Regional University System of Oklahoma

Carl McKenzie graduated from Claremore High School, class of 2000, as a 3-time state
champion in tennis. He accepted a scholarship to continue his tennis career at
Northeastern State University and graduated with a degree in Mass Communications.
After graduating from NSU he continued his education at Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary, earning his Masters of Divinity.

Currently, Carl has devoted his life to youth across the country and especially in
Oklahoma in a number of ways. He owns a company that develops and distributes
emotional intelligence curriculum in k-12 schools, and has also recently become the
program director for a nonprofit organization called LifeWise Academy in Broken Arrow.
LifeWise gives public school students and families the option to be picked up from
school during school hours to receive Bible education. It is Carl’s goal to reduce the
continually increasing rates of suicide and the poor mental health of Oklahoma youth by
instilling in them HOPE and a strong emotional intelligence.

Carl’s favorite thing to do outside of work is spend time with his family. He and his wife
Balie have 9 and 11 year old boys named JJ and Mason and a 10 year old girl named
Kelsey. They attend Bixby schools and are very involved in a number of sports. The
family attends Evergreen Baptist Church where Carl and Balie teach 3 rd grade Sunday
School and Carl leads a small group of 5 th and 6 th grade boys. When time permits
outside of work, ministry, and family, Carl’s favorite hobby (or obsession if you ask his
wife) is golf.