Who We Are
John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick founded the Kirkpatrick Family Fund in 1989, and today it is the largest affiliated fund in the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Under the leadership of Trustee and President Christian Keesee, the Kirkpatrick Family Fund remains committed to the priorities and guiding principles of his grandparents.Â
To date, the Kirkpatrick Family Fund has contributed over $165 million through program initiatives, plus project, operating, and endowment-building grants to nonprofit organizations working to improve quality of life and address the greatest needs in their communities.Â




Our History
The history of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund is closely aligned with the Kirkpatrick Foundation and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. These philanthropies all benefit from the foresight and generosity of John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick; their daughter, Joan Kirkpatrick; and their grandson, Christian Keesee. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund is committed to improving quality of life, and over the years its founders and family members have provided leadership to establish cultural institutions including the Science Museum of Oklahoma at the Kirkpatrick Center, the Oklahoma Arts Center, which preceded the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, and the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. The family is also responsible for improving the health and well-being of animals through its support of the Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital at the Oklahoma City Zoo and its focus on the humane treatment of the farm animals in our care at the Mollie Spencer Farm, the original Kirkpatrick Homestead. Always looking forward, the Kirkpatrick Family provided leadership for the establishment of endowments for nonprofits at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Because of their foresight, many nonprofit organizations benefit from distributions from their endowments that will continue. Because of their generosity, the Kirkpatricks established a legacy of philanthropy that will benefit the quality of life for future generations in central Oklahoma and the communities we serve.Â
- Trustees
- Staff
Christian Keesee
President
Christian Keesee
President
Christian Keesee is Chairman of Kirkpatrick Bank and Kirkpatrick Oil & Gas Company. Mr. Keesee also leads two philanthropic organizations as Chairman of the Kirkpatrick Foundation and President of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund. Active in the arts and arts education, he is Chairman and Founder of Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, President and Co-Founder of Green Box Arts and the Brett Weston Archive. Mr. Keesee is also involved in cultural and philanthropic organizations including the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, American Ballet Theater, the Tate Americas Foundation, and the Frick Collection.
George Drew
Vice President
George Drew
Vice President
George Drew is a long-time resident of Oklahoma and currently serves as President and CEO of American Bancorp of Oklahoma and President and CEO of Kirkpatrick Bank. He earned an associate degree in business at St. Gregory’s College in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and a bachelor’s degree in marketing/finance at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. In addition to serving as an officer on the Kirkpatrick Family Fund Board of Trustees, he serves on the organization’s Investment Committee.
Leigh Ann Albers
Trustee
Leigh Ann Albers
Trustee
Leigh Ann Albers, an active community volunteer, was a cardiovascular surgical nurse specialist at the OU Health Sciences Center and eventually worked with a cardiovascular thoracic surgeon to establish a highly successful practice. She is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Nursing and has served on many boards, including Variety Care, Oklahoma Arts Institute Foundation, and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. She currently serves as Board Chair for the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Mrs. Albers and her husband have been recognized as outstanding philanthropists by the Oklahoma Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
David Harlow
Trustee
David Harlow
Trustee
David Harlow serves as CEO of BancFirst Corporation. He began his career in the financial sector in 1986 and joined the BancFirst organization in 1999. In May 2017, he was named CEO. He received his BS in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University, Mr. Harlow earned his MBA from the University of Oklahoma. His current community Board of Director commitments include the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, the Oklahoma City Innovation District, United Way of Central Oklahoma, and Downtown OKC.
Leslie Hudson
Trustee
Leslie Hudson
Trustee
Leslie Hudson received her doctorate in epidemiology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where she was a faculty member until 2000. Dr. Hudson is an active community leader and has served a number of civic organizations and initiatives, including the Greater Oklahoma City Parks & Trails Foundation, Honestly: Youth Sexual Health, Hudson College of Public Health at OU, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma City Community Foundation, Oklahoma City-County Health Department Foundation, and as a Regent of the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma.
