By KWGS News
Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Public Schools today announced the hiring of Christopher Payne, APR, to serve as director of public information for the district, after approval at Monday night's school board meeting.
"I am thrilled that Chris Payne has decided to join the TPS team," said Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard. "He was instrumental in the successful Project Schoolhouse campaign and will be a great contributor to TPS. He is highly experienced and cares deeply about schools and education. He will be a great fit for Tulsa Public Schools."
Payne joins TPS with more than 20 years of public relations and strategic communications experience. He most recently served as vice president and general manager of the Tulsa office of Saxum, an integrated communications firm with offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Prior to joining Saxum, he served as senior manager of corporate communications for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc., the parent company of the Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Rent A Car brands. He worked at the company for nearly 17 years, having started as a manager of corporate communications for Thrifty Car Rental. He previously lived in Dallas, where he spent four years working for public relations and political consulting agencies, leading a number of regional and national accounts.
He is a past board president of Susan G. Komen for the Cure (the Tulsa affiliate). Currently, Payne serves on the board of directors for the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa and the campaign cabinet of the Hardesty Visual Arts Center. He is a past president of the Tulsa Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. He has a master of arts in mass communications from the University of Oklahoma.