Photo By Stacey Reese | Oologah Lake Natural Resource Specialist Randi Clifton was recognized as Tulsa...... read more read more
– For some people, choosing a career path can be daunting. For Tulsa District Natural Resource Specialist Randi Clifton, her career choice was evident from an early age.
Clifton’s mother, Glenda Hutchison, a Natural Resource Specialist at Oologah Lake, inspired her career choice. They share another thing: Clifton was recently recognized as Tulsa District’s Ranger of the Year, an honor Hutchison won in 1991.
“My mom being a ranger played a huge role in my career decision,” said Clifton. “I recently found a poster board from third grade about what I wanted to be when I grew up, and it said park ranger.”
Clifton joined Tulsa District in 2017, becoming a full-time member of the Oologah Lake staff after a brief stint as a summer ranger at Lake Texoma.
She grew up just around the corner from Oologah Lake, where she spent much of her childhood watching her mother work and learning all about USACE. She has many memories of the lake and the Oologah Lake personnel who also played a large part in her childhood.
“I loved having my mom and her coworkers visit my school,” said Clifton. “They would bring bats, snakes and other things to teach us about wildlife.”
Clifton is proud of her mother’s legacy and proud to carry a bit of her mom with her every day by wearing the badge her mother wore when she worked at the lake.
Oologah Lake Manager George Mayfield nominated her for Ranger of the Year.
“Her initiatives have significantly enhanced water safety,” said Mayfield, “including purchasing life rings for courtesy docks after a tragic drowning incident. She has also developed a ‘12 Days of Water Safety’ theme, which featured illuminated displays with water safety messages, to educate visitors and promote safety awareness.”
For Clifton, visitor safety goes beyond water safety. She wants people to understand that when lake staff speak to them about park rules, it is because they care. Ensuring safety across all areas of the lake is a priority for her.
While many people think her job is just recreation, Clifton emphasizes she has many other responsibilities. When not in the parks, her focus shifts to flood control, maintenance or environmental stewardship – all essential components of the USACE mission.
“Randi holds herself to the highest standards of public service,” said Tulsa District Northern Are Deputy Operations Project Manager Eric Bonnell. “She has a great work ethic and truly cares about her work, which impacts surrounding communities and visitors.”
“Randi plays a vital role at Oologah Lake in providing enjoyable recreation for the public, mission readiness for flood fighting, public safety, and the protection/management of natural resources for all to enjoy,” said Bonnell.
| Date Taken: | 03.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.20.2025 14:58 |
| Story ID: | 493358 |
| Location: | OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Following in Her Mother’s Footsteps: Randi Clifton Named Tulsa District Ranger of the Year, by Stacey Reese, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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