Events

We are also celebrating our annual Christmas Party at Patrick Gaines' home: From 6:00pm to 8:30pm located at 6213 COMMODORE LN, OKC, OK 73162. Remember to bring your spouse or guest. We will have gift exchange bring wrapped gift under $30. Merry Christmas!!

Welcome Jalisha Booth!

Dr. Jalisha Booth:  Empowering Communities Through Service and Leadership

Dr. Jalisha Booth is an entrepreneur and advocate with a career devoted to service, community development, and ethical leadership. Starting her journey in environmental science addressing limnology issues for the State of Oklahoma, she later managed her family’s contracting business while homeschooling her children and caring for her disabled father.

An innovative entrepreneur, Jalisha founded a real estate investment company providing stable housing for underserved communities and secured critical resources during the pandemic to prevent homelessness. Her work as a liaison with the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium earned her the Outstanding Service Award, highlighting her commitment to integrity and social responsibility.

Her passion for uplifting youth led to the creation of the James Booth Foundation, which supports student-athletes through initiatives like providing footwear, hosting sports physical clinics, and mentoring workshops. The foundation also extends its impact through a homeless feeding ministry and holiday food drives.

Jalisha’s contributions have earned her the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from the White House and an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship from Trinity International University. Recognized as the Class President of the Fears Policy Fellowship, she was honored for her dedication to public service and leadership.

A compassionate advocate for the disabled and elderly, she launched the Senior Pal Program, bringing companionship to nursing home residents. Jalisha is the proud mother of a son serving in the Air Force Reserves and a daughter pursuing entrepreneurship. She enjoys staying active, exploring new places, and living by her mantra: “Aspire to inspire before you expire.”

The James Booth Foundation, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization completely dedicated to helping young athletes with the mentorship and financial support they need through our scholarship program. Donations raised go to James Booth Foundation, Inc schloarship fund. In addition, the mentors, coaches, trainers, administrative staff and owners are volunteers. We believe that every child with a desire and passion for sports should be part of a team with great mentorship, regardless of their limited finances.

In honor of the Christmas Holiday we will not meet.  Please share this time with your family and friends.

Sleigh Bells Ring are you listening? HO Ho Ho Merry Christmas!!

We will not have a meeting due to the upcoming NEW YEAR!

As he prepares for his seventh season leading the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate is enjoying being a part of the OKC community.

“It’s amazing, and also quite humbling,” Mickelthwate said. “My morning routine usually consists of studying at a local coffee shop. Quite often customers will approach me and say they saw me on television or on the side of a bus. To me, that signifies what we are doing at the OKCPHIL is resonating with the community, and making everyone feel welcome.”

The OKCPHIL has been a source of joy and inspiration for 36 years, enriching Oklahoma and its communities through orchestral music. When Mickelthwate came on board, he brought with him an eagerness to build on the successes of the past and pave the way for the future.

“Oklahoma City should be known as a breeding ground for fun and creativity,” he said. “That’s my thing. In our first season, we were always surprised how the audiences were really open to the contemporary. It’s crazy how embracing the audience is for adventurous, fun new things.”

Born and raised in Frankfurt, Germany, Mickelthwate grew up in a home filled with classical music. He received his degree from the Peabody Institute of Music, and has worked with orchestras in Atlanta, Winnipeg and Los Angeles.

He is Music Director Emeritus of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Canada, and in 2022, accepted the position of Music Director for the prestigious Bear Valley Music Festival in Bear Valley, California. In early 2023, Mickelthwate traveled to Hanoi where he was Guest Conductor at the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra.

Since he’s been in Oklahoma, Mickelthwate has received numerous awards and honors, including being named three time “The Face of Music” by 405 Magazine. Newspaper OKC Friday named him one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful,” and the Ladies Music Club of Oklahoma City lauded him “Musician of the Year.”

Accolades aside, one of Mickelthwate’s goals is to tell Oklahoma stories through music.

“When I first came to Oklahoma City, I read Sam Anderson’s book, ‘Boom Town,’ and from there I began studying Oklahoma’s colorful history,” he said. “We have so many great stories, and seeing them come to life through music is awe-inspiring. This season, we’ve programmed “World Premiere!” American Indian Symphony by Native American composer Jerod Tate. I want to continue bringing more of these stories to our audiences.”

When he’s not studying music or planning future OKCPHIL concerts, Mickelthwate is Artist in Residence at the University of Central Oklahoma where he enjoys working with the next generation of musicians, and conducting UCO’s symphony orchestra. After the music is over Mickelthwate loves spending time with his two sons, trying to beat them at ping pong, creating adventurous new recipes or improvising together on piano and guitar.

“My personal philosophy is that music has a way of reaching us in a way nothing else does,” Mickelthwate said. “It goes deep inside, creating and facilitating beauty in a harsh world. We want the Oklahoma City Philharmonic to be meaningful, to be fun and a place where we are all one. I have often said we feel the love, Oklahoma City. And we are giving it right back.”