Meet TSAE’s New Board Members

Our new board members were installed virtually in July and will officially be recognized in October during the New Ideas Annual Conference.

John Bacon, MBA
Senior Group Publisher
Naylor Association Solutions

John Bacon is a dynamic and business-focused management professional, offering more than 12 years of extensive experience and expertise in leading profit-generating operations for professional and trade associations. In his time at Naylor, John has worked with more than 100 associations, helping them maximize the overall profitability of their member communications, while ensuring a high degree of customer satisfaction. He is currently managing more than 50 association relationships in which he maintains productive client relationships that increase non-dues revenue while developing new revenue streams. John has an MBA as well as a BA in business administration and management from Saint Leo University.

Annette Hicks, CMP
Vice President of Meetings and Events
Texas Food & Fuel Association

Annette Hicks, CMP is vice president of meetings and events for Texas Food & Fuel Association (TFFA). She has been a part of TFFA for 26 years and responsible for managing the annual Southwest Fuel & Convenience Expo, in addition to other meetings and events. She also supervises two team members, works to implement best practices for database management and assists the President & CEO with a 50-member board of directors. Prior to joining TFFA, she worked as a meeting planner and volunteer coordinator with Southern Union Gas Company for 10½ years. Annette currently serves as a Leadership TSAE mentor and was the recipient of the 2019 TSAE Professional Excellence Award. Annette enjoys traveling and is an avid football, baseball and Tour de France fan.

Melissa J. Schank, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

Melissa J. Schank, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, has worked with nonprofit associations for over 20 years and has been with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association more than 15 years. She earned her Master’s of Human Resources, Business Administration, Bachelor’s of Communication and Mediation Certificate from Saint Edwards University in Austin, Texas, and is a Certified Association Executive. Her greatest strengths are overseeing the long-term planning, financial management, and strategy for legal educational programs, in addition to managing the organization’s seminars, membership, publication and communication departments.

Nita R. Scott, CAE
Executive Director
The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International

With a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Science in Educational Leadership, Nita R. Scott, CAE serves as Executive Director for the 65,000 member The Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Society International and its foundation – a professional honor society for women educators. A member of DKG since 2005, she has served as a volunteer leader and speaker in a variety of roles prior to her employment. A member of both ASAE and TSAE, Scott participated in Leadership TSAE, served as a mentor, as facilitator for the CAE Study Course, on a conference planning task force and as chair of the Association Leadership editorial task force. Before moving to Texas, Scott taught secondary mathematics/business and worked with the State Departments of Education as an instructor and improvement committee chair. Scott and husband, James, live in Coupland with six horses, three dogs, a cat, and a small herd of cattle. They enjoy showing their quarter horses and participating in rodeo.

2020-2021 Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
CHAIR
Tiffany McGee, CAE
CEO
Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Austin, TX

CHAIR-ELECT
Tim Niedecken, CAE
Vice President of Marketing
Heritage Land Bank, ACA
Fort Worth, TX

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
Tracy Tomson, CAE
Retired Association Executive
Austin, TX

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Steven Stout, FASAE, CAE
Executive Director
Texas Society of Association Executives
Austin, TX

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Bacon, MBA
Senior Group Publisher
Naylor Association Solutions
Gainesville, FL

Sandra J. Bench, CMP, CASE
Director, Business Development
Freeman
San Antonio, TX

Julie Courtney, CAE, CMP
President
IBAT Services, Inc.
Austin, TX

Renita Fonseca, CAE, CMP
CEO
Wilderness Medical Society
Austin, TX

Annette Hicks, CMP
Vice President of Meetings and Events
Texas Food & Fuel Association
Austin, TX

Jennifer Mitchell, CAE
Governmental Relations Director
Association of Texas Professional Educators
Austin, TX

Trevor S. Mitchell, MBA, CAE
Executive Director/CEO
American Mensa
Arlington, TX

Robin Painovich, CAE
Executive Director
Career & Technical Association of Texas
Austin, TX

Jodi Ann Ray, CAE, CCE, IOM
President & CEO
Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants
Dallas, TX

Melissa J. Schank, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Austin, TX

Nita R. Scott, CAE
Executive Director
The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International
Austin, TX

Linsae Snider
Executive Director
Texas School Public Relations Association
Austin, TX

Vanessa Stewart, CMP
Regional Director of Sales – Texas
VisitDallas
Dallas, TX

Sam Stinnett, CAE
Executive Director/CEO
Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Austin, TX

Nick Weynand
Founder & CEO
Mighty Citizen
Austin, TX

Thank You to Our Outgoing Board Members

We thank our outgoing Board members for their volunteer service to TSAE. These members will be honored in October during the New Ideas Annual Conference.

Theresa Parsons, CAE, CMP (Past Chair)
Executive Director, Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education

Kim Schoppert, CAE
Chief Administrative Officer & Assistant to the Executive VP, Texas Land & Title Association

Devorah Jakubowsky, CAE
Executive Director, Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Association

LaChelle Evans, CTA, CSEE
National Sales Manager, Frisco Convention & Visitors Bureau

Jennifer Cawley, JD
Executive Director, Texas Association of Life & Health Insurers