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2016-2017 New or Re-Elected Officers

Posted in About TSPRA

These newly elected officers will begin their terms February 24, 2016.

Current Executive Committee


tortoriciwebPresident-Elect
Melissa Tortorici

Melissa Tortorici is the Director of Communications at Texas City ISD and a seventeen-year veteran of TSPRA. Melissa previously served as Houston/Beaumont Area Vice President from 2011-2016, filling an unexpired term before being elected to two full terms herself. During her time in TSPRA she has won Gold, Silver and Crystal Commendations in TSPRA's annual Star Awards Competition. She is active in the PTO, the Girl Scouts and the Rotary Club in Texas City.

 


ariannav hwebGulf Coast Area Vice President
Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez

Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez works as the Public Information Officer at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD. A member of TSPRA and NSPRA for nine years, she has served on the Blue Ribbon Committee for her area, been TSPRA's Professional Awards Chair and a conference presenter. She has been the recipient of numerous Gold, Silver and Best of Category Star Awards, as well as an NSPRA Golden Achievement Award and Award for Merit. 

 


kramer mug2015Houston/Beaumont Area Vice President
Mark Kramer

Mark Kramer works as the Public Relations Officer at Channelview ISD. He has served as an At-Large Vice President from 2005-2007, as Parliamentarian for the 2009-2010 school year and been a two-time chair of the Bylaws Committee, including for the 2015-2016 school year. He has won numerous Best of Category Star Awards, including a Platinum Award with the communications team at Pasadena ISD. 

 


Adriana MoonwebEast Texas Area Vice President
Adriana Moon

Adriana Moon began her position as Communications Coordinator at ESC Region 7 on April 10, 2016 after holding the same job at Whitehouse ISD for two years. She served the East Texas region as Zone Coordinator for a year and a half prior to her appointment as VP. 

Adriana was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Ashley Patterson.


tommybrownwebNorth Central Area Vice President 
Tommy Brown

Tommy Brown serves Alvarado ISD as their Public Information Officer. He served the North Central area as zone coordinator before being appointed by the board to the North Central VP position to fill the unexpired term of Karen Permetti. Tommy is a seven-year TSPRA veteran who has presented at the Annual Conference and served on both the scholarship and mentor committees. 

 


Melissa MartinezwebFar West Area Vice President
Melissa Martinez

Melissa Martinez has served as the Executive Director to Community Engagement for the El Paso Independent School District since June, 2014. Martinez brings more than 20 years experience in communications, having worked as a journalist throughout the region. She presented at the 2016 Annual Conference in Horseshoe Bay. 

Melissa was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Shane Griffith. 

 


EspinozawebSan Antonio Area Vice President
Anne Marie Espinoza

Anne Marie Espinoza has worked as the Executive Director for Communications and Marketing for Uvalde Consolidated ISD for two and half years.  She has served on the TSPRA Teller Committee, the Celebrate Texas Public Schools committee and most recently as the Zone Coordinator for the San Antonio Area.

Anne Marie was appointed via Blue Ribbon Commitee to fill the unexpired term of Jamie Fails.  

 


BendenwebAt-Large Vice President, Place 2
Teresa Benden

Teresa Benden has worked as the Director of College Station ISD Education Foundation for the last seven years. Her TSPRA service includes membership on the Audit Committee and Bylaws Committee, as well as presenting at the Annual Conference. She was won several Best of Category Star Awards, as well as being named the Texas A&M University College of Education Dean's Roundtable Outstanding Educator Award for 2015. 

 


faulkenberywebAt-Large Vice President, Place 3
Monica Faulkenbery, APR

Monica Faulkenbery is the Assistant Director of Communications at Northside ISD. She has served as San Antonio Area Vice President, chaired the TSPRA Scholarship Committee, worked as an APR mentor in the San Antonio area and throughout the state, and was the Chair of the Texas Welcome Committee for the NSPRA National Seminar. Monica is a seventeen-year veteran of TSPRA. 

 
 

2015-2016 New or Re-elected Officers

Posted in About TSPRA

These newly elected TSPRA officers will begin their terms February 25, 2015. 

Current Executive Committee

LoretteWilliamsweb

President
Lorette Williams

Lorette Williams is the Director of Communications at Corpus Christi ISD. A 10-year TSPRA veteran, she has previously served on TSPRA's Executive Committee as Gulf Coast Area Vice President and Parliamentarian. She has previously served on TSPRA's Conference Planning Committee, presented at numerous TSPRA conferences and the TASA Midwinter Conference and had her writing featured in TASA's INSIGHT Magazine and Texas School Business. She was named TSPRA's Most Valuable Member in 2011. In addition to her TSPRA work, Lorette has volunteered with Spaulding for Children and March of Dimes, and is active in the Junior League of Corpus Christi. 

