Shawna Wright

Biography

Shawna Mott-Wright is Tulsa born and Tulsa raised. She comes from a close-knit family who instilled in her every step of the way that faith, hard work and integrity will get you anywhere you need to go in life. Shawna refers often to the lessons learned from her mom, a long-time educator and her dad, a former small business owner, both of whom are life-long union members.

After graduating from Daniel Webster High School and continuing her education at Oklahoma State University, Shawna began her career as a teacher, joining her mom in Tulsa Public Schools. After over a decade in the classroom, Shawna was elected as the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA) Vice President where she has continued her service in public education. She now serves as NEA Director on behalf of the Oklahoma Education Association and was also recently elected as TCTA President-Elect. Shawna’s advocacy on behalf of public education and all core services manifests itself in many ways. You’ll often find her at the Capitol, both at the state and national level, as well as giving her volunteer time as co-founder of the Tulsa PLAC.

As the product of public schools, the daughter of an educator, the mom of two public school students, Kennedy (13) and Collin (14) as well as a long-time Oklahoma Education Association leader, Shawna understands the importance of strong core services. She recognizes the importance of a legislature that is not only able to work collaboratively across party lines but also unrelenting in its dedication to the greater good.

Shawna believes strongly in her Christian faith and is guided by the principles by which she was born and raised. She lives by the mantra “actions speak louder than words.” She has served as a praise and worship leader at Garnett Assembly of God where she has attended for years. Focusing always on loving thy neighbor, Shawna is guided by this message in her professional and advocacy roles as well. She understands the starting line isn’t the same for every child or every family. She believes strongly in our public education system for the same reason she is unrelenting in her faith, because as public schools, we welcome everyone with open arms.

Shawna has been honored with many accolades over the years from various organizations, all of which can be summed up with this sentiment: Shawna is a passionate advocate who’s concerned not with who receives credit, but solely with doing her part to make Oklahoma the best it can be for every family.

Platform Issues

Education

A strong public education system is vital for society to function properly. There are direct correlations between public education and a strong workforce, the economy, public safety, healthcare, criminal justice, and the list goes on and on. Every child deserves the right to a great public education and that takes funding. Shawna believes that public monies should go to the public systems they were intended for and not be siphoned off to support private institutions which serve a tiny fraction of students across our state. Teachers and Education Support Professionals work miracles every single day and they should be treated and paid like the professionals they are. Public education is the great equalizer. Public schools welcome everyone. Shawna will continue to fight for the improvement of and investment in our public education system.

Healthcare

Every Oklahoman deserves affordable health care. Parents should be able to take a sick child to the emergency room without fearing a mountain of medical debt. Shawna believes a thriving state starts with a healthy state, so we must address the fact that Oklahoma ranks second in the nation for citizens without health care. Shawna is a strong supporter of our public health services and will work every day to expand access to health care for all Oklahomans.

Job Creation

As a teacher and a member of the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce, Shawna understands the connection between education and economic development. To recruit quality employers to our state that pay middle-class wages, we need an educated and skilled work force. Shawna will support fully funding public education, including our Career Tech system, apprentice programs, and our regional colleges and universities, in order to bring good jobs to Oklahoma.

Criminal Justice Reform

Oklahoma locks up more women than any other state in the nation, mostly for nonviolent crimes. We spend over half a billion dollars a year incarcerating our fellow Oklahomans. This isn’t cost effective and we haven’t seen a major improvement in public safety because of it. Shawna will advocate for being smarter on crime and making better use of our tax dollars.