2016 Speakers

Adler has served as the mayor of Austin since 2015. He is co-founder of the Barron, Graham and Adler law firm and previously sat on the board of the Austin Ballet and The Texas Tribune. Adler spent eight years working in the Texas Legislature as the chief of staff and general counsel to state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso.

Alcala was appointed to the Court of Criminal Appeals in 2011. Previously, she served nine years as a justice on the state’s First Court of Appeals, presiding over criminal and civil cases. Before becoming a judge, Alcala spent nine years working as an assistant district attorney, serving under Harris County District Attorney Johnny Holmes.

Anchia, D-Dallas, was first elected to represent House District 103 in 2004. He serves as chairman of the House International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and a member of the Energy Resources Committee. Anchia is also a managing partner of Civitas Capital, a private equity firm, and is of counsel for the Haynes and Boone law firm.

Austin is a leader at Oncor Electric Delivery, a regulated electric transmission and distribution service provider that serves 10 million customers across Texas. He has more than 30 years experience in the energy, finance and software industries, at Informix, Enserch, Deloitte & Touche and Texas Utilities.

Bahorich was appointed chairwoman of the State Board of Education by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015. She was first elected to the board as the District 6 representative in 2012. Bahorich serves on the board’s Committee on School Initiatives and has also served as a member of the board’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Long-Range Plan for Public Education.

Bañales has served as chief of the Texas State University Police Department since May 2016. Previously, he held several positions at the the San Antonio Police Department, most recently serving as assistant chief of police. During his time with SAPD, Bañales was awarded the Aguila Statue Award, the highest national recognition from the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association.

Baron joined the Post as executive editor in 2013. Under his leadership, the Post has won three Pulitzer prizes. Previously, Baron worked as an editor at The Boston Globe, where he led the Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Boston Catholic Church's molestation scandal, which inspired the Academy Award-winning film Spotlight.

Bass has served as executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation since January. Previously, he held numerous roles at TxDOT including chief financial officer, finance division director, budget analyst in the Budget and Forecasting Section and accounting clerk in the Finance Division’s Revenue Accounting Section. Bass began his career at TxDOT in 1985.

Bernal, D-San Antonio, has represented House District 123 since 2015. He is a member of the House Urban Affairs and International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs committees. Bernal previously served as an attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in San Antonio and as a San Antonio City Council member.

Bhatia joined Uplift Education in 2009. She is also a member of the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Executive Women’s Roundtable, the International Women’s Forum and The Dallas Assembly. Previously, Bhatia worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company for nine years during which she served the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, City of Dallas and Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Bonnen, R-Angleton, has represented House District 25 since 1997. He serves as chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee and sits on the Natural Resources Committee. He was appointed co-chairman of the Joint Interim Committee to Study Border Security. Additionally, Bonnen is the CEO and chairman of the board of Heritage Bank.

Brown is the host and managing editor of the Texas Standard, a statewide public radio program produced at the studios of KUT News in Austin in association with The Texas Tribune, NPR and media partners across Texas. Brown is a former host of the business program Marketplace and a longtime public radio correspondent who has been based in Washington, London and Los Angeles.

Buckingham, a practicing oculoplastic and reconstructive surgeon, has served as vice chairwoman of the State Board for Educator Certification. In addition, she has served as the lieutenant governor’s appointee on the Sunset Advisory Commission and as a trustee on the Lake Travis Independent School District board.

Burgess, R-Lewisville, has represented Texas’ Congressional District 26 since 2003. He serves on the House Energy & Commerce Committee and as chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing & Trade. He is also a member of the Rules Committee and the Helsinki Commission. While in Congress, Burgess founded and currently serves as co-chairman of the Congressional Health Caucus.

Burton, R-Colleyville, has represented Senate District 10 since 2014. She is vice chairwoman of the Senate Veteran Affairs & Military Installations Committee and is a member of the Criminal Justice, Higher Education and Nominations committees. Prior to her election, Burton served on the steering committee of NE Tarrant Tea Party and was later elected vice president of the NETTP Board.

Bush was elected Texas land commissioner in 2014. Previously, he co-founded St. Augustine Partners LLC, an investment firm focused on oil and gas transactions, and Pennybacker Capital LLC, a real estate private equity firm. In addition, Bush has worked as a lawyer, served as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and taught at a public high school in Florida.

