The Oklahoma Pork Council is excited to announce the hiring of Kylee Deniz as the executive director. Deniz previously served as the senior director of consumer marketing at the National Pork Board. She plans to join the okPORK team in early March.
"The Oklahoma pork industry is a significant contributor to the state’s economy and an instrumental player in the global pork sector," Deniz said. "I consider the opportunity to serve Oklahoma’s pork producers a great honor.”
Deniz grew up on an alfalfa farm outside of Hudson, Colorado. She received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in agricultural communications from Oklahoma State University. Deniz also has an associate degree in agribusiness from Black Hawk College.
Prior to working at the National Pork Board, Deniz held positions at Lessing-Flynn Advertising and the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center.
Deniz was named as the 2019 National Agri-Marketing Association Next Gen Marketer and has also been recognized by the American Marketing Association, National Agri-Marketing Association and Public Relations Society of America for her work in advertising, copywriting, social media and magazine development.
“We are looking forward to having Kylee join okPORK as the new executive director,” said Dottie King, okPORK board president. “We strongly believe Kylee will bring new energy along with a wealth of knowledge and ideas to our organization.”
Additionally, Nikki Snider will take on a new title of associate director. She has been with the okPORK team for 17 years serving in various roles, but most recently as the interim executive director and director of marketing and communications since 2016. Snider said she is grateful for the opportunity to step into the role of associate director at okPORK.
“I’m excited to work with Kylee and move okPORK forward as we serve all of Oklahoma’s pig farmers,” she said.
Snider grew up near Hydro, Oklahoma, where her family farmed wheat, peanuts, cotton and raised cattle. They also had a 600-sow operation under contract with Farmland. She earned two bachelor’s degrees in agricultural communications and agribusiness from Oklahoma State University.
King said Nikki has been a huge part of our industry for many years and has done a fantastic job handling any task or challenge thrown her way.
“We believe the duo team of Nikki and Kylee will be phenomenal for okPORK,” she said.
