Meet Patrick Southerland

Patrick Southerland was born and raised in Durant, Oklahoma, where his passion for helping others began at an early age.

In high school, Patrick began pursuing an interest in medicine. He later worked in nursing homes and originally planned to become a surgeon, with the goal of specializing in cleft-palate repair and helping people improve their quality of life.

That path changed after Patrick attended a Renaissance Festival and discovered a love for the performing arts. He shifted his studies from medicine to theatrical arts and psychology, realizing that helping people could take many different forms. Instead of helping through medicine, Patrick found purpose in bringing people together through laughter, storytelling, and performance.

That passion led him to travel across the United States, auditioning and pursuing opportunities in comedy, theatre, and film. Along the way, he met people from different backgrounds, communities, and walks of life. Those experiences broadened his perspective and strengthened his belief in the importance of listening to and understanding others.

Today, Patrick has found another way to serve: public service. His path may not have been a traditional one, but the purpose behind it has remained the same — to help people. From medicine, to the arts, to public service, Patrick's life has been shaped by a desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the community he has always called home.