Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin was named vice chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) during the closing session of the annual NGA meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia on Sunday.
Fallin previously served on the NGA Executive Committee. Delaware Gov. Jack Markell was named NGA chairman. Fallin is a Republican and Markell is a Democrat; the chair and vice-chair rotate political parties each year.
Fallin is the first NGA vice chair from Oklahoma and the first Republican woman to serve as vice chair. She is the third woman of either party to hold the position.
“I’m honored to have been selected by my peers to serve as NGA vice chair. It’s not only a privilege for me personally, it’s also a welcome acknowledgement of the legislative successes we’ve made in Oklahoma and the state’s continued economic growth and forward progress,” Fallin said. “The NGA is a well-respected and trusted source of innovative public policy solutions for our nation’s governors. I’m excited by the opportunity to serve and eager to share the great ideas and policies of the Sooner State with the rest of the NGA.”
The NGA was founded in 1908. Its members are the governors of the states, territories and commonwealths. Among the services the NGA provides to governors is representing states on Capitol Hill and developing innovative solutions to public policy challenges through the NGA Center for Best Practices.
The NGA is governed by a nine-member Executive Committee elected by all governors in attendance at their Annual Meeting. The NGA chair and vice chair are voting members of the Executive Committee.
The chair, in consultation with the vice chair, makes all committee and task force assignments.
Led by the chair and vice chair, governors set the association’s priorities and determine its activities.
The Vice Chair also is the chair of the NGA Center for Best Practices Board.
As the spouse of the NGA vice chair, Oklahoma First Gentleman Wade Christensen will now serve as the vice chair of the NGA Spouses’ Leadership Committee.