ORU Names Heather Turner as Executive Director of the David and Barbara Green Centre for Global Leadership

The Green Centre centralizes the University's leadership vision for developing Whole Leaders for the Whole World

Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 2, 2026-Oral Roberts University (ORU) announces the appointment of Heather Turner as Executive Director of the David and Barbara Green Centre for Global Leadership, effective May 1, 2026. This appointment advances the Centre's mission to develop servant leaders equipped to transform communities, institutions, and nations across the globe. Turner will provide visionary oversight of the Centre's programs, partnerships, and initiatives, driving its growth as a premier destination for Spirit-empowered leadership rooted in faith, academic excellence, and purpose.

Named in honor of philanthropists David and Barbara Green, founders of Hobby Lobby, the Centre stands as a testament to the belief that transformational leadership begins with character, calling, and Christ-centered purpose. The Centre will serve as a hub for leadership development, providing curricular and co-curricular programming, mentorship, and the global perspective necessary for today's leaders.

"Heather Turner is an exceptional leader whose experience, integrity, and passion for developing others make her uniquely equipped to lead the David and Barbara Green Centre for Global Leadership into its next season," said Dr. William M. Wilson, President of ORU. "Under her direction, the Centre will expand its reach and impact and continue to develop Spirit-empowered leaders to serve and transform every sphere of society."

In her new role, Turner brings a distinguished record spanning public service, entrepreneurship, economic development, and education - all anchored by a lifelong commitment to building people and communities. She most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Prior to that role, she served as Executive Director of CORE - Community Development, Outreach, Revitalization, and Enterprise - within the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, where she led strategic initiatives across the state. She also served as President and CEO of the Jenks Chamber of Commerce, championing local business development and civic leadership in one of Oklahoma's most dynamic communities.

"I am deeply honored to step into this role and to carry forward the extraordinary legacy that David and Barbara Green's leadership has made possible," said Turner. "Leadership development is one of the most sacred investments we can make in the future. I look forward to working alongside our students, faculty, and partners to build a Centre that is nationally recognized and globally transformative."

A passionate entrepreneur, Turner is the founder and owner of Anthem Road Academy, School of Music, reflecting her deep roots in the arts and her belief in education as a vehicle for transformation. Her career began in the public-school classroom, where she served as a music instructor in Mounds and Bixby, Oklahoma - instilling in students not only musical discipline, but the confidence and character that come with mastering a craft. She is also a published author, demonstrating her commitment to the broader conversation on leadership, faith, and purpose.

Turner holds a Bachelor of Music Education and Vocal Performance from the University of Tulsa and a Master of Business Administration from Oklahoma State University.

About the David and Barbara Green Centre for Global Leadership

The David and Barbara Green Centre for Global Leadership honors the decades of transformative generosity David and Barbara Green have extended to Oral Roberts University, and their embodiment of the values the Centre is built upon - integrity, spiritual intimacy, radical generosity, and bold vision.

The Centre's mandate is expansive and forward-facing: to encourage extravagant generosity, build a global network of leaders, advance the concept of spiritual intelligence, and empower original leadership research. It will offer a cadre of leadership resources, micro-credentials, and degree pathways designed to give leaders from around the world access to premier tools and relationships necessary for success.

ORU was recognized as one of only 25 institutions in the United States to receive the inaugural Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose Classification - awarded jointly by the American Council on Education, the Doerr Institute for New Leaders, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching - affirming the Centre's national relevance and its commitment to developing leaders in pursuit of justice, equity, and public purpose.

The official grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the David and Barbara Green Centre for Global Leadership is scheduled for September 18, 2026.

Nationally Ranked, Globally Recognized

ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 17 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor's level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. In 2024, the Carnegie Foundation recognized ORU with a "Leadership for Public Purpose" award, a distinction earned by only 25 universities nationwide. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 176 nations in the last 7 years to be whole leaders for the whole world.