Local people sparking powerful change in OKC.

Spend your lunch hour with engaging & inspiring stories from local people sparking change everyday. Food For Thought OKC is a lunch event presented by Western Concepts Restaurant Group. Food For Thought OKC speakers are recorded & produced by Trifecta Communications to help spread inspiration even further. Check our event page & join us for the next Food For Thought OKC lunch.

Katie Fitzgerald
Embracing Differences Improves Lives
Katie, CEO of The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, is passionate about children and families. Katie has spent her career in non-profits locally and in Michigan and loves helping people from all walks of life connect to one another.

Brad Bandy
Love Your Neighbor… But How?
Brad, Director of The Spero Project, shares how his cross cultural experiences help him work towards seeing past differences to help everyone reach their potential. One of his passions lies with the resettled refugee community of Oklahoma City, extending friendship to new neighbors from all over the world.

Ted Streuli
Fake News! What Consumers Must Know
– OR – How To Tell If That 100-year-old Florida Woman Really Gave Birth To Alien Septuplets

Ted, Associate Publisher and Editor of The Journal Record, helps you spot the difference between entirely fake news, partially fake news and the news you only wish was fake.

Markus Smith
Our Roots Fuel Our Passions
Markus, founder and president of the Markus Smith Real Estate Team, is passionate about giving back to our community. That passion was fueled by his own experiences growing up in NE Oklahoma City that shaped how he sees our future.

Mary Mélon
What Drove A Type-A Business Person To Leave The Corporate World & Focus On A Greater Purpose
Mary Mélon is the President/CEO of the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools. Almost 4 years ago, Mary left her job as Publisher for The Journal Record to pursue her passion to support and advocate for students in Oklahoma’s largest school district.

Carl Milam
Ignorance & Blessings: Two Things We All Need
Carl Milam is the President and Founder of Western Concepts Restaurant Group. Carl knew he was making an investment in Western Avenue when he opened Sushi Neko in 1997. At the time, that portion of Western Avenue was floundering. Carl wanted to take the risk because he had a vision of what was possible.

James Chappel
“We give our time and energy to better the community where we live and work”

James, Community Affairs Manager for OG&E Energy Corp, models his employer’s public service value statement “We give our time and energy to better the community where we live and work.” James and Claudia are active and engaged agents for good in their communities, church and schools.

Clarence Hill, Jr.
Discover What We Are For, Instead Of What We Are Against

​Clarence is an author, speaker, marriage coach, and community leader. He is committed to discovering untapped leadership potential, especially in marginalized communities. His work specializes in addressing difficult social issues and areas of conflict.

Chuck Thompson
Increase The Bottom Line Through Service
As CEO of Republic Bank & Trust, Chuck Thompson has taken the bank to the forefront of community involvement. Chuck encourages his employees to be involved and you always see Republic being involved in many community activities. Chuck firmly believes in bringing the entire community up. He hopes other businesses will follow his lead and commit to community involvement.

Larry Hopper
Don’t Wait For Cancer To Strike… Step To The Plate Now
We can all do more to make a difference and cultivate multicultural unity. Larry Hopper’s life experiences led him to many forms of service for the greater good. Cancer changes lives, and Larry is a now a two- time survivor of cancer. He wants to help others understand getting involved sooner than later. Larry will share big and little ways that you can make our society better, feel the rewards, and be remembered as someone worth remembering.

Ranya Forgotson O’Connor
Passionately Finding Creative Solutions To Social Problems Through Business
Ranya serves as Director of The Curbside Chronicle at the Homeless Alliance, a magazine that employs homeless and at-risk individuals in Oklahoma City. The Curbside Chronicle helps people earn a dignified income and transition into housing and on to further employment opportunities.

Stacey Yarbrough
It Does Not Matter How Many Times Your Fall – It Matters How Many Times You Get Up
Stacey has an inspiring life journey. She is a Manager at Sunnyside Diner and the founder of the Sunnyside Street Team (#sunnysidestreetteam), raising resources for homeless individuals. Her work to authentically connect to homeless people is a story we should all experience.