Ann Johnstone
Trustee
Ann Johnstone
Trustee
Ann Johnstone has forged a professional career in banking and financial services processing. She was CEO and a founder of C-Teq, a financial services processing company, serving banks and credit unions in Oklahoma and Texas. Mrs. Johnstone sold the company in 2001. She is currently Chairman of the Board of Managers of Versateq, LLC. Mrs. Johnstone’s past and current board service includes Allied Arts, Integris Mental Health Board, Oklahoma Contemporary, Oklahoma City Community Foundation, Civic Center Foundation, and Oklahoma City University.
Larry Keigwin
Trustee
Larry Keigwin
Trustee
Larry Keigwin is a native New Yorker, choreographer, and curator who has danced his way from the Metropolitan Opera to downtown clubs to Broadway and back. He founded KEIGWIN + COMPANY (K+C) in 2003 and has led the company at theaters and dance festivals around the world. Mr. Keigwin has created dozens of works for K+C, in addition to the large-scale community project, Bolero, which has been commissioned in communities nationwide. He is a board member of Hudson River Park Friends; Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, NY; and a co-founder of Green Box Arts and OK Let’s Dance. Mr. Keigwin is also the dance editor of ArtDesk magazine.
Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers
Trustee
Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers
Trustee
Rev. Robin R. Meyers, PhD, is Pastor of First Congregational Church of Norman and served 35 years as Senior Minister of Mayflower Congregational UCC Church. He is Tenured Distinguished Professor of Social Justice Emeritus at Oklahoma City University and the best-selling author of eight books. Dr. Meyers lectures on the merits of Progressive Christianity, gave the Lyman Beecher Lectures at Yale, and is the subject of American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel, a feature-length documentary about the unlikely success of his progressive ministry in a conservative state.
James Pickel
Trustee
James Pickel
Trustee
James A. Pickel is a native Oklahoman and has worked in the architectural and construction industry for much of his career as co-owner of Smith & Pickel Construction. His current focus is organic farming as owner and manager of Prairie Earth Gardens. Mr. Pickel is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and serves on several nonprofit boards, including Allied Arts, Myriad Gardens, the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Oklahomans for the Arts. His prior civic service includes chairing and co-chairing major nonprofit fundraising campaigns and community events, as well as serving as Master of Ceremonies for annual awards ceremonies.
George Records
Trustee
George Records
Trustee
George Records served as a First Lieutenant Strategic Air Command pilot in the United States Air Force before earning a degree in economics at Dartmouth College. Mr. Records retired as Chairman of the Midland Group and Director of MidFirst Bank. He is currently the Director of the Hunter-Roberts Construction Group in New York and is an overseer of the Hoover Institution, a think tank at Stanford University. He has served as a trustee for the United Way of Greater Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City Community Foundation, Allied Arts Foundation, and Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Sunbeam Family Services Association, and others.
Jane Sutter
Trustee
Jane Sutter
Trustee
Jane E. Sutter retired as President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County in 2020. In 2024, she authored Hope for America’s Youth: Beyond the Blue Doors of a Boys & Girls Club. She holds a B.S. in Journalism and M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Oklahoma State University. Prior to joining the Boys & Girls Clubs, Ms. Sutter was Deputy Director of the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG); during her tenure, she was instrumental in the establishment of the regional 9-1-1 system. She has served as President of Leadership Oklahoma City’s Board of Directors, Co-Chair of Youth City Council, and is currently President of the Harding Fine Arts Academy Foundation.
Elizabeth Eickman
Director
Elizabeth Eickman
Director
Elizabeth K. Eickman serves as director of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, an affiliated fund of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. As director, she oversees a multi-state grants program as well as special initiatives which emphasize arts education, community enhancement, charitable endowments, and women’s reproductive health. Mrs. Eickman serves as advisor to the Kirkpatrick Foundation and Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. She is on the board of Green Box, Mollie Spencer Farm, Red Ridge Nature Preserve, Historic Green Mountain Falls Foundation and an appointee to the Oklahoma City Arts Commission. Mrs. Eickman is a past board member of Philanthropy Southwest and the U.S. Urban Arts Federation. She is active in work groups focusing on access to arts education for youth and adults and improving reproductive health for women and teens.
