Children's Hospital Foundation

Get to Know Children's Hospital Foundation Executive Director Kathy McCracken

Where is your Hometown? Where did you grow up?

Lawton, born and reared.  Graduate of Lawton Eisenhower High School.  Go Eagles!  Along with my husband, Greg.  Yes, high school sweethearts.  Grandparents, both maternal and fraternal, came to Oklahoma with their families during the land rush and settled in the Walters and Cache areas. 

Can you tell us about your education - where did you go to college, please list your degree(s) and graduate degree(s)? 

BA in Mass Communications, Oklahoma City University.  Double major in Public Relations and Advertising, Minor in French.  Did a year of MBA study at OCU.

Husband, Greg, Law School Grad of OCU, Daughter is an OCU Music Theater Grad.  So, we’re an OCU family, I’d say.  I serve on the OCU Alumni Board.

Are you married and do you have children?

Married for 36 years. 
Daughter, Erin, is a musical theater actress based in NYC, OCU Grad
Son, Caden, at UCO.  Aspiring professional golfer.
Son, Logan at Texas Tech where he is on the golf team.  Another aspiring pro golfer. 

What do you do in your down time? Do you have any hobbies – like to read, work out, play sports, dance, cards, etc.)

I love to go to movies, and I love to cook – Southern Style – not too good for you, but I try to balance it!    And, my favorite pastime is traveling to watch my daughter in a play or my sons in golf tournaments.  Last year we went to Rhode Island for theatre and Florida for golf – does it get any better than that? 

 What is something about you most people don't know?

I play piano, but not in public!  I was “Maria” in my high school production of West Side Story.  I began college as a vocal music major on scholarship, and won several college awards in advertising.   I love accounting, can read a financial statement and prepare a budget. I soon learned how significant that knowledge was to a nonprofit CEO!  I served as a Red Cross Blue Teen volunteer all four years of high school for three different hospitals.

Which do you use – Blackberry or IPhone or other smartphone and why?

Iphone!  My daughter insisted and boy was she right!  It is just so user friendly.  I had a Blackberry before I switched to iPhone and it just doesn’t compare for me.  I also tried one of the new Androids for 2 days last year, NOT, took it back in haste!!!  My favorite apps are Family Map, Dragon Dictation and Scoops!

What brought you to your current field?

My work has taken many turns.  Part of my college study included accounting, so I worked about 8 years with public accounting firms and in oil and gas accounting, then because of a volunteer stint at OCU, I was asked to come to work there and stayed 14 years in fundraising and PR.  OCU gave me my core desire to work in nonprofit and help young people, so when the legendary Jean Gumerson called me, in 1998, about the opening at CHF, I felt it would be a really good fit, and I just love it!

 What is a typical work day like for you?

“Kids First” is our motto, and coming in every day, checking on our miracle families and meeting about ways we can help is the norm, and writing lots of “thank you” letters.  As a CEO, I still have the usual business side of budgets, meetings, and contracts, and as any CEO of any company, you can really never “plan” your day.  There’s always a new idea or a change coming down the pike.  We are constantly in fundraising mode, involved in over 100 fundraising events every year through the work we do with our volunteer boards and community sponsors.  There’s never a dull moment around here.

What is one thing about your organization people might not realize or know?

We are a stand-alone nonprofit averaging 12 staff, and we could never hold such great accomplishments without our core volunteers and board members.  Statewide, we have over 3,000 volunteers who are involved in everything from bake sales and duck races to fabulous galas. We have no government contracts or revenue stream other than private donations.  We support the work of physician-scientists at OUHSC and Children’s Hospital who care for children from every county in Oklahoma, every year – not just kids in Central Oklahoma.  And, no child is turned away from our programs because of an inability to pay. 

What is the next exciting thing coming up for your organization?

In 2012, we will have completed the funding for 34 two-million-dollar endowed chairs in pediatric research for OUHSC, attracting physician-scientists from all across the Nation.  While these doctors spend time on various research projects, they are also caring for our children and training the next generation of pediatricians.  We continue to challenge the community to help us with research programs.  Research is the key to improved children’s health.  When you think about all of the diseases that have been conquered like polio, measles, and chicken pox; and the remarkable strides that have been made in diseases like childhood cancer and childhood diabetes – these all are a result of research.  The new children’s physicians building, atrium and education center built by University Hospitals Authority and Trust (UHAT) is an extraordinary asset to Oklahoma, creating more awareness about our children’s hospital and attracting incredible talent.  Because UHAT has offered us the opportunity to recognize donors with the naming of floors and other areas of the buildings, and have offered us the use of the facilities for our Telecast, Radiothon and other events, we are looking forward to expanding our fundraising efforts with this great opportunity. 

In the next quarter, we are hoping to initiate a monthly catered dinner in the Atrium for the inpatients and their families.  Many families find themselves living with their child at Children’s Hospital for long periods of time.  Offering the children and their families a bit of something different, gives them a welcomed change of pace.  We are looking for funding and volunteers!

And, the ever popular Children’s Starlight Ball will be held on November 30!  Mark your calendars and call me for a reservation!

What are the current challenges your organization is facing and what steps are you taking to address these challenges?

Actually, we feel we are on the upside of our challenges and have been since the beginning of the recession by taking steps early to secure our future for fundraising.   As most nonprofits, we scaled back expenses and enlisted the help of volunteers more than ever, and early.  We have remained vigilant and remain positive.  People are excited and motivated to help Oklahoma’s children, and we are dedicating the next couple of years to getting our message out to all Oklahomans.  We are always looking for corporate partners to help us!!!!  We have learned that we grow as more of our community becomes aware of our purposeful mission.

Where do you see your organization five years from now?

Continuing to grow in volunteers, programs and donations.  The improvement in children’s health has come a long way, but we still have work to do.  We still have too many children fighting disease and injury, and they need us – in fact, they need the help of the entire state of Oklahoma.  Having a GREAT children’s hospital with all the specialists we need, keeps Oklahoma’s children at home with their families for care.  It is important that Oklahoma families and business know that we are creating a center of excellence for their children, their employees’ children and for generations of children to come. 

We are hoping to grow our Circle of Friends throughout the entire state, and we are always looking for volunteers!!!!