Seminole State College President Lana Reynolds was awarded the Distinguished Leadership Award at Leadership Oklahoma ‘s Fall Forum on October 19 at the Helmerich Research Center at OSU-Tulsa.

The Forum event centered on the theme “AI: Byte into the Future” and featured several experts speaking on the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence. The forum featured two keynote speakers: Hart Brown, CEO of Future Point of View, a consulting firm that assists companies in implementing technology to create competitive advantages; and Wilder Lopes, the Chief Architect for Machine Learning at Permion, a company specializing in the development of advanced AI capable of learning and cognitive modeling.

During the forum’s luncheon, Reynolds was presented with the Distinguished Leadership Award by LOK President and CEO Dr. Marion Paden. Reynolds was a part of Leadership Oklahoma’s Class XVII and is a lifetime member. The award celebrates exemplary service to the organization over the course of the last year. Selection is based on the nominee’s engagement and participation in member events and activities, along with their support and contribution of talents to the mission and vision of the organization.

Reynolds has dedicated more than 35 years to higher education in Oklahoma. She assumed her role as the institution’s first female President on July 1, 2017.

Reynolds is also actively involved in numerous state and local organizations, including serving as a Past Chair of Leadership Oklahoma’s state-wide Board of Directors. She serves on the Board of the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation and currently co-chairs the Children’s Hospital Board of Advocates. Additionally, Reynolds is a member of the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals and the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Her commitment extends to the Governing Board of Oklahoma Christian University.

Reynolds presently holds the role of Chair of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Council of Presidents and serves on the Executive Committee of the Council of Two-Year College Presidents. She is also a Past President of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum Board of Trustees, the Seminole Rotary Club and the Seminole Chamber of Commerce. In recognition of her community involvement, she was named Seminole’s Citizen of the Year in 1991.

She was acknowledged as one of The Journal Record’s “50 Women Making a Difference” in the state in 2000, 2012, and 2013. Her continued commitment to education was honored in the publication’s “Power 2021 Education” edition, which recognized the top 25 educational leaders in the state in 2021. In 2022 she was named to the inaugural class of “55 Inspiring Oklahomans” and was recognized last spring by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women as the recipient of the Kate Barnard award.

Reynolds is an alumna of Oklahoma Christian College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English. She also holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma.

Leadership Oklahoma is an organization that focuses on the personal and professional development of individuals that includes educational seminars, experiential learning and exposure to various facets of the state. The organization provides a platform for individuals from diverse backgrounds and industries to connect, collaborate and exchange ideas. More information on the organization can be found at leadershipoklahoma.com.