Campbell, R-San Antonio, has represented Senate District 25 since 2013. She serves as chairwoman of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Military Installations Committee and sits on the Administration, Education, Health & Human Services, and Intergovernmental Relations committees. In 2013, then-Gov. Rick Perry appointed Campbell to represent Texas on the Southern Regional Education Board’s Legislative Advisory Council. She is also a physician.

Carranza was named superintendent of Houston ISD in August. Previously, he served as superintendent and deputy superintendent of instruction, innovation and social justice of San Francisco USD. Prior to joining San Francisco USD, Carranza was a high school principal in Tucson, Arizona, and Las Vegas and has served as chairman of the board of directors of the Council of the Great City Schools.

Castro, D-San Antonio, was first elected in 2012 to represent Texas’ Congressional District 20. He serves on the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees and in 2013 was elected president of the freshman Democratic class. Previously, Castro served for 10 years in the Texas Legislature.

Cillizza writes for The Fix, a daily political blog for The Washington Post he founded in 2005. In addition to contributing to the Post, he has appeared as a guest on NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox News and CNN. In 2012, Cillizza wrote The Gospel According to the Fix: An Insider’s Guide to a Less Than Holy World of Politics.

Collier reports on public education for the Tribune. Previously, she reported on government and politics for the Austin American-Statesman and the Houston Chronicle. Collier began her career in West Texas reporting for Reuters America Service and the San Angelo Standard-Times, where she covered the city council, water issues and the 83rd Legislature.

Collins is an award-winning musician who was a member of the British rock band Genesis for 25 years. In 2014, he donated one of the largest private collections of Alamo artifacts to the Texas General Land Office. Previously, Collins wrote The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector’s Journey, and starred in the documentary Phil Collins and the Wild Frontier, which chronicled his book tour through Texas.

Cook serves as political director of Texas Right to Life, an anti-abortion group. Previously, Cook served as vice president of the Baylor Law Federalist Society Chapter, founded the first anti-abortion student organization at Stephen F. Austin State University, and established a pregnant and parenting scholarship program for women juggling both school and parenthood.

Cotner founded Montessori For All in 2012 and opened its Austin flagship campus in 2014. She began her career in education as a volunteer for AmeriCorps and Teach For America. As a Teach For America volunteer in rural Louisiana, Cotner founded the Community Action and Responsibility Education Team.

Creighton, R-Conroe, has represented Senate District 4 since 2014. He serves as vice chairman of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee and sits on the Criminal Justice, State Affairs and Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs committees. Previously, Creighton served in the Texas House and as chairman of the House Federalism Committee and of the Texas House Republican Caucus.

Cruz was named head of Austin ISD in 2015, after serving nine months as interim superintendent. He previously served as chief schools officer for AISD, supervising four associate superintendents and more than 120 campus principals. Cruz also served as the deputy commissioner for dropout prevention at the Texas Education Agency.

Cuellar, D-Laredo, was first elected in 2005 to represent Texas’ Congressional District 28. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee and on the Subcommittees on Homeland Security and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. Previously, Cuellar served as secretary of state of Texas and in the Texas Legislature.

Currah has worked at the Texas Comptroller’s office since 1999, most recently serving as senior adviser and data analysis director. As the chief revenue estimator, Currah is responsible for producing the biennial revenue estimate, which informs how much money is available to be appropriated in the state budget, before each legislative session.

Darby, R-San Angelo, has represented House District 72 since 2007. He serves as chairman of the House Energy Resources Committee and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee. Darby is also the owner of Surety Title, a title and escrow services company, and is of counsel to the energy and real estate practice group at the Jackson Walker law firm.

Davis, R-Va., was elected to the U.S. House in 1994 and served seven consecutive terms. During his tenure in Congress, he was chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee and the House Committee on Government Reform. Davis co-authored The Partisan Divide: Congress in Crisis and currently serves as managing director for Deloitte.

Deason has served as president of Deason Capital Services, LLC, which manages his family’s assets in an array of investments including oil and gas, since 2009. Previously, he was the CEO of a family owned commercial builder. After contributing to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign for president in 2015, Deason joined the national finance committee of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign.

Deshotel, D-Beaumont, has represented House District 22 since 1999. He serves as chairman of the House Land & Resource Management Committee and sits on the Public Education Committee and the Subcommittee on Educator Quality. Previously, Deshotel served on the Beaumont City Council and as vice president for administration and legal counsel at Lamar University.

Dowd serves as chief political analyst for ABC News and is the founder of Paradox Capital, a social impact venture fund focused on for-profit social good companies. Previously, he served as chief political strategist to former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 and President George W. Bush in 2004. Dowd also served as a senior adviser to the Republican National Committee.

