Woman of the Year profile: Angela Z. Monson, Oklahoma State Senate

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Sep 30, 2005 by Journal Record Staff

Oklahoma Sen. Angela Monson wanted to enter politics to improve the quality of services offered by government, and more specifically, to improve access to and the quality of our health care system.

In her 15 years of service as a state lawmaker, Monson is most proud of her authoring and directing of legislation to promote the expansion of health care and insurance for women and children throughout the Oklahoma State Medicaid Program and promoting policy changes related to insurance coverage and health benefits for the mentally challenged community.

Monson, a Douglas High School graduate, earned her bachelor's degree from Oklahoma City University in 1977. She began her career serving as a probation and parole officer with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for a short time before joining the Council for Resocialization of Ex-offenders as project director. From 1980-'81, she was a field operations supervisor for the U.S. Census Bureau. From 1981-'84, she worked as a fiscal analyst with the Oklahoma State Legislature. After leaving the Legislature, she became executive director of the Oklahoma Healthcare Project. Later, Monson would earn her master's in public health administration from the University of Oklahoma.

Her political career started as a state representative in 1990. She was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate in 1993. Her term will expire in November.

A former president of the National Conference on State Legislatures and former chair of the group's health committee, she currently serves on the group's executive committee.

She is a past president of the Oklahoma City branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. She also served as board chair of the Mary Mahoney Community Health Center, Lennie Marie Tolliver Alternative Care Center and Neighborhood Services Organization. In addition, she is active with the Voice of Praise Baptist Church.

Monson's awards include being named Distinguished Legislator of the Year by the American Psychiatric Association. She also has received Legislator of the Year honors from the Oklahoma Public Employees Association, Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers and Oklahoma Academy of Family Physicians. In addition, she is a member of the first class inducted into the Child Advocate Hall of Fame.

As a result of her sister's illness and death in 1997, Monson took on the responsibility of raising her niece and nephew - a task she considers her most significant personal accomplishment.

The advice Monson offers women wanting to enter the work force or political arena is to recognize first of all, that there is a power greater than oneself and to recognize that the values of caring, honesty and sincerity are among the most significant characteristics a person can possess. And finally, to always extend a helping hand to those around you.

Birthplace: Oklahoma City, Okla.

Children: Donovan, 18; Danielle, 10

First job: Self-employed musician, playing in a small combo for the OU Medical School graduation party for internal medicine students.

Dream job: Ambassador or consort general to a beautiful, peaceful, tropical island, where the mission would be simply to spread the goodwill of the United States.

Pets: None

Hobbies: Reading and listening to music

Favorite type of food: Seafood

Favorite type of music: Contemporary jazz

Favorite vacation spot: Ocho Rios, Jamaica