Kathleen Smith joins the college’s HR team

Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) welcomes Kathleen Smith in her new role as director of employment and employee relations. Smith most recently served as the director of intake and program services, and senior investigator, for the United States Center for SafeSport, in Denver, Colorado. At the center, Smith assessed and investigated sexual, physical and emotional misconduct complaints involving individuals associated with Olympic sports.

“Kathleen has already become an important part of the HR team,†said Vice President for Human Resources Regina Switzer. “With her background, writing skills and legal abilities, she is more than capable of assuming and thriving in the employee relations role.â€

Smith has extensive experience in harassment and discrimination policy development, and grievance resolution. For 11 years, Smith was an appellate defense attorney with the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System (OIDS), where she handled DNA-based innocence claims, and represented indigent clients with capital and non-capital homicide convictions. Smith also worked five years at the University of Oklahoma as a sexual misconduct officer and assistant Title IX coordinator. Smith received her bachelor’s in liberal arts and sciences from the University of Oklahoma and Juris Doctorate degree from University of Oklahoma College of Law.

“I feel very fortunate to work with and for individuals who are extremely dedicated professionals, as well as positive and supportive colleagues,†said Smith.