Members and Staff of the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities

The Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities consists of 12 volunteer members appointed by the Governor, seven of whom must be persons with disabilities. Ex-officio members and advisory representatives represent state agencies serving people with disabilities. Committee members meet at least quarterly. Learn more about committee law in the Texas Human Resources Code Chapter 115.

*Indicates a member who is filling a required position of person with a disability.

• *Joe Bontke, Chair, Outreach Manager and Ombudsman for EEOC, Houston
• *Aaron W. Bangor, PhD, Principal Member of Technical Staff, AT&T, Austin
• *Rodolpho “Rudy” Becerra, Jr., Recent Graduate, Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches
• Daphne Brookins, Human Services Specialist for the City of Fort Worth, Forest Hill
• *David A. Fowler, Vice President of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and President of the Texas Chapter of PVA, Katy
• Connie Sue Kelley, Teacher and Caregiver, Humble
  
• Margaret Larsen, President and CEO of Special Olympics Texas (SOTX), The Hills
• *Maureen F. McClain, Associate Director of Disability Services at the University of Texas-Pan American (Retired), Mercedes
• *David Ondich, Human Resources and Disabilities Specialist for the City of Forth Worth, Burleson
  
• *Shawn Saladin, PhD, CRC, CPM,  Interim Chair, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Associate Professor, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg
  
• Kathy Strong, Director, Nacogdoches Treatment Center, Nacogdoches
• Patty Watson, Technology Executive at Bank of America, Flower Mound

Member Profiles

Shawn Saladin, Featured Member

Shawn P. Saladin, PhD, CRC, CPM of Edinburg is the Interim Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. He is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Deaf Rehabilitation for the Department of Rehabilitation at the University of Texas-Pan American and the current Chair of the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification and past president of the Texas Rehabilitation Association. He has previous work experience with the state of Texas State/Federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program. He served on the Rehabilitation Council of Texas for six years prior to his appointment to the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities.

Joe Bontke of Houston is the current Chair of the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities. He is the Outreach Manager and Ombudsman for the Houston District Office of U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Joe has been in the field of Human Resources & Civil Rights for the past 24 years and has experience in employment law and adult education. With a Bachelor's in Philosophy and a Masters in Education, he has been a Human Resources Director, a Training Coordinator for the American Disabilities Act (ADA) Technical Assistance Center for Federal Region VI, was appointed as Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine and served as Vice Chair of the Committee before his appointment to Chair. Using his entertaining style, Joe has educated groups throughout the country and most recently, his work at the EEOC has enabled him to empower employers and employees with the understanding they need to work effectively at their jobs. Joe's philosophy of education is - that 90% is knowing where to find the information when you need it.

Aaron W. Bangor, PhD, of Austin is a Principal Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Labs and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities. He is a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and serves on national and international committees regarding the usability and accessibility of technology. He holds seven patents and is also board certified in professional ergonomics as a Certified Human Factors Professional. Dr. Bangor received Bachelor's degrees, a Master's degree, and a Doctoral Degree in Human Factors Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Rodolfo "Rudy" Becerra, Jr. of Nacogdoches recently graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation. While at the university, he worked as a Disability Consultant for the Office of Students with Disabilities and a Library Assistant managing the adaptive technology in the computer lab. He is a former member of the Nacogdoches Mayor's Committee on People with Disabilities. Currently, Mr. Becerra is preparing to enter graduate school in the near future.

Daphne Brookins of Forest Hill is a Human Services Specialist for the City of Fort Worth (CAP). She is an Alumni board member of Texas Wesleyan University, and serves on the board of directors for Expand Your Horizons, introducing young girls to careers in fields of Math and Science, and Amon Carter Jr. Downtown YMCA, Girls, Inc., New Directions Initiative, Tarrant County Challenge, and Southeast Fort Worth Dropout Coalition. She is a former forum leader and past spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, former Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman for the City of Forest Hill, a past member of the Tarrant County CHIP Coalition and a former member of Fort Worth Sister Cities Young Professional Advisory Council. Ms. Brookins was awarded "Greatest Woman in Texas" in 2009 and "40 Under 40" in 2008 by the Fort Worth Business Press. She received a Bachelor's degree from Texas Wesleyan University.

