Corrie O’Banion

Corrie O’Banion is an enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation with Seneca–Cayuga heritage who was born on the Cherokee Reservation in Kenwood, Oklahoma and raised in rural communities across eastern Oklahoma. She now lives in Pawhuska on the Osage Reservation in Osage County, the largest and most rural county in the state. Growing up in communities where Tribal programs, public systems, and extended family networks were often the primary supports available to children shaped her lifelong commitment to strengthening the systems that support Native families.

Corrie began her career working in family advocacy within Tribal community programs, supporting families navigating domestic violence, the legal system, housing instability, and other intersecting challenges. Through this work, she gained firsthand experience navigating the complex systems that shape access to safety and opportunity for children and families. Coordinating across Tribal, county, state, and federal partners deepened her understanding of how funding structures and public systems influence the resources available to communities.

As programs identified the need for stronger funding and reporting capacity, Corrie began supporting grant narratives, reporting, and program development. This work grew into national training and technical assistance supporting Tribal programs as they implemented federal grants, strengthened internal systems, and aligned funding streams with community priorities. Her work has included supporting environmental justice initiatives, assisting programs in navigating federal funding requirements, and developing tools and guidance that help communities translate complex public financing systems into practical strategies for decision-makers. 

Corrie is particularly interested in helping communities understand how funding structures shape outcomes for children and youth. She has contributed community insight and policy recommendations related to the Not Invisible Act and has worked alongside Tribal and local partners to strengthen coordinated responses to community safety and family wellbeing.

Outside of her professional work, Corrie is a parent raising her children in rural Oklahoma, and much of her perspective on youth and family policy is grounded in that daily experience. She believes the strongest systems for children are those built around dignity, stability, and community connection, and that lasting change happens when families, Tribal nations, and local communities have the tools to shape their own futures. She also participates in local mutual aid efforts and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time outdoors.