President - Carolyn J. Fry

Carolyn J. Fry, Employees Retirement System of Texas, retired. During her 22 years of service with the Employees Retirement System of Texas, Carolyn served as State Social Security Administrator for State and Local Governments throughout Texas and had oversight for the state’s Medicare Secondary Payer Program and Long Term Care Program. Presently, Carolyn is employed with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., and is assigned to the United States Department of Agriculture here in Austin. 
 
Carolyn has been a member of EWTG since 2000. Her EWTG service includes: 2011 President Elect; 2009 Vice President; 2011 Mentorship Committee Chair; 2011 Strategic Planning Committee Chair; 2010 Education Events Committee Chair; 2010 Conference Networking Reception Committee Chair; 2005 Conference Facilities Committee Chair; 2010 and 2011 Member, Nominating Committee; 2006, 2009 and 2011 Member, Community Service Committee; 2004 Member, Conference Facilities Committee. Carolyn studied Education and Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, is a member of the EWTG STARS Executive Success Team and holds an honorary lifetime membership in the National Conference of State Social Security Administrators, where in 2008 she served as Senior Vice President.    Contact: pres@ewtg.org.

President-Elect - Mary Castleberry

Mary Castleberry retired from Texas Department of State Health Services in 2005 after a 25-year career of state service where she served as Training Manager. Mary served as Chief of Staff for the Deputy Executive Commissioner for Support Services at the Health and Human Services Commission, as a training specialist with The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Department of Protective and Regulatory Services and Texas Parks and Wildlife and as a teacher in the Austin, Abilene and Houston school districts. She is currently employed by the Department of Family and Protective Services as training manager for the Certification and Leadership division.
 
Mary has served on the EWTG Board of Directors as 2007 Affiliates Director and 2006 Vice President. Mary has presented numerous workshops during the last 20 years including several for Executive Women in Texas Government Annual Conference, Association of Texas Professional Educators and American Society for Training and Development.
 
Mary has a degree in Education from Bishop College, a professional certification in Special Education from Texas Woman’s University and a passion for enhancing adult learning.
Contact: preselect@ewtg.org.

Vice-President - Tanya Skaarup

Tanya Skaarup has served over 5 years with the Office of the Attorney General in the Child Support Division.  Tanya became a member of EWTG in 2009 and has been actively involved since joining; first with the Silent Auction Committee in 2010, then on the Conference Exhibits Committee for 2011.   She brings to this role an extensive list of accomplishments and honors. The one that she is most proud of is the Civilian Patriotic Service Award presented to her in 2001 in Heidelberg, Germany for her exemplary Program Management of two key family initiative programs for USAEUR Department of Defense - Army.
 
Tanya is involved with PMI International, Capitol Area Food Bank (CAFB), Austin School for Assisted Living, the Wells Branch Schools and Community, and the Austin Cancer Council. Tanya has served on the Austin PMI Board of Directors as the COO, her neighborhood HOA Board as President and as Director.
 
Tanya earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification in 2000 and has honed these skills while working in the private sector, federal government and now with the State of Texas.   Contact: vicepres@ewtg.org.

Financial Officer – Trina Edwards

Trina Edwards began her career in state government in 2002 after working 18 years as an Accountant and HR/Payroll Manager in the private sector. She is currently an Accountant at the Texas Department of Public Safety where she began her state career.  Trina served 5 years as the Paymaster for Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.

An EWTG member since 2008, Trina served as the 2009 Conference Registration Committee Chair and a member of the 2010 Education Events Committee. She served on the 2011 Board of EWTG as the Treasurer and The Exhibits and Silent Auction committee for Conference.  Trina is a member of the STARS Executive Success Team.  Trina served as a committee member for the 2010 TSABAA (Texas State Agency Business Administrators' Association) Annual Conference and is currently chairing the Awards Committee.  Trina volunteers with the American Cancer Society where she has chaired the Milam County Relay for Life and is the current Accounting Chair.  In addition Trina serves on the American Cancer Society Regional Council for Central and South Texas proving training and guidance to communities.  Contact:  finance@ewtg.org.
 

Secretary-Treasurer - Shawana Ellison

Shawana Ellison is a Financial Systems Analyst with the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). She has been in her current position for the last 18 months supporting the Health and Human Services Administrative System (HHSAS) which is an adaptation of the Comptroller's Integrated Statewide Administrative System (ISAS) version of PeopleSoft Financials. She began her career in state government in 2005 after working 13 years at a medical center in Longview, TX.

A EWTG member since 2006, Shawana has served as a EWTG Conference workshop moderator and conference volunteer in 2006, EWTG Executive Success Team (The Kindergartners) Member in 2007 and Team Lead since 2008, EWTG Conference Exhibits Chair in 2008, EWTG Affiliates Director Board Member in 2009, EWTG Nominating Board Committee Member in 2009, Power Pipeline Member since 2010, Education Events Committee Member in 2010 & 2011, and Mini-Course Program Committee Member in 2011. Shawana has an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Computer Science from Kilgore College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Leadership both from LeTourneau University.  Contact: treas@ewtg.org.