Doyle was elected bishop in 2008. He has served churches in Temple and College Station and was elected deputy to several General Conventions. He is currently president of the Compass Rose Society. His writings include Unabashedly Episcopalian: The Good News of the Episcopal Church and Church: A Generous Community Amplified for the Future.

Draper is a writer and author who contributes to National Geographic, GQ magazine and The New York Times Magazine. He is the author of several books, including Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives and Dead Certain: The Presidency of George W. Bush. Previously, Draper wrote for Texas Monthly and The Austin Chronicle.

Dunkelberg joined the Center in 1994. She focuses on policy and budget issues related to health care access and immigrants’ access to public benefits. She also serves as a founding member of the Texas CHIP Coalition and Cover Texas Now. She previously served in the state Medicaid director’s office at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Erickson is a journalist and host of Atlanta’s Evening News with Erick Erickson on 95.5FM and AM750 News/Talk WSB. He is also the founder and editor of the conservative site, The Resurgent, a guest host for the Rush Limbaugh Show and a Fox News contributor. Previously, Erickson was editor-in-chief of RedState.com and a member of the City Council in Macon, Georgia.

Farrar, D-Houston, has represented House District 148 since 1995. She serves as vice-chairwoman of the House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence and is a member of the Committee on State Affairs. In addition, Farrar serves as chairwoman of the Texas House Women’s Health Caucus and previously served as leader of the Texas House Democratic Caucus.

Fenves began serving as the president of UT-Austin in 2015. He previously served as the university’s executive vice president, provost and as dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering. Fenves is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the highest national honor awarded to engineers in the United States.

Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, has represented House District 116 since 2001. He serves on the House Special Purpose Districts and Ways & Means committees. Additionally, Martinez Fischer serves as chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and practices law at his own firm, specializing in real estate, insurance and family law.

Isgur Flores, before working on Carly Fiorina’s presidential campaign in 2016, served as the deputy communications director for the Republican National Committee. She was a legal adviser to Mitt Romney’s PAC, Romney for President and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Isgur Flores was also the political director for Ted Cruz’s 2010 campaign for Texas state attorney general.

Garza served as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2002 to 2009. Before his appointment, he served two years as the Texas secretary of state and as chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission. He is currently counsel in the Mexico City office of White and Case.

Giddings, D-DeSoto, has represented House District 109 since 1993. She serves as vice chairwoman of the House State Affairs Committee and is a member of the Appropriations and Calendars committees. She also serves as vice chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Article III. Giddings is president of Multiplex Inc., a specialty concessions company she founded in 1989.

Gold-Williams was named president and CEO of CPS Energy in July. Since 2008, she has served various administrative roles at CPS including group executive vice president of financial and administrative services and CFO. Gold-Williams joined CPS in 2004 after holding various positions in several San Antonio businesses, including regional controller for Time Warner Cable and vice president of finance for Luby’s.

González, D-Clint, has represented House District 75 since 2012. She serves on the House Public Education and Agriculture & Livestock committees. Previously, González worked for state Reps. Paul Moreno and Richard Peña Raymond, at the National Hispanic Institute and as the assistant dean for Student Multicultural Affairs at Southwestern University.

Green, D-Houston, has represented Texas' Congressional District 29 since 1993. He currently serves on the House Energy & Commerce Committee as well as the Health, Energy & Power, Environment & Economy and Oversight & Investigations subcommittees. Previously, Green served in the Texas Senate from 1987 to 1993 and the Texas House from 1973 to 1985.

González Gutiérrez has served as the consul general of Mexico in Austin since 2015. He has served in the Mexican Foreign Service since 1987, holding the posts of counselor for Latino affairs at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C., executive director of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad at Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and consul general of Mexico in Sacramento.

Haj serves as editorial director for ALM, which owns 33 national and regional magazines and newspapers specializing in business and legal news. He oversees reporters, editors and copy editors across the brand’s legal, finance, insurance and real estate verticals. Previously, Haj was a senior editor of local news for the Houston Chronicle.

Hamilton is serving his third term as Travis County sheriff. He is a national speaker and trainer for the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention. Before becoming sheriff in 2005, Hamilton served as chief of enforcement at the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and as a Drug Abuse Resistance Education and corrections officer.

Hasen joined the UC Irvine School of Law in 2011 and is a nationally recognized expert in election law and campaign finance regulation. In 2013, he was named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by The National Law Journal. Most recently, Hasen authored Plutocrats United: Campaign Money, the Supreme Court, and the Distortion of American Elections.

