River Spirit Casino Resort March 9, 2023
2023 Honorary Chairs
Ken Ray Underwood
Ken Ray Underwood has been practicing law in Tulsa for almost 40 years. He has served as the City Attorney in Collinsville since his appointment in July of 2002. Ken has been actively involved in the Tulsa County Bar Association, serving as Board member and chairman of the public relations committee.
A proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Ken served on the Board of Indian Health Care Resource Center from 1990 to 2005. He served as Vice President 1992-1993, President 1994-1995, member at Large 1996-1999, and Treasurer 1998-1999. Dedicated to the provision of health care for all, Ken served for six years on the Board of the Arubah Clinic, a faith-based community health clinic in Collinsville.
Ken’s honors include receiving the President’s award and the Golden Rule Award from the Tulsa County Bar Association for outstanding contribution to the profession. He is also the recipient of the Arubah Clinic’s Legacy Award and Tulsa County Bar Association’s James C. Lang Mentoring Award.
His service to the community includes Board member of the Community Service Council of Tulsa and 2019 honorary co-chair for the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. For the last several years, Ken has helped coach the Owasso High School Mock Trial Team, taking them to the state finals 8 years in a row.
A positive role model, mentor, and leader Ken enjoys spending time on his ranch in Delaware County, which was his grandmother’s original Cherokee allotment.
Leslie Paris
Leslie Paris, a Senior Vice President and 35-year veteran of BOK Financial, is responsible for the company’s community and employee engagement strategy in an eight-state region, including some of the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan areas such as Dallas, Houston, Denver, and Kansas City. She is a director of the BOKF Foundation, that over the past 22 years has provided $100 million dollars to hundreds of nonprofit organizations.
A tireless volunteer, Leslie is dedicated to improving the lives of women and their families and has previously served as president of Leadership Oklahoma, Tulsa YWCA and Resonance board of directors. Currently she serves on the Oklahoma Foundation For Excellence board of directors, Oklahoma State University Foundation Board of Governors and Women for OSU Council and the Spears School of Business Eastin Center Advisory Board.
Leslie’s honors include receiving the “Newsmaker Award” by Tulsa’s Association of Women in Communications, one of the Tulsa Kids Magazine “20 Tulsans Who Care”, The Links, Inc. Circle of Friendship Award, the Journal Record Woman Of The Year Circle of Excellence Award and the 2020 Pi Beta Phi Lichtenberg Crest Award for Professional Achievement.
She borrows her motto from theologian John Wesley: "Do all the good you can; in all the ways you can; in all the places you can; to all the people you can; as long as ever you can.”
Ken and Leslie are long time supporters of IHCRC’s youth programs through their sponsorship of the Dance of the Two Moons. We are grateful to have them as this year’s Honorary Chairs.