Annie Vest

Annie Vest brings 16 years of expertise in the disaster management space to her role advising the Governor of Oklahoma on emergency management and disaster management matters. She began her career after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University with an undergraduate degree in psychology and disaster management, later earning a dual master's in adult and community education and executive development for the public sector. Vest has split her career between state government and the private sector, where she worked with engineering firms to help mitigate disasters and support community recovery. Appointed in December 2023, she coordinates with state agencies and local governments on long-term recovery efforts and has contributed to key initiatives such as establishing a permanent disaster recovery revolving loan fund. She is a Certified Floodplain Manager and serves on the boards of the National Emergency Management Association and the Central United States Earthquake Consortium, among other professional memberships. Vest attributes her success to serendipitous opportunities, a willingness to speak up and put in the work, and fostering strong relationships.