Hecht was appointed chief justice by then-Gov. Rick Perry in 2013. First elected to the state high court in 1988, Hecht is the longest-serving Supreme Court member in Texas history. He has also served as a district court judge and appeals court justice. Previously, Hecht was a partner in what is now known as Locke Lord LLP, practicing mainly in the area of general business and commercial litigation.

Hellerstedt became commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services in January. Previously, he served as medical director for the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program Division. Hellerstedt has also served as chief medical officer at the Seton Family of Hospitals and vice president of Medical Affairs for Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.

Henson directs the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a founder and co-director of the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, the only open-source statewide survey of public opinion in Texas. Henson is also the co-author of a Texas politics web-based textbook used at several universities throughout the state.

Hernandez is a political strategist who, in August, joined Gary Johnson’s 2016 presidential campaign as chair of Hispanics for Johnson Weld. He is a of the founder of the Hispanic Republicans of Texas and has worked on political campaigns ranging from Vicente Fox in 1999 to John McCain in 2008. Fox appointed Hernandez head of the Presidential Office of Mexicans Abroad, making him the first U.S. citizen to serve in the Mexican Cabinet.

Hinojosa, D-McAllen, has represented Senate District 20 since 2003. He serves as vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and is a member of the Criminal Justice, Natural Resources & Economic Development and Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs committees. Previously, Hinojosa served in the Texas House and in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

Howard, D-Austin, has represented House District 48 since 2006. She serves as vice chairwoman of the House Higher Education Committee and is a member of the Administration and Appropriations committees. Additionally, she serves on the Article III Subcommittee (Education Funding). Previously, Howard worked as a critical care nurse.

As director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas, Huffman heads a team of conservation experts whose work protects the integrity of Texas’ natural resources and some of its most iconic landscapes. She also heads the Conservancy’s North American Urban Conservation program. Before joining the Conservancy, Huffman spent 20 years in city management.

Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, has represented House District 32 since 2008, and previously held the seat from 1989-1997. He serves as chairman of the House Calendars Committee and vice chairman of the Urban Affairs Committee. Additionally, he sits on the Criminal Jurisprudence, Redistricting and General Investigating & Ethics committees. Hunter also works as a Corpus Christi-based attorney.

Hutchinson was inaugurated governor of Arkansas in 2015. He also serves as chairman of the Southern Regional Education Board and the Southern State Energy Board and as vice chairman of the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee of the National Governors Association. Previously, Hutchinson served as director of the Drug Enforcement Administration and as the first Undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Inman was appointed as a tenured professor at the LBJ School in 2001. Previously, he served as director of the National Security Agency and deputy director of central intelligence and served in the U.S. Navy for more than 30 years. Inman has served as a managing director of Gefinor Ventures and Limestone Ventures and as a trustee of the American Assembly and the California Institute of Technology.

Israel, D-Austin, has represented House District 50 since 2014. She is a member of the House Elections and Transportation committees and serves on the Long-Term Infrastructure Planning Subcommittee. Israel is also a real estate agent with Home and Hearth Realty. Previously, Israel served on the boards of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance for Public Transportation.

Johnson owns a political consulting firm and has worked with Ted Cruz’s campaigns for office — first for the U.S. Senate in 2011 and 2012 and then for president in 2015 and 2016. In addition, he served as chief of staff to Greg Abbott during his time as attorney general and was the communications director for former state Sen. Todd Staples.

Johnston is the inaugural dean of the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. Previously, he worked at the University of California, San Francisco, where he served as associate vice chancellor of research, professor of neurology and director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Center for Healthcare Value.

Kasich is the governor of Ohio and most recently ran as a Republican candidate for president in 2016. He was first elected governor in 2010 after taking a hiatus from public office, during which he served as a managing director at Lehman Brothers and hosted Fox News’ Heartland with John Kasich. Previously, Kasich served in the U.S. House from 1983-2001 and the Ohio Senate from 1979-1982.

Khator has served as University of Houston System chancellor and University of Houston president since January 2008. During her tenure, the system has experienced record-breaking research funding and enrollment. Previously, Khator served as board chair for the American Council on Education and worked as provost and senior vice president at the University of South Florida.

Klick, R-Fort Worth, has represented House District 91 since 2013. She is a member of the House Human Services and Pensions committees. Klick is a registered nurse and works as a case manager and health consultant for long-term care facilities and legal firms. Previously, Klick served as chairwoman of the Tarrant County Republican Party and as a nursing supervisor at North Hills Medical Center.

