 |
|
|
|
|
Meet the President and Board
Members for 2012 – 2013
The Honorable Gene Green
President
Congressman Gene Green was first elected to Congress from the 29th Congressional District of Texas in 1992, after twenty years in the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate. In 1996, Green was appointed to the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee and currently serves as the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy. He also serves on the Subcommittee on Energy and Power and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Since being elected to the House of Representatives, Green has been a champion of education, labor, energy and health issues. He has worked hard to increase the minimum wage, job training services, access to technology, and to improve access to quality health care.
Green has been involved in a number of issues and projects directly affecting the 29th District. In the 1990s, he was instrumental in the revitalization of the Houston Head Start program, ensuring that this vital program was made available to all children. He has worked to secure federal funds for the expansion of the Port of Houston and Intercontinental Airport, passed legislation in 2002 to declare the Buffalo Bayou a National Heritage Area, and helped to raise funding and support for Community Health Centers in the Houston area. Green has also organized many annual events in the 29th District that serve to improve lives in the community. His annual "Citizenship Day" and "Immunization Day" are two of his most successful annual events, along with dozens of neighborhood town hall meetings each year.
Green, a native Houstonian, was born October 17, 1947. He received a degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston in 1971. He attended Bates College of Law at the University of Houston and was admitted as a member of the State Bar of Texas in 1977. In 1970, he married Helen Albers Green. Helen retired after teaching math in the Aldine Independent School District for 26 years. They have two children and four grandchildren. The Green family attends Spring Woods United Methodist Church in Houston.
Barry Brown
1st Vice-President
Barry is a fifth-generation Texan from Greenville and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Tech University. Following graduation, he moved to Washington, D.C. to work for House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-Lubbock) as a Legislative Assistant and later served as Legislative Director to Rep. Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands) and Chief of Staff to Rep. Kay Granger (R- Fort Worth).
Barry was a Vice President with the lobbying firm the Alpine Group before taking his current post as Chief of Staff for Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D., and he has served in that capacity since 2003. He is past-President of the National Board of Directors for the Texas Tech Alumni Association and currently serves on the National Board of Directors for the Red Raider Club. Also, he serves as the Assistant Treasurer on the Vestry of St. Patricks Episcopal Church of Washington, D.C.
The TSS has been a family tradition. His grandparents and mother were active members of TSS in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s, making Barry a third generation member of the TSS. He is also married to former TSS Board Member, Jennifer Brown, and they have a son, Leighton, and a daughter, Gipson (making them fourth generation TSS members). They reside on Capitol Hill.
Congressman Francisco "Quico" Canseco
2nd Vice-President
Congressman Francisco "Quico" Canseco is a staunch advocate of limited government and free markets. First elected to Congress in 2010, he has quickly established himself as an active member of the House Financial Services Committee, where he sits on the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee and the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
Prior to beginning his service in Congress, Congressman Canseco worked in real estate, banking, and law. After graduating from St. Louis University Law School, Quico worked as both in-house and outside counsel for Union National Bank in Texas. When Hondo National Bank, a community bank in Hondo, Texas, was failing in 1995, he stepped in to recapitalize the bank. Quico took Hondo National Bank from a failing bank with $8 Million in assets and one location to an institution with over $180 Million and four branches today. During his time with Hondo National Bank, Quico served as Board President and counsel until his election to Congress. In addition to his work with Union National Bank and Hondo National Bank, Quico -- along with his 7 brothers and sisters -- started a small real estate development business that has spent nearly 20 years building small, medium, and large retail centers from Texas and Pennsylvania to Mexico. Quico knows what it takes to create jobs and meet a payroll. His work in the financial services industry and as a small business owner has given him a unique perspective on job creation and the economy in the freshman class of the 112th Congress.
Born and raised in Laredo, Quico is a first generation American as his parents were immigrants to the United States from Mexico. Quico comes from a family that knows firsthand about the promise of the American Dream, and that is why he is fighting in Congress to ensure that we preserve it for future generations of Americans.
