Board of Directors 22-23
Committee Chairs
AHC Campus Expansion Chair
Candace Volz
Candace is a long-time Austin resident whose family has lived in the Central Texas area for more than 175 years. She has a deep personal and professional interest in history and, with her husband John, is part of an architectural practice that undertakes restoration projects throughout Texas. Candace has a BS in Interior Design from the University of Texas and an MS in Museum Studies from The George Washington University. As a decorative arts historian, she prepares historic furnishing plans for museums and historic sites throughout the U.S.
Communications Chair
Geoff Wool
Geoff spent his first 10 professional years in Austin working in the newsroom of KVUE-TV, where he gained an appreciation for the city, its people, and its history. Since 1991, Geoff has served as a communications specialist in state government - first with the Texas General Land Office, then with the Department of Family and Protective Services and now with the Health and Human Services Commission. Geoff has served on the AHCA board since 2012. He and his wife Veray have been married since 1981 and have three grown children
Annual Meeting Chair, Awards Chair
Charles Peveto
Charles has been an architectural historian at the Texas Historical Commission for many years and has devoted his professional career and private life to the historic preservation of Austin’s historic parks, historic bridges and the arts. He serves on several Austin boards and committees, including Preservation Austin, Old Austin Neighborhood Association, Friends of Wooldridge Square and MidTexMod. Charles is an active advocate in preserving Austin’s RICH and DIVERSE histories that give Austin that “Sense of Place”. He served for several years as Chair of the popular Eberly Luncheon, leading it to new records, before assuming the leadership role for reactivating the Katherine Drake Hart annual award and overseeing the AHCA Annual Business Meeting.
Marketing, Public Relations, and Social Media Co-Chair
Lori Duran
With a Master’s Degree that combined Latin American Studies with Masters of Business Administration classes from the University of Texas, Lori Duran researches interesting historical stories of social changes. This has been her life-long passion. Duran serves on the board of directors at the Austin History Center Association. In her spare time she writes freelance magazine articles and pictorial books about local history. Her current book Austin’s Travis Heights Neighborhood describes the rich and fascinating history of the original south Austin. Her next book, The University of Texas at Austin: The First One Hundred Years will be released later in 2020.
Membership Chair
Jeffrey Dochen
Jeffrey Dochen has been a top real estate broker in Austin for more than 40 years. With a rich family history in Central Texas, he attended Pease and Eanes Elementary schools, O’Henry Middle School and Westlake High. After graduating from Texas State University, he worked in banking before turning his talents to real estate investment and development. A founder of Sky Realty, Jeffrey now helps people buy and sell their homes through his company, Shelton Properties, started by his parents Joyce and Emmett Shelton in 1962. Jeffrey’s grandfather, Sam Dochen, immigrated to Austin from the Ukraine in 1908 and helped found the city’s first synagogue. Great grandfather Thomas Jefferson Johnson settled in Driftwood around 1860 and founded the Johnson Institute. Great grandfather Shelton moved to Texas in 1880. Father Emmett Shelton was a local lawyer and historian and the original developer of West Lake Hills, Texas. Jeffrey is married to Yasmine Serna Mesa. They have two children, Kerrie and Daniel Dochen.
Marketing, Public Relations, and Social Media Co-Chair
Dave Helfert
Dave moved to Austin in 1962, graduating from St. Edward’s High School and entering the University of Texas in 1963. He left after a year and a half and went on active duty in the U.S. Navy, serving a year in Vietnam. In 1969, he returned to UT, majoring in journalism. Over his career in communication, Helfert was a news reporter and weekend anchor at KVUE-TV, public information officer for the Texas House of Representatives, and a partner in KHZ Marketing-Advertising. He was also active in numerous city boards and commissions, including service as the first chairman of the Airport Advisory Board, and a number of community organizations. In 1994, Dave was recruited to the Clinton Administration, spending six years as a Public Affairs Director. He then worked in Congress for nearly 10 years. While on “The Hill,” he earned a Master’s in Public Communication at American University, and in 2005, began teaching evening graduate classes there. In 2007, he added a class at Johns Hopkins University. Retiring in 2010, Dave and his wife, Kathy Ledbetter Helfert, a fourth generation Austinite, moved home. He began teaching at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. But for seven years, he returned to D.C. each fall to teach at Johns Hopkins, and also lectured at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Now full-time in Austin, Dave teaches communication courses at Texas State University, and authored, Political Communication in Action: From Theory to Practice, a textbook published in 2017.