Koop, R-Dallas, has represented House District 102 since 2015. She is a member of the House Appropriations and International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs committees as well as the Select Committee on Emerging Issues in Texas Law Enforcement. Before her time in the Texas Legislature, Koop served on the Dallas City Council.

Krause, R-Fort Worth, was first elected to represent House District 93 in 2012. He serves on the House Corrections and Land & Resource Management committees and works as a constitutional attorney, college professor of American history and government and as a public speaker. Krause and his business partner also consult organizations on ways to creatively reward and retain key employees.

Lavine joined the Center in 1994. He focuses on state and local revenue issues. Additionally, Lavine serves as chairman of the board of directors of the Travis Central Appraisal District and is a member of the executive board of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Texas Retirees.

Leeser was first elected mayor in 2013. Previously, he served more than 10 years as owner and president of Hyundai of El Paso. In addition to serving as a member of the UMC El Paso Children’s Hospital Foundation Board, Leeser is president of the Hyundai South Central Region and a member of the National Dealer Council.

Levinthal joined the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit news organization, in 2013 and leads a reporting team investigating the influence of money in federal politics. Previously, he reported on campaign finance and lobbying issues for Politico and co-wrote the daily Politico Influence column, and he edited OpenSecrets.org. Additionally, he covered politics for The Dallas Morning News from 2003 to 2009.

Lippincott is a leader at Texas Clean Energy Coalition, which supports Texas’ clean energy economy by promoting affordable and reliable clean technology. She also serves as a vice president of Vianovo, an advisory firm. Previously, Lippincott served as chief of staff for former state Rep. Juan M. Garcia III in the Texas House.

Lucio, D-Brownsville, has represented House District 38 since 2007. He is vice chairman of the House Calendars Committee and sits on the Land and Resource Management and Natural Resources committees. In 2014, Lucio was appointed to the SWIFT Advisory Committee, which oversees the implementation of new policies for the state’s water supply. He is also a practicing attorney with the Lucio III Group.

MacLaggan has previously worked as a national correspondent for Reuters, writing and editing stories about Texas and nearby states and overseeing a network of freelance writers. Before joining Reuters, she covered Texas government and politics for the Austin American-Statesman. She has also worked in Mexico City, where she wrote for publications including the Miami Herald's Mexico edition.

Marquez was appointed a public utility commissioner in 2013 by then-Gov. Rick Perry. Previously, she held several positions in the governor’s office during Perry’s tenure, including chief of staff, director of the Budget, Planning and Policy Division, and deputy legislative director. Additionally, Marquez served as policy director for Perry’s 2010 gubernatorial primary campaign.

Martinez was named head of San Antonio ISD in 2015. Previously, he served as superintendent in residence for the Nevada Department of Education, where he advised the governor’s office and others on education policy decisions. Martinez also served as superintendent for Nevada’s Washoe County school district and as chief financial officer at Chicago Public Schools.

McClure founded TexProtects, an advocacy group for child abuse prevention, in 2004. Previously, she worked as a clinical therapist for the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. In addition, McClure has served as chairwoman of the Dallas County Child Welfare Board and worked in finance on Wall Street.

McGaughy is a state government reporter based in Austin. She focuses on public and higher education, gun policy, LGBT issues and the court system. She has previously worked for the Houston Chronicle, the New Orleans Times-Picayune and in Washington, D.C., where she covered foreign affairs at the U.S. Department of State and Congress for The Asahi Shimbun, Japan’s second largest newspaper.

McMullin declared his candidacy for president in August. In 2013, he joined the House Committee on Foreign Affairs as a senior advisor and later became the chief policy director of the House Republican Conference. Previously, McMullin served as an undercover operations officer for the CIA for more than 10 years.

Menéndez, D-San Antonio, has represented Senate District 26 since 2015. He is a member of the Senate Criminal Justice, Higher Education and Intergovernmental Relations committees. Menéndez previously spent 14 years in the Texas House, representing House District 124. He has also served as a San Antonio city councilman for District 6 and was chairman of the city’s Community Revitalization Action Group.

Miller was elected to his current post in 2014. Previously, he served six terms in the Texas House. During his tenure, Miller chaired the Agriculture & Livestock Committee and Homeland Security & Public Safety committees and authored the abortion sonogram bill in the 82nd legislative session. Miller also served on the State Agriculture Policy Board and was appointed to serve on the National Energy Council.