David A. Fowler of Katy is a retired U.S. Army Veteran. He serves as a Vice President for the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the President of the Texas Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. He has served as the Vice President and Advocacy Director of the Texas Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America and as a Commissioner on the Houston Commission on Disabilities. He is a member of the Houston Veterans Association, the Disabled American Veterans, and the 82nd Airborne Association. Mr. Fowler attended Houston Community College.

Connie Sue Kelley of Humble was a caregiver for many years for her husband, who had serious health problems until he passed away in 2009, and also for her daughter, who has had health issues since she was nine years old. Ms. Kelley is a native Texan - born in Houston and raised in the oil fields of West Texas and East Texas, living in oil field camps which provided the sense of community that helped form who she is. Ms. Kelley attended Kilgore Jr. College, where she was nominated to Who's Who in Education, and later attended Stephen F. Austin University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and a Master's Degree in Elementary Supervision with a Minor in Reading. After graduation, she taught for fifteen years, married her husband, who was a Methodist minister, and eventually moved to Humble, which she still calls home.

Margaret Larsen of Austin is the President and CEO of Special Olympics Texas (SOTX), a position in which she has served for 16 years. She sits on Special Olympics, Inc.'s United States Leadership Council and serves as the Chair of the Government Relations Committee. Representing Special Olympics Texas, she has led national legislative efforts for Special Olympics Hill Day in Washington, D.C. Ms. Larsen formed a special committee to focus on proper terminology and respectful language, subsequently launching a public awareness campaign about the "R-word" that garnered national attention and recognition. With Ms. Larsen's foresight and drive, today Special Olympics Texas is one of the largest and most respected programs in the world with the participation of more than 44,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Ms. Larsen holds a degree from John Hopkins University, and was a Post Graduate Reader at Exeter College in the Oxford University system.

Maureen F. McClain of Mercedes is a former Associate Director of Disability Services at the University of Texas-Pan American. She is a member of the Association of Higher Education and Disabilities, and was appointed to the Academic Advisement Council. She is a past member of the Rio Grande Valley Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors. McClain received a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree in Rehabilitative Counseling from The University of Texas Pan American.

David Ondich of Burleson is the Human Resources and Disability Specialist within the Human Resources Department at the City of Fort Worth. He works on several key city initiatives related to the recruitment, training and retention of a diverse workforce to include individuals with disabilities. Mr. Ondich has completed coursework for his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to attending UT Austin, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Rehabilitation Sciences and a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling Psychology from UT Southwestern Medical School of Allied Health in Dallas. He provides consultation to the Diversity Advisory Committee to the City Manager, serves as Chair of the Fort Worth Return to Work Committee, and as Staff Liaison to the Mayor's Committee on Persons with Disabilities. In 2008, he received The Governor's Trophy for his innovative efforts to employ Texans with disabilities in Fort Worth. In 2009, he received a Barbara Jordan Media Award for a television documentary titled "Reaching Higher: Versie Returns to Work."

Shawn P. Saladin, PhD, CRC, CPM of Edinburg is the Interim Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. He is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Deaf Rehabilitation for the Department of Rehabilitation at the University of Texas-Pan American and the current Chair of the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification and past president of the Texas Rehabilitation Association. He has previous work experience with the state of Texas State/Federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program. He served on the Rehabilitation Council of Texas for six years prior to his appointment to the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities.

Kathy S. Strong of Garrison is Executive Director of the Nacogdoches Treatment Center. She is an ex-officio member of the Nacogdoches Mayor's Committee on People with Disabilities. She is a member of the Leadership Nacogdoches Steering Committee and serves on the Texas State Plan on Alzheimer's Disease - Emphasis on Caregivers. She served as director of an accessible housing project in Nacogdoches and taught special education classes. Ms. Strong received a Bachelor's Degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Patty Watson of Flower Mound is a Technology Executive for Bank of America. She is executive sponsor of Bank of America's North Texas Disability Affinity Group and a member of the Lime Connect Board of Directors, a company that places people with disabilities in quality jobs throughout the country. She is also a volunteer coach for the Greater Lewisville Area Soccer Association. Ms. Watson served in the U.S. Air Force. She received a Bachelor's Degree from Saint Mary's College at Notre Dame and a Master Business Administration from the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Staff Members

Angela English, LPC, LMFT
Executive Director, Ms. English is currently the Executive Director of the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities where she plans, directs and coordinates the programmatic goals and all related business of the Committee, including human resources management, staff development and budget management. She speaks to complex disabilities issues, trends and laws and represents the Office of the Governor at various local, state and national functions to promote public awareness and full inclusion of Texans with disabilities. She develops biennial policy recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on issues related to best practices and emerging trends consistent with the full inclusion and participation of Texans with disabilities in ten issue areas, which are; access, communication, education, emergency management, health, housing, recreation, transportation, veterans and employment.

