not apply to Tulsa Remote and stay?’ Jeremy is an Oklahoma native and his grandfather and great grandparents were all born and raised in Tulsa, so in a way it was like coming home. Anyway, we moved here 4 years ago and it continues to be the best decision we made. He and I started off as remote workers, but now we both work locally. Plus, we got our hilarious dog, Moe, once we moved here so it’s really home.”
As the inaugural Chief Operating Officer of PartnerTulsa, what aspects of this role inspire you the most? What initially attracted you to PartnerTulsa?
“I’ve always been a person focused on people and process- making me well cut-out for handling operations. Nothing I love more than things working per a plan.
The north star for myself and this organization is making Tulsa better. It is already a great place to live, but let’s make it better- and make it better for more people. That inspires me, and is why I wanted to join the organization. It’s a different type of satisfaction that comes with seeing bustling neighborhoods, hearing more Tulsans are able to get a home and helping small businesses expand. And we’re just getting started.
That’s a broad answer, but let’s say all the work inspires me.”
Which PartnerTulsa projects or initiatives are you most excited about? What makes these efforts particularly meaningful or impactful to you?
“It’s hard to choose just one. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes activities that PartnerTulsa does and we deal with some of the nuts and bolts of large projects- and it may not always be very exciting. That being said, what is most impactful is seeing Tulsans – new and old- interact with the projects we are a part of. When these big plans come down to the human level and make a difference in an entrepreneur’s life, or we’re able to highlight amazing community members, or a once empty space is now a family’s home. Nothing better than that.“
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
“I’m originally from Connecticut and won Ms. India-Connecticut 2012, a pageant in the Indian-American community in the state. The opportunity let me compete for the national pageant (I didn’t win) but I was able to join the AmeriCares team on a trip to visit their projects in Guatemala- that was a great experience.”