Heroes of CentralSquare: Belinda McGhie

Behind every 911 call answered, every dispatcher supported, and every staffing crisis solved, there’s someone holding it all together. Someone who chose public service not for the recognition, but because the work matters.

Nominate a Hero was built to find those people. Through nominations from colleagues, peers, and community members, we’ve heard story after story of people showing up, solving problems, and holding the line when it counts. The kind of impact that keeps entire organizations running – even when no one’s watching.

This time, we’re proud to spotlight one of our very first Nominate a Hero honorees: Belinda McGhie. Keep reading to hear her story.

About Belinda

Belinda McGhie is a Director at the City of Tulsa, OK, where she leads Tulsa’s Public Safety Communications organization. When she stepped into the role, the team was facing real challenges: staffing shortages, increased workloads, and the kind of strain that wears down even the most dedicated people. Belinda took that head-on.

She was nominated for her exemplary leadership and resolute commitment to strengthening the organization from the inside out. Colleagues recognize her as a mental health advocate and a champion for her employees’ needs and concerns. She doesn’t just manage operations. She fights for the people behind them.

“She has worked tirelessly advocating for her employees’ wellbeing and their mental peace of mind as well as their team building spirit,” shared the person who nominated her.

And the results speak for themselves. Since Belinda took on her role, there’s been a real shift in culture. “The workplace mentality has improved tremendously from change averse to change enthusiastic.” That kind of transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because someone cares enough to lead differently.

Q&A with Belinda

1. What inspires you to be Hero-Grade?

“Mentorship and service inspire me. As a servant leader and 911 director for the past five years, I strive every day to strengthen our center – for our Telecommunicators and for the community we serve.”

2. What impact are you most proud of in the communities you serve?

“I am proud of the changes my team has made to streamline our Telecommunicator hiring process. By significantly reducing the time it takes for candidates to move through hiring, we’ve gone from more than 30 open positions to being fully staffed. These improvements have directly impacted staffing stability, reduced call answer times, and decreased the need for mandatory overtime.

I am also very proud of our collaboration with Family & Children’s Services. In February of 2025, Tulsa 911 in collaboration with Family & Children’s Services, embedded mental health clinicians in the 911 center. These clinicians offer immediate support for mental health crisis calls. This has had a positive impact on the community as well as reduced the need to send first responders.”

3. How do you stay motivated to be Hero-Grade during difficult situations?

“By staying calm when pressure is high, taking the time to make solid decisions, and understanding the weight and impact of those decisions.”

4. How has teamwork impacted your role?

“I am also proud of the team I’ve built. Our complimentary skillsets make us stronger together, and they are essential to our mission. I could not do this job without their support and expertise.”

5. What advice would you give to others who strive to make a meaningful impact in public service?

“Always advocate for your people to take care of themselves so they can be at their best when helping others.”

6. Looking ahead, how do you hope to continue serving your community?

“In 2026, I hope to bring greater recognition to the telecommunicators who serve Tulsa. Tulsa 911 has the best dispatchers, and I am incredibly proud of them. I want to shine a light on their dedication to public safety and the vital work they do every day to keep our community safe.”

Celebrate the Heroes Around You

Belinda’s story is a reminder of what leadership looks like when it’s grounded in people. Showing up for your team, fighting for their wellbeing, and building a culture where everyone can do their best work. Going from 30 open positions to fully staffed, embedding mental health clinicians in a 911 center, transforming a team’s entire outlook on change: that’s what hero-grade looks like in practice.

Her story also highlights the critical role that 911 leaders play in public safety. Behind every call answered and every dispatcher supported, there’s someone like Belinda making sure the operation holds strong.

Nominate a Hero has given us the chance to hear inspiring stories from people across the CentralSquare community. Do you have a story to share? Nominate a hero today and help us recognize the people who keep your operations moving.