The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) is a state agency in the legislative branch that assists the Oklahoma House and Senate. LOFT provides budgetary recommendations to the LOFT Oversight Committee for use in setting the funding of state government, higher education, and public schools. LOFT is charged with ensuring state agency programs are efficient, effective and transparent. The LOFT Oversight Committee includes seven Senators and seven Representatives with political parties represented in proportion to membership in each house of the legislature.
Regina Birchum, Interim Director
Ms. Birchum joined LOFT in 2020, helping to establish the office and lead its work as Deputy Director. Prior to joining LOFT, she successfully led the effort to launch the Oklahoma City campus of the nationally renowned Cristo Rey Network of high schools, eventually leading its corporate partnership program. Prior to this, Birchum spent 15 years at the State Capitol in numerous roles involving public policy and communications, including serving five years as the Deputy Treasurer for Policy and Chief of Staff to the State Treasurer. While with the Treasury, she helped create a new publication for enhanced reporting of state financial data, was a member of a national policy working group to examine business incentives, and assisted with putting the state’s checkbook online. During her prior 10 years working for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, she coordinated House Leadership’s policy initiative on government modernization. Birchum holds a B.A. in Mass Communication from Texas State University and has completed the Executive Leadership Development Program from the Stayer Center for Executive Education at the University of Notre Dame. She also holds a certificate in public policy from Penn Wharton.
Bill Bryant, Financial Analyst
Mr. Bryant has worked as a researcher, statistical analyst, management information specialist, and workforce planner across numerous state agencies, including the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Employment Security Commission, and the Department of Human Services. For most of his career, Bryant has provided management support to programs designed to improve and develop the skills of Oklahoma's workforce. At the Department of Human Services, he served as the human protections administrator for the DHS Institutional Review Board. He also has experience in county government and a regional council of governments. For 13 years, Bryant worked at a multi-county workforce investment board serving a 9-county region in Central Oklahoma. Bryant holds a B.S. degree in Mathematics from Oklahoma State University. He has also studied Public Administration at the University of Oklahoma.
Mike Davis, Legal Analyst
Prior to joining LOFT, Mr. Davis spent three years at the 1889 Institute, where he researched Oklahoma policy, wrote policy briefs and drafted model legislation. The majority of his work with the Institute focused on administrative reforms, civil justice, and occupational licensing issues. His work has been published by the Pacific Legal Foundation and Real Clear Policy. Previously, Davis worked in Hollywood producing Saturday Morning Cartoons for clients like Marvel Comics and the National Football League. Davis is a cum laude graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he focused on constitutional studies. He holds a B.A. in film production from Asbury University.
Merin Gracey, Program Evaluator
Ms. Gracey has dedicated more than a decade of her career to the State of Oklahoma, serving as a budget analyst for the Department of Rehabilitative Services and a Program Manager for the Department of Commerce. Additionally, she has served as a budget analyst for the Department of Defense and Northrop Grumman. Gracey has extensive experience in corporate and government financial analysis, including cost estimating, budget monitoring, forecasting, risk management, and reporting project lifecycles. Gracey has earned Best Practices recognition, and under her oversight, grants produced upwards of a 6,000 percent return on investment for federal funds. Gracey holds a Master of Business Administration from NOVA Southeastern University and a B.S. in International Relations with a minor in Economics and Finance from Middle Tennessee State University. She is also a licensed Commercial Pilot.
Holly Hankins, Records Management Clerk
Ms. Hankins comes to LOFT from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, where she provided administrative support to the fleet management department for two years. In this role, she oversaw numerous projects, including the deployment of Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVLs) in 600+ agency-owned vehicles. Prior to the Department of Corrections, Ms. Hankins served as the Client Relations Coordinator for Cristo Rey OKC Catholic High School. While there, she managed client relationships with more than 50 diverse partners as well as created and co-taught weekly Business Literacy curriculum. Ms. Hankins was an Adoptions Specialist for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for five years, assisting more than 200 children in achieving permanency. Additionally, she interned at CareLink, an Arkansas area agency that serves the homebound and elderly. In conjunction with pharmacists from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center (UAMSMC), Ms. Hankins provided medication checks for older citizens to monitor potential adverse effects related to polypharmacy. Ms. Hankins holds a B.S. in Rehabilitation Science from Arkansas Tech University, with an emphasis in aging and social services
Rebecca Hobbes, Program Evaluator
Ms. Hobbes brings to LOFT six years of service in Oklahoma state government, beginning as a policy strategist in the Governor’s Office. During her three years in this role, she conducted policy research and developed legislation. Through her work on opioid policies, she collaborated with law enforcement on legislation and coordinated state and federal partners in statewide efforts regarding development of the Prescription Monitoring System. Hobbes subsequently joined the Oklahoma Department of Human Services’ Innovation Division. In this capacity, she helped develop the agency’s stakeholder engagement model and led roundtables and workshops for the agency’s divisions as well as multiple external government partners. Additionally, she led a team that planned, organized, and produced the first ever agency-wide hackathon: a competitive problem-solving event that resulted in winning proposals being implemented in the agency. Hobbes holds a B.S. in Political Science from Oklahoma Christian University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.
Kaitlyn Finley, Program Evaluator
Prior to joining LOFT, Ms. Finley spent three years as a Policy Research Fellow for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, with a policy focus on health care and criminal justice reform. In this role, Finley produced policy briefs analyzing pending state and federal legislation that encompassed Soonercare, Oklahoma's Medicaid program, and Oklahoma's criminal justice system. Prior to joining OCPA, Finley spent time in Washington D.C. interning for the Heritage Foundation and U.S. Senate Committee for Environment and Public Works. Finley holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and is a 2020 graduate of the Oklahoma Leadership Exchange Academy and the Koch Associate Program.
Jeromy Knapp, Financial Analyst/Economist
Mr. Knapp joined LOFT in 2023, after spending five years in the Banking and Finance industries. His most recent role was as a Field Auditor for Ally Financial in the Dealer Credit Administration department. There, he was tasked with safeguarding billions of dollars in vehicle assets and reporting risk and operational feedback to overseeing departments within Ally. Prior to his work at Ally, Knapp worked for First United Bank and Trust, serving the Central and Southeast Oklahoma regions and communities. In these roles, Knapp’s responsibilities included serving as the operational manager for the largest branch in the region and promoting a positive banking relationship with customers and shareholders. Knapp holds a B.S. in Economics from Oklahoma State University.
John (J.T.) Welch, Program Evaluator
Mr. Welch joined LOFT after spending five years as a Corporate Learning Partner for Paycom, where he also served as a project manager. In these roles, Welch built strategic, learning-based solutions for the company. Previously, Welch worked for the Department of Human Services as a Child Welfare Specialist within the Permanency Planning division, where he provided ongoing support for parents and children. Welch holds a B.A. in Communication with a minor in Public Affairs and Administration from the University of Oklahoma and has obtained professional certification from the University of Oklahoma Lean Institute's College of Professional and Continuing Studies.
Katherine Grayson, Executive Assistant
Ms. Grayson joined LOFT in 2020, providing support to all areas of its operations. Prior to this role, Grayson served as the Administrative Assistant and Event Coordinator for both the State Chamber of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Economic Development Council. She also provided support to the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce Executives. Previously, Grayson worked for Convergys Corporation as a Team Leader, where she honed her customer service skills.
State Capitol Building - Room 107
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 768-3200
info@okloft.gov