After 35 years of dedicated service, countless home visits and a career spent advancing the health and safety of families across Tulsa County, Children First Manager, Cathy Sullivan, is retiring this month. Her impact on public health and on generations of Tulsa families will endure for decades to come.
Cathy began her nursing journey in 1988 after completing her education at St. Francis School of Nursing in Chicago. She spent her early career at Children’s Memorial Hospital, caring for some of the most critically ill young patients. By 1990, she returned home to Oklahoma and joined the Pediatric ICU at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa. Those years at the bedside would profoundly shape her career path.
“I saw so many traumatic injuries of infants and children as an intensive care nurse, that it made me realize I really wanted to work on the side of prevention,” she recalled. “It made me realize I wanted to work in prevention.”
Motivated to make a system-level impact, Cathy applied for a Home Visiting Nurse position with the Tulsa Health Department in September 1990. She began on October 1, marking the start of an extraordinary public health career.
“I have never regretted my decision,” she added. “Public health has been incredibly rewarding, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed making a difference in our community.”
In her early role, Cathy made home visits to pregnant and postpartum mothers across northwest Tulsa in an area she says she “thoroughly enjoyed.” She partnered closely with Babyline, hospital social workers, OSU medical clinics and colleagues like Kathy Kleine Crabtree through the ADDAPT Project. Her work put her at the center of family health, support and early intervention.
Cathy’s career shifted in pivotal ways in the mid-1990s. As Oklahoma grappled with rising child abuse deaths, a diverse coalition of leaders, alongside former Tulsa Mayor Robert LaFortune, began exploring evidence-based strategies to protect children. Their efforts brought Dr. David Olds, founder of the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) model, to Oklahoma in 1996. His presentation to state legislators helped catalyze what would become a turning point moment in maternal and child health in the state. Within a year, Children First, also known as Oklahoma’s Nurse-Family Partnership, was launched, with THD selected as one of four original pilot sites to start this prevention model with mothers expecting their first child…hence the name “Children First.” The program expanded statewide after only six months.
“Oklahoma was the first state in the nation to implement this model statewide,” Cathy said proudly. “And now, 28 years later, our Tulsa nurses are visiting a second generation of clients.”
As Children First Manager, Cathy helped shape the program’s growth, guided new nurses and ensured the model’s high standards were upheld. She speaks passionately about the dedication of the nurses she has worked alongside.
“They literally change the trajectory of families’ futures because of the 2½-year therapeutic relationship they build with clients,” she said. “Delivering this model with fidelity makes all the difference.”
When asked about her greatest accomplishment, Cathy doesn’t hesitate by saying “helping build and sustain Children First and witnessing firsthand the healthier, stronger families it has supported.”
Her leadership has influenced thousands of lives, strengthened community partnerships and cemented Children First as a cornerstone of early childhood prevention in Oklahoma.
Retirement won’t slow Cathy down. With eight younger siblings and many nieces and nephews across the country, she’s eager to travel and spend time with family. She also plans to continue serving the community in meaningful ways.
“I’ll be continuing my work as a forensic nurse,” she said. “I’m also excited to join THD’s Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps.”
As she steps into this next chapter, Cathy leaves behind a legacy defined by compassion, innovation and unwavering commitment to the belief that healthy children build healthy communities. Thank you, Cathy, for 35 years of remarkable service. Your work has changed lives and will continue to ripple through generations.