OVF Member Highlight
Kelli Payne
President
Oklahoma National Stockyards
Kelli Payne is a proud fifth generation farmer and rancher from Mustang, Oklahoma. She attended high school at Amber-Pocasset and went to college at Oklahoma State University. Choosing a random path through college, she took advantage of a number of internships in the agriculture industry and served on the OSU Dairy Judging Team. Additionally, she served on a number of student organizations and committees which allowed her to take advantage of learning opportunities throughout the United States. An avid reader, she jokes she is a lifelong learner as it took her over fourteen years to get her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. She was named a top ten Senior in Animal Science her final year of college.
She has had the opportunity to serve as an assistant to former Congressman Wes Watkins prior to his retirement and to serve as an Executive Director for a number of Main Street organizations in Oklahoma. This experience has instilled a passion for both tourism and economic development. Combining her dedication for promoting the agricultural industry and her current position as President for the Oklahoma National Stockyards, she strives to share her personal story along with the wonderful heritage of agriculture’s role in Oklahoma City’s history. Payne is the first female to hold the position of President, and only the sixth person in the history of the Stockyards.
Kelli is very active in her community serving as President of the Stockyards City Main Street Association, District Director for the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, member of Oklahoma Cattlewomen’s Association, Cattlemen’s Leadership Academy Class XXVI, Fundraising Coordinator for West OKC Rotary Club, Ag In The Classroom Advisory Council Member, Stockyards Urban Design Committee Member, and was awarded the Hometown Heroes Award from the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2019. Kelli served on the steering committee to fund the David Jones Dairy Judging Team Endowed Scholarship at OSU and she and her partner Dave funded the first ever Veterans in Agriculture Scholarship for a master’s Student at OSU. Kelli was a recipient of the Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture Early Career Achievement Award in 2020.
Attend OVF Power Lunch: November
