President - Audrey Selden

Educational Equity Consultant, Selden Consulting

Audrey Selden is an innovative public speaker, attorney, teacher and facilitator. Audrey served as the Texas Assistant Secretary of State and Deputy Commissioner for the Texas Department of Insurance, Compliance Division. She consults with educational institutions and government agencies regarding equity, leadership and diversity and inclusion. Her teaching experience includes college-level instruction in political science, sociological theory, statistics and policy analysis. She provides professional development training to educators across the country for the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity. She was an invited presenter at the 2016 White House Conference on Inclusive STEM Education for Youth of Color. Audrey is a 1992 graduate of Leadership Texas, a 2004 Leadership America graduate and has completed five Leadership Women International programs. She is 2019 EWTG Woman of the Year, a member of the Leadership Women Philanthropic Planning Council and an Austin Friends of Folk Art board member. She earned a BA and MPA from Michigan State University and a JD from Harvard.

Contact: pres@ewtg.org

President-Elect – Kim Kizer

Director of Employer Services, Texas County and District Retirement Services

After more than 20 years with the Office of the Texas Secretary of State, and working with 16 Secretaries of State, Kim joined the Texas County and District Retirement Services (TCDRS) in September of 2009 as the Director of Employer Services.

Kim is responsible for ensuring the highest of quality service for our customers – more than 780 employers and serving 294,000 members and retirees. During Kim’s tenure at TCDRS, we have launched many new business processes, including a new employer website, a new member website, an online Plan Customizer, online enrollment of members and brand new, online retirement for members. In addition, Kim has developed and implemented employer outreach and education programs on an ongoing annual basis, in addition to hosting the annual TCDRS Conference for Decision Makers and Administrators in our system.

Kim has served in various capacities, most recently as Immediate Past President on the Board of Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP), Texas Lone Star Capital Chapter. Kim is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.

Contact: preselect@ewtg.org

Vice-President – Regina Durden

Principal, Bradshaw Solutions Group

Regina B. Durden is the sole proprietor of Bradshaw Solutions Group, providing specialized procurement and contract management consulting and training services. Regina comes with an extensive 35-year background in governmental procurement and contracts. She has worked as the Procurement Director for the Office of the Attorney General, the Texas Department of Insurance, and the Texas Military Department. Her experience includes managing and training procurement professionals, developing procedures, overseeing organizational process improvement projects, leading major procurement projects, and managing major information technology, construction and specialized professional and other services required by governmental entities. Regina is a proud member of the Executive Women in Texas Government, Inc. (EWTG), serving on the annual EWTG conference committee. She is also a member of the distinctive Leadership Women, Inc (LW). Regina participated in LW’s Leadership Texas, Leadership America, and Leadership International programs, traveling to South Africa, Scandinavia, and Canada. Regina is the mother of two aspiring professionals that continue to motivate and make her proud every day. Leadership Texas and Leadership America graduate and Leadership International.

Contact: ewtg@ewtg.org

Financial Officer – Deana Sanders

GIS Project Manager, Austin Water

Deana Sanders has held a variety of positions in the IT industry supporting the public sector either as a consultant or as an employee, where she enjoys the complexity of serving an agency’s constituents while bringing a consultant’s mindset to that organization. She is currently an IT Project Manager with Allied Consultants working on IT infrastructure projects at the Railroad Commission of Texas. She has a BS in Geology from Millsaps College and an MS in Geology from the University of Memphis. She is a member of P.E.O. Executive Women in Texas Government, Austin Women in Technology, and the Leadership Texas Class of 2018.

Contact: ewtg@ewtg.org

Secretary-Treasurer – Tiffany Dockery Gibson

Director, University of Texas at Austin’s Historically Underutilized Business and Small Business Program

Tiffany Dockery Gibson, Director of the University of Texas at Austin’s Historically Underutilized Business and Small Business (HUB/SB) Program office has served the university for more than 23 years. Over her career, she has worked in cooperation with purchasing and accounting personnel to ensure institutional policies and procedures complied with HUB/SB program objectives, and maintained close, cooperative relationships with university offices, professional associations, and special interest associations. She has held the role of subject matter expert for HUB reporting systems for six UT component institutions, served on the State of Discussion HUB Discussion Workgroup leadership team, and coordinated Memorandum of Cooperation efforts between two State of Texas advocacy organizations and twenty-two state agencies. She is a proud Texas EX, with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Texas Southern University and is certified as a Master Compliance Administrator by the American Contract Compliance Association. Tiffany has also earned Certified Texas Contract Manger (CTCM) and Certified Texas Contract Developer (CTCD) designations from the State of Texas.

