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Around the Capitol / On the Move / Campaign Season
Cole Wilson, former legislative director for Rep. Jarvis Johnson, has accepted a position with the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at UT.
Sarah Hicks, formerly the Budget Director for Gov. Greg Abbott has a new title, Policy and Budget Director, taking over the policy area from John Colyandro, who left Abbott’s office to start a new public relations firm with Julie Frank, Colyandro + Frank Public Affairs.
Michael Orona, former House staffer, is now the Regional Organizing Director for Warren for President.
Gov. Greg Abbott was recently name Chairman of the Republican Governors’ Association for 2020.
Andrea Stingley, former COS to Rep. John Smithee, has returned to Smithee’s office after a stint with the lobby firm, Blackridge.
Jason Steele, former Senate and HHSC staffer is now an Assistant County Attorney/ Criminal Prosecution in Williamson County.
Emily Ramshaw, Editor in Chief at the Texas Tribune, has left that position to team with Amanda Zamora to build a new national nonprofit news organization aimed at giving women the facts, tools and information they need to be equal participants in democracy and civic life.
Gov. Greg Abbott has set January 28 for run-off elections for House seats vacated by former Reps. John Zerwas, Eric Johnson and Jessica Farrar.
Molly Spratt has been named Sen. Joan Huffman’s new COS. She will be replacing Wroe Jackson who is now at the Texas Association of Manufacturers.
Lobby/Association News
MALDEF’s David Hinojosa is joining The Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights to head their Educational Opportunities Project.
Ryan Poppe, formerly of Texas Public Radio, has taken a communications job with the Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists. (h/t The Quorum Report)
Chas Semple, formerly Assistant Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations for the Texas Tech System, is trading red for maroon. He is now with the Texas A&M System and will continue working in government relations.
Ann Bishop has been chosen as the new Executive Director of the Texas Public Employees Association. She replaces Gary Anderson. She has served in a number of positions in state government and was the ED of the Employees Retirement System.
Matthew Hall, former legislative director for Rep. Ana Hernandez, has joined Raise Your Hand Texas as regional advocacy director in Fort Worth.
Bridget Headrick, formerly Chief of Staff at Pedernales Electric Cooperative, has a new position at PEC, Vice President of Compliance and Regulatory.
Ricardo Martinez has been named the new CEO of Equality Texas. He previously was with Stand with Children for over five years in Phoenix, AZ.
Adriana Kohler has been promoted from Senior Health Policy Analyst to Policy Director for Texans Care for Children.
Mike Garcia has left the Texas Public Policy Foundation to serve as the Texas Freedom Caucus’s new Executive Director.
Deece Eckstein, longtime presence around the Capitol and most recently the Intergovernmental Relations Director for Travis County, has retired.
Oscar Garza, most recently with Speaker Dennis Bonnen’s PAC as the political director, has taken a new position as State Government Affairs Manager at AEP Texas.
Kyle Piccolo, Director of Government Affairs for the ARC of Texas. is leaving the organization and moving back to Colorado.
Martha Landwehr is now the Senior Manager for Government Affairs – Texas and Western Region at the BASF Corporation. Previously, Landwehr was General Counsel at the Texas Chemical Council. (h/t The Quorum Report)
Donna Warndof is the new Head of Public Affairs, Americas, for NESTE US, Inc. Previously, she was the Director of Legislative Relations for Harris County. (h/t The Quorum Report)
Tony Privett, well-known Lubbock lobbyist, retired at the end of 2019. (h/t The Quorum Report)
The Texas Association of Realtors has named Tray Bates VP of Governmental Affairs. He succeeds Mark Lehman who retired at the end of 2019.
Darren Whitehurst, longtime Vice President for Advocacy for the Texas Medical Association, is the new President of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association.
Katie Carmichael has started a position with Kerry Cammack at Cammack & Strong. She was previously the Vice President at Crosswind Media & PR . (h/t The Quorum Report)
Haley Cornyn has left the Office of the Attorney General – Child Support Division to work with Greenberg Traurig.
James Aldrete is now board president for the Center for Public Policy Priorities.
Texas Charter Schools Association has several new hires: Autumn A. Arnett, VP of Communications, Elizabeth Gunter, Development Project Manager, Brian Whitley, VP of Policy & Advocacy and Lindsay Upson, Communication Project Manager (h/t Quorum Report)
Lee Ann Alexander has started her new position as Vice President of Government Affairs at The Surety & Fidelity Association of America.
Former Secretary of State and special advisor to Governor Greg Abbott, David Whitley, has launched his own public affairs consulting firm, Gregory Strategies.
Emily Knaub has left Rep. Ed Thompson’s office where she was his legislative director and has taken a Lobby Associate position with Blakemore Public Affairs.
Madison Yandell has left the Gov. Greg Abbott’s education policy team and taken a public affairs position at Ross Communications. (h/t The Quorum Report)
Chief of Staff Lee Loya has left Rep. Oscar Longoria’s office to launch his own GR/consulting firm, The L Firm, LLC.
Wynn Baker has left Sen. Brian Birdwell’s office to be the Advocacy and PAC Coordinator at the Texas Bankers Association.
Stephen Palmer, former Senate and Gov. Rick Perry staffer, has joined Leavitt Partners, and will be based in Austin. (h/t The Quorum Report)
Shanna Igo. longtime lobbyist for the Texas Municipal League, has left the organization and will pursue opportunities in the private sector.