Mittra joined the Tribune after more than a decade at The Dallas Morning News, where he worked as a copy editor, assistant political editor and as a night city editor supervising the coverage of late-breaking news. He was also on the editing team for the 2009 and 2011 Texas legislative sessions. Mittra is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin’s journalism school.

Morath was appointed commissioner by Gov. Greg Abbott and began serving in January. He heads the Texas Education Agency, which oversees pre-kindergarten through high school education for more than five million Texas students. Morath has served on the Dallas Independent School District board of trustees and as chairman of Morath Investments, managing a small portfolio of investments.

Neugebauer co-founded Quantum Energy Partners, an energy investment firm, in 1998. He currently serves as senior adviser and sits on the firm’s investment committee. Additionally, Neugebauer co-founded Windrock Capital Ltd. and worked in the energy investment banking group of Kidder, Peabody & Co. Before supporting Donald Trump’s run for president in 2016, he contributed to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign.

Newton-Small covers everything from Washington politics to foreign policy and national trends for Time. She has interviewed numerous heads of state, including Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, and is author of Broad Influence: How Women Are Changing the Way America Works. Previously, Newton-Small was a reporter for Bloomberg News.

Nocera is a sports business columnist for The Times, which he joined in 2005. He has written the “Talking Business” column and, until recently, an Op-Ed column. He also writes on business topics for the New York Times Magazine. Nocera’s latest book is Indentured: The Inside Story of the Rebellion Against the NCAA, co-authored with Times contributor Ben Strauss.

Paddie, R-Marshall, has represented House District 9 since 2013. He serves as vice chairman of the House Energy Resources Committee and sits on the Administration and Transportation committees. Paddie previously served on the Marshall City Commission and as mayor of Marshall.

Parker served as mayor of Houston from 2010 to January 2016. She was the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city. Previously, she served on the Houston City Council and was later elected city controller. Prior to serving as an elected official, Parker worked over 20 years in the oil and gas industry as well as co-owned a bookstore and an income tax company.

Parsons was elected as the Brazos County district attorney in 2012. He is on the advisory board of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service Central Texas Police Academy. Parsons began his career at the Brazos County district attorney’s office in 2002.

Perry, R-Lubbock, has represented Senate District 28 since 2014. He serves as chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs Committee and sits on the Criminal Justice, Health & Human Services and Higher Education committees. Previously, Perry served in the Texas House and has served as president of the Lubbock Boys and Girls Club.

Pickens founded BP Capital Management, an energy investment firm, in 1997, and currently serves as its chairman and CEO. Previously, he led Mesa Petroleum and in 2008, he launched the Pickens Plan, a grassroots campaign aimed to reduce the United States’ dependence on OPEC oil. Pickens also authored The First Billion Is the Hardest: Reflections on a Life of Comebacks and America's Energy Future.

Price was first elected in 2011 to lead the city of Fort Worth. As mayor, she has led initiatives to promote active lifestyles and further develop the city’s urban city center. Previously, Price served as Tarrant County’s tax assessor for more than a decade and was a private business owner.

Pumphrey joined the Coalition as its first-ever policy director, where she holds strategic and operational responsibility for guiding and coordinating the organization’s research and policy work. Previously, she served as senior policy advisor for Texas House Speaker Joe Straus. Pumphrey also worked as a civil rights investigator to the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission.

Ramsey is the executive editor and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Before joining the Tribune, he served as editor and co-owner of Texas Weekly, as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Times Herald and as a radio reporter in Dallas and Denton. He also served as associate deputy comptroller for policy and director of communications at the state comptroller’s office.

Ratliff was first elected to the board in 2010. He serves on the board’s Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund. Ratliff operates Ratliff Company, a governmental relations, consulting and lobbying firm. Ratliff announced in 2015 he would not seek re-election to the board.

Raymond, D-Laredo, has represented House District 42 since 2001. He serves as chairman of the House Human Services Committee and sits on the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee. Previously, he passed legislation that helped to create the Texas Tomorrow Fund, a prepaid college tuition program. Prior to representing Laredo, Raymond served three terms representing several rural counties that include much of the Eagle Ford Shale.

Rendell served as Pennsylvania’s governor from 2003 to 2011 and as mayor of Philadelphia from 1992 to 2000. He currently serves as co-chairman of Building America’s Future, a partnership among American political leaders focused on promoting infrastructure investment. Rendell also serves as a news analyst for NBC and as special counsel for the Ballard Spahr law firm.