IanHalperinPresident-Elect
Ian Halperin

Ian Halperin is the Executive Director of Communications/Community Relations at Wylie ISD and a twenty-year TSPRA veteran. Ian has previously served as North Central Regional Vice President from 2010-2012. During his time in TSPRA he has been a member of the Bylaws Review Committee, Conference Planning Committee, Marketing Committee, Mentor Committee and has chaired the Star Awards Review Committee and the 2013-2014 Professional Awards Committee. Ian has presented on topics ranging from open records to crisis management, and his team’s efforts have garnered more than 140 awards from state and national groups, including TSPRA’s Platinum Award. 

 

Patterson webEast Texas Area Vice President
Ashley Holt Patterson

Ashley Holt Patterson works as a Communications Specialist at ESC Region 7. An eight-year TSPRA Veteran, she has volunteered as a CTPS Video Contest Judge, conference day chair and presenter at multiple TSPRA conferences. She is also a past recipient of TSPRA's Rookie of the Year Award, as well as the winner of numerous Best of Category and Gold Star Awards. 

Traci Marlin web

West Central Area Vice President
Traci Marlin

Traci Marlin serves Midway ISD as the Public Information Coordinator. While running a one-woman shop at Midway, she has received a Crystal Commendation Award and Crystal Certificate of Merit in addition to numerous Gold Star Awards and presented roundtable sessions at the TSPRA Annual Conference. 

 

Veronica Sopher webCentral Area Vice President
Veronica Sopher

Veronica Sopher holds the position of Assistant Superintendent of Community and Government Relations in Leander ISD. She has served on the Celebrate Texas Public Schools committee, the Audit Committee, as Parliamentarian and beginning in 2013 as Central Area Vice President. She has been honored by the Fort Worth chapter and Dallas chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. 

Sharp NancyNorthwest Area Vice President
Nancy Sharp

Nancy Sharp is the Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations at Lubbock ISD. Previously a Northwest Region Zone Coordinator, she began serving her first term as Northwest Region Vice President in 2013. A member of Raise Your Hand Texas and Friends of Texas Public Schools, she also serves on the government relations committee of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and has served six years on the United Way Campaign Cabinet. 

Kristin Zastoupil webAt-Large Vice President, Position 1
Kristin Zastoupil

Kristin Zastoupil works at Corsicana ISD as the district's Webmaster and Graphic Designer and the Executive Director of the Corsicana Education Foundation. She has served TSPRA as a conference day chair and longtime conference presenter. She is a member of NSPRA, the National School Foundation Association, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Texas Education Foundation Network, and more. 

 

Nominees Requirements & Duties

Posted in About TSPRA

Requirements for Nominees

★ Candidates for President-Elect, which is a three-year term as President-Elect, President and Immediate Past President, must:

• have chaired one or more of the standing committees and/or served as a TSPRA Vice President 
   and have exhibited leadership characteristics

• be a professional member in good standing with both TSPRA and NSPRA

• follow the NSPRA Code of Ethics and TSPRA Statement of Commitment

http://www.tspra.org/about-tspra/mission-vision/code-of-ethics

• be knowledgeable of and willing to enforce the TSPRA bylaws

http://www.tspra.org/about-tspra/mission-vision/bylaws-standing-rules

★ Candidates for Area Vice President, a two-year term, must:

• be a professional member in good standing in TSPRA

• reside in the geographical area of representation (VP areas are based on ESC region numbers.)

★ Candidates for At-Large Vice President, a two-year term, must:

• be a professional member in good standing in TSPRA

• can reside anywhere in the state

Duties of Officers

★ President: presides at general membership and executive committee meetings; appoints chairpersons of all standing (and adhoc) committees except nominating, strategic planning, and executive director evaluation; approves the selection of committee members made by the chairpersons; works closely with the executive director; and must be a professional member of TSPRA and hold NSPRA membership.

★ President-Elect: presides at meetings in the absence of the president;prepares a budget prior to the first executive committee meeting of the fiscal year he/she becomes president; serves as chairperson of the nominating, strategic planning and executive director evaluation committee; and must be a professional member of TSPRA and hold NSPRA membership.

★ Area Vice President: serves a two-year term; represents one of nine TSPRA regions; coordinates regional membership drives; provides assistance to members and prospective members; provides written report of region’s activities to the executive director and president; attends executive committee meetings; presides at area regional meetings; communicates a tleast quarterly with the members in the region; other duties as assigned; and must be a professional member of TSPRA.

★ At-Large Vice President: serves a two-year term; represents all members of the organization; provides assistance to current members and prospective members; attends executive committee meetings; other duties as assigned; and must be a professional member of TSPRA.

