You all have probably learned by now that I love a good quote. Some of you even share good quotes with me via Teams from time-to-time (I love it, keep it up!). This month, I’ve thought a lot about one of my favorite authors, Maya Angelou, and the quote of hers that stuck with me since the day I read it back in the '90s (as my daughters call it “the 1900s”):
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
Maya Angelou is one of my absolute heroes – she overcame odds that could’ve utterly broken her but they didn’t. When I read this quote, it helps me remember when I don’t like something, I can either: 1) fix it, or 2) change my mind about it. I’m the first to admit I get frustrated when things don’t go my way, but quotes like this one help bring me back to center and remind me of the big picture.
I’m sharing in hopes that it will also help you. I know that things are still changing here at OMMA as we continue to identify areas that need improvement or changes. Stay strong and remember we are working together for the greater good.
I’d like to shout out the Compliance team for all of their recent efforts to streamline processes and create protocols that prioritize field inspector safety and continuous training. By partnering with other departments throughout OMMA, Chief Regulatory Officer Michelle Reddish and her leadership team have provided proactive training to inspectors and auditors ensuring all members of the team have clear, consistent direction.
Along with the focus on training and safety, the Compliance team also recently promoted several inspectors to regional supervisor positions. These new positions at OMMA are an integral part of the continued progress of the compliance team. Please make sure to thank our compliance inspectors and auditors for all the hard work they put in to ensure the legal team has the evidence they need to pursue administrative actions and for the important job they do every day of interacting with commercial licensees across the state.
And finally, with so much activity at the legislature, we’ll have lots of updates for you next month but always remember you can follow along with legislation on our website at omma.ok.gov/legislation.
With gratitude,
Adria
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Compliance
Inspectors now wear a uniform of a gray polo with the OMMA logo when in the field.
Labs
On April 6, OMMA issued an emergency order requiring Genesis Testing Laboratories to cease operations after an investigation uncovered evidence the lab conducted business at an unlicensed facility.
Licensing
On April 20, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 913. It requires grower license applicants and licensees to submit proof of a surety bond for at least $50,000, or proof of land ownership for at least 5 years at the operating location. Licensing is working closely with Thentia to add the new requirement to the system as quickly as possible and implement a process.
Communications
After working hard to produce videos and messaging scheduled for release on 4/20, Communications adjusted the messaging that morning in the aftermath of severe weather and tornadoes the night before. They worked with other teams to create a dedicated disaster resources webpage, a graphic on the website informing businesses what to do, prepared commercial and legislative newsletters with the relevant information and provided the Call Center with updated talking points.
View new hires, promotions, birthdays and OMMA work anniversaries on OMMA’s SharePoint!
Don't forget to stop by the monthly Employee Celebration from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. on May 1 in Room 400!
Staff Town Hall on Friday
The virtual OMMA Staff Town Hall originally planned for April 14 has been rescheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, April 28 -- tomorrow! During the rescheduled meeting, Executive Director Adria Berry and other key staff will provide a general update and share information about some 2023 projects and goals across our organization. Look in your email Friday morning for a link to attend on Teams.
SEAT Training
Each year, state agency employees take annual SEAT cybersecurity training. This training is now open for employees to complete and is due by Dec. 17. To access the training sign in directly to the KnowBe4 site with your single sign-on credentials.
2023 State of Cannabis Webinar
Did you miss the April 20 Cannabis Sciences webinar? Don't worry, lectures from the event can still be watched on the event website with free registration. Take the opportunity to learn about new political efforts facing the industry, new medical research and industry problems like lab shopping.
News and Learning
Don't forget you have access to free subscriptions to the Washington Post and to LinkedIn Learning, which has courses on a variety of topics.
To access the digital subscription to the Washington Post, sign up through this link using your OMMA email address. Be sure to use a different password than the one you use for work. For LinkedIn Learning, contact the OMES Service desk at servicedesk@omes.ok.gov and request a license be activated for you.
Job Opening
OMMA has openings for two Compliance Trainers. The positions close on May 3. HR strongly encourages any qualified, interested employee to apply for the position. Visit this listing in Workday to view a description for the positions or apply.
The 5 Voices, Radical Candor and quarterly required Safety Trainings have been added to our training calendar with descriptions and registration links included for each training event.
The Learning Opportunities Calendar, found here on SharePoint, is meant to promote all-staff trainings, in addition to department or team specific training not open to all staff. If your team is conducting a training and you want to let others know what you are up to, email OMMAL&D@omma.ok.gov with the details and we will get it posted.
 Call Center staff pose for a photo on Thursday afternoon.
Each day at 8:30 a.m., the OMMA queue for customer service phone calls opens the flood gates for queries about a wide range of topics. With just 14 agents, the Call Center must be prepared with breadth and depth of knowledge while staying ahead of the ever-filling call queue.
In March alone the group received almost 10,000 calls.
Call Center Supervisor Keri Yanchick said the group’s biggest challenge is staying ahead of calls.
“We don’t know what questions the public is going to ask. That’s the biggest thing is staying proactive and staying ahead of the inquiries,” she said.
Two things have eased that burden: other teams proactively providing information on major issues and team planning within the Call Center.
A recent win, Yanchick said, occurred in early April when OMMA issued an emergency order requiring Genesis Testing Laboratories in Grove to cease operations. Expecting a flood of calls from other businesses affected by the suspension, the Labs department crafted a flow chart and talking points for expected questions which they provided to Call Center employees.
“That was fantastic. They had what we needed before we got the first call. They took care of us,” Yanchick said.
Within the Call Center, three planning groups have formed. One focuses on building the team’s soft skills, one identifies aids that will make their jobs easier and one keeps up with legislation and other changes that may come up in calls.
The groups meet regularly at 8 a.m., during the planning period before the que opens. When something is decided, the group communicates it with the rest of the team. Yanchick’s office walls are covered in large notepad pages filled with notes and the calendar has intermittent team building exercises.
“That’s one of the ways we’re trying to stay ahead of the game,” Yanchick said. “I think that helps with morale, because everyone feels like they have a voice and a say in our own department.”
Yanchick said she’s seen the team become more empowered as they have grown together.
“We’re still evolving,” Yanchick said. “We want to be that top-notch team. As a team we’re really working together to reach our goal."
 Katelyn Metzger, OMMA director of lab compliance, pictured at the American Association for Laboratory Compliance conference in Tucson in mid-April. The annual conference included sessions about the lab accreditation industry, quality and conformity assessments, tool calibration and more.
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