Edmond Champions of Character

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Edmond business owner, Kirsten Land received the Character Council of Edmond’s Champion of Character Award for her character trait of enthusiasm on June 5, 2026. Wayne Pettigrew nominated her for the honor. The two serve the Edmond community through their association with AMBUCS. The award was presented during the organization’s regular meeting at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Kirsten’s sons, Daniel and Evan Land were in attendance along with Kirsten’s team members, Michelle Maker and Paula Buford. The Character Council of Edmond’s President, Diane Krakowski, VP Shermie Potts and board member, Gloria Baumann participated in presenting the certificate.

Wayne said, “Kirsten is the enthusiastic current president of Edmond AMBUCS. She brings this trait to each meeting and to the group’s charitable giving areas of helping children and adults with disabilities. She has chaired fundraisers and never misses a meeting where she is always thinking of new ideas to more effectively help others. She is always the first to arrive and the last to leave. She arrives well prepared and with supportive information on the issues to be addressed.”

Kirsten’s enthusiasm was recognized by herself and others from a young age. When Kirsten was a child, she often heard her mother say, “It didn’t matter where we were going to go or what we were doing, you were just excited to go do it.” 

Kirsten said, “I just think it is a part of my personality that I get excited.”

Kirsten moved to Edmond from Stillwater in 1994 to earn her teaching degree at the University of Central Oklahoma. After graduation she taught special education classes at Hoover Middle School in the Oklahoma City Public Schools for five years. During the last seven years of her teaching career, she enjoyed working with the freshmen at Edmond North High School. Simultaneously her husband, Brian, founded the Land Roofing Company.

Kirsten taught at a poor functioning school in the inner city of the OKC school system when the Maps for Kids was introduced. She recalls attending a meeting with the leaders who introduced their plan to improve the schools. Kirsten, one of the youngest teachers there, envisioned the turnaround in the OKC schools that would result in a news exposé in the future revealing the amazing turnaround. 

The older teachers were more experienced and not as idealistic. They tried to discourage her optimism. Kirsten said, “I thought that was so sad and so negative. Unfortunately, they were 100% correct. I would do it again and be involved in it because I get excited about teamwork and working together and trying to do things that are impossible.”

Kirsten retired from her teaching career in 2008, when she and Brian decided to adopt their eldest son, Daniel. She was excited about her role as a stay-at-home mom. When Brian needed her help with the company, Daniel went to Mother’s Day Out. and she was able to balance spending time with their son and helping Brian. The couple eventually adopted their second son, Evan. Both boys were born in China.

In November 2018, doctors diagnosed Brian with an unknown congenital heart defect. He had two open-heart surgeries before Thanksgiving that year. He was still recovering when Kirsten’s mother was taken to the hospital in Texas and wasn’t expected to live. While they were with her, they received word that Brian’s mother was in the hospital back in Oklahoma. 

Kirsten said, “I was feeling a very negative attitude. I went to church and my priest said this very profound thing, ‘You need to pray for the strength to equal your challenges; not challenges to equal your strength.’ That really spoke to me. I thought, I can't let my attitude get bad.”

Kirsten focused on the verses, “Give thanks in all circumstances” from 1 Thessalonians 5:12 and Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Kirsten’s mother-in-law lived, but her mother passed away and a month later Brian had a health crisis that he did not survive.

Kirsten stepped up to lead the company and raise their sons after Brian's death by making as few changes as possible. Land Roofing suited Brian well; Kirsten wasn’t sure about her ability to fulfill her new position. God sustained her and the boys during that difficult time in their lives.

Her friends and co-workers recognized that Kirsten thrives off connecting with others. They knew she needed to be around people as she grieved. So, they surrounded her. She also received comfort and encouragement from her family and friends. 

Kirsten said, “It’s the same thing with AMBUCS. The reason I got so excited to be a part of that group is because I saw all they were doing to help people with mobility issues. The children specifically.”

Kirsten explained that sometimes children with mobility limitations cannot ride bicycles. So, when her AMBUCS group provides an Amtryke to one of the kids it’s exciting. Kirsten said, “They’ve watched their siblings ride bikes, now they get to join in. Then you see the joy on the kid’s faces. So, I love working with the other members of my AMBUCS’ group towards goals like whether we’re doing fundraising to make more money or building a ramp together, or we’re providing an Amtryke to one of the kids. 

