Samantha Polen

Samantha Polen, Executive Director of T-Town TNR, Inc., is originally from NW Arkansas and holds a dual degree from William Woods and Westminster Colleges in Missouri.  She and her husband and son have lived for more than 28 years in Tulsa.   Her diverse professional background includes securities sales, corporate trust, bank operations, and human resources consulting.

In 1998, Samantha began her journey in animal welfare as a volunteer, eventually co-founding T-Town TNR to tackle Tulsa's feline population crisis. To date, they've processed over 11,000 cats since 2015. Their approach emphasizes Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR), educating the public on spaying/neutering, and fostering healthier cat communities. Samantha also co-founded Healthy Animals, Healthy Tulsa, aiming to integrate human and animal welfare efforts.

She actively participates in Common Bonds, an Oklahoma coalition striving to end needless shelter deaths. Samantha leads community education efforts and meets with and supports neighboring municipal leaders seeking information and guidance on ordinance issues concerning community cat programming. 

She and her team deliver an in-person, quarterly program to the students of the Veterinary Assistant Program at Community Care College in Tulsa.  The program focuses on TNVR, including the medical elements and benefits.

In February 2024, Samantha's team hosted Greater Good Charities, sterilizing 1,025 community cats in just 4 days. The event brought together 13 Oklahoma municipal shelters and animal welfare organizations and more than 200 volunteers and local businesses.

Samantha's passion for animal welfare drives her collaboration with shelters and organizations to enhance both human and animal lives in her community.

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T-Town TNR’s mission is to help make Tulsa a healthier place by working with local neighborhoods, businesses, and other animal welfare organizations to humanely manage Tulsa's unowned cat population, with a focus on spay/neuter.