Oklahoma Universal Human Rights Award Honorees
Organizations are underlined.
Dr. Mari Fagin
Biographical Info
In 1972, Dr. Mari Fagin was a single mother working in Chicago as an executive assistant to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, when she made a major life decision to refocus her career to making a difference for others. In 1976, after completing her master’s degree at the University of Oklahoma and her Ph. D. in Psychology at Ohio State University, she joined the faculty of the University of Science & Arts of Ok. where she taught and coordinated the psychology program for many years. In 1982, she received the USAO Regents Award for Superior Teaching. While at USAO, she completed post-doctoral training at the Harvard Medical School, Menninger Foundation and Masters & Johnson Institute.
Later in her career, she joined Red Rock Behavioral Health Center as Director of Outpatient Services, which she built it from 2 clinicians to a 24-clinicaian, multifaceted program. She also was in private practice for many years as a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor and Licensed Marital & Family Therapist. Mari currently is part-time administrator of Arnold D. Fagin, PC and devotes many hours weekly to her work on the Boards of the USAO Foundation, Interfaith Alliance Foundation of Ok. and Temple B’nai Israel.
In 1980, Mari spearheaded the founding of the Women’s Service & Family Resource Center in Chickasha and served as its first board president. Since then, she has been Board President of Carpenter Square Theatre and Chair of the Board for the Ok. Human Rights Commission and the Univ. of Science & Arts Ok. Foundation. She has also been an officer and /or member of many other non-profit boards. In 2016, she chaired the Interfaith Alliance Planning Committee for the largest conference for interfaith clergy on domestic and sexual violence ever held in our nation.
Among her numerous awards for state and community service are the Governor’s Commendation for Service to the State of Ok., the Margaret Sanger Legacy Award from Planned Parenthood of Central Ok. And the Vision Award from the Women’s Service & Family Resource Center.