Board of Directors
The EWTG Board of Directors consists of the President, President-Elect, Vice President, Financial Officer, Secretary-Treasurer, Affiliates Director, Communications Director, Membership Director, Mini-Course Director, Program Director, and Public Relations
Director, who serve without recompense. The regular term of office for each officer is January 1 to December 31. A list of position descriptions can be found here.
The President provides leadership for the Board of Directors and organization. Read the monthly President's
Corner.
The EWTG Board holds its monthly meetings virtually on the third Wednesday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Board meeting agenda and a summary
of the Board meeting minutes will be posted to the EWTG Web site after the board approves them the following month.
President – Theresa McShan
Mayor of Elgin
Health and Human Services Commission – Retired
An active member of EWTG for over 10 years, Theresa is the current EWTG President. She has served on the Conference Planning Committee, Mentorship and Strategic Planning committees and regularly attends workshops and luncheons, as well as special events
throughout the year. In 2023, she will move into the role of President, setting the leadership theme and tone for the year, as well as overseeing the work of EWTG directors and committee chairs, including the Presidential Advisory Committee.
Theresa’s professional career includes many successful transitions between agencies with her final role in Human Resources as supervisor of Employee Programs at the Health & Human Services Commission, an agency with more than 35,000 employees.
During her 35 years serving in state government, Theresa was known as the person who could get things done, leading change in many significant areas. She established the HHSC Mother-Friendly program, which designated 41 lactation rooms across the state
and created onsite wellness activities for employees which received an honor at the Annual Mayor’s Health and Fitness Awards.
She also received an award for most increased employee participation for her coordination of the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) and the Barbara Jordan Award for her leadership and success in implementing the online giving system. Under Theresa’s
leadership and her passion for mentoring students, the HHSC Internship Program expanded from a summer-only program to year-round and was recently recognized for her work on behalf of HHSC with the Dr. Emmett Conrad Leadership Program, sponsored by
Senator Royce West.
Theresa has two children and six grandchildren and serves as the Youth Director and church musician at the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Elgin, TX.
Contact: pres@ewtg.org
President-Elect – Coleen McCarthy
Health and Human Services Commission
Coleen McCarthy is a Director II in the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Services Division (MCSD) at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). In this role, she serves as the Senior Advisor to the Deputy Executive Commissioner
of Operations for MCSD. Coleen has 25 years of experience working in Health and Human Services agencies including HHSC, the Department of State Health Services, and the Department of Family and Protective Services. She has also previously worked in
Medicaid/CHIP Services, the Office of Inspector General, and the HHSC Chief Operating Office. Coleen holds a Master of Science in health services/health promotion and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology/sociology. She is a Certified Health Education
Specialist, Certified Mental Health First Aider for adults and youth, and Certified in Basic Investigations/Inspections.
Coleen has been an active member of EWTG for approximately five years and previously served on the Board as the 2022 Communications Director. She continues to participate in an EWTG Executive Success Team with three other women. Coleen is also a member
of Leadership Women, Inc. and graduated from the Leadership Women Texas program in 2022. She also participated in the Leadership Women Encore program, which took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the summer of 2022. She will participate in the Leadership
Women America class in 2023.
Coleen is a proud mom of an adult son. She enjoys reading, writing, binge-watching Netflix, and spending time with her significant other, family, and friends. Coleen also enjoys working as a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant and managing her consignment
shop for women’s plus-size clothing and other accessories in a booth at the Pflugerville Pflea Market. She is passionate about helping others and enjoys volunteering at various places.
Contact: preselect@ewtg.org
Vice President – Jessica Escobar
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Jessica Escobar currently serves as Chief of Staff at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) where she has worked since October 2019, where she was previously an Assistant General Counsel and Government Relations liaison. She has been
actively involved in the establishment and operations of TDLR’s Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC), the state’s fusion center focused on combatting organized financial fraud.
Prior to working at TDLR, Escobar was the Assistant General Counsel for Legislative Affairs at the Texas Department of Agriculture. During that time, she was selected for participation in the Governor Dolph Briscoe Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership
program which recognizes emerging leaders and fosters action on economic, political, and social issues affecting Texans.
She earned her law degree at Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Escobar is a member of the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin and is actively involved in her local National Charity League chapter. She is the current Vice-President of EWTG and served as the 2022 EWTG Annual Conference Program Chair. She lives in Austin
with her husband, two children, and feisty dog, Dwight.