Jo Cassandra Cuevas has left AT&T and will pursue opportunities in the private sector.
State Agency/Commission News
Michelle Alletto has been named the Texas Health and Human Services Chief Program and Services Officer, effective Jan. 20.
Rich Parsons has left his position as Director of External Affairs for the Texas Railroad Commission to become the Director of Communications for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Adriana Cruz as the executive director of the Economic Development and Tourism division within the office of the governor. (h/t The Blast)
Alejandro Garcia, who previously worked as press secretary for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has left that position and is working now at the Attorney General’s office as a Sr. Communications Strategist.
Legislative Budget Board Assistant Director Sarah Keyton has left the LBB and joined the Texas Tech University System Office.
Former Sen. Tommy Williams, who most recently served as Senior Advisor to Gov. Greg Abbott, is retiring from that position.
Stephanie Muth, the state’s Medicaid Director, has announced she will be retiring from that position as of May of this year.
Cindy Fortress, who has worked on Medicaid issues at HHSC for almost a decade has left HHSC to join RAH Consulting.
Kelly McCaffrey has left DSHS where she was a prevention coordinator to become the ED at Lifesteps Council.
Shout Outs
Congratulations to Drew DeBerry and Kara Crawford on their recent nuptials!
Congratulations to Frank Santos and Laura Juneau on their recent marriage.
Congrats to Julie Zimmerman and Joe Morris on their recent marriage!
Congrats to Caroline Dickerson on her recent engagement to Nathan Kunkel.
Congrats to former Sen. Wendy Davis on her recent marriage!
Congratulations to Yvonne Barton and family on the birth of her new grandson, Ronin Harrison Barton!
Congratulations to Todd Kercheval and Carly Pilar on their recent nuptials!
Congratulations to Emily Ainsworth Howell and family on the birth of her fourth son, Benjamin Howell!
Congrats to Mary Elen Williams and Jared White on their recent wedding.
Congratulations to Curtis Smith and Vanessa Fuentes on their recent wedding.
Happy Birthday!
Jan 6 – Jeff Bonham, Ashley Juergens, Rep. Armando Walle, Nora Del Bosque, Pamela Mayo Clark
Jan 8 – Andrea Galliano Sparks
Jan 10 – Deborah Ingersoll, Fmr. Sen. Kyle Janek, David Eichler
Jan 11 – Tony Bennett, Amber Hausenfluck
Jan 13 – Rep. Travis Clardy
Jan 15 – Doug Clements
Jan 17 – Scott Kibbe
Jan 19 – Tyler Rudd
Jan 20 – Jill Warren
Jan 21 – Kyle Ward
Jan 22 – Fmr. Rep. Diana Maldonado
Jan 23 – Fmr. Rep. Mike Millsap, Araminta Sellers, Bill Peacock
Jan 25 – Harvey Kronberg
Jan 26 – Mark Moreno
Jan 28 – Brittany Eck
Jan 29 – Rene Lara, Michael Stewart, Fmr. Rep. Larry Gonzales
Jan 30 – Michelle Sneed, ML Calcote
In Our Thoughts
Condolences to former colleagues, friends and family of former Rep. Tuffy Hamilton on his recent passing. Hamilton served in the Texas House from the Orange area from 2003 to 2013.
Condolences to former colleagues, friends and family of former Rep. Ray Allen who passed away in November. Allen served in the Texas House from 1993 to 2006.
Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Al Erwin after his recent passing. Erwin was one fo the first appointees to the Public Utility Commission.
Former Rep. Hilary Doran, who represented the Del Rio area from 1967 to 1975, passed away recently. He also served as COS to former Gov. Bill Clements.
Our condolences to Steven Polunsky and his family on the passing of his daughter Emma Polunksy.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Sally Ratliff, wife of former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff and mother of former Rep. Bennett Ratliff and former SBOE member Thomas Ratliff, who passed away in December.
Our deepest condolences to Rep. Richard Raymond, wife Michelle, and family on the passing of their son, Aren.
Condolences to the family and friends of longtime lobbyist Kraege Polan, who passed away recently.
Condolences to Rep. Sarah Davis and her family on the recent passing of her mother.
Condolences to James LeBas and his family on the recent passing of his mother, Wylla LeBas.
Condolences to the family and friends of former Rep. Roberto Gutierrez on his recent passing. Gutierrez represented the McAllen area in the House from 1991 to 2005.
Condolences to the family and friends of Dorothy Browne, who served as COS to former Rep. Elliot Naishtat, on her recent passing.
Jim Lynaugh, who worked for the Comptroller’s office and served as the CFO for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for many years, passed away in November. Our condolences to his family and friends.
Get to Know Your Colleagues
Joshua Garrett
Legislative Director, Chairman Morgan Meyer
Where are you from? Born at St David’s hospital in Austin and have lived in Manor, Texas and the Austin area my whole life.
How long have you been around the Capitol? I work for Chairman Morgan Meyer. I have worked for him in the 85th and 86th legislative sessions and currently serve as his Legislative Director.
Little known facts? A fun fact about me, I invited President Bush to my high school graduation. He didn’t attend, but sent a very thoughtful congratulations letter.
Contact us at txpoliticstoday@gmail.com or text us at 512-431-5385 to let us know of other moves, birthdays, lobby sign ups, birth announcements, events, and happenings that you and your Capitol colleagues would like to read about.
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