Richards-Ross is a four-time Olympic champion. Most recently, she won the gold medal in the 400-meter sprint and the 4x400-meter relay during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Previously, Richards-Ross founded the Sanya Richards Fast Track Program children’s charity and competed in the 2004 and 2002 Olympic Games.

Roberts joined the Center as its founding director in 2014, where he utilizes the university’s expertise in academics and success in athletics to change the culture of athlete behavior and responsibilities. Previously, he spent seven years as an NFL and college football coach. Roberts is also a lecturer in the humanities at UT Austin.

Rodriguez, D-Austin, has represented House District 51 since 2003. He serves as vice chairman of the House Environmental Regulation Committee and sits on the Calendars, Economic & Small Business Development and Federal Environmental Regulation committees. Rodriguez is also the chairman of the Texas House Farm-to-Table Caucus and vice chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.

Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, has represented House District 125 since 2013. He is a member of the House Appropriations, Rules & Regulations and Pensions committees. Previously, Rodriguez served on the San Antonio City Council and on the San Antonio Independent School District Board of Trustees. Rodriguez works as a San Antonio-based attorney, focusing on education policy issues.

Rosenthal covers Texas government and politics, health and human services and enterprise projects for the Houston Chronicle’s statehouse bureau, which he joined in May 2014. Previously, he covered Washington state government and the region’s mental-health system for The Seattle Times. Rosenthal is a graduate of Northwestern University.

Roy is the opinion editor for Forbes and the author of Transcending Obamacare. In September, he helped form The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, a think tank devoted to expanding economic opportunity to low-income individuals. Previously, he worked as a policy adviser for three presidential candidates: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Satija works for the Tribune and Reveal, a public radio program from the Center for Investigative Reporting. Previously, she was the environment reporter for the Tribune. Satija has also worked for a number of East Coast news outlets, including the New Haven Independent, the Connecticut Mirror and WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio.

Schwertner, R-Georgetown, has represented Senate District 5 since 2012. He serves as chairman of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee and sits on the Senate Finance, State Affairs, Administration and Business & Commerce committees. Previously, Schwertner represented District 20 in the Texas House. In addition to his role in the Texas Legislature, Schwertner works as an orthopedic surgeon.

Silver reports on the state’s criminal justice system for The Texas Tribune. Previously, he was a Texas Associated Press Managing Editors Buster Haas intern and staff reporter at the Victoria Advocate. Before that, he was a contributor to Latino Leaders Magazine in Dallas. Silver also reported for The Shorthorn, the campus student newspaper at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Simmons, R-Carrollton, has represented House District 65 since 2012. He serves as vice chairman of the House Business & Industry Committee and sits on the Transportation Committee. He also serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Long-Term Infrastructure Planning. Simmons co-founded Retirement Advisors of America and remains its chairman, and he serves as board vice chairman for the Autism Society of America.

Sitton was elected to his first term on the Railroad Commission in 2014. He is the co-founder of Pinnacle Advanced Reliability Technologies, an engineering and technology company focused on programs for the oil, gas and petrochemical industry. Sitton has also served on the boards of several energy trade associations and currently serves on the board of the Texas A&M University Energy Institute.

Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Smith is an enterprise reporter at the Tribune, where she specializes in politics and profiles. Previously she covered public education, including school finance reform and accountability and testing in Texas public schools. Her political coverage has included congressional and legislative races, as well as Gov. Rick Perry's presidential campaign, which she followed to Iowa and New Hampshire.

Specia was a founding member and jurist-in-residence for the Texas Supreme Court Children’s Commission during his tenure as commissioner from 2012 to May 2016. He served as vice chairman of the Supreme Court’s Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families and chairman of the Supreme Court Task Force on Foster Care. Specia established the Bexar County Children’s Court.

Starr most recently served as president and chancellor of Baylor University from 2013 to June 2016 and president of the university from 2010 to May 2016. Previously, he served as dean of the Pepperdine School of Law, 39th Solicitor General of the United States and as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. During Bill Clinton’s presidency, Starr worked as the independent counsel overseeing the Whitewater investigation.

Stickland, R-Bedford, has represented House District 92 since 2012. He is a member of the House County Affairs and Special Purpose Districts committees. Additionally, Stickland owns and operates a consulting firm that provides data-management, marketing and sales services to local oil and gas companies.

Taylor was elected mayor of San Antonio in 2015 after serving as interim mayor. Previously, she served as the District 2 councilwoman and as vice president of Merced Housing Texas. Taylor began her career working for the city in the Housing and Community Development Department and the Neighborhood Action Department.

