Our Team - Raise Your Hand Texas

Our Team

The Raise Your Hand Texas staff team is made up of a diverse, passionate group dedicated to ensuring every Texas child has access to a high-quality, free public education.

Show all Advocacy Communications Operations Policy and Government Relations

Michelle Smith, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Libby Cohen, Ph.D.

Senior Director of Advocacy

Charles Gaines

Chief of Staff & Legislative Liaison

Will Holleman

Senior Director of Government Relations

Bob Popinski

Senior Director of Policy

Anne Lasseigne Tiedt, APR

Senior Director of Strategic Communication

David Anderson

General Counsel and Policy Analyst

Leah Barrera

Digital Communications Intern

Missy Bender

Trustee in Residence and Regional Advocacy Director - Collin and Denton Counties

Amy Dodson, M.Ed.

Senior Regional Advocacy Director - West Texas

Giovanni Escobedo

Senior Regional Advocacy Director – South Texas

Andrea Fernandez

Digital Communications Associate

Amelia Taurel Folkes, APR

Director of Public Relations

Skylar Gallop

Regional Advocacy Director – Panhandle

Jackson Griffon

Regional Advocacy Director - East Houston/Gulf Coast

Matthew Hall

Senior Regional Advocacy Director - Greater Fort Worth

JoLisa Hoover, M.Ed.

Teacher Specialist

Deann Lee

Regional Advocacy Director - East Texas

Mario Piña

Regional Advocacy Liaison

Larry John Porras

Regional Advocacy Director - El Paso/Trans-Pecos

Natalia Gómez Ramback

Senior Regional Advocacy Director - Houston

Max Rombado

Legislative Director

Jane Shipwash

Senior Executive Assistant

Kaylan D. Smith

Regional Advocacy Director – Dallas County

Madie Spartz

Policy Research Fellow

Sophie Torres

Regional Advocacy Director – Greater San Antonio

David Wiechmann

Policy Content Manager

DR. DARLENE BREAUX

Director, Research and Evaluation Institute at The Harris County Department of Education

HD Chambers

Retired Superintendent of Schools, Alief ISD

Tracy Fisher

Education Advocate, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

Andrea Greene

Elementary English Language Arts Curriculum Specialist

Dr. Kelli Moulton

TASA Executive Superintendent and Council Chair, Corsicana, TX

Norma Osuna

Blended Learning Program Manager, Ysleta ISD El Paso, TX

Mario Piña*

Former Instructional Coach, Austin ISD

Melina Recio

High School Teacher, McAllen ISD, McAllen, TX

Dr. Macy Satterwhite

Deputy Superintendent, Lubbock-Cooper ISD, Lubbock, TX

Robert Scott

Of Counsel/Consultant, Powell Law Group, Austin, TX

David Thompson

Partner, Thompson & Horton LLP, Houston, TX

Dr. Angela Valenzuela

Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

Theresa Valls Trevino

Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment, Austin, TX

Chris E. Wallace

President/CEO North Texas Commission, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

Consultant: Dee Carney

Assessment, Accountability, and Education Consultant, Austin, TX