City Manager
Appointed by the City Council, the City Manager is the chief administrative officer of the City.
Oklahoma City has a Council-Manager form of government. The City Manager coordinates and directs City activities, carries out policies set by the City Council and exercises control over all City employees except those appointed by the City Council (City Auditor, Municipal Counselor, Municipal Judges and the Mayor's office staff). The City Manager presents the annual budget to the Mayor and Council and provides professional recommendations to help the City Council develop policy.
The Public Information & Marketing Office and MAPS Project Office are divisions of the City Manager's Department. Other functions include economic development and special projects.
Craig Freeman took office as the City Manager on Jan. 2, 2019. He can be reached at (405) 297-2345 or craig.freeman@okc.gov.
About City Manager Craig Freeman
Craig Freeman was appointed Oklahoma City’s City Manager and took office in 2019.
As City Manager, he serves as the chief executive officer in Oklahoma City’s Council-Manager form of government. He leads day-to-day operations, guiding more than 5,100 employees and managing an annual operating budget of $930 million.
Freeman has dedicated his career to public service with the City of Oklahoma City since 1992. He began in the Budget Office, later serving 10 years as Budget Director and seven years as Finance Director before being appointed City Manager.
During his tenure, Freeman has overseen many of the City’s most significant initiatives, including the COVID-19 response, allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds, the launch of MAPS 4, and implementation of recommendations from the Law Enforcement Policy Task Force, the launch of Key to Home, the construction of a new arena and planning for the 2028 Olympics.
Freeman earned a master’s degree in urban affairs from the University of Central Oklahoma, as well as bachelor’s degrees from Oklahoma Baptist University and UCO.
A lifelong Oklahoma City metro resident, Craig and his wife, Rhonda, have three children—Chris, Nick (married to Haley), and Whitney (married to Stephen)—and five grandsons: Landon, Grayson, Carson, Rayland, and Kaden.
Freeman succeeded James D. Couch as City Manager. See a list of previous City Managers.
Assistant City Managers
Three Assistant City Managers support the City Manager.
- Brent Bryant oversees Finance, Public Works, Utilities, MAPS, Development Services, the Office of Culture & Engagement and venue contract facilitation. He may be reached at (405) 297-2345 or brent.bryant@okc.gov.
- LaShawn Thompson oversees Airports, General Services, Human Resources, City Clerk, Key to Home, Municipal Court, Planning and the OKC Zoo. She may be reached at (405) 297-2345 or lashawn.thompson@okc.gov.
- Jason Ferbrache oversees Police, Fire, Information Technology, Office of Innovation, Parks and Recreation, Public Information, Public Transportation and Parking and the Public Safety Partnership. He may be reached at (405) 297-2345 or jason.ferbrache@okc.gov.