Ms. English's previous experience includes serving for six years as the Accessibility and Disability Rights Coordinator for the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities, providing technical assistance regarding accessibility and disability rights laws. She has 13 years of service in Mental Health Quality Management related to State Hospitals, Community Mental Health Centers and State Supported Living Centers.

She has a Master's degree from Baylor University in Educational Psychology and a Bachelor's Degree from Carson-Newman College in Art/Special Education. Ms. English is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has teaching degrees in Special Education and Art Education K-12 grades.

In 2010, she was appointed by Janet Napolitano to serve on the FEMA Task Force on the Local, State, Tribal and Federal Preparedness Task Force, which was charged with assessing the state of the nation's disaster preparedness and making recommendations.

Erin Lawler, JD, MS
Accessibility and Disability Rights Coordinator, Ms. Lawler has served as the Accessibility and Disability Rights Coordinator for the Committee since June of 2011. She is a licensed Texas attorney and an experienced mediator. She earned a Juris Doctor degree with honors from Notre Dame Law School, a Master of Science with honors from the London School of Economics, and a Bachelor of Arts from American University, where she graduated phi beta kappa. In September 2011, Ms. Lawler was appointed to the Disability Issues Committee of the State Bar of Texas. She is a Credentialed Mediator with the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association and an attorney-mediator with the Austin Dispute Resolution Center. She is also a board member of the Austin Association of Mediators. Ms. Lawler won the Dean's Award from Notre Dame Law School for outstanding work in Non-profit Organizations.

Nancy Van Loan
Executive Assistant, Ms. Van Loan is the Executive Assistant for the Committee. Ms. Van Loan has sixteen years experience with the Office of the Governor providing technical support for the Executive Director, Committee members, and staff. She has twenty years of service with the State including four years with the Texas Department of Insurance Workers' Compensation Division. She has taken undergraduate courses from Mohave and Pima Community Colleges, and the University of Central Texas. Ms. Van Loan served four years in the United States Army Signal Corps and has six years managerial experience in the grocery stores' industry.

Jo Virgil, MS
Community Outreach and Information Coordinator, Ms. Virgil has served as Community Outreach and Information Coordinator for the Committee since January 2009. Ms. Virgil holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Texas Tech University, as well as teacher certification in English and Journalism. Her background includes a position as Community Relations Manager for Barnes & Noble and, before that, as a reporter and columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Her work with Barnes & Noble included planning and implementing events (such as author signings, writing workshops, performances, and other community-related events) and working with local schools, libraries, literacy and arts organizations, and other non-profit organizations to promote literacy as well as to build a sense of community. Ms. Virgil currently serves on the Board of the Central Texas Storytelling Guild. She is active in Story Circle Network, an organization that encourages women to write their life stories, and the Writers' League of Texas.

Dawn Woodall
Administrative Assistant, Ms. Woodall is the Administrative Assistant for the Committee. Ms. Woodall has eleven years experience working for the Texas Legislative Council and other state agencies providing technical support to Executive Directors and staff. Before accepting the position with the Governor's Office, Ms. Woodall worked as a Caseworker Assistant and Executive Assistant for the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. Ms. Woodall has undergraduate studies in the field of psychology.

Ex Officio Members, Representatives and Advisors

Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS)
Chris Traylor, Commissioner
Marc Gold, Texas Promoting Independence Initiative

Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Debra Wanser, Commissioner
Karissa Garcia, Stakeholder Relations

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)
Howard Baldwin, Commissioner
Christy Dees, Director, Center on Policy and Innovation

Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)
Thomas Suehs, Executive Commissioner
Frank Genco, Senior Policy Advisor for Long Term Care

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
David L. Lakey, MD, Commissioner
Robyn Strickland, Program Coordination and Implementation Unit

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
William H. Kuntz, Jr. Executive Director
Robert Posey, Manager Architectural Barriers Program

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)
Tom Pauken, Chairman
George McEntyre, WIA Policy/Program Assistance Supervisor and TWD Veteran's Contact

Contact GCPD 512-463-5739