Nancy Anthony
Advisor
Nancy Anthony
Advisor
Nancy Anthony served as Executive Director and President of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation for 38 years until her retirement in 2022. During her tenure, she helped direct the growth of the Community Foundation to assets of more than $1.6 billion. Mrs. Anthony received a B.A. from Vanderbilt University, M.A. and M.Phil degrees from Yale University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma. She has received several awards for her leadership and philanthropic work and has served on several boards, including the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the Community Foundation Leadership Team, and the Metropolitan Library Commission.
Christina Adcox
Secretary/Treasurer
Christina Adcox
Secretary/Treasurer
Christina Adcox serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Ms. Adcox has more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, having driven operational and fundraising strategies across multiple service sectors for leading Oklahoma-based nonprofit organizations such as the American Red Cross serving Oklahoma & Arkansas and INTEGRIS Health Foundation. Most recently, Ms. Adcox served as the Director of Advancement and Philanthropic Partnerships at the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Kelley Barnes
Advisor
Kelley Barnes
Advisor
Kelley Barnes is the Executive Director for the Kirkpatrick Foundation, its fourth executive in the organization’s 70 years. Prior to joining the Kirkpatrick Foundation, she served as Vice President for Community Engagement at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation for nine years. In this position, Ms. Barnes oversaw Oklahoma’s largest scholarship program, built collaborative partnerships and engaged donors. She serves on the board of the Patrons of OKC Animal Welfare, is a past board member of Philanthropy Southwest, and she was appointed by Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt to the Venues Committee for MAPS4.
Elizabeth Eickman
Director
Elizabeth Eickman
Director
Elizabeth K. Eickman serves as director of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, an affiliated fund of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. As director, she oversees a multi-state grants program as well as special initiatives which emphasize arts education, community enhancement, charitable endowments, and women’s reproductive health. Mrs. Eickman serves as advisor to the Kirkpatrick Foundation and Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. She is on the board of Green Box, Mollie Spencer Farm, Red Ridge Nature Preserve, Historic Green Mountain Falls Foundation and an appointee to the Oklahoma City Arts Commission. Mrs. Eickman is a past board member of Philanthropy Southwest and the U.S. Urban Arts Federation. She is active in work groups focusing on access to arts education for youth and adults and improving reproductive health for women and teens.
Jennifer Thurman
Senior Program Officer
Jennifer Thurman
Senior Program Officer
Jennifer oversees the Kirkpatrick Family Fund grants program and its initiatives, ensuring that our charitable giving supports the vision of John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick and meets the needs of our community.
Nancy Stearns
Office Manager
Nancy Stearns
Office Manager
Nancy oversees the general administrative duties of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund. She ensures that our internal communications and offices run efficiently and smoothly, supporting all our staff and board members in their work to carry out the organization’s mission.
Emma Newberry-Davis
Programs Manager
Emma Newberry-Davis
Programs Manager
Emma oversees the Mollie Spencer Farm and manages other key programs of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, including Kirkpatrick Publishing LLC, Kirkpatrick Family Fund Real Estate LLC, and the Historic Green Mountain Falls Foundation.
Julia Witcher
Grants Manager
Julia Witcher
Grants Manager
Julia manages each stage of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund grants cycle, including updating internal processes, reviewing requests, and data reporting. She is the first point of contact for prospective applicants, and she provides support throughout the application process.
Lauren Schlepp
Archivist
Lauren Schlepp
Archivist
Lauren accessions and maintains documents and media related to the Kirkpatrick Family Fund and its initiatives, helping the organization tell the history of its community impact since 1989.