Our Judges Panel of Distinguished Texas Dignitaries

Drew DeBerry, Deputy Commissioner Texas Department of Agriculture

A native of Olton, TX, Drew DeBerry has been involved in agriculture all his life, beginning as a child with his family's farming and custom harvest operation. In 2000, DeBerry graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics.

His public service career began during his college tenure when he was selected as an intern for State Senator Robert Duncan's office, during the 76th Legislative Session. This pursuit for solid public policy continued after college when DeBerry was the national agriculture coalition director of the 2000 campaign for President Bush. DeBerry then worked in Washington, D.C. as the White House Liaison at USDA, and in 2005, he was promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff for the agency. In early 2007, Commissioner Staples appointed DeBerry as the Deputy Commissioner of TDA.

 

John Kelso, Columnist, Austin American Statesman, Retired

John Kelso never did like Adolph Hitler much. See, Hitler is the reason the word "Oklahoma" is on Kelso's passport, which really honks Kelso off. When Kelso was born in 1944, his dad, Elmer G. Kelso, was training at Fort Sill, (OK) for World War II. And Kelso blames Hitler for this. So Hitler can kiss Kelso's ass.

Kelso has worked as a humor columnist for the Austin American-Statesman since 1977. After 35 years, Kelso officially retired from the Statesman in June. But he's still doing one column a week to keep the newspaper from having to move into a portable building. Before coming to Austin, Kelso worked at several other newspapers: the Manchester (NH) Union-Leader, The Columbia Missourian, The Boonville (MO) Daily News, the Portsmouth (NH) Herald (which some of the locals referred to as The Mullet Wrapper), The Palm Beach (FL) Post, and the Racine (WI) Journal Times. During those years Kelso did everything in the newspaper business from fishing writer (one of his sources was Deep Trout) to serving briefly as a society editor (the gal went on vacation and Kelso filled in). About two years ago Kelso moved down toward Manchaca with his wife Kay and daughter Rachel, who has made the dean's list repeatedly at Texas State University. Kelso can see Giddy-Up's beer joint from his house. The family has a yappy yet lovable Yorkshire terrier named Ziggy, and a blue healer named Zelda. Kelso also enjoys going to Longhorn football games and watching too much sports on TV. He hates hanging Christmas lights, however.

Larry Niemann - General Counsel, Texas Apartment Association, Retired

Larry Niemann is a graduate of The University of Texas School of Law, with an undergraduate degree in business from UT.  He became the briefing attorney for Justice Joe Greenhill of the Texas Supreme Court right after law school.  Before retirement in 2005 after 43 years of practicing law, he was the senior partner in the law firm of Niemann & Niemann in Austin, Texas (now Niemann & Heyer), specializing in commercial real estate transactions, landlord/tenant law, homeowner association law, and trade association law.  He has successfully handled cases before the United State Supreme Court.

Larry was general counsel and legislative counsel for the Texas Apartment Association for 38 years.  Until retirement, he served for several decades as legal and/or legislative counsel for the Texas Building Owners and Managers Association (owners and managers of office buildings), the Texas Chapter of the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Texas Chapters of Institute of Real Estate Management (shopping centers), the Texas Self Storage Association (owners and managers of self-storage facilities), and the Texas chapters of the Community Associations Institute (the association of homeowner associations and their management companies).  He taught hundreds of courses on state and federal laws that affected apartment and commercial property owners and homeowner associations.  He has also been involved in many commercial, condominium, and apartment developments both as an owner/developer and as an attorney.  He served on the Board of Directors of the Elgin Bank of Texas for over 25 years.

Larry was the primary draftsman of all residential and commercial landlord/tenant statutes passed by the Texas Legislature in the 38 years prior to his retirement in 2005.  He was also the primary draftsman of the Texas Uniform Condominium Act.  He is the author of several manuals on Texas and federal real estate law and countless articles on operational recommendations relating to those laws.  The manuals, which were updated after each Texas legislative session, included: the Texas Apartment Association Redbook (relating to the ownership and operation of residential rental housing), the Texas BOMA Bluebook (relating to office buildings), and the Texas Self-Service Storage Association Goldbook (relating to mini-storage facilities).  He was also selected as a founding member of the Texas College of Real Estate Attorneys.

 

Honorable Kathie Tovo - Austin City Council Member Place 3

Kathie Tovo was elected to Austin City Council on June 18, 2011.

Prior to her election, Kathie served on the city’s Planning Commission, where she was an officer and member of the Comprehensive Plan, Codes and Ordinances, and Neighborhood Planning subcommittees.

Her other city task force and commission positions included the Waller Creek Citizens Advisory Council; the Downtown Street Closure Task Force; Create Austin; the Downtown Arts Master Plan; the Planned Unit Development Stakeholders Process; and the Families and Children Task Force.

As a citizen, she worked extensively in public policy with particular emphasis on issues related to families and schools. She served on Austin Independent School District’s (AISD) Community Committee on Neighborhoods and Schools and as a member of the recent AISD Facilities Master Plan Task Force, where she co-authored a report advocating against school closures.

