Shane Saunders is a native Tulsan, born in St. Francis hospital. He attended Jenks Public Schools through middle school, and graduated from Bishop Kelley High School. He received his undergraduate degrees in Politics and Classics from Washington and Lee University and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tulsa.
Shane Saunders is the owner and President of Trident Energy, Inc., a Tulsa-based oil & gas exploration and production company. Trident Energy is a domestic producer of American energy, holding interests in hundreds of wells located throughout the US. Shane started Trident using what little money he had in his personal savings and has built the company quickly through hard work and disciplined investment. Shane understands what it means to risk capital and create wealth. He knows how to build a budget and stick to it. Mr. Saunders is a member of the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), the Tulsa Association of Petroleum Landmen (TAPL), we he serves on the Board of Directors, and holds a Certified Professional Landman (CPL) certification.
Prior to founding Trident Energy, Shane Saunders served as Press Secretary and Campaign Manager for former Congressman John Sullivan.
Shane is active on the boards of a number of philanthropic causes, currently serving as Chairman of the Board for Iron Gate, Oklahoma’s largest soup kitchen and emergency grocery pantry. He also serves in a variety of roles for his Alma Mater, Washington and Lee, as a member of the Annual Fund Council and as President of the Tulsa Chapter of the Alumni Association.
However, Mr. Saunders most important role is as daddy to his two girls, Bay (9) and Maple (6) who both attend Eliot Elementary in Tulsa. The Saunders are active in their faith life at the Church of Saint Mary.
My plan
The Tulsa Public School Board is comprised almost exclusively of educators and former educators. What the School Board lacks are fathers of Tulsa Public School children and businesspeople, both of which I will bring to the table.
Well-versed
TPS needs board members who are well-versed in the legislative process and who have extensive relationships within the legislative and executive branches of state government. I have acquired this experience and these relationships through my charitable work with Iron Gate, Oklahoma’s largest soup kitchen and grocery pantry. Through this work, I have learned how to bring diverse perspectives together to accomplish something that many said was impossible.
My Focus
My focus on the School Board will be to update the Oklahoma Education Funding Formula, which was last updated over 20 years ago. It is woefully out of date. This formula puts TPS at a distinct disadvantage compared to other school districts. Changing this formula to more accurately reflect the needs of today’s students will be my top priority.
Enrollment
Another way to improve school funding is through enrollment growth. Using my business knowledge, I will establish a marketing plan (which currently does not exist) to tell the full TPS story and attract new students.
Lets turn this around
American students have lagged behind our international competitors in reading and math since 2000. Tulsa Public Schools are no exception. I want to make a turnaround at TPS the case study for other school districts across the US. Simply put, Tulsa can lead the way for the rest of the country!