Affiliates Director - Gena Minjares

Genoveva currently serves as the Director of General Ledger Accounting for the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company. She is responsible for managing the day to day corporate accounting operations’, including establishing internal controls, general ledger reporting, and budgeting. Genoveva has over 14 years of accounting experience in the public and private sector. Before joining the Trust Company in 2002, she spent four years as a comptroller for a local start-up manufacturing firm in Austin. Genoveva began her accounting career with the local public accounting firm of Maxwell, Locke & Ritter, pc, providing attestation, tax planning and tax compliance services to closely-held businesses, individuals and nonprofit organizations.
 
Genoveva joined EWTG in 2008. She has served on the Scholarship Committee and the Affiliates Commitee. Genoveva Minjares is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a BBA with an Accounting concentration from St. Edward’s University. In 2006, Genoveva completed a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Ethics degree from St. Edward’s University.  Contact: affiliates@ewtg.org.

Communications Director – Kathryn Harris

Kathryn Harris is the Associate Director of Communications and Outreach for the Office of Injured Employee Counsel (OIEC). In this role she serves as the Legislative Liaison, writes and edits publications, and oversees the communications program for OIEC.

Kathryn joined EWTG in October 2010.  She has previously served on the Public Relations Committee and is active on her Executive Success Team.  A native of Austin, Kathryn earned a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina and a Master's degree in Counseling from St. Edward's University.  She is a certified Mental Health First Aid Trainer.  Contact:  communications@ewtg.org.

Membership Director - Susan Durso

Susan Durso, a native of Port Arthur, Texas, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Government and from the University of South Carolina with a J.D. and Masters of Public Administration. She has worked as an attorney for over twenty years. Ms. Durso has served the State of Texas as legal counsel in a variety of positions, including as the General Counsel for the Public Utility Commission, the General Counsel for the Texas Residential Construction Commission, and for the last two years, as the General Counsel for the Texas Public Finance Authority. Additionally, in July of this year she was appointed the Interim Executive Director of the Authority.
 
Susan has been an active member of EWTG since 1998. She has served on and chaired several committees, including the Silent Auction Committee, the Community Services Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Nominations Committee, and this year she is chairing the Scholarship Committee. Susan has served on the Board four times: twice as Affiliates Director, and once each as President-Elect and President. Susan has also been an active member of the same Executive Success Team for thirteen years. Susan also has supported the organization through her efforts to educate new board members on their board responsibilities, her recruitment and support of new members, and her service as a conference workshop moderator.  Contact:  membership@ewtg.org. 
 

Program Director - Denice Bettencourt

Denice Bettencourt is an Administrative Assistant with the Audiovisual Production Section, Travel Information Division, of the Texas Department of Transportation. She is a 28-year veteran of state government. She has certifications in mediation and training. Denice holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication and a Master of Arts in Human Services Administration from St. Edward’s University.

Denice has been an EWTG member for three years serving on the Program Committee for two years and serving on the 2011 EWTG board as the Mini-Course Program Director. She is an active member of the Executive Success Team and participates in many of the EWTG social and community service events. Although Denice has been a member for only a few years, she has been involved in EWTG activities and conferences for over 16 years. In addition to her role with EWTG, Denice is the Historian Committee Chair of Austin Junior Forum, a Focus Committee member of Impact Austin, a care caller and grocery shopper for Meals on Wheels and More, and a division blood drive coordinator and recycling coordinator for the Texas Department of Transportation.Contact: program@ewtg.org. 

Public Relations Director - Liza Chen Willmore

Liza Chen Willmore, a University of Texas graduate in Economics, is the Project Manager for the Document Production Division at the Texas Legislative Council (TLC). In this role, she is responsible for supervising the legislative application developments and policy updates between individual business units and the IT division. In addition to her work, Liza was awarded the 2006 Outstanding Woman in Texas Government Award for helping other women in state government pursue education, professional development and career advancement. She has been a dedicated member in Executive Women in Texas Government since 2006. In 2007, she played a key role on the program committee in planning the conference logistics and organizing the 35 moderators and speakers for workshop sessions. In 2008, Liza served as the 2008 EWTG Public Relations Director which established substantial media partnerships which resulted in a record-breaking number of conference attendees. In the role of Communications Director in 2010, Liza gathered membership and external interests based on real-time web analytics and created a communication forum where members and industry professionals could collaborate. Contact: PublicRelations@ewtg.org.

Mini-Course Director - Connie Williams

Connie Williams retired as a Manager of the Family and Community Services Division in January 2011 from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) after serving 30 years in state government. She is currently the CEO and Chief Strategist of Connie Williams Consulting, Inc., a business advisory firm that provides organizations with a performance measurement framework and business strategies to gain a competitive advantage in their industry.
 
Connie has been a member of EWTG since 2004, serving on the EWTG Board as 2006 President-Elect and 2007 President. She has served on several committees including Mentoring Committee Chair, Strategic Committee Chair, Search Committee, Nominating Committee, Finance Committee, Conference Program Committee Co-Chair, Membership Committee, Executive Success Team Facilitator and member, Scholarship Committee, Community Service Chair, and the Development Committee. She has also served as a conference presenter and moderator at EWTG conferences. Connie is a graduate of Leadership Texas and a founding board member of Lisa’s H.O.P.E. Chest. She holds a BBA in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from the University of North Texas.  Contact:  minicourse@ewtg.org.