Compliance Team

matthew-warren@utulsa.edu
104 McClure Hall
918-631-4602

As vice president and chief compliance officer, Matt Warren (BA ’06, MA ’09) provides strategic leadership, direction and integration of enterprise risk management, campus safety and security, emergency preparedness and regulatory compliance at The University of Tulsa. Prior to joining TU in 2017, Warren practiced employment and business law at the firm of Connor & Winters. He is also a former Oklahoma assistant attorney general as well as a former assistant district attorney in Tulsa County. Warren is a proud two-time alumnus of TU, where he was recognized as a Top 10 Senior and Most Outstanding Graduate in political science.

matt-polson@utulsa.edu
109 Fisher Hall East
918-631-2233

Matt Polson’s primary responsibility is the development and execution of the university’s Environmental Health & Safety Management System (EHSMS). He is the vice chair of the university’s Crisis Management Team and is the primary safety officer for workplace injuries and environmental incidents on campus. Polson is an alumnus of Northeastern State University and has more than 20 years of experience managing risk and environmental health and safety. Polson has been at TU for three years and holds a master level Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) certification.

tery-deshong@utulsa.edu
203 Fisher Hall
918-631-2896

Tery DeShong is a long-time Oklahoma attorney with experience in a wide variety of roles including management, employee development and corrective action, investigations, conducting hearings, writing bylaws and policy, and conducting training. Her prior employment includes being General Counsel for the Tulsa City-County Health Department, Regional Administrator for Child Support Enforcement Services with DHS and as a Managing Attorney with the Oklahoma Disability Law Center. In addition, she served as faculty at both Texas A&M and the University of North Texas in the business school, teaching a variety of courses including business law, employment discrimination law and nonprofit management. She is experienced in strategic planning, program and nonprofit management and is an expert in time management and organizational skills. Ms. DeShong has conducted trainings on the topics of ADA, employment law, and legal ethics; and she has been a keynote speaker at state-wide conferences.

melissa-france@utulsa.edu
918-631-2516

Melissa France is the associate vice president for campus services and has a Ph.D. in leadership and policy studies from Oklahoma State University. Her primary responsibilities include overseeing campus operations including student housing, dining services, parking and campus ID, student health services, mail services, camps, conferences and event spaces. She serves on the Operations Management Team and is the primary supervisor for all campus housing and campus services.

kelsey-hancock@utulsa.edu
203B Fisher Hall West
918-631-2324

Kelsey Hancock is the compliance officer for campus safety and Office on Violence Against Women campus program grant director at TU. They lead and coordinate the university’s efforts to comply with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), the Campus SaVE Act, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Drug Free Schools and Campuses Act (DFSCA) and related laws and regulations. The compliance officer for campus safety works closely with the chief compliance officer and the Office of General Counsel updating the status of open investigations, compliance requirements and deadlines as well as with other internal offices to ensure compliance, aid in furthering the goal of the university and to ensure the learning and working environment is safe, respectful, open, diverse and inclusive. They also review, monitor and enforce university policies and educational practices related to campus safety, violence prevention and drug and alcohol awareness at The University of Tulsa; compile and submit mandatory reports to external reporting bodies; and lead education, training, prevention and awareness efforts within these compliance fields for students, faculty and staff. Hancock holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from TU.

michelle-hall@utulsa.edu
104 McClure Hall
918-631-2312

Michelle Hall provides administrative assistance, such as writing and editing emails, drafting memos and preparing communications within the Office of Compliance. She maintains comprehensive and accurate records, performs compliance accounting duties, organizes meetings, including scheduling, sending reminder, and arranging follow up when necessary. She answers the Office of Compliance phone, welcomes visitors and identifies the purpose of their visit before directing them to the appropriate department. She also manages the Compliance calendar, including making appointments and prioritizing the most sensitive matters.

tawny-taylor@utulsa.edu
918-631-2334

Tawny Rigsby is the ADA/504 coordinator and accessibility compliance officer. She received her Ph.D. in educational psychology from Oklahoma State University and is a professional educational therapist. Rigsby serves as the university’s subject-matter expert on requirements and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act, providing interpretation and training regarding federal, state and local laws and regulations. She provides leadership for accessibility across campus, including the determination of eligibility for accommodations, Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) for employees, student medical leave and medical withdrawal and chairs the Campus Access Committee.

kathleen-smith@utulsa.edu
203C Fisher Hall
918-631-2321

In her role as Title IX coordinator and equal opportunity officer, Kathleen Smith oversees the university’s compliance with civil rights discrimination laws and policies. She is primarily responsible for coordinating institutional response to reports of sexual harassment, as well as harassment and discrimination based on any protected status. Smith previously served as director of employment for Oklahoma City Community College and assistant Title IX coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. She also addressed allegations of sexual misconduct within the Olympic sport community at the U.S. Center for SafeSport in Denver. Smith is a former appellate defense counsel with the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law.