Sarah Hazen Stitt
{{Short description|American businesswoman and First Lady of Oklahoma}}
{{infobox officeholder
| name = Sarah Hazen Stitt
| image =
| caption =
|term_label= Assumed role
| status = Current
| birth_name = Sarah Hazen
| office = 26th First Lady of Oklahoma
| governor = Kevin Stitt
| term_start = January 14, 2019
| term_end =
| predecessor = Wade Christensen
| successor =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|01|27}}
| birth_place = Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican Party
| spouse = {{marriage|Kevin Stitt|June 1, 1998}}
| education =
}}
Sarah Hazen Stitt is an American businesswoman who has served as the First Lady of Oklahoma since 2019.
Early life and career
Sarah Hazen grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was homeschooled until she was a teenager when she first attended public schools. Growing up, her mother suffered from mental health problems, but refused treatment due to social stigmas. Her mother attempted suicide and her siblings had drug addictions. Her father also developed mental health problems during this time. Sarah cites her childhood experience as motivation for her mental health advocacy.{{cite news |title=Sarah Stitt: Oklahoma’s First Lady - MetroFamily Magazine |url=https://www.metrofamilymagazine.com/sarah-stitt-oklahomas-first-lady-champions-improved-mental-health-awareness-for-state-youth/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=Metro Family Magazine}} She founded Gateway Mortgage, alongside her husband, Kevin Stitt, and worked there for twenty years.{{cite web |title=First Lady Sarah Stitt |url=https://oklahoma.gov/governor/about/first-lady.html |website=oklahoma.gov |publisher=Governor of Oklahoma |access-date=14 October 2023 |language=en}}
First Lady of Oklahoma
Sarah Stitt became the First Lady of Oklahoma when her husband Kevin Stitt was sworn in Governor of Oklahoma on January 14, 2019.{{cite news|url=https://newsok.com/article/5620223/stitt-takes-office-promises-new-state-pride|title=Stitt takes office, promises new state pride|last=Felder|first=Ben|work=The Daily Oklahoman|date=January 14, 2019|access-date=January 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114235712/https://newsok.com/article/5620223/stitt-takes-office-promises-new-state-pride|archive-date=January 14, 2019|url-status=live}} She was credited with improving her husband's approval with women voters during his 2018 election campaign.{{cite news |last1=Felder |first1=Ben |title=Rural vote helped Stitt win governor's race |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/state/2018/11/11/rural-vote-helped-stitt-win-governors-race/60489399007/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=November 11, 2018}} During her tenure, she has focused on mental health.{{cite news |last1=Bryen |first1=Whitney |title=Sarah Stitt: Growing up in a home with mental illness |url=https://nondoc.com/2019/10/12/sarah-stitt-growing-up-in-a-home-with-mental-illness/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=NonDoc |agency=Oklahoma Watch |date=12 October 2019}} In 2020, she led a fundraising campaign for a non-profit that focuses on preventing child abuse.{{cite news |last1=Forman |first1=Carmen |title=First Lady Sarah Stitt raising money to prevent child abuse |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/03/first-lady-sarah-stitt-raising-money-to-prevent-child-abuse/60384371007/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=September 3, 2020}} Later that year she assisted with the restoration of the Book of Redemption for Vernon A.M.E. Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.{{cite news |last1=Hinton |first1=Carla |title=First lady partners with Museum of the Bible to restore historic book for Tulsa church |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/06/02/sarah-stitt-partners-bible-museum-restore-book-historic-tulsa-church/5291152001/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=June 2, 2021}}{{cite news |title=Museum of the Bible will receive award for restoration of historic Tulsa church's donor ledger |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/religion/2021/08/21/tulsa-vernon-chapel-african-methodist-episcopal-church-donor-ledger-restored-by-bible-museum/8179360002/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=August 21, 2021}}
=Sarah Stitt Act=
In 2021, Oklahoma HB 1679 was named the "Sarah Stitt Act" after the first lady. The bill provided state identification documents to prison inmates that do not have one.{{cite news |last1=Douglass |first1=Kaylee |title=‘Sarah Stitt Act’ to issue IDs to Oklahoma inmates impending release unanimously passes Senate |url=https://kfor.com/news/oklahoma-legislature/sarah-stitt-act-to-issue-ids-to-oklahoma-inmates-impending-release-unanimously-passes-senate/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=KFOR-TV |date=13 April 2021}} The bill was sponsored by Representatives Brian Hill and Marilyn Stark.{{cite news |last1=Krisai |first1=Lauren |title=Guest: Oklahoma shows a commitment to criminal justice reforms |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/2023/02/07/opinion-oklahoma-shows-a-commitment-to-criminal-justice-reforms/69855202007/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=February 7, 2023 |format=Opinion}} In the first year after its passage, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections found more than 1,300 birth certificates for inmates.{{cite news |last1=Felder |first1=Ben |title=More Oklahomans are being released from prison. Now what? |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/07/10/those-released-oklahomas-prisons-face-numerous-challenges/9719799002/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=July 12, 2022}}
Personal life
Sarah met Kevin Stitt in the summer of 1997 at a church service.{{cite news |last1=Casteel |first1=Chris |title="Serious kid" sets sights on serving as chief executive of Oklahoma |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/columns/2018/09/30/serious-kid-sets-sights-on-serving-as-chief-executive-of-oklahoma/60498279007/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=September 30, 2018}} The couple married on June 1, 1998.{{cite tweet |last=Stitt |first=Kevin |user=GovStitt |number=1134874094581821440 |date=June 1, 2019 |title=For our 21st anniversary, the First Lady and I went fly fishing this morning in the beautiful Beaver Bend state park. #OklaProud @TravelOK |language=en |access-date=December 31, 2022}} They have six children. She is a member of the Republican Party.{{cite news |last1=Forman |first1=Carmen |title=She became a Democrat to run for Oklahoma governor. Her husband remains a registered Republican. |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/2022/09/13/oklahoma-governor-election-democrat-joy-hofmeister-husband-remains-republican-despite-party-switch/65742575007/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=September 13, 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stitt, Sarah Hazen}}
Category:First ladies and gentlemen of Oklahoma
Category:Businesspeople from Tulsa, Oklahoma