Bob Mansker
Secretary
Bob has been a member of the Texas State Society since 1979. He currently serves as a member of the Board for the term 2011-2013. He has served as: Historian (1987-88; 1989-90; 2005-07; 2010-2011); Treasurer (2007-2009); and Secretary (2009-2010). Additionally, he served two consecutive unexpired terms on the Board in 2003 and 2004. He graduated from The University of Texas (Austin) with a BBA in 1965. Bob was the youngest staff member on the Hill when he came to Washington to serve on the staff of Congressman John Dowdy (D-TX) 1963-64. During that period, he briefly lived in Athens, where he assisted in running the district office for the Congressman. After earning his MBA from Texas A&M University, he taught business courses at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, prior to working on his doctorate, which he received from Texas A&M in 1975, majoring in Business, Government, and Higher Education..
He served in the Texas House of Representatives as the Administrative Assistant to Representative Smith E. Gilley (Greenville), who hired Bob after they opposed each other in the Democratic Primary of 1974. Bob served as Democratic County Chairman of Hunt County, was elected to the State Democratic Executive Committee in 1976, and was re-elected in 1978, serving the 2nd Senatorial District of Texas. He managed the successful campaign for former Congressman Jim Mattox (now deceased) and helped conduct the successful campaign of former Congressman Martin Frost. He returned to Washington in 1979 as the Press Secretary in the Congressman's office. In 1993, Frost named him Staff Director (Majority) for the Subcommittee on Accounts within the full House Administration Committee. Additionally, he served as Staff Director for the House Commission on Fair Employment Standards, a bipartisan group to handle employees' complaints. Bob became the Minority Staff Director for the Joint Committee on Printing, and, in late 1997, he was appointed as Deputy Public Printer of the United States, serving at the U.S. Government Printing Office until 2003. In 2004, he was awarded the "Outstanding Achievement Award" for his work at the GPO by the new Republican Public Printer Bruce James.
Since his departure from federal service, Bob has served as the Secretary to the Fairfax County, VA Board of Equalization, where he continues to serve. Additionally, he serves as the Chief Election Officer for his local precinct in each election. In his spare time, Bob directs bridge game activities, teaches and lectures for several cruise ships on voyages throughout the world, recently returning from England after an across-the-Atlantic cruise.
Julie Turner Merberg
Treasurer
Texas State Society treasurer Julie Turner Merberg was born in Fort Worth and grew up in Abilene and Amarillo. An Amarillo High School Sandie, she graduated from Texas Christian University before moving to Washington, D.C.
Julie began her service on Capitol Hill with Congressman Charlie Stenholm and worked for the 17th district of Texas before joining the staff of Congressman Ciro Rodriguez. Since 2005, she has worked for Congressman Silvestre Reyes, who represents El Paso.
Julie lives in Maryland with her husband Glenn and children Alison, Natalie, and Elliott. She misses Six Flags, Palo Duro Canyon, and Diet Big Red.
Ed Perez
Historian
A seventh generation Texan, Ed grew up in Corpus Christi. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduation in 1981, he worked in the field of community development for the City of Austin and Fairfax County, Virginia.
In 1991, he began working for the State of Texas in Washington, D.C., at the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations (OSFR), ultimately serving as executive director of that agency. He was selected by Governor Rick Perry to serve as Acting Executive Director of OSFR in June 2001 and was initially appointed to the post of Executive Director in June of 2002. In March 2003, during the Texas Legislature regular session, he was confirmed to the position by the Texas State Senate. He retired from state service in April 2011.
Ed lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and two children. Ed joined the Texas State Society in the late '80s, became a board member in 2003, and served as President of the Texas State Society for the 2007 � 2008 term. Ed served as chairman of the Texas State Society's 2009 Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on January 19, 2009. He continues on the TSS Board as historian for the 2011 - 2012 term.
Lois Auer
Director with term expiring in April 2013
Lois retired as Executive Secretary of the Texas State Society (TSS) in March 2011 and is looking forward to serving as a TSS Board Member for 2011-2013. She is very pleased to have this position, as this will be the first time in twelve years that she will be able to vote on matters coming before the TSS board.
Before TSS, she worked on Capitol Hill for 26 years for former Congressman Charles W. Stenholm (17th District) and for Stenholm�s predecessor, Omar Burleson. She was actively involved with the 1986 Sesquicentennial Ball and five successive Black Tie and Boots (BT&B) Inaugural Balls. As Executive Secretary of the TSS, she sold tickets for the past three BT&B balls -- which proved quite a challenge.
