OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Tricia Howell has been named Director of Child Welfare Services by Dr. Deborah Shropshire, Oklahoma Human Services Director.

According to Oklahoma Human Services, Howell has served in child welfare for more than 29 years with Oklahoma Human Services as well as 8 years at a Therapeutic Foster Care agency. Most recently, Howell served as the Assistant Director of Child Welfare Operations, offering oversight of child welfare related-policy and training, Pinnacle Plan Strategies and key teams within the division.

“I am honored to serve alongside the leadership team at Oklahoma Human Services in this role as we work to equip families with the tools and services they need to be successful,” said Howell. “We have an incredibly strong, passionate leadership team in place who are all dedicated to working together to carry the agency’s mission forward in service to Oklahoma’s families. We are also fortunate to have the support of countless community partners and foster families who step forward to serve our agency’s families, and I am so excited to see what the future holds for our work together.”

According to OKDHS, Howell’s education includes a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, a Masters in Human Resources from East Central Oklahoma State University and was licensed as a professional counselor (LPC) in 2004.

“Tricia’s depth and breadth of knowledge in child welfare is incredible, but what is even more impressive is her heart,” said Dr. Shropshire. “She is invested in our families and children and deeply passionate about their success. Tricia treats every person she meets as if they are one of her own family and always seeks to remove barriers so they can achieve their dreams and realize a better future for their own families. She will bring that same heart and dedication to her new role and I am excited to see what the future holds for our staff and the families we serve.”