Contact:
conference@ewtg.org
Financial Officer – Catherine Crago
Housing Authority City of Austin
Catherine Crago is Head of Strategic Initiatives for Housing Authority of the City of Austin. Catherine is a seasoned global diversity, equity and inclusion practitioner. For 10 years, she led an interactive diversity and inclusion training and media
firm that monthly served more than 100,000 domestic and global employees at corporate and government entities. Previously she worked in multinational global public-private consortia to ensure equitable partnerships. Catherine has been an invited speaker
at the White House, provided testimony to the Federal Communications Commission and led efforts to close the digital divide for educational equity. She serves as Board of Directors Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Austin CityUP
and as a Board of Advisor and lecturer in the University of Texas M.A. in the Human Dimensions of Organizations. She holds a BA in History from the University of Texas at Austin.
Contact: ewtg@ewtg.org
Secretary-Treasurer – Shannon Creekmur
Texas Department of State Health Services
Shannon Creekmur is a Senior Transformation Specialist in the Office of Transformation and Innovation at the Health and Human Services Commission. She has served the State of Texas in various project management and process improvement roles for over 12
years. She is a Certified Texas Contract Manager (CTCM) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
Shannon is a graduate of Leadership Texas 2019, Leadership Austin Essentials Class 43, and Emerge Class 4. She also serves as the 2022-23 President of the Junior League of Austin and is the organization's first African American president.
A native Austinite that bleeds maroon, Shannon graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and a Master of Public Health. She enjoys volunteering, spending time with friends and family, reading, and crossing items off
her personal bucket list.
Contact: ewtg@ewtg.org
Affiliates Director – Alsie Bond
City of Bryan - Retired
Alsie Bond, a Bryan, Texas native attended Texas A&M University (TAMU) and holds an under- graduate degree in Sociology and a Master of Planning from TAMU. Her career goals have always centered on being a servant leader, giving back to her community through
her professional life, as well as personally.
Over the past 25 years, she has provided leadership through her current role as the City of Bryan’s Community Development Director. This position provides direct and indirect federal funding for numerous programs that address local health and social service
needs. These programs target the most vulnerable populations including elderly, homeless, low, and moderate individuals and households. In addition to overseeing these programs, Alsie coordinates outreach by conducting presentations, focus group meetings
and one on one interviews with local leaders including city officials, non-profits, businesses, and vulnerable populations to provide information on community needs and resources to address these needs.
Alsie serves as the Treasury for the Executive Women in Texas Government, Brazos Valley Affiliate, and is one of the founding members of this affiliate. She serves on the Executive team for the local affiliate participating in the coordination of the
group’s efforts to support women in local government through education, networking and outreach in the community.
Alsie currently is engaged in her community through community efforts such as Chairing the annual You’re the Tops Event, (a fundraiser for The Prenatal Clinic, a nonprofit serving low and moderate women’s prenatal care). This event honors women who make
an impact on the community through their professional or volunteer efforts. She also serves on the Community Partnership Board, local nonprofit efforts to collaborate and engage in community wide efforts to reduce poverty, The Brazos Valley Coalition
for the Homeless, a Coalition targeting cohesive efforts to serve the homeless and several United Way of the Brazos Valley committees, having served as Board Chair in recent years.
Alsie lives in Bryan with her husband and their family consist of a blended family of six. All, grown and with families of their own.
Contact: affiliates@ewtg.org
Communications Director – Karen Howard
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Karen Howard is the 2019 President of Executive Women in Texas Government and a Leadership Texas 2016 graduate. Karen served as the 2022 Conference Networking/Welcome Reception Committee Chair. In 2021, 2020 and 2016 EWTG’s Board of Director as the Program
Director, the 2017 EWTG’s Vice President and the 2015 EWTG ‘s Board of Director as the Mini Course Director. She was nominated as the 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022 EWTG’s Woman of the Year. Karen Howard has been employed with the Texas Comptroller of
Public Accounts Office for over 39 years. She currently is a Supervisor and Training Coordinator in the 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 six years because she enjoyed networking with her team and presenters
for the EWTG’s annual conferences.
