The
First Lady
First Lady Kim Henry has devoted much
of her life to education, from her 10
years teaching in the classroom to her
and her husband raising three girls. Along
the way, she has been active in parenting
and educational issues, and has had her
own extensive education in politics, having
taken a leadership role in her husband’s
successful gubernatorial campaign.
Kim Henry spent most of her teaching career
at her alma mater, Shawnee High School,
where she taught Oklahoma History, economics,
government and - her favorite subject
– Advanced Placement American History.
Her instructional skills and commitment
to students led to her receiving the 1999-2000
Close Up Foundation’s Linda Myers
Chozen Award for Teaching Excellence in
Civic Education. Only five other educators
across the nation received the honor that
year.
Kim attended the University of Oklahoma,
where she earned her Bachelor of Science
degree in secondary education in 1986.
She has been married for 19 years to
Oklahoma’s governor, Brad Henry.
They have three beautiful daughters:
Leah, age 17, Laynie, age 15, and Baylee,
age 9.
Civic involvement is very important
to Kim. She has been active in the Muscular
Dystrophy Association, having lost a
7-month-old daughter to spinal muscular
atrophy. Currently, Kim serves as an
honorary board member of the Children’s
Medical Research Institute, is on the
board of directors of the Close Up Foundation,
the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum,
Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness,
K20 Center for Educational and Community
Renewal, and the Oklahoma Medical Research
Foundation. Kim also serves on the board
of directors of the Oklahoma Academy
of State Goals and Leadership Oklahoma.
Kim is on the board of trustees of the
Sarkey’s Foundation and the Oklahoma
Foundation for Excellence. She also
serves on the National Task Force on
Early Childhood Education for Hispanics.
Kim’s civic involvement and dedication
to education has led her to receive
numerous awards and honors. The Oklahoma
Education Association awarded her The
Friend of Education Award in 2005. She
was also the recipient of the 2004 Award
of Distinction, given by the Board of
Advocates of the University of Oklahoma,
College of Education. She was honored
in 2004 by The Journal Record’s
50 Most Distinguished Women and received
the Bill Lowry Library Champion Award
for her work in literacy. In addition
to these, Kim was also chosen as one
of the March of Dimes 2005 Great Spirits.
Kim was awarded the Jasmine Award by
the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum
as a tribute to her unending concern,
dedication and tireless efforts on behalf
of Oklahoma’s children.
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