Although she has lived in Maryland with her husband, Art, for the past 46 years, she still considers herself a Texan. Every year, they have returned to the San Antonio area, including her home town of Runge, for visits with family and friends. The Auers continue to enjoy their square- and round- dancing activities. She is enjoying several volunteer activities, especially helping children with reading issues.
Leo Muñoz
Director with term expiring in April 2013
Leo Muñoz was born in Houston TX. He's a gradute of Aldine High School. He went on to receive his B.A. At the University of Texas, Austin where he majored in Government. He worked for various State Representatives for 10 years in the State Capitol before moving to Washington, D.C. nine years ago. Currently, he serves as Chief of Staff to Congressman Charlie Gonzalez of San Antonio, TX. He currently resides in Takoma Park, MD with his wife, Julie, Daughter Amelia and dog, Oliver.
Bryan Dierlam
Director with term expiring in April 2013
Bryan Dierlam was born and raised in Victoria, Texas. His family has farmed and ranched and owns and operates a retail farm-and-ranch supply store. He attended Texas A&M University and graduated with a degree in Animal Science in 1992 and an MBA in Finance in 1994. Since moving to Washington, D.C. in 1998, he has worked for the National Cattlemen�s Beef Association and the House Committee on Agriculture. Bryan currently works for Cargill. He is married to Christina Muedeking, and they have two children -- a son, William, and a daughter, Emma.
Lane Luskey
Director with term expiring in April 2013
Lane M. Luskey was born and raised in Fort Worth and graduated from Paschal High School. Lane attended the University of Texas in Austin where he earned his B.B.A. in Finance and Marketing. He then received his Juris Doctorate from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Upon graduation, Lane practiced commercial litigation and insurance defense law at a prominent law firm in Fort Worth and then moved to a smaller �boutique� firm in Dallas.
In 1996, after practicing law for more than 4 years in Texas, Lane relocated to Washington, DC and worked for President Clinton at the Democratic National Committee raising funds for his re-election Campaign. Following the election, Lane was enlisted to work on the Presidential Inaugural Committee.
Lane then spent the next 9 years consulting and advising Members of Congress and candidates on political matters and fundraising efforts, including campaign finance laws and rules.
From 1997 through 2001, Lane learned the ropes of political fundraising and strategy working under the tutelage of former Texas Congressman Martin Frost, when Frost chaired the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (the �DCCC�), as well when Frost was the Democratic Caucus Chair. Lane was enlisted at the DCCC to plan and manage the finance operations of the congressional campaigns taking place in the Southern region of the U.S., as well as in the state of Texas.
In 2001, Lane returned to Texas to serve as the Finance Director of the U. S. Senate campaign of former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, the current United States Trade Representative
Following the 2002 elections, Lane returned to Washington and served as the Deputy National Finance Director for the DCCC for the 2004 election cycle. Lane oversaw the finance operations of the Committee and was responsible for all the activities and outreach with the various industry leaders� representatives taking place in the Washington, DC area. While there, Lane established the DCCC�s Business Council, which brings Democratic Members of Congress together with executives in various sectors of the business community to discuss their mutual interests and legislative priorities.
Lane has been advising and representing various corporations, trade associations, local governmental entities and municipalities in legislative and political matters at both the federal level and state level for the past 7 years. He recently formed Luskey Legislative Consulting, LLC to provide clients with strategic counsel and advice to most effectively navigate the complexities of the U.S. and Texas legislative and political process. Prior to forming his own firm, Lane was a Partner and the Senior Democrat in the government affairs practice of The Loeffler Group, a Texas based lobby and law firm.
Lane is admitted to practice law in Texas where he continues his membership in the State Bar of Texas. Lane also serves on charitable and arts organizations such as Prevent Cancer Foundation, Youth Aids, the Sitar Arts Center, the Corcoran Art Gallery and the Newseum. Lane served on the Board of Directors of the Texas State Society as Membership Chair during 2010 - 2011.