Waterloo Press Chair
J. Fotini Margos
J. Fotini Margos is a fifth-generation Austinite. Her Dad grew up in the Deep Eddy area of Austin, where he and Fotini’s mother also raised their three girls. Fotini majored in Studio Art at UT and then attended SMU Paralegal School in Dallas, where she worked for the law firm of Gardere & Wynne as a real estate paralegal for 17 years. Fotini worked 18 years as a Legal Operations Advisor and contract negotiator in the Legal Department at Dell Technologies. In 1995, she was appointed by the State Bar of Texas, Board of Legal Specialization, to a Commission working with attorneys and other paralegals to develop the Real Estate specialty exam for paralegals in Texas. Fotini attended Mathews Elementary, O. Henry Jr. High and the old Austin High. She also worked after school as a page at Howson Branch Library. She is a traditionally published author, who writes suspense and commercial general fiction. Her first novel was published by a division of Harper Collins, and she has just finished her next novel, writing under the pen name J. F. Margos.
Strategic Planning Chair
Mayor Ron Mullen
Ron Mullen has been in the financial services business since 1964. Coming to Austin in 1966, he founded and built a branch of the Principal Financial Group, a worldwide leader in insurance and investments today. He retired from Principal in 1998 and has been an Independent Wealth manager ever since. A Texan, he formerly served as a San Antonio police officer and his alma mater is Texas State University. After establishing his business firmly in the Capital City and serving in many national leadership roles in his profession, Ron expanded into a distinguished record of local community service. He was elected to the Austin City Council from 1977 to 1985, serving as mayor from 1983 to 1985. He led Austin’s efforts to create a 911 system, Keep Austin Beautiful and was a leader in transportation enhancement and economic diversification, among many of his strategic visions for Austin. From President of Rotary of Austin to a major leader in various roles in Austin Baptist Church, he was also Chair of the Greater Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council with his eye always on the big picture to make the community’s quality of life better for all. Widowed in 2019 after 60 years of marriage to his beloved Carole, he lives in Austin near the families of his two daughters Lacy and Misty along with their husbands Jim and Drew, five grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. He is serving AHCA from the Past Mayor’s Advisory Council.
Corporate Membership Chair
TBD
TBD
Board Members At-Large
Board Members At-Large
Adam Friedman
A native Austinite, Adam is an Austin environmental attorney with McElroy, Sullivan, Miller & Weber, L.L.P., where he represents and assists governmental and commercial interests with numerous water issues, including groundwater permitting and surface water rights. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. In addition to serving as the former AHCA Treasurer, he is a member of the Austin Bar Association’s Environmental Law and Oil and Gas Law sections and previously served as a board member for the Galveston Bay Foundation and the Houston Bar Association Environmental Law Section. Adam is the son of former Austin mayor and City Council member Jeff Friedman. He is serving on the Finance Committee.
Nefertitti Jackmon
Nefertitti Jackmon has over 20 years of experience in operations, program management and consulting in the nonprofit sector. Jackmon’s diverse skill set and cultural understanding of black history and the complexities of community engagement are welcomed assets. She has worked with many community-based groups in Austin, Houston, California, Louisiana and abroad to cultivate, preserve and promote African and African Diaspora culture. Jackmon’s greatest desire is to elevate the black cultural aesthetic helping clients to create relevant and intentional program design