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
Foundation & Programs
Dr. Shari Albright
President, Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation
Jennifer Jendrzey
Vice President of Strategy and Evaluation
Iliana Venegas, SHRM-SCP
Director of Human Resources
Lauren Cook
Director of Strategic Alignment
Tim Miller
Superintendent in Residence
Thea Ulrich-Lewis
Program Director
Briana Mascitelli
Director of Alumni Relations
Kurt Lockhart
Data Insights Manager
Christina Dunigan
Program Associate
Laura Hauk
Office Manager
Jane Shipwash
Senior Executive Assistant
Victoria Wang
Research Fellow
Tabitha Reynolds
Programs Fellow
Niesha Jones
Program Associate
Felisha Hooks
Programs FellowPolicy
Michelle Smith, Ph.D.
Vice President of Policy and Advocacy
Bob Popinski
Director of Policy
Charles Gaines
Director of Government Relations
David Anderson
General Counsel and Policy Analyst
Laura Mellett
Director of Policy Content and Public Affairs
Max Rombado
Policy Research Associate
Alejandro Izaguirre
Policy Research FellowMarketing
Petri Darby, APR
Vice President of Marketing
Tessa Benavides
Media Relations Associate
Joel Goudeau
Visual Design Strategist
Anne Bannister
Digital Producer
Brian Diggs
Digital Producer
Marcela Giraldo
Multimedia Graphic Designer
Jonah Rohne
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Karen Wang
Web Developer
Chantal Lesley
Digital Marketing InternAdvocacy
Libby Cohen, PH.D.
Director of Advocacy and Outreach
Missy Bender
Regional Advocacy Director – Collin and Denton Counties
Amy Dodson, M.Ed.
Regional Advocacy Director – West Texas
Giovanni Escobedo
Regional Advocacy Director – South Texas
Skylar Gallop
Regional Advocacy Director – Panhandle
Matthew Hall
Regional Advocacy Director – Greater Fort Worth
JoLisa Hoover, M.Ed.
Regional Advocacy Director – Central Texas
Cassandra D. Jones
Regional Advocacy Director – Central Houston
Robert Long III, Ed.D.
Regional Advocacy Director – West Houston
Tomás Sigala Jr., Ed.D.
Regional Advocacy Director – El Paso/Trans-Pecos
Kaylan D. Smith
Regional Advocacy Director – Dallas County
Sophie Torres
Regional Advocacy Director – San Antonio 1005 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701 | (512) 617-2121