Tim Teehan
Director with term expiring in April 2013
Tim is currently a partner at Columbia Books & Information Services, the leading specialty information publishing firm for the government relations and association community for nearly 50 years. Columbia Books is home to such notable publications as The Original US Congress Handbook, The Washington Representatives Directory, Lobbyists.info, and Association Trends, as well as partnering with the American League of Lobbyists on the Lobbying Certificate Program.
An Aggie from San Antonio, Tim also lived in Bryan/College Station and Dallas (where his Aggie ring still resides beneath White Rock Lake) before moving to Washington, D.C. to help fundraise for Members of Congress and charities close to his heart. After 2006, Tim joined Campaigns & Elections as part of the team which rehabilitated the magazine to its former glory.
When not working, Tim can be found two-stepping, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking, or teaching kayaking classes (although not all at the same time).
The Honorable Ted Poe
Director with term expiring in April 2013
Doug Centilli
Immediate Past President & Director with term expiring April 2014
Doug Centilli began public service in Austin as a legislative assistant for then State Representative Mike Jackson. He was next tapped to work in the administration of Governor Bill Clements as Special Assistant, where he worked on numerous issues with a heavy emphasis on criminal justice.
Following his service with Governor Clements, Doug became Chief of Staff for State Representative Kevin Brady, where he was involved in legislation ranging from child abuse prevention and school finance to economic development.
Kevin Brady was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, and he again called upon Doug to serve as his Chief of Staff in Washington, a position he has held ever since. In his capacity as Chief of Staff, Doug has had the opportunity to negotiate and help shape pivotal legislative goals for Congressman Brady, including playing an instrumental role in restoring the state sales tax deduction that allows Texans to deduct their state and local sales taxes from their federal income tax bill.
Additionally, Doug also spearheaded many important projects, including leading negotiations on the legislation that created university centers of excellence for homeland security research within the Department of Homeland Security and participating as a principal architect of the Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine.
Doug currently serves as a director of the Texas Lyceum, Texas' premier leadership incubator, and he is serving on the board of Perfect Attendance � a public-private initiative that combines the strengths of the schools, the business community, community organizations, the media, celebrities, and entertainers to reward students to stay in school and to graduate from high school. Doug has also served on the board of the Texas Leadership Institute and is an alumnus of the John Ben Sheppard Leadership Institute.
Doug is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he was also a member of the Aggie Football Team.
The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson
Director with term expiring April 2014
Dean Aguillen
Director with term expiring April 2014
Jarvis Stewart
Director with term expiring April 2014
Don Carlson
Director with term expiring April 2014
Heather Traeger Cohan
Director with term expiring April 2014
Jennifer Daniels
Membership Chair
Jennifer Daniels was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the northern suburb of Farmers Branch. A first generation Texan, Jennifer is the proudest member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2000, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Mathematics. She returned for post-graduate study at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service in 2003 receiving a Certificate in Advanced International Affairs. Jennifer began her career as a math teacher, but after several years of political involvement at the local and state levels, moved to Washington, D.C. in 2004.
Jennifer is currently the Director of Government Relations for the Catholic Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Washington. She oversees participation in federal programs under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and tracks state and federal legislative issues related to non-public schools.
Previously, Jennifer served in the Bush Administration at the Department of State. As Special Assistant to Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Karen Hughes, Jennifer traveled to 10 countries in less than a year's time. She also worked with the House Foreign Affairs Committee as Legislative Management Officer in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. On Capitol Hill, Jennifer worked in the communications office of the Committee on Education and Workforce for Chairman John Boehner (OH-08) and as scheduler and office manager for fellow Aggie, Congressman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05).
Jennifer lives in Cheverly, Maryland with her husband of 11 years, Gavin (Texas A&M class of '99 and '04), daughters Emily and Ella, and their Jack Russell Terrier, Sarge.
Chad Sweet
Entertainment Chair
Chad grew up in Beaumont and graduated from Monsignor Kelly High School, where he played varsity football. He is an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum and a former member of the Coronado Club and the River Oaks Country Club in Houston. Chad was a founding Board Director of the Maverick PAC of Texas.
