About Us

Established in 1987, Community Literacy Centers, Inc. (CLC) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to teaching adults to read. Since its inception, CLC has helped over 29,000 individuals. We partner with over 28 agencies in Oklahoma City to reach those who need assistance. We offer basic skills, short courses, a family program, and also provide tutor training and workshops for volunteers.

Community Literacy Centers is a place where adults learn to read in a safe, welcoming environment. For many adults, CLC provides a second chance at life and opens new doors of opportunity.

We provide free classroom instruction to more than 1,000 adults each year in reading, writing, and mathematics. We also provide individual tutoring for students needing additional support.

At Community Literacy Centers, students are surrounded by people who truly care about them. Many of the adults who come to CLC have heartbreaking stories about their experiences as non-readers. When adults come to us, they are often ashamed of their circumstances and need a lot of reassurance. They need to know that they can become self-sufficient adults. They also must know that we will not give up on them.

The fact is CLC is quietly changing lives in our community every day.

We operate with private contributions and we do it very efficiently. We are committed to applying sound educational principles with a business perspective to create the most innovative, cost-efficient means to teach adults to read.

Our Board

• Susan Hillman, President, Consultant
  Johna Dodson, Vice President, Accounting Supervisor, Joint Venture Audit, Chesapeake Operating Inc.
  Matt Bown, Treasurer, Executive VP, Dean A. McGee Eye Institute
  Shawna Templeton, Secretary, Branch Manager, Arvest Bank

Board of Directors

• Ann Cameron, Volunteer
• Shannon Edwards, Attorney at Law/Edwards Law Firm
• Jack Fesler, Retired, Sara Lee Corporation
• Lori Hall, Manager, Barnes and Noble Booksellers
• Natalie Karousatos, Manager, Barnes and Noble Booksellers
• Lisa Monahan, Reporter for News9
• Ted Norton, First VP of MidFirst Bank
• Becky Painter-Robinson, Astra Zeneca
• Angel Taylor, Contracting Officer
• Leslie Wilkerson, VP of Treasury Management Sales, BancFirst

Advisory Board

• Donna Blakley, Attorney at Law
• Cynthia Cope, Consulting
• James Crawley, Crawley Petroleum Corporation
• Charles de Coune
• Charlotte Edwards, Retired, CAE
• Kathy Lippert, Greystone Environmental
• Patti Mellow
• Bob Nelon, Attorney at Law/Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable
• Cathy Perri, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
• Ed Pulido, Executive Director/Folds of Honor
• Jim Tappen, Chairman/CEO Bontrac, Inc.
• Greg Wheeler, Managing Director/Bank of Oklahoma Trust Services

Our Staff

The longevity of the CLC staff is a good indicator of the organization’s stability and the staff’s commitment to CLC’s mission.

Executive Director Becky O'Dell has led the center for more than 15 years. She has more than 25 years of organizational management experience with various chambers of commerce and economic development agencies. Additionally, she has served on several boards at the local, state, and regional level.

All CLC instructors are state-certified and stay current on adult teaching methods through ongoing involvement in professional development seminars and workshops.

Program/Administrative Staff

• Becky O'Dell, Executive Director
• Laura Taylor, Education Program & TANF Coordinator
• Cathy Khile, LEAP Coordinator
• Cheryl MacDonald, Administrative Assistant