Meet Our Executive Staff

Derk Tenzythoff came to the Tulsa Area United Way in 2001 with a strong appreciation of TAUW's support of health and human service agencies, especially those agencies that don't have the clout to raise funds relatively easily on their own. As senior vice president, resource development, he is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the resource development department, which includes annual campaign efforts, as well as planned giving/endowment initiatives. Derk also serves as the principal professional resource to the campaign chair and campaign cabinet.

Derk's favorite part about the Tulsa Area United Way is the challenge of raising millions of dollars and working with the volunteers who commit so much time and effort for the organization.

Derk Tenzythoff
Senior Vice President of Resource Development

918-295-6648

Tom Albaugh Jr. 
Vice President of Labor Relations

918-295-6668

Tom Albaugh is embarking upon his 23rd campaign with the Tulsa Area United Way. The vice president of labor relations, Tom is a liaison between the Tulsa Area United Way and the Northeastern Oklahoma Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.  He provides assistance to workers and their families and support for the annual United Way campaign. Another part of Tom's job is to recruit volunteers for United Way and its partner agencies, as well as to conduct information and referral training classes annually.

Tom saw United Way as the organization where he felt he could make a direct impact with helping people in need. He enjoys his job because he gets to see, first hand, the lives United Way changes and the positive impact the nonprofit has on the community.

Sharon Gallagher joined the TAUW staff in 2008 as the Vice President of Community Investments. As of January 2013, Sharon holds the position of Director of Collaborative Initiatives. As TAUW invests in  community collaborations that address systemic community conditions, issues that cannot be improved by a single agency, Sharon serves as the United Way liaison, working with other funders and agencies on community impact initiatives.

Currently, such initiatives include A Way Home for Tulsa and Promise Neighborhood.

Sharon Gallagher
Director, Collaborative Initiatives

918-295-6620

Jessica L. Hargis, CPA
Vice President/CFO

918-295-6616 

Jessica Hargis came to TAUW in May 2011 after serving as CFO for over six years at a TAUW partner agency. She is responsible for the finance department and oversees human resources in her current position as Vice President/CFO.

After roles in corporate financial reporting and public accounting, Jessica felt drawn to public service, led by the examples of her brothers in law enforcement and the military. Jessica considers her accounting skill set a unique bridge that joins the hands of those who want to help with those who need the help.

Jessica saw the opportunity at the Tulsa Area United Way as a chance to help more people across many more agencies in Tulsa, the place she and her husband Zac chose to make their home.

Brent Ortolani joined the staff of the Tulsa Area United Way in August 2011 after a 20-year career in higher education.

 As Vice President, Marketing, he is responsible for the direction of strategic marketing and public relations planning, branding and image, market segmentation, product positioning, external communications, advertising, special event planning, media relations and publications production. He manages the marketing staff, including the Senior Graphic Designer and Marketing Specialist.

Previously, he served as Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Rogers State University, from 1999 to 2011. At RSU, he played a key role in the transition of RSU from a community college to a four-year university, including a 75 percent increase in enrollment, major achievements that placed RSU among the most notable success stories in the annals of Oklahoma higher education. 

In addition, he was Director of University Relations at the University of Tulsa, where he also served as editor of the award-winning TU alumni magazine from 1990 to 1999.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Kansas, completed APR certification from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and is a former member of the Board of Directors of PRSA-Tulsa.

Brent Ortolani
Vice President of Marketing

918-295-6612

Kathy Seibold
Vice President of Community Investments

918-295-6670

Gary G. Szabo
Vice President of Information Technology and Infrastructure

918-295-6633

Gary Szabo has been employed in the Information Technology field since the mid-1980s. Gary worked his way from being a Project Manager for a management consultancy up to several senior positions in higher education and the private sector. Gary's prior Director-level positions have been with Centralia College and the University of Washington. Management positions have been with Capital Systems Group, the University of Tulsa and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma.

Prior to joining the Tulsa Area United Way, he ran Mindful Technologies, a management consulting firm that specialized in network engineering and strategic information technology services for small and medium-sized firms, many of which are TAUW partner agencies and supporting foundations.

Gary likes to say he grew up with computer technology.He learned programming via punch-cards on TU's Honeywell-Bull CP6 mainframe and on a DEC PDP-11/70. Gary is passionate about helping folks make the best use of information resources.