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.
Staff
Policy
Michelle Smith, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Bob Popinski
Senior Director of Policy
Charles Gaines
Chief of Staff & Legislative Liaison
Will Holleman
Senior Director of Government Relations
Anne Lasseigne Tiedt, APR
Senior Director of Strategic Communications
JoLisa Hoover, M.Ed.
Teacher Specialist
Amelia Taurel Folkes
Director of Public Relations
David Wiechmann
Policy Content Manager
Max Rombado
Policy Research Associate
Jane Shipwash
Senior Executive Assistant
Madie Spartz
Policy Research Fellow
David Anderson
General Counsel and Policy AnalystAdvocacy
Libby Cohen, PH.D.
Senior Director of Advocacy
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
Skylar Gallop
Regional Advocacy Director – Panhandle
Jackson Griffon
Regional Advocacy Director - East Houston/Gulf Coast
Matthew Hall
Senior Regional Advocacy Director - Greater Fort Worth
Robert Long III, Ed.D.
Senior Regional Advocacy Director - West Houston
Mario Piña
Regional Advocacy Liaison
Larry John Porras
Regional Advocacy Director - El Paso/Trans-Pecos
Natalia Gómez Ramback
Regional Advocacy Director - Central Houston
Kaylan D. Smith
Regional Advocacy Director – Dallas County
Sophie Torres
Regional Advocacy Director – Greater San Antonio 1005 Congress Ave., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78701 | (512) 617-2121