Dr. Krista Ratliff
Dr. Krista Ratliff, a Lawton native, serves as the President & CEO of FISTA Innovation Park, where she leads one of Oklahoma’s most ambitious public–private partnerships designed to drive innovation, economic growth, and STEM opportunities across the region. A results-driven executive, she brings more than 20 years of experience in operations, management, strategic planning, and team development, with a proven track record of transforming organizations through collaboration and innovation.
Before taking the helm at FISTA, Dr. Ratliff served as a Vice President in a $3.8 billion national healthcare system, where she increased productivity by more than 40%, boosted employee engagement by 21%, and led a record-breaking national employee giving campaign. Her leadership style is rooted in bringing people to the table, aligning diverse stakeholders, and driving measurable impact for both organizations and communities.
Dr. Ratliff’s professional and civic leadership spans local, state, and national levels. She has served on or continues to serve with numerous boards and organizations, including the Children’s Miracle Network, MERIT Baltimore Johns Hopkins (as Vice-Chair), Community Foundation of Howard County, YWCA, United Way, Hospice of the Chesapeake, Lawton Public Schools Foundation, Lawton Economic Development, Oklahoma Travel & Recreation, and the City of Lawton Strategic Planning Committee. In 2022, she was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt as a Tourism Commissioner for the State of Oklahoma.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Midwestern State University, a master’s in Human Resources from the University of Oklahoma, and a Doctorate in Business and Finance. Her professional credentials include board certification in Radiology and CAT Scan, medical licensure in multiple states, and certifications in project management, information security, and ethical hacking. She also serves as a Facility Security Officer.
Dr. Ratliff has been recognized with numerous honors, including the National Artillery Order of Molly Pitcher Award, the Jerry Orr Character Counts Award, the “12:10 to the Top” Award, Fort Sill Hall of Fame Frontier Friends Inductee, and Executive of the Year in Oklahoma.
At home, Krista and her husband, John, enjoy traveling and being deeply engaged in the community. Together they coach their three boys in football, soccer, and swimming, continuing their commitment to leadership and service both on and off the field.