Kathie also served on the Community Action Network Community Council, the nonprofit Dream Come True Foundation, and as vice president of the Austin Neighborhoods Council. She currently serves on the Liveable City Advisory Board and as an officer in Families with Children from China - Austin.

Kathie earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in American Studies from The University of Texas, where she taught classes in writing and women’s studies. From 2003 to 2008, she served as Director of Programs and Communications for Humanities Texas, the nonprofit state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Sandy Denton, CMCA, PCAM, LSM Chair of Texas Community Association Advocates Board of Directors.

Sandy is a Professional Certified Association Manager (PCAM), a Large Scale Manager (LSM) and a Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA).  She was President for Community Associations Institute (CAI) in 2005; and a prior Board member.  Sandy is a board member of the Foundation for Community Association Research; and was a prior board member of Association Professional Community Managers (APCM).  Sandy currently serves as a member of the Large Scale Committee for CAI and was previously chair.  Currently Sandy serves as faculty for CAI.  Sandy is also the current chair of Texas Legislative Action Committee (TLAC).  Locally, Sandy has served on numerous boards in Fort Bend County and was a previous board member for the Greater Houston Chapter of CAI. 

Sandy is the General Manager for Sienna Plantation Residential Association (SPRAI) in Missouri City, Texas,  a large master planned community with approximately 5,400 houses.

Sandy is also the owner of Distinctive Management Solutions, LLC.  DMS specializes in assisting associations and managers in governance, long-term and short-term planning, team building, partnering and other distinctive solutions for their organizations.

 

Honorable Jason Isaac - Texas State Representative

Jason Isaac, a fourth generation Texan, resides in Hays County with his wife; the former Carrie Crain, an accomplished triathlete, housewife, and community volunteer from Humble, Texas. They have two boys who attend Dripping Springs public schools. They attend Westover Hills church and work tirelessly in support of the community, the state and the nation alongside their close family and many loyal friends and supporters.

Since working his way through college at Stephen F. Austin State University and graduating in 1996, Jason’s career has been focused on increasing the efficiency and profitability of transportation companies while significantly improving their safety record. He is currently a transportation consultant focusing on safety, compliance and operational efficiency improvements within the trucking industry. This experience coupled with his involvement with the Texas Motor Transportation Association has made him acutely aware and sensitive to the safety issues facing today’s traveler. He also owns and operates a small sports management business.

As he pursued a degree in business, Jason became actively involved in issues facing women and children in Texas, working with such organizations as the East Texas Women’s Shelter and the East Texas Boy’s Ranch. He founded the SFA Lacrosse team and was cofounder and the first director of the Association of Sports Clubs at SFA.

 

Honorable Mark Strama - Texas State Representative

In his fourth term in the Texas House of Representatives, Mark Strama is a member of the Public Education committee and he serves on the Energy Resources Committee, where he champions legislation to make Texas as dominant in the renewable energy technologies of the future as it has been in the traditional fossil fuels industry.

Mark is a tenacious advocate for public education. His legislative focus includes a special emphasis on technology in the classroom, early childhood education programs, and extended learning time for at-risk students. Currently, Mark and his wife Crystal operate the Sylvan Learning Centers in the Austin area, which keeps them connected to the challenges in the education system, as well as the challenges facing small businesses in today's economy.

Mark serves on the Advisory Boards of the Clean Energy Incubator and the Environmental Sciences Institute at the University of Texas. He is also a board member of Challah for Hunger, a national charitable organization of college students. He was a founding board member of Hope Street Group, a non-partisan organization of young business leaders that seeks to achieve equality of opportunity in a high-growth economy. Mark is a member of the Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce and a founding member of the Pflugerville Men in Education program, which places male volunteers in schools to serve as mentors and role models. Mark is a product of the Texas public school system who graduated from Brown University in 1990

Honorable Alan McGraw - Mayor, Round Rock, Texas

Alan McGraw, a Round Rock attorney, was elected as Round Rock’s Mayor in May 2008. He had seven years of experience on the Round Rock City Council, four of those as Mayor Pro-Tem, prior to his election. He was first elected to Place 2 in 2001 and then re-elected in 2004 and 2007.

Alan was born and raised in Texas. He received a degree in accounting from Stephen F. Austin State University, a Master's in Taxation from Colorado State University, and his law degree from the University of Texas. He and his wife, Kathy, have two children, Paige and Chase, who attend Round Rock High School. The McGraws were impressed with Round Rock's family atmosphere, and have been citizens since January 1993.

They are members of First United Methodist Church in Round Rock. Alan is also a member of the Round Rock Sertoma Club, the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, and the Williamson County Board of Realtors. He is active in the Austin Woods and Waters Club, an organization dedicated to preserving the outdoors. Professionally, Alan is a real estate attorney with his own practice in Round Rock. He represents a broad range of clients in complex real estate transactions, from a local school district to international investors. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Capital Area Council of Governments and on the Clean Air Coalition.