Our People

Garry Clark, Jr. serves as the Chief Executive Officer for PartnerTulsa. He brings 18 years of experience in economic and community development across the U.S. having most recently served as the President and CEO of Economic Alliance of Snohomish County (EASC) in Washington. Clark has held leadership positions with North Capitol Main Street in Washington D.C., Greater Fremont Development Council, Fremont, Nebraska, Cuming County Nebraska and the City of Newberry, Florida. He was the National President for the National Rural Economic Developers Association in 2021 and received the Midland Business Journal’s 40 under 40 award in 2018 for his workforce housing efforts. Clark is also a nationally recognized speaker on economic development, motivation and inclusion and author of "Unlikely Viking – From the D.C. Projects to Rural Nebraska".

Mike Dickerson serves as the Controller of PartnerTulsa, setting the organization’s financial policy and actively participating in setting its strategic direction by ensuring financial resources are available for short- and long-term priorities and objectives. Prior to this role, he served as the City of Tulsa’s Sr. Economist in the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and a variety of other positions during his 18 years with the City of Tulsa. Mike is passionate about data and creating policies that are equitable, sustainable, and just.

Iesha Youngblood-Blakely serves as the Executive Assistant and Board Secretary of PartnerTulsa, supporting the overall operations of the organization and the Tulsa Development Authority through the professional management and support of the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and Board of Commissioners. Prior to this role, Iesha served as the Senior Administrative Assistant for the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and Board Secretary for the Economic Development Commission, Tulsa Parking Authority, and Tulsa Industrial Authority. Before her work in the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, Iesha spent four years in various roles including an Administrative Assistant for Asset Management and Engineering Services at the City of Tulsa.

Ericka Rivers serves as the Office Assistant/Accounting Clerk of PartnerTulsa, aiding the Executive Assistant in the overall operations of the organization. Prior to this role Ericka spent 20 years in the manufacturing industry as an Accounts Payable Clerk, Payroll Accountant and Compensation & Benefits Manager.

Michelle Barnett serves as the Senior Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development for PartnerTulsa, leading a team of professionals working on small business and entrepreneurship, business attraction, retention and expansion, and workforce development. Prior to this role, she served as Mayor G.T. Bynum's Deputy Chief of Economic Development. Before her work at the City, Michelle spent over ten years in operations management with Tulsa engineering firms. Michelle is energized by connecting people to work they love, helping businesses grow, and empowering communities to achieve economic resilience. She believes in PartnerTulsa’s mission to create jobs that increase individual economic mobility for all Tulsans.

Jonathan Sanders serves as the Real Estate Incentives Manager at PartnerTulsa. His focus is on developing and leading economic development strategies related to primary job growth, business attraction, and retention to increase economic opportunity in Tulsa, OK. His background in corporate sales and real estate has provided a solid foundation for his expansion into the economic development space. Jonathan views Tulsa as an up-and-coming city with limitless potential and is very passionate about contributing to the exponential growth that has attracted many young professionals, such as himself, to the region. The work being done at PartnerTulsa is very inspirational, and Jonathan is proud to be a part of these efforts that will help catalyze Tulsa’s future as a world class city.

Ashley Chaney serves as the Senior Real Estate Project Manager for PartnerTulsa, removing barriers to growth for local businesses and developers. Prior to this role she served as the Development Services Liaison in the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, and prior to that as the Infrastructure Development Coordinator in the City of Tulsa's Development Services Department. With nearly 10 years’ experience working for the City of Tulsa, Ashley has a passion for improving business’ experience working with the City of Tulsa and streamlining the permitting process.

Jonah Toay joins PartnerTulsa as a Small Business and Entrepreneurship Fellow as a part of the Tulsa Service Year Program where he will implement projects to spur new business growth in Tulsa. Prior to this role he served as a Voter Engagement Analyst at Grit For Democracy where he worked to increase the number of young voters in Oklahoma by holding fundraisers and organizing social media campaigns. Jonah is passionate about making his hometown a more equitable place by empowering individuals to make positive change in their community with help from municipal services and challenging long held assumptions about how to grow a city for the betterment of all its citizens.

Jonathan Butler serves as the Senior Vice President of Community Development, leading a dynamic team of housing and community engagement professionals working to strengthen Tulsa’s neighborhoods, increase equitable development, and ensure economic mobility and opportunity for all residents. Prior to joining PartnerTulsa, he served as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager for the City of San Antonio. Before his work in San Antonio, he served as the Manager of the Neighborhood Services and Development Division for the City of Chattanooga. Jonathan is a licensed attorney in two states, and he believes in transforming communities by centering the needs of people in processes, policies, and decision making.

Gretchen Mudoga serves as a Senior Community Development Manager at PartnerTulsa. Prior to this role, she was the Neighborhood Revitalization Director at Growing Together, spent 10 years as Housing Operations Director for the Tulsa Housing Authority, and 10 years in various roles throughout the City of Tulsa. Gretchen has called North Tulsa home for nearly 30 years, and is passionate about creating equitable housing opportunities for her community. She believes in the importance of being a catalyst for residential growth and leaving behind a continued legacy of building generational wealth through homeownership.

Gary Hamer currently serves as the Senior Community and Strategic Initiatives Manager for PartnerTulsa, overseeing key outreach and capacity building initiatives within PartnerTulsa's Community Development team. Prior to joining PartnerTulsa, he served as the City of Tulsa's Capital Planning and Grants Manager where he was responsible for the City's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and the oversite of the administration of the City’s annual Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement funds. He has served in a number of capacities during his 25 years in local government including transportation planning, zoning and subdivision administration, and project management. He is committed to researching and implementing best practices, is fascinated by Legacy Cities, and believes strongly in the advocacy for equity.

Nia serves as the Director of Real Estate and Asset Management for PartnerTulsa, managing existing public assets, real estate, and resources to ensure they provide maximum economic impact and generate sustainable revenues to support organizational operations. Prior to this role, Nia spent over 13 years working at international commercial real estate firms managing commercial and industrial properties. Nia is excited about helping to achieve PartnerTulsa’s mission to make Tulsa an extraordinary city for all its citizens. She works to remain abreast of current real estate industry trends and how they can support Tulsa’s advancement toward shared prosperity and racial equity.

Billy joins PartnerTulsa as a Project Manager, serving as a member of AmeriCorps. During his term, he will assist with property disposition and evaluate sites for potential development projects. Prior to this role, Billy worked in operations management and managed a large staff for a local event venue. While relatively new to Real Estate, Billy has long had a passion for Real Estate and Economic Development. He enjoys keeping up to date on the newest developments coming to Tulsa. Billy is excited at the opportunity to make a positive impact in his hometown.