Chief of Staff David Holt
David Holt was born and raised in Oklahoma City, attending Putnam City Schools from kindergarten through graduation. He has spent 22 years of his life in Northwest Oklahoma City.
By the age of 26, when he became the top aide to the mayor of America's 29th-largest city, Holt had served a U.S. President, a U.S. Speaker, a Lt. Governor, Congressmen, and a U.S. Senator.
Previous to joining the City of Oklahoma City in February of 2006, Holt served as Special Assistant to Lt. Governor Mary Fallin. Previous to that, Holt served as coordinator of Oklahoma's efforts to re-elect President George W. Bush. During that period, Holt also served as an aide to Senator Jim Inhofe (R, OK), responsible for special projects.
Holt served the previous two years (May, 2002 - May, 2004) as a Special Assistant in President Bush's White House Office of Legislative Affairs, advocating to the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the President. During Holt's time in the East Wing of the White House, President Bush successfully worked with Congress to fight the war on terror, lower taxes, create the Department of Homeland Security, and lay the groundwork for passage of the landmark energy bill, among other accomplishments. Previous to that, Holt served as an aide to U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert in the U.S. Capitol.
Holt got his start in public service following his graduation from Putnam City North H.S. A National Merit Scholar, he attended George Washington University, obtaining his B.A. in political science, and serving as sports editor for the college paper. During college, Holt served Congressman J.C. Watts (R, OK), the fourth-ranking Member of the House Republican Leadership at the time, and Congressman Ernest Istook (R, OK).
Holt was a member of the Oklahoma Delegation to the 2004 Republican National Convention, and worked for the 2005 Presidential Inaugural Committee. He has aided authors and filmmakers documenting the Presidency of George W. Bush, and was acknowledged in Ron Kessler's New York Times-bestselling book, Laura Bush: An Intimate Portrait. Holt has been an occasional contributor to The Oklahoman's op-ed page, and was named "40 Under 40" by OKC Business News in 2006.
Holt has served since 2005 as President of the Board of Directors of Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, and has guided that organization through unprecedented growth and a historic move to downtown Oklahoma City.
Holt serves on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma City Downtown Club,the Board of Directors of the Northwest Chamber, the Executive Committee of the Oklahoma County Republican Party, the State Chamber's Congressional Activities Committee, the Oklahoma Municipal League's Legislative Committee, the Arts Commission of Oklahoma City, the UCO U.S. Olympic Committee Community Partner Council, the Lake Atoka Reservation Association, the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, the Oklahoma Territorial Marshals Association, and is a member of Leadership Oklahoma City Class XXVI. He also serves as Mayor Cornett's surrogate trustee on the Zoo Trust, the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority, and the McGee Creek Authority.
A member of the Osage Nation, David was proud to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the first inauguration of the new Osage Nation government in 2006. David and his wife Rachel, an Oklahoma County prosecutor, have been married since 2003.
