The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) has recognized one of McIntosh and Pittsburg County’s most steadfast champions for vulnerable youth. Greg Contreras, a 42-year veteran of the Youth Emergency Shelter, has been named the recipient of this year’s Pat Potts Visionary Award, honoring his decades of leadership, advocacy and tireless commitment to creating safe, supportive spaces for young people in crisis.
For more than four decades, Contreras has been a constant source of stability and compassion for youth navigating some of the hardest moments of their lives. His career with the Youth Emergency Shelter has not only shaped the direction of the organization, but has also influenced the broader network of child- and family- serving nonprofits across eastern Oklahoma.
“Greg is a visionary because he can see the possibilities,” Under One Roof Executive Director Kim Woodruff said.
Woodruff and Contreras have served together on boards for decades.
Contreras has served on the steering committee that established the McIntosh County Youth and Family Resource Center, widely known as Under One Roof, a multitenant nonprofit center designed to consolidate crucial services for families. He has served as the organization’s treasurer for more than 20 years, helping it grow, stabilize and meet the rising community needs.
While he has served on countless boards, committees and coalitions statewide, Contreras says his proudest work has been close to home, where collaboration and vision brought major community resources into existence.
He played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of the Pittsburg County Child Advocacy Center, now known as Ryan’s House, serving on the steering committee responsible for its creation. His belief that every child deserves a safe, trauma-informed place to tell their story helped bring the center from concept to reality.
Beyond these key projects, Contreras has been an influential voice within the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services, contributing to statewide discussions about child welfare, emergency services, and the resources needed to keep young people safe.
Those who know him describe his leadership style as humble and steady—visionary without fanfare, committed without need for credit.
His decades of service, carried out with unwavering heart, have earned him deep respect across the nonprofit and childservices sectors.
The Pat Potts Visionary Award recognizes individuals whose work reflects long-term commitment, bold ideas and meaningful community impact. OKCNP’s mission—empowering nonprofits to achieve excellence in their missions— is embodied in Contreras’s life’s work. Through training, consulting, advocacy and programs like the nationally recognized Standards for Excellence clinic series, OKCNP continues to strengthen leaders like Contreras who uplift Oklahoma communities every day.
For Contreras, the award is a testament to teamwork—across agencies, across counties, and across generations of youth whose lives were touched by his service.
Contreras is an advocate for volunteerism and making a difference in lives and for positive change.
“Once you start, that’s how you learn. So, get in there and get involved. You’ll make a difference that way, “ Contreras.
“Look it as a longterm thing. What you are doing is you are planting those seeds and you’ll see them later. Get in there and just do it.”
The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits invites community members and nonprofit partners to learn more about programs that support leaders. For information on training, consulting or membership, call 1-800338-1798.