Contact: communications@ewtg.org
Membership Director - Tamela Fletcher
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Tamala has more than 20 years of State service with a focus on meeting planning and execution. She is a success driven meeting planner, organizing and executing state government meetings and events for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation’s
27 Advisory Boards and its Commission. Tamala has been the liaison to the agencies Commission coordinating the schedules for seven Commissioners and Department staff. Tamala’s background as a Paralegal has been key to her success in executing meetings
and projects for the Department. Currently Tamala is working with the Office of General Counsel to implement a new rules tracking software designed to streamline the rulemaking process and add automation and tracking to the system.
Tamala is a former Toastmasters President (2016) and a current Toastmasters member. She is a Leadership Texas Class of 2016 Graduate. Executive Women in Texas Government Member since 2009.
Contact:
membership@ewtg.org
Mini-Course Director – Rashida Broussard
Health & Human Services Commission
Rashida Broussard is the Contracts and Quality Manager for Behavioral Health Medicaid Programs Contracts and Quality Management with Behavioral Health Services (BHS). Rashida performs highly complex consultative services, quality improvement oversight,
and technical assistance for Health and Human Services. Ms. Broussard has over 15 years of experience in the human services field. She began her career with Louisiana’s Department of Social Services. In 2008, she moved to Texas and began providing
services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Brenham’s State Supported Living Center and Regulatory department. She has experience working various programs with Health and Human Services including Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid programs; Home and Community Based Services (HCS) and Texas Home Living (TxHmL); and Finance and Contract Operations. Ms. Broussard earned her Certified Texas
Contract Manager (CTCM) from the State of Texas.
Rashida is a graduate of the HHS Extraordinary Contributors Program. She actively advocates and serves her community. Rashida is a proud member of Inspire Church Houston where she serves as a Real Life Sunday School Teacher, Small Groups Facilitator,
and Director of Christian Education. She served as Vice President at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) Houston Student Council and currently serves as the Liaison for DTS between the Houston Student Council and Alumni Association. Rashida presented
as a guest speaker at the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Annual Conference in 2017 and 2018, and the Providers Alliance for Community Services of Texas in 2017, and Executive Wen of Texas Government in 2022. Moreover,
she serves as the Organizer for Simply Christians group with almost 500 members for Bible studies. Ms. Broussard received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette; master’s in Psychology from the University of
Phoenix; and a master’s in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary.
Rashida is a proud mom of her seventeen-year-old son. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and reading books.
Contact: minicourse@ewtg.org
Program Director - Sarah Melecki
Health & Human Services Commission
Sarah Melecki serves as the Director of Integrated Care Strategy at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, focusing on integrating mental health care, substance use care, and primary care. She was previously the senior advisor to the Deputy Associate
Commissioner for Texas Medicaid/CHIP Policy and Program, and the behavioral health policy specialist with Texas Medicaid/CHIP. She has also worked as a senior analyst at the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a congressional
commission in Washington, DC. Early in her career, Sarah served as the district director to a Texas State Representative and on the health policy team for the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science
from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a Master of Public affairs from the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs. Sarah is a baseball fan, chocolate enthusiast, and pug lover.
Contact: program@ewtg.org
Public Relations Director – Melissa Hield
Texas Department of Insurance - Retired
Melissa Hield retired in September 2019, after 35 years of state service, as the Associate Commissioner for Consumer Protection at the Texas Department of Insurance. She was responsible for outreach to consumers, helping consumers with complex complaints,
and coordinating TDI’s response during a disaster. She began her career at TDI in 1989 as the agency’s first strategic planner and worked in Consumer Protection as the operations manager from 1994 to 2011, when she was named the Associate Commissioner.
Melissa holds a M.A. in American Civilization from The University of Texas at Austin and B.A. in American Studies from Smith College. In 1975 she and four women graduate students founded People’s History in Texas, a non-profit educational organization
that uses oral history to document the stories of people who are left out of the history books. PHIT has produced Talkin’ Union, the story of four Texas women labor organizers; The Rag, the story of Austin’s underground newspaper in the 1960s and
70s; and The Stand-ins, about the white and African American students who integrated Austin movie theaters in 1962. Melissa is the co-editor of Talkin’ Union, a book of essays about Texas working women. She has been the executive director of PHIT
since 1980.
Melissa is a graduate of 1983 Leadership Texas and 2013 and 2015 Leadership International (India and Mexico City).
Contact: PublicRelations@ewtg.org
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