Alumni Speaker Series
The Alumni Speaker Series provides LBJ students access to a variety of distinguished LBJ School alumni. This series is a collaboration between the LBJ School and the LBJ School Alumni Association and provides a forum where LBJ students discuss current policy issues with experienced LBJ School graduates. Alumni talk about their experiences as policy professionals, best practices they have learned, and the great value of an LBJ School education.
February 17, 2009
Jeffrey Travillion ('87) gave a talk entitled “How To Move Society Beyond Race & Gender.” The speaker discussed how far American society has come in advancing the civil rights of minorities and women.
Mr. Travillon works for Austin Energy as a Senior Business Process Consultant where he focuses on issues relating to customer care, economic development, workforce development, and human resource issues. He has served in a number of civic roles including being Co-Chairman of the Communications Committee for the Texas State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a member of the Board of Directors of the Austin Project, and as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
November 11, 2008
Dana DeBeauvoir ('81) gave a talk entitled “Elections: What Works and What Doesn’t.” During her talk Ms. DeBeauvoir discussed recent elections and how the use of technology made the voting experience more efficient and accurate.
Since being elected Travis County Clerk in 1987 she has been known for her work in promoting voter turnout, improving the elections process, protecting public records, and making public information more accessible. In 2002 Ms. DeBeauvoir was presented with the LBJ School Alumni Association's Distinguished Public Service Award. The award is presented each year to an LBJ School graduate whose career and public service record best represents the values on which the LBJ School was founded.
October 14, 2008
Margo Weisz ('94) gave a presentation entitled "Financial Opportunity-Building Economic Opportunity in Lower Income Communities." During the talk Ms. Weisz discussed how to promote lasting economic progress by utilizing strategies that create jobs, provide affordable housing, and encourage good economic choices for communities.
Since 1995 Ms. Weisz has served as the Executive Director of PeopleFund, a community development financial institution. Ms. Weisz has a long history of community leadership, and serves as the Founder and President of the Board of PeopleTrust, Texas’ first community land trust. She also serves on the Board of the Alliance for Public Transportation, and as the Austin Coordinator for the German Marshall Fund’s Transatlantic Cities Program.
September 23, 2008
Sheila Beckett ('77) is a resident budget advisor with the US Treasury Department. Ms. Beckett previously served as executive director of the Employees Retirement System of Texas, special advisor to the Texas Legislative Council, and budget director for the late Texas Lt. Governor Bob Bullock. In 2006 Ms. Beckett was the recipient of the LBJ School Alumni Association's Distinguished Public Service Award.
Ms. Beckett talked about her experiences in the public sector, encouraged LBJ students to take advantage of all the opportunities that come along during their careers, and reminded students to enjoy their time in graduate school.
April 14, 2008
Jorge Garcés ('77)is CEO of the North American Development Bank (NADB). During his talk Mr.Garcés discussed how the bank was created under a bilateral side agreement to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to certify and fund US-Mexico environmental infrastructure, and how it is the only development bank that can finance projects in the United States.
Mr. Garcés' talk focused on how the bank assists border communities on both sides of the border to develop and finance affordable, self-sustaining projects. During Mr. Garcés talk he also discussed how the bank promotes a comprehensive approach to infrastructure planning and financing, including its grant and loan programs.
March 17, 2008
David Crockett ('93) discussed the fall presidential election through the lens of "regime cycles". Dr. Crockett argued that we should view American politics as a series of partisan regimes in which one political party has the natural advantage over another in any specific electoral era.
Dr. Crockett talked about what is required for the normally disadvantaged party in a specific era to win presidential elections and what had to transpire for Democrats to win in 2008. The talk also focused on the factors common to opposition party victory: a governing party in trouble, an opposition party candidate who can be considered a blank slate, and an opposition party campaign that does not launch a frontal attack on the core differences that divide the two parties.
February 25, 2008
Frank Sturzl ('76) is the Executive Director of the Texas Municipal League (TML). Mr. Sturzl provided attendees with a view of the issues facing municipalities, how they work collaboratively to affect public and private sector decisions both at the state and national level, and the importance of providing low cost risk pool coverage for local governments.
Mr. Sturzl has worked in several Texas Municipal League departments including federal and state policy analysis and insurance services. From 1986 to 1988 Mr. Sturzl served as Assistant Director of TML, and was selected as Executive Director in 1988.
September 17, 2007
Craig D. Pedersen('81) is the Vice President of Water and Wastewater in Texas for URS Corporation. Mr. Pedersen talked about the challenges and opportunities that accompany managing water in Texas. Mr. Pedersen discussed why we should care about water in Texas, how the water system is organized, the factors influencing water management, and the challenges we face for the future. View Webcast
October 15, 2007
DeAnn Friedholm ('79)
talked about how she has worked to improve health and social services for disadvantaged people. She also talked about how her desire to help realize President Johnson's vision led her to Washington, to Austin, to South Africa, and back to Austin.
Ms. Friedholm discussed how she was successful in creating strategies for accomplishing program improvements and reforms including stints with the US Department of Health and Human Services, US Senate Budget Committee, with Governors Mark White and Ann Richards, and as Texas Medicaid Director. She also talked about her experiences working in the political arena and how that prepared her for her time at the LBJ School. View Webcast
November 19, 2007
Frank Curtis ('75) discussed his long career as a public servant. He talked about the importance of empowering others and how one can be a successful human services provider. Mr. Curtis also discussed how a background in public policy allows one to be successful in any career path, and how his experiences were a testimony to this fact. View Webcast
February 19, 2007
Susan K. Rieff ('80) is the executive director of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Ms. Rieff discussed her work at the Wildflower Center, the changes the center has undergone since its September 2006 acquisition by the University of Texas at Austin, and talked about the center's relationship with the LBJ School. View Webcast
March 19, 2007
David Firestein ('92) is a Foreign Service officer at the US Department of State. Mr. Firestein gave an interactive presentation discussing the political communication effect of contemporary country music. He argued that country music radio reinforces a specific sense of social and political identity. In his presentation, Mr. Firestein played a number of country music hits, including the official theme songs of the 2000 and 2004 Bush/Cheney campaigns. View Webcast
April 23, 2007
Billy Hamilton ('75) is the former deputy comptroller of public accounts for the State of Texas. Mr. Hamilton discussed the state of Texas finances, and his experience with performance reviews for other states including assisting California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration. Mr. Hamilton also discussed how the LBJ School provides exceptional skills training for future public servants. View Webcast
