Statewide Leadership Group to host 33rd Public Conference on Workforce Preparedness

(AUSTIN)  The Texas Lyceum, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, announced today that Sanjay Ramabhadran (Ram) of Houston will be sworn in as its 2019 president January 31 at the Texas State Capitol. Ram is a founding Principal at VERSA Infrastructure, an engineering consulting firm specializing in program and construction management, and serves on the Houston METRO Board of Directors. In addition, the premier leadership organization announced the names of 26 new Lyceum Directors (list below) selected to join the association, which focuses on Texas public policy challenges and engages its members in a range of invaluable conferences designed to initiate vigorous and respectful debate.

“In 2019, the Texas Lyceum enters its 40th year of service to Texas.  We will start off this month with our investiture of twenty six outstanding new Lyceum Directors and our dynamic public conference February 1 on workforce preparedness,” said Ram. “I am honored to lead this unique organization, which has a rich history of bringing together a diverse group of engaged young Texas leaders to examine our state’s public policy challenges and respectfully debate possible solutions to these challenges.”

Ram, a registered engineer, is a graduate of BITS-Pilani and Texas A&M University.

In addition to serving on the board of Houston METRO, some of Ram’s additional civic engagement includes service as Chairman of Leadership Houston, on the Houston Mayor’s Council on International Trade and Development, as President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, and on Rice University’s Kinder Institute’s Connecting Communities Initiative.

Ram will lead the Lyceum’s Directors in discussion of a variety of topics in 2019, ranging from the movement of commerce across and through Texas in Clear Lake/Kemah to a College Station meeting that poses the question, “Are we taking our democracy for granted?” Lyceum Directors will also make a special trip to Montreal, Canada, to learn about the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement and close out the year exploring the natural splendor of the state in the Big Bend region.

The Texas Lyceum’s 33nd Public Conference will be held February 1 at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at The University of Texas at Austin. The conference will offer weighty discussion and debate on Texas workforce preparedness, including issues related to school finance.

Another important 2019 Lyceum platform is the 13th annual statewide independent and nationally recognized Texas Lyceum Poll (date to be announced), measuring Texans’ opinions on a number of public policy issues as well as an early indicator of 2020 U.S. presidential candidates.

The Texas Lyceum also announced that Laura Dixon with Spurs Sports and Entertainment will serve as the Texas Lyceum 2020 President.  

In addition, the Texas Lyceum has named the following outstanding Texans to serve as Directors in the Class of 2019:

Houston

• Terry Bruner, Managing Attorney, TBLO Counsel+Consulting

• Darcie Durham, Senior Director - Strategy and Engagement, Boeing

• David Kim, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute Houston

• Lindsey Munoz, Director of Public Policy, Greater Houston Partnership

• F. Xavier Pena, Houston Endowment, VP for Finance and General Counsel

Dallas

• Brandy Treadway, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, JCPenney

Fort Worth

• Missy Bonds, Assistant General Manager/Manager of Export Markets, Bonds Ranch

• Joseph DeWoody, President, Clear Fork Royalty

Frisco

• Bruce Rideaux, Director, The PFM Group

El Paso

• Roberto Coronado, Vice President in Charge, Senior Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

• Jessica Herrera, Economic and Internal Development Partner, City of El Paso

Austin

• Darrell Davila, Chief of Staff, Office of Texas Lt. Governor

• Gerado Interiano, Managing Director, Pericles Strategies, LLC

• Jenny Jacobi, Senior Director of Content, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

• Elizabeth Pishny, North America CPG Lead, Facebook

• Zach Walker, Texas Lead, Defense Innovation Unit, U.S. Department of Defense

San Antonio

• Michelle Lugalia-Hollon, Director, Initiative and Partnerships, Kronkosky Charitable Foundation

• Brandon Seale, President Howard Energy Mexico, Howard Energy Partners

• Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, President and CEO, San Antonio Economic Development Foundation

Beaumont

• Dade Phelan, Texas State Representative, R-Beaumont and Partner, Phelan Investments

Gruver

• Timothy Glass, Sherriff, Hansford County Sherriff Department

Longview

• Natalie Lynch, Regional President, Austin Bank

Lubbock

• C. Brett McDowell, President, Centennial Bank

• Tom Sell, Manager, Combest, Sell & Associates, LLC

Midland

• Karmen Bryant, Managing Member, KHB Energy, LLC

Waco

• Andrea Barefield, Councilmember District 1, City of Waco