What began as a fight for survival has come full circle into a career of service for Dustin Brown. Now a nurse at Oklahoma Children’s OU Health, Dustin once received lifesaving care there more than 30 years ago after being diagnosed with leukemia at age six and undergoing a groundbreaking pediatric stem cell transplant. Today, he supports young patients facing similar journeys while helping train the next generation of nurses across pediatric and acute care. His story reflects the lasting impact of compassionate care and how it continues to shape both futures and careers. See Dustin's full story on KOCO 5 News's website: https://brnw.ch/21x2U41
The S.O.U.L. (Serving Our Uncommon Legacy) Mission, launched by University of Oklahoma Football Head Coach Brent Venables, gives student-athletes the opportunity to grow beyond the field through immersive, real-world experiences. Through our partnership, OU Health recently welcomed participants for a week of hands-on learning — connecting them with our teams, leaders, and patients while exploring career paths in healthcare. Together, we’re proud to help inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals and build a stronger, more diverse future for our workforce.
OU Health Chief Marketing and Growth Officer Jennifer Schultz Kouandjio, MBA, has been recognized by Becker's Healthcare Hospital Review as a 2026 “Chief Marketing Officer to Know.” She leads growth strategy, business development and marketing for Oklahoma’s flagship academic health system, driving transformative results across the organization. This recognition highlights her impact as a strategic leader and brand architect, advancing how patients and communities connect with OU Health.
Last weekend, OU Health celebrated our incredible employees with a roaring good time at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden! Moments like these give us the chance to connect outside of work, strengthen the relationships that carry into our teams every day, and recognize the dedication that defines our caregivers. We also celebrate the families who stand beside our employees through long hours and meaningful moments of caring for others.
OU Health’s transformation is gaining national recognition. NEJM Catalyst — a publication of NEJM Group — has highlighted OU Health’s evolution as Oklahoma’s flagship academic health system, affirming a vision launched five years ago to fully align education, research and patient care. “OU Health has made transformational progress that is changing outcomes for Oklahomans,” said The University of Oklahoma President Joseph Harroz Jr., noting that this recognition shows what’s possible when culture, leadership and mission are aligned. Dr. Richard Lofgren, president and CEO of OU Health, added, “When education, research and clinical care work together, the result is better outcomes for patients and healthier communities. This confirms we’re on the right path.” Today, OU Health serves nearly 1 million patients each year, provides the state’s most advanced specialty care, supports hospitals statewide and trains most of Oklahoma’s physicians — all while improving safety, outcomes and access to groundbreaking treatments for Oklahomans.
OU Health Chief Human Resources Officer Jimmy Duncan SHRM-SCP, SPHR has been recognized by Becker's Healthcare Hospital Review as a “Hospital and Health System CHROs to Know” for 2026. He leads human resources strategy for more than 12,000 employees and has driven a cultural transformation that achieved milestones 24 months ahead of plan, with retention improving 17% over the past year. Duncan’s initiatives include a systemwide leadership development framework, a school-to-career workforce pipeline, the unified “OneHR” model, and enhanced total rewards with benefits such as 6% 401(k) matching, paid family leave, and infertility support. This recognition highlights his impact on workforce strategy, employee engagement, and high-performing, people-centered teams.
We’re proud to celebrate the seven OU Health team members named The Journal Record's 2026 Health Care Heroes — a recognition honoring healthcare professionals across Oklahoma who go above and beyond for patients, communities, education and innovation.
We’re proud to share that OU Health has been named one of Becker's Healthcare Hospital Review Top Places to Work in Healthcare for the third consecutive year. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment as Oklahoma’s flagship academic healthcare system to support the well-being, growth and satisfaction of our employees while delivering exceptional care to the communities we serve. Organizations honored on Becker's list, including OU Health, prioritize professional development, foster diverse and inclusive work environments and provide meaningful resources that help team members achieve balance and thrive. We are grateful for our incredible employees who make OU Health such a remarkable place to work.
OU Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carolyn Kloek, has been recognized by Becker's Healthcare Hospital Review as a “Hospital and Health System CMO to Know” for 2026. Dr. Kloek leads clinical quality, safety, and experience initiatives across the University of Oklahoma academic health system. She has advanced enterprise-wide reliability efforts, strengthened prevention practices, and aligned clinical teams around consistent, high‑performance standards of care. Under her leadership, OU Health achieved top-decile results in hospital-associated infections and a mortality performance index 22% above the national benchmark for complex care. She also implemented enterprise-wide improvements in perioperative safety, patient experience, and operational performance, including a systemwide surgical safety checklist, revised patient care committees, and a triad leadership model. This national recognition underscores her impact on clinical excellence, patient outcomes, and the development of high-performing care teams.
Our Laboratory Leadership Team volunteered their time @ The Kaleo Foundation, making 240 care packs for those in need!