At the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Sweet directly supported Secretary Michael Chertoff to restructure and optimize the flow of information between the CIA, FBI, and other members of the national security community and DHS. Mr. Sweet also supported the Secretary during numerous operations to detect, disrupt, and respond to terrorist plots both in the United States and overseas, including the August 2006 US/UK liquid explosives plot, the March 2007 Fort Dix Six plot, the June 2007 JFK Airport plot, and other incidents that remain classified.
At Chertoff Group, Mr. Sweet utilizes his unique background in intelligence, homeland security, and investment banking to provide M&A advice to companies wishing to expand within the defense, aerospace, and security industries, and to help private capital groups evaluate investment opportunities within the sector.
Chad served in the CIA�s Directorate of Operations. After having helped to fight the threat of Communism during his tenure at the CIA, Mr. Sweet left the Agency in the early '90s and began a career in finance. He started with Morgan Stanley investment banking and then was recruited by Goldman Sachs. He spent six of his twelve years in finance in overseas assignments.
Mr. Sweet returned to public service after 9/11, which he personally witnessed from the office of Goldman Sachs in New York.
Following the inauguration of President Obama � during which DHS helped confront another potential terrorist plot � Secretary Chertoff and Mr. Sweet returned to private life and founded the Chertoff Group, where they continue working to help companies and countries manage a broad range of risks.
Mr. Sweet graduated with honors from Columbia University.
LaKeitha Anderson
Sponsorship Chair
LaKeitha Anderson, a native Texan from the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, began her public service as a legislative assistant for Texas State Representative Helen Giddings. She next went to work in the Texas Senate as an Assistant Sargeant-at-Arm during the 75th Texas Legislature.
Following her work with the Texas State Senate, she returned to the office of Texas State Representative Helen Giddings where she worked on legislation ranging from education enrichment and school finance to economic development. Most notably was her work on the "Read to Succeed" legislation that advanced then-Governor George Bush's Texas reading initiative goals.
Shortly after leaving public service, LaKeitha entered into the legal field, working for prominent Texas law firms such as Patton Boggs, Jenkens & Gilchrist, and later Crowell & Moring in Washington, D.C., after relocating here in 2000. She later worked on the U.S. Senate campaign of former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk.
Most recently, LaKeitha worked as the Federal Government Relations Coordinator for the City of Dallas. LaKeitha currently is a Senior Manager of Federal Government Relations for Reynolds American Inc., where she is responsible for advancing the corporation's legislative objectives.
LaKeitha is a graduate of the University of North Texas, where she was an active member of the Student Government, NAACP, Phi Alpha Delta and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Bill Christian
Executive Secretary
A graduate of Monahans (Texas) High School, Bill Christian most recently served in the administration of President George W. Bush as the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Selective Service System, where he received the Distinguished Service Award. In addition to managing the Texas State Society, he is the Managing Partner of Austin Copelin & Reyes, LLC, an El Paso-based government relations firm, and he is a founding partner of Rappahannock Timber Frame Company, a construction-marketing firm based in Sperryville, Virginia. A 1986 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, he served (until December 2006) as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Federal Relations in the UT System's Washington, D.C. office for five years.
In 2003, Bill Christian returned to his home in Midland, Texas, to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, in a special election to fill the vacancy created by the early retirement of then-Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Larry Combest (R-Lubbock).
In addition to working in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, the native West Texan served on the staffs of U.S. Senators John Tower and Phil Gramm, and U.S. Representative Tom Loeffler, while his last assignment on Capitol Hill was Chief of Staff for Congressman John Culberson. A graduate of the Naval War College, Bill recently retired from the United States Marine Corps Reserve. In his spare time, Christian is an active member of the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church, and he is an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum, an association committed to identifying and developing the next generation of top leadership in the State of Texas. Bill also serves on the Board of Advisors for both the Gamma Upsilon Chapter (UT Austin) and the Alpha Pi Chapter (George Washington University) of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) Fraternity, while also representing TKE in the Capital Fraternal Caucus in Washington, D.C.
Bill's hobbies include marathon running, coaching a softball team (The RBIs of Texas), and serving as a Commissioner in the U.S. Senate Softball League. A Past President of the Texas State Society, Bill served on the TSS Board of Directors until his appointment as Executive Secretary.
|
|
|
|
