Kian Kamas serves as the Executive Director of the Tulsa Authority for Economic Opportunity, leading Tulsa’s comprehensive community and economic development strategy and a team of talented professionals dedicated to increasing economic opportunity for Tulsa residents. Prior to this role, she served as Mayor G.T. Bynum’s Deputy Chief and then Chief of Economic Development. Before her work at the City, Kian spent six (6) years at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, in various roles in Economic Development and Government Affairs. Kian is passionate about creating long-term, institutional change in how Tulsa pursues its economic and community development objectives, and is committed to building a world-class and sustainable operating model that provides Tulsa with strong and stable long-term revenues for this work. She loves crazy ideas and tries to encourage out-of-the-box thinking and a collaborative approach to problem-solving among TAEO’s staff. Kian holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma, a Masters Degree in Comparative Public Policy from the University of Edinburgh, and has completed the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute. She and her husband Lathen have lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma since 2009, and are raising their son Leith as a proud Tulsan.