Contact: ewtg@ewtg.org

Affiliates Director – Brenda Grays

Program Coordinator at Texas A&M University – TEEX Cybersecurity 

Brenda is a Franklin Covey Certified Facilitator, (7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens). Currently, Brenda is a Program Coordinator for Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services (TEEX), Cyber Security program. Brenda has been employed with Texas A&M Univerisity Systems for 19 years. Brenda also facilitates Service Relationship at TEEX for the TEEX Excellence Employees Program, speaks on Leadership, Leadership Behaviors, and Communication Styles, “Attitude is Everything” and many other topics. She is pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Brenda has served as Chair for the Brazos Valley, Executive Women in Texas Government (EWTG). She also gives back to EWTG by making herself avaible to volunteer as a Speaker at the annual confereces, as well as serve on the Conference Commintte as well as Chairing the Silent Auction. Her other volunteer work includes the Brazos Valley Food Bank Board, Toastmasters, Girl Scouts of Central Texas and the Prenatal Clinic of Bryan.

Contact: ewtg@ewtg.org

Communications Director – Porscha Roney

Community Engagement Specialist, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

Porscha Roney has worked at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services for more than 12 years and serves as the Community Engagement Specialist. She performs senior-level activities with community and professional groups to coordinate interest in the Statewide Intake. Her responsibilities include organization and analysis of materials in response to information requests and reports. She acts as liaison with agencies and internal programs to explain agency program requirements. She has experience with agency newsletters and editing. She previously served as her division’s webmaster. Porscha has assisted with the EWTG Annual Professional Development Conference registration committee and currently serves on the 2019 EWTG Public Relations Committee.

Contact: communications@ewtg.org

Membership Director - Mercie M. Zapata

Special Projects Director, Texas Department of Transportation

Mercie M. Zapata is Special Projects Director at TXDOT. She has worked for the State of Texas for more than 15 years. Her work experience includes Data Center Services projects for the Department of Information Resources and projects for the Information Technology Team at the Office of the Attorney General. Mercie has been an active member of EWTG for nearly 18 years. Her service includes 2019 Mentoring Committee, 2011 Vice President, 2010 Conference Facilities Chair, 2009 Conference Facilities Chair, 2008Communications Committee, 2005 Confernece Silent Auction Chair, 2003 Communications Director, and has been a member of an Executive Success Team since 2000. Mercie holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Texas State University.

Contact: membership@ewtg.org

Mini-Course Director – Chan McDermott

Leadership Development Coordinator, Health and Human Services Commission

Chan is the Leadership Development Coordinator at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. She has developed and supported high-caliber agency leadership programs such as the Executive Leadership Academy and the Aspiring Leaders Academy. Hundreds of HHSC employees have benefited from these programs. The position of Mini-Course Director would be an ideal fit. Chan brings a wealth of connections in the professional development field. She can develop courses that suit the needs of an agency or a subject matter expert group. She also has years of experience in adult education and training. She enjoys attending mini-courses and she is strongly suited to improve topics and attendance.

Contact: minicourse@ewtg.org

Program Director - Karen Howard

Program Supervisor, Comptroller of Pubic Accounts

Karen Howard is the 2019 President of Executive Women in Texas Government and a Leadership Texas 2016 graduate. Karen served as 2017 EWTG’s Vice President, 2016 EWTG’s Board of Director as the Program Director and the 2015 EWTG‘s Board of Director as the Mini Course Director. She was nominated as the 2017 and 2018 EWTG’s Woman of the Year. Karen Howard has been employed with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Office for over 35 years. She currently is a Supervisor and Training Coordinator in Tax Policy/Taxpayer Services Division. She earned the title of “Certified Trainer” for her diligent work in developing training manuals and facilitating training classes for Revenue Processing and Revenue Administration. She was also the ECMS Transition Chair. She was also the Special Events Coordinator for the Taxpayer Services and Revenue Processing Division. In 2009, Karen started her tenure with EWTG as a volunteer on the Conference Program Committee. She enjoyed being a volunteer; and shortly thereafter became the Conference Program Committee Chair. She held that position for five years because she enjoyed networking with her team and presenters for the EWTG’s annual conferences.

Contact: program@ewtg.org

Public Relations Director – Kristine Donatello

Government Relations and Lobbyist, connectwithkristinedonatello.com

Kristine Donatello has worked for more than 15 years to influence legislation that leads to positive and measurable results changes for the people of the State of Texas, and the United States. Her experience includes work on federal policy to deter America’s youth from addition to tobacco products, by advocating for legislation that authorized restrictions on tobacco companies’ marketing practices, public policy advocacy work for tax relief for senior citizens and the disabled, college credit for education military service members received while serving, and served as a legislative director for a Texas State Representative, as a lobbyist for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and provided grassroots leadership to several Texas communities including Austin, College Station, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, San Marcos, Tyler and Waco. She has a Master of Science in Leadership and Change from St. Edward’s University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Texas A&M University.

Contact: PublicRelations@ewtg.org