Nominations and Elections

Posted in About TSPRA

Each year, in August, TSPRA begins a process of gathering nominations of eligible TSPRA professional members who are qualified and willing to serve on the executive committee. Names are submitted to the State office for the positions of president-elect and several of the area and at-large vice presidents. Then the Nominating Committee, chaired by the president-elect, meets during the annual TASA/TASB Convention to select a recommended slate of officers from the nominees.

NOMINATIONS: The nomination period closed September 1, 2017.

The nomination and election process as directed in TSPRA's Bylaws and Standing Rules

Read the Requirements for Nominees and the Duties of Officers

POSITIONS UP FOR ELECTION IN 2017
• President-Elect
• Gulf Coat Area VP (Regions 1, 2 & 3)
     position currently held by Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD
• Houston/Beaumont Area VP (Regions 4 & 5)
     position currently held by Mark Kramer, Channelview ISD  
• North Central Area VP (Regions 9, 10 & 11)
     position currently held by Tommy Brown, Alvarado ISD
• Far West Area VP (Regions 18 & 19)
     position currently held by Melissa Martinez, El Paso ISD
• San Antonio Area VP (Region 20)
     position currently held by Anne Marie Espinoza, Uvalde ISD
• At-Large VP Position 2
     position currently held by Teresa Benden, College Station Education Foundation
• At-Large VP Position 3
     position currently held by Monica Faulkenbery, APR, Northside ISD

NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The Nominating Committee will be chaired by President-Elect Kristin Zastoupil.
Regional representatives who serve on the nominating committee must be professional members in good standing, are being selected now. 

Chairperson:
Kristin Zastoupil, TSPRA President-Elect, Corsicana ISD

Gulf Coast Area Representative: 
Helen Escobar, Roma ISD
       Alternate: Veronica Castillon, APR, Laredo ISD

Houston/Beaumont Area Representative: 
Craig Eichhorn, APR, Alief ISD
       Alternate: Veronica Sopher, Fort Bend ISD

East Texas Area Representative:  
Judith Saxton, Ph.D., APR, Mt. Pleasant ISD
       Alternate: Adriana Moon, ESC Region 7

North Central Area Representative:
Julie Zwahr, Denton ISD
       Alternate: Tommy Brown, Alvarado ISD

West Central Area Representative:
Suzi Pagel, Midway ISD/Education Foundation
       Alternate: Traci Marlin, Midway ISD

Central Texas Area Representative:
Kristi Lee, Ed.D., Bastrop ISD
       Alternate: Rebecca Villarreal, APR, New Braunfels ISD

Northwest Area Representative:
Kenneth Dixon, Lubbock ISD
       Alternate:Nancy Sharp, Lubbock ISD

Far West Area Representative:  
No Appointee
       Alternate: No Appointee

San Antonio Area Representative:  
Kim Cathey, Floresville ISD
       Alternate: Patti Pawlik-Perales, Alamo Heights ISD

At-Large Position 1 Representative: 
Emily Conklin, Northwest ISD
      Alternate: Renae Murphy, Rockwall ISD

At-Large Position 2 Representative:
Dana Harris, Fort Worth ISD Education Foundation
      Alternate: Teresa Benden, College Station ISD Education Foundation

At-Large Position 3 Representative:
Julie Thannum, APR, Carroll ISD
      Alternate: Tim Carroll, APR, Allen ISD

Ex Officio (does not vote):  
Linsae Snider, TSPRA Executive Director 

Blue Ribbon Committee Recommendations

Posted in About TSPRA

Meeting Date: April 17, 2009

Recommendation 1:
This Blue Ribbon Committee affirms the existing bylaws and approved Strategic Plan and current nomination/election process. We make the recommendation that each area submit one nomination for an Area VP, with the understanding that multiple nominees may be received from each region. In the case of multiple submissions, the ultimate responsibility for the slate of officers falls to the nominating committee. We recommend that a structure for this process be created by TSPRA and area VPs be trained in carrying this process out in their regions.

Recommendation 2:
Better communicate roles within the election process, roles of the nominating committee and who can serve on the committee.

Recommendation 3:
We affirm the Bylaws and Strategic Plan which more clearly define the roles of the At-Large VP. TSPRA will better educate our members on the responsibilities of these two positions.

The position is defined as follows:
• Representing the whole state not a specific geographical region. The two at-large members shall serve all members.
• Working on the document vault, keeping it alive.
• Contributing articles to other statewide publications on behalf of TSPRA.

Recommendation 4:
That the Executive Committee study the ballot language and the ballot process to look for areas of improvement, particularly in the area of presenting the process as an ‘election’.

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