Recap of TGA’s 50th Anniversary Global Vision Awards Gala 2026

Oct 16

On October 8, 2026, the ballroom of the DoubleTree Hotel at Warren Place was filled with warmth, elegance, and a shared spirit of global connection as Tulsa Global Alliance hosted its 50th Anniversary Global Vision Awards Gala — a signature celebration of international friendship, cultural exchange, and community impact.

With longtime Tulsan and award-winning meteorologist and multimedia journalist Michael Grogan as emcee, the evening welcomed a full room of supporters, including city and state leaders, international guests, and passionate advocates for global citizenship. We were honored to be joined by Consul of Mexico in Oklahoma City Edurne Pineda, Former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Ross Swimmer, Tulsa Public Schools Board Member John Croisant, City Councilors Lori Decter Wright and Karen Gilbert, Tulsa County Clerk Michael Willis, Former County Commissioner Karen Keith, and Honorary British Consul for Oklahoma and former Mayor Rodger Randle, who had just been inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame on October 5th.

Before guests even entered the ballroom, the atmosphere reflected TGA’s global mission. The reception hall featured a colorful display of our Sister City banners and an elegant assortment of appetizers inspired by Tulsa’s Sister Cities, offering attendees an opportunity to explore an expanded cultural cuisine.

Thanks to a special partnership with Nothing’s Left Beverage Company, attendees were gifted a commemorative, canned, craft soda inspired by Tulsa’s Japanese Sister City of Utsunomiya. This delicious blend of strawberry, yuzu, and shiso delivered flavors of Utsunomiya and Tochigi prefecture to Tulsa. Nothing’s Left co-owner Lacy Richards shared her history as a TGA program participant who traveled to Utsunomiya as a student. Years later, she and her family are still connected with her original host family, and Lacy’s ties to Japan have led to an opportunity for Nothing’s Left to host a Japanese intern who studied fermentation at a Tokyo university.

This year’s Global Vision honorees were shining examples of international impact at both the organizational and individual levels.

Dr. Robert H. Donaldson - Raymond & Nancy Feldman Lifetime Achievement Award: Known for internationalizing the University of Tulsa, helping to establish Tulsa’s Sister City partnership with Zelenograd, Russia, and leading the Tulsa Committee on Foreign Relations for decades, Dr. Donaldson has made a lasting impact on Tulsa’s global community.
Tulsa Fire Department - Outstanding Organization Award: The Tulsa Fire Department has led pioneering professional exchanges with Tulsa’s Sister Cities for nearly 50 years, involving donations of fire trucks and exchanges of personnel and knowledge, building safer communities at home and abroad.

The evening also featured a moving keynote from Carlo Capua, the Immediate Past Chair of Sister Cities International. He shared how his first experience with Sister Cities in 1993 transformed his life and opened doors he once thought impossible.

As Board Chair Michelle Barnett and Executive Director Micah Keyan shared in their remarks, the past year has been a powerful season of celebration and accomplishment for TGA. From welcoming nearly 300 visitors from 55 countries, to being awarded Best Overall Program by Sister Cities International, TGA’s work continues to thrive.

We are deeply grateful to our Board, Development Committee, and to our many sponsors, volunteers, and guests who made the night possible. Your belief in a more globally connected Tulsa powers the important work we do every day.

To our friends in Tulsa and around the world, thank you for celebrating with us and being part of this journey over the past 50 years!