About
OJ Oleka became chief executive officer of the State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF) in October 2024, replacing the organization’s cofounder Derek Kriefels. From 2016–19, he served as communications director and assistant treasurer of the Commonwealth of Kentucky under then Treasurer Allison Ball, who is now the state auditor. During that time, he earned the SFOF State Staffer of the Year Award in 2018.
In 2021, Oleka was appointed to the SFOF board of directors. The following year he stepped down from his role as president of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU) to run for state treasurer. He lost to Mark Metcalf in the 2023 Republican primary despite an endorsement from Ball, the outgoing treasurer.
Oleka serves on the board of directors for EdChoice Kentucky and the Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Louisville, as well as an MBA and a PhD from Bellarmine University, also in Louisville.
Actions
- Appeared on Jerry Bower’s Meeting of the Minds podcast to discuss “The Next Steps in the Red State Battle Against ESG & DEI” (10/25/24)
- Participated in the panel “ESG Investing: Unearthing the Evidence, Challenging the Narrative” moderated by Troy University Professor Allen Mendenhall and featuring Alabama State Auditor Andrew Sorrell and Florida Atlantic University Professor Siri Terjesen (10/10/24)
- Moderated the Economic Summit at SFOF’s 2023 national meeting that featured Ark Invest CEO Catherine Wood, Arthur Laffer, Stephen Moore, Andy Puzder, and Brian Wesbury (8/30/23)