The passion for her enthusiasm gains energy from being around people. Kirsten calls herself a “people’s person.” She enjoys teamwork, solving problems and the creativity that comes from working with others.

Wayne said, “Kirsten approaches each day with an attitude of ‘who can I help today?’ Whether it is helping people in her business of reconstructing their homes after a loss or helping disabled children through her work with AMBUCS, each day is a gift to others.”

On behalf of the City of Edmond and the Character Council of Edmond, Kirsten Land was honored as a Champion of Character for exemplifying the character trait of enthusiasm, defined by Character First as “Expressing interest and excitement in what I do.”  

The Character Council of Edmond, a grassroots nonprofit organization, is committed to creating a citywide initiative to build Edmond into a “community of character." To learn more about the Character Council or to nominate a citizen as a Champion of Character, for someone who exemplifies the current month’s featured character trait, go to www.edmondcharacter.org or write: Champions of Character, PO Box 392, Edmond OK 73083-0392

Pictured: Kirsten Land 

Please complete the form located on our website to recognize an EDMOND citizen for a specific character trait. Forms may be submitted from the website or mailed to the 

Character Council of Edmond 

Champions of Character

PO Box 392 

Edmond, OK 73083-0392.

or contact: Gloria Baumann  contact@edmondcharacter.org 

Champions of Character Honorees

2014 to Present:

• Melissa Cummens Tolerance May, 2026
• Terry Phillips-Billen & Herb Magley Generosity April, 2026
• Malena Putnam Discipline March, 2026
• Lauren Vargas Gratefulness February, 2026
• Steve Wilson Initiative December, 2025
• Robert Launhardt Forgiveness June, 2025
• Dena Jones Diligence January, 2025
• Tyler Shaw Trustworthiness December, 2024
• Jennifer Thornton Thoroughness October, 2024
• Linda de la Garza Loyalty August, 2024
• Amanda Jenson Positivity February, 2024
• Perry Sneed Dependability November, 2023
• Irene Liang   Punctuality October, 2023
• Jeff Morefield Courage July, 2023
• Shaun Pryor Flexibility June 2023
• Diana Pate Generosity April, 2023
• Jim Hulsey Enthusiasm March, 2023
• Carol Anderson Orderliness September, 2022
• Susan Isaacs Patience June, 2022
• Stephanie Carel Creativity April, 2022
• Salvador Garcia Trustworthiness March, 2022
• Beth Conner Diligence March, 2022
• Darrell Davis Respect January, 2022
• Judy Pike Thoroughness December, 2021
• Gary Wallace Loyalty September, 2021
• Sondra Reid Availability August, 2021
• Becky Crow Honesty March 2021
• Justin Rowley Positivity February, 2021
• Laura Liles Resilience December, 2020
• Pete Reeser  Courage December, 2020
• Amy Stephens Dependability  December, 2020
• Michelle Schaefer Discipline June, 2020
• Dick Opalka Generosity February, 2019
• Yara Ford  Attentiveness  March, 2019
• Chrislyn Sperry  Respect   January, 2019
• Kathryn Olds Persuasiveness  November, 2018
• Jill Castilla  Creativity  September, 2018
• Maureen Coury Compassion  January, 2018
• KC Williams Dependability October, 2017
• David Ford  Humility  July, 2017
• Steve Bowlware Enthusiasm, March, 2017
• Laura McGee Truthfulness, April,  2017  
• Richard Killgore  Generosity  February, 2017
• Peggy Geib Gratefulness  January, 2017 
• Dustin & Erikka Ault  Initiative  January, 2017
• Chris Waugh  Initiative  January, 2017 
• Nathan Walters  Orderliness  November, 2016 
• Kris Rush  Diligence  March, 2016 
• Jason Henley Compassion  January, 2016 
• Ray Vaughn Dependability  August, 2015 
• Jean Holt  Sensitivity  April, 2015 
• Brian Maughan  Availability  April, 2015 
• Chris Shorow  Joyfulness  October, 2014 
• Virginia Peters  Endurance  September, 2014 
• Bea Sprouse  Discretion  August, 2014 
• Krista Law  Creativity  July, 2014 
• Cora Stamps  Initiative  January, 2014