Teniente-Matson is the second president of Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Prior to her appointment at Texas A&M, she served as vice president for administration and chief financial officer for California State University, Fresno. Previously, Matson held a number of administrative positions at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, culminating in her role as vice chancellor of administrative services.

Treviño joined Texans Advocating for Meaningful School Assessment as a founding member in 2012 and currently serves as the board president. She is also a governor appointee to the Texas Commission on Next Generation Accountability and Assessments. Previously, Treviño worked in adult and child and adolescent psychiatry and had private practices in San Antonio and Austin.

Turner was elected Houston’s mayor in 2015. Previously, he represented District 139 in the Texas House for more than 20 years. In the Legislature, Turner served three terms as Speaker Pro Tem, on the leadership of the House Appropriations Committee and on the Legislative Budget Board. Before his career in public service, Turner also founded the Houston law firm Barnes & Turner.

Uresti, D-San Antonio, has represented Senate District 19 since 2006. He serves as vice chairman of the Senate Administration Committee and sits on the Finance, Health & Human Services and Natural Resources & Economic Development committees. In addition, he works in a private practice with The Uresti Law Firm in San Antonio. Previously, Uresti served nine years in the Texas House.

Van Duyne, serving her second term as mayor, was first elected in 2011. She is a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Advisory Board, the Texas Municipal League and the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Van Duyne is also a member of the boards of the North Texas Commission and the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce.

Villalba, R-Dallas, has represented House District 114 since 2013. He serves on the House Business & Industry and Economic & Small Business Development committees. He founded the Freshman Delegation, a bipartisan group dedicated to building relationships through the legislative process. Villalba has also been a partner at Haynes and Boone, a Dallas law firm.

Walle, D-Houston, has represented House District 140 since 2008. He serves as vice chairman of the House Government Transparency Committee, sits on the Appropriations Committee and serves on the select committees on State and Federal Power and Responsibility and Transportation Planning. Previously, Walle served on the House Committees on Insurance, Homeland Security and Public Safety and Business and Industry.

Watkins writes about higher education and the business of college sports for the Tribune. Previously, he covered local government as the Dallas County government reporter at The Dallas Morning News and was a staff writer at the Bryan-College Station Eagle, covering a variety of topics, including natural disasters and college football games.

Webber is the Josey Centennial Fellow in Energy Resources and an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also the co-director of the Clean Energy Incubator at the Austin Technology Incubator. Webber’s research focuses on policy and technology as they relate to energy and the environment.

West is currently executive director of the National Center for Policy Analysis, a Dallas-based public policy research organization focused on promoting free-market alternatives to government regulation. Previously, he served one term in the U.S. House, representing Florida’s 22nd Congressional District. West also served 22 years in the U.S. Army, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel and several honors, including a Bronze Star.

White, R-Woodville, has represented House District 19 since 2010. He serves as vice chairman of the House Corrections Committee and sits on the Juvenile Justice & Family Issues and Emerging Issues in Texas Law Enforcement committees. Previously, White served as an instructor at the U.S. Infantry School and a professor of government at Angelina College.

Willett was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by then-Gov. Rick Perry in 2005. Before joining the court, he served as a deputy Texas attorney general and chief counsel to then-Attorney General Greg Abbott. Willett has also worked as a deputy assistant U.S. attorney general and as a lawyer for Gov. and President George W. Bush.

Wilson has served as editor of the Dallas Morning News since 2015. Previously he worked for ESPN, where he helped launch the data website FiveThirtyEight. Additionally, Wilson worked for the Tampa Bay Times, where he eventually became managing editor, as well as the Miami Herald. Wilson started his career in journalism as a summer intern at The Boston Globe.

Wortham is the founder and executive director of the Texas Wind Energy Clearinghouse, a wind energy recruitment and education organization. Additionally, he serves as president of New Amsterdam Global Solutions, a consulting firm for evaluation and development of renewable energy opportunities. Previously, he served as mayor of Sweetwater, Texas, from 2007 to 2014.

Wu, D-Houston, has represented House District 137 since 2013. He is a member of the House County Affairs and Energy Resources committees. He is also an attorney in private practice and previously served as a prosecutor in the Harris County district attorney’s office. He is the past president of the Houston 80-20 Political Action Committee and a board member of the for the community advocacy organization OCA Greater Houston.

Yücel has worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas since 1989. She is an adviser to the bank’s president on regional and energy issues. Yücel serves on the board of the National Association for Business Economics and the Global Interdependence Center. Previously, Yücel served as president of the International Association of Energy Economics and the United States Association of Energy Economics.