Audra was motivated to explore policy as an avenue for social impact following her time in higher education and nonprofit grant writing. She is especially interested in mental and behavioral health services in schools, reducing stigmas associated with mental illness, and improving access to treatment for Oklahomans of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

Before joining HMPI, she worked as a grant writer and consultant for clients across a variety of sectors, including healthcare, animal welfare, and education. She also spent time working in universities as a research fellow and marketing specialist with a focus on supporting and promoting international education. Audra graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma with her BA and MA in international studies and minors in Spanish and Latin American studies. In 2018, she was awarded OU’s Big Woman on Campus and Letzeiser Bronze Medal honors.