OCPA President Jonathan Small receives national honor for his efforts on behalf of all Oklahomans

This prestigious award recognizes Jonathan’s deep and lasting impact, not only as a bold reformer, but as a servant leader who leads with vision, humility, and resolve. Under his direction, OCPA has helped shape some of the most significant policy victories in Oklahoma history, from expanding school choice to holding courts accountable and driving tax reform that rewards work.

Jonathan’s work is rooted in something far greater than politics. As a father of five daughters, his mission is personal. He is driven by the belief that Oklahoma should be a place where families can flourish and build a future with freedom and opportunity.

President Reagan reminded us, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Jonathan lives that out every day, fighting to preserve and expand liberty not just for this generation, but for the next.

To mark this special recognition, State Policy Network shared a powerful tribute to Jonathan’s leadership, vision, and impact. We’re proud to share part of their official announcement:

The Official Announcement

State Policy Network is pleased to announce that Jonathan Small, president and CEO of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, is this year’s recipient of the Thomas A. Roe Award, which will be presented at our 33rd Annual Meeting in New Orleans on Aug. 27, 2025.

The Roe Award is an honor bestowed upon those leaders whose achievements have greatly advanced the cause of liberty in their state and beyond. It acknowledges leaders who have built strong teams and durable organizations committed to improving lives in their communities through public policy. The award recognizes those who have innovated, sacrificed, and remained courageous in the face of opposition. The award is an extension of SPN’s founder, Thomas Roe, whose hard work, dedication, and resilience helped build the powerhouse 50-state Network we see today.

Big things are happening in Oklahoma thanks to the efforts of the OCPA team under Jonathan’s leadership.

Jonathan’s peers often describe him as a “secret weapon”—an understated leader who gets extraordinary things done. His influence now shapes who runs for office, what issues gain traction, and how the public thinks about freedom in Oklahoma. His work has made OCPA a model for strategic, long-term policy transformation.

“Jonathan has become a transformative leader because of his vision and grit in bringing real reforms to Oklahoma,” said SPN president and CEO Tracie Sharp. “The Durable Freedom Infrastructure he’s helped develop and deploy isn’t just reshaping the state’s policy landscape—it’s creating a scalable blueprint that’s catching the attention of reform-minded leaders nationwide.”

Under his leadership, OCPA has become the most trusted policy voice in Oklahoma, influencing everything from judicial accountability to universal education freedom. He has grown OCPA into a multi-pronged powerhouse that includes a think tank, litigation, advocacy, investigative journalism, and a leadership academy—the popular Fears Fellowship. This “durable freedom infrastructure” has transformed the policy landscape in Oklahoma and inspired similar efforts in other states.

••• I am always impressed with the accuracy and logic of OCPA’s and Jonathan Small’s initiatives.

They delve into issues, many that have held Oklahoma’s economy back in the past and have become so commonplace that many Oklahomans ignore them, taking them for granted because “that’s the way they’ve always been.”

This newspaper has published numerous releases from OCPA’s Independent Journalism Center written by a dedicated and competent staff citing problems and ways to fix them.

Then they go to work to make the solutions reality. We add our congratulations and our thanks to Jonathan for his tremendous efforts.

It has been announced that Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) President Jonathan Small has been named the recipient of the 2025 Thomas A. Roe Award—State Policy Network’s highest national honor for leadership in advancing liberty through public policy.

It is an honor well deserved in my opinion and others, too.