Vantage Strategies helps organizations anticipate issues, avoid landmines, and execute with precision informed by firsthand insight into how public systems actually work.
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Vantage Strategies is a boutique advisory firm operating at the intersection of policy, process, and performance. We’ve seen how the machinery of government actually works, where decisions stall, where good intentions get lost, and where outdated processes create risk for both organizations and taxpayers.
That perspective gives us a rare vantage: the ability to anticipate issues before they surface, guide clients through complex systems, and design strategies that hold up under real-world pressure.
We partner with government, industry, and advocacy organizations to create practical, compliant, and credible solutions, always with professionalism, discretion, and a focus on results.
There’s momentum behind an idea, but the route is unclear. Vantage maps the steps, clarifies timing, and identifies the procedural, political, and operational turns that could create obstacles, so ideas move forward with foresight, not surprises.
Understanding how state systems work can unlock advantages, but the pathways are often complex and fragmented. Vantage evaluates the landscape, identifies leverage points, and uncovers opportunities that align with organizational goals.
An issue is escalating, support is shifting, and outside pressure is building. Vantage quietly stabilizes the situation, contains risk, and charts a controlled path forward with minimal disruption and maximum clarity.
Before a critical meeting or issue touchpoint, organizations often risk sending mixed signals, overlooking key implications, or walking in with incomplete information. Vantage prepares the internal brief, context, risks, implications, and strategic framing so communication is disciplined and precise, reducing the chance of misunderstandings or missteps.
Some issues require more than a one-time answer. Vantage serves as a strategy partner clarifying objectives, pressure-testing ideas, and helping organizations make well-timed, well-informed decisions using a clear, structured framework.
When long-term decisions require a deeper understanding of the policy, operational, or political environment, Vantage conducts targeted research, analyzes drivers and trends, and distills insights that help organizations plan with precision not assumptions.
Legal & Operational Strategist | Former OMES Director, State COO & Chief of Staff
Rick has over 15 years of senior leadership experience in Oklahoma government, including serving as Chief of Staff to two House Speakers, TW Shannon and Charles McCall and as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), the state’s central service agency. In addition, Rick has over 20 years of complex litigation experience, successfully trying numerous jury and non-jury trials.
As State COO and OMES Director, Rick oversaw daily operations across executive branch agencies, modernized statewide systems, strengthened cybersecurity, improved procurement and IT processes, and supported more than 30,000 state employees.
Rick is known for his operational clarity, deep institutional knowledge, and measured approach in high-pressure environments. He now provides strategic guidance through Vantage, helping organizations understand and operate effectively within complex public systems.
Policy & Strategy Advisor | Former Deputy Secretary of State & Chief Policy Advisor
Nitasha brings over a decade of senior-level policy and strategy experience at the highest levels of Oklahoma government, having served as Deputy Secretary of State and Policy Director to Governor J. Kevin Stitt, and previously as Chief Policy Advisor to Speaker of the House Charles McCall.
In these roles, she helped lead major reforms, manage complex negotiations, and align executive and legislative priorities on issues ranging from tax and education to energy and government modernization.
Known for her calm, clear-headed approach to high-pressure environments, Nitasha has guided leaders through political transitions, contentious legislative cycles, and institution-level challenges requiring both discretion and durable outcomes.
Before entering public service, Nitasha worked in the private sector in Hawaii, supporting innovation and business development for TerViva, a biofuel company, and conducting market research for the nonprofit Kupu. She holds degrees from the University of Tulsa and Hawaii Pacific University.
Our work is grounded in years of advising top state leaders, navigating complex negotiations, and guiding institutions through pressure, scrutiny, and transition. We bring real, senior-level experience—not theory.
Clients work directly with seasoned advisors who have managed major reforms, legislative priorities, and executive operations. No noise, no layers — just clear, steady guidance from people who’ve been in the room.
We’re known for our steady presence and ability to bring clarity when the path forward isn’t obvious. Clients trust us to manage complexity, align stakeholders, and deliver durable outcomes with quiet precision.
With experience at the highest levels of state government, we bring a calm, disciplined approach to situations where the pressure is high and the path forward isn’t obvious. Our work is shaped by years spent advising senior leaders, managing sensitive negotiations, and guiding institutions through moments of scrutiny and transition.
We begin by grounding every engagement in a clear understanding of the facts, dynamics, and stakeholders involved — turning complexity into strategy, and strategy into steady, effective execution.
Vantage’s work is fully compliant with Oklahoma ethics and post-employment rules. We do not lobby or provide lobbying representation. We will collaborate with lobbyists on behalf of our clients when necessary. We use our expertise and publicly available data to advise our clients. Vantage does not provide legal services; when legal review is needed, we partner with Rick’s separate law firm or the client’s chosen counsel. Our work remains strictly advisory, transparent, and within professional boundaries.