Lawton Town Crier

Born in 1970 to Bill and Jan Dorman of Rush Springs, Joe is one of four children, including his brother Butch of Rush Springs, Kathy Stowers of Rush Springs and Billie Coast of Geronimo, as well as many cousins in the surrounding area and California.  Bill was a retired building contractor and veteran of the Navy, where his service overlapped with World War II.  Bill passed away in 2008.  Jan, originally from Jacksboro, TX, worked as a special needs teaching assistant around the Rush Springs area, but is now enjoying retirement in Rush Springs.

Joe graduated high school in 1989 as Salutatorian of his class, a National 4-H winner, yearbook photographer and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He then received his Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Political Science from Oklahoma State University, where he was active as Chairman of the OSU Student Senate, Vice-President of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Senior Senator for the Interfraternity Council and Vice-President of the Intercollegiate Knights, the OSU branch of the National Sophomore Honor Society. He also has completed course work at the University of Central Oklahoma, continuing his education towards a Master’s Degree while working at the State Capitol.

Joe began his career as an employee of the Oklahoma House of Representatives as a mail clerk and runner in 1994. Joe advanced up the ladder quickly on the House Staff, becoming the Assistant to the Research Director, then the Assistant to the Executive Director of Staff, George Moser. George provided Joe with many opportunities to learn the Legislative Process, and Joe in turn was able to turn these lessons back into an educational component for the high school pages that rotate each week through the Capitol. The Pageville program was co-founded by Joe and continues as one of the most popular aspects of the Page Program for high school students.

Joe then moved on to Washington, D.C. in 1999 where he became the Research Director for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a campaign committee affiliated with the National Democratic Party. Joe was able to travel the nation analyzing bills passed by various State Legislatures ranging from South Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Missouri. Joe was transferred back to Oklahoma for the 2000 election cycle and left the DLCC after November to return to employment with the Oklahoma State House once again.

Joe most recently served as the Special Projects Coordinator for the House of Representatives Staff. In this position, he served as the lead staff member for the Legislator Back to School Week Program, International Student Awareness Day, the Pageville Mock Legislature and provided a daily bill summary for the Representatives regarding their legislation.  Joe resigned from the House of Representatives in 2002 to seek the State Representative position in House District 65 following the retirement of long-term State Representative Jim Glover.

Joe is involved with several organizations including the Rush Springs’ Lions Club, the Bricktown Rotary, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation, the National Rifle Association, American Farmers and Ranchers, Farm Bureau, the American Institute of Parliamentarians, the Capitol City Society, the Central Oklahoma Parrothead Association, the OSU Alumni Association and the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, a non-partisan collegiate organization designed to teach students the State Legislative Process. While in college, Joe was the only person in the history of this organization founded by George Nigh to serve as Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Joe also dedicates his free time to volunteering for 4-H and the Future Business Leaders of America as a Legislative Process instructor, emphasizing lessons in Robert’s Rules of Order.

Besides his legislative duties, Joe works as an independent researcher and consultant for various organizations in the governmental and political fields, , where he analyzes legislation and voting records for candidates around the country.  This has been limited due to increased workload requirements from his legislative duties and constituent work.

Joe is a member of the Rules Committee, the Appropriations and Budget Committee, the Administrative Rule Review Committee and the Common Education Committee.  Joe also serves as the House vice-chair for the Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, an affiliate of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus.

Joe enjoys golfing, hunting, attending college athletic events, especially college basketball games and spending time with friends.