Halley Reeves Honored as One of Oklahoma’s “Achievers Under 40”

Halley Reeves, MPH, MCP, Assistant Dean of Online Education and faculty member in the Department of Health Administration and Policy, has been named one of The Journal Record’s “Achievers Under 40” for 2025. She was honored during a ceremony on May 15 at the Oklahoma History Center, joining a distinguished cohort of professionals from across the state who are shaping the future of Oklahoma through leadership, innovation, and service.

This annual award recognizes outstanding young professionals under the age of 40 who are making a meaningful impact in their industries and communities. Honorees represent a wide array of fields, but share a common commitment to building a better Oklahoma.

A proud native of Oklahoma City, Reeves is a community health strategist whose work spans urban and rural communities. Her expertise in public health practice and economic development has positioned her as a leader in health data analysis, planning, and policy. She has served as Chief Public Health Strategist for the Oklahoma City-County Health Department and as Vice President for Community Health Impact at OU Health.

Before returning to Oklahoma, she led groundbreaking initiatives in Massachusetts at the Department of Public Health, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and MIT—developing innovative strategies to integrate the social determinants of health into public policy and investment in healthy communities. Her work has been nationally recognized as a model for Health in All Policies approaches.

Reeves’ leadership in Oklahoma continues to generate broad and lasting impact. One nominator praised her instrumental role in leading community health needs assessments across Tulsa, Craig, and Muskogee counties:

“Her leadership and her team’s ability to develop and implement a well-structured survey using evidence-based and validated questions has been crucial in gathering meaningful data to inform our health initiatives.”

Another emphasized her gift for facilitation and community engagement:

“She has successfully engaged community members through various events, fostering discussions around the social drivers of health. Her dedication has not only increased awareness but also inspired action among stakeholders.”

Reeves’ approach is both strategic and hands-on. As one nominator noted,

“It’s rare to meet someone who can both develop a comprehensive community health assessment and rough-build a website overnight when a grocery store in Northeast Oklahoma City suddenly shuts down. But that’s exactly what Halley does—mobilizing resources and partnerships in real time.”

Her versatility and commitment have extended to rural health efforts as well, such as her work supporting the City of Shawnee and Pottawatomie Go in applying for federal transportation grants.

“Instead of just handing over a good idea and wishing us luck, Halley stayed engaged... making sure that local needs were at the forefront of our planning.”

Whether helping secure vital resources, facilitating multi-sector partnerships, or mentoring the next generation of public health professionals, Reeves brings a unique combination of deep expertise and authentic, collaborative spirit.

“Public health and policy work can be heavy,” one colleague shared, “but somehow, she makes it feel collaborative, possible, and even—dare I say—fun.”

In recognition of her outstanding work, Reeves has previously received the Dean’s Master Teaching Award and the Award for Excellence in Transdisciplinary, Convergent Research.

The OU Hudson College of Public Health celebrates this well-earned honor and looks forward to all that Reeves will continue to contribute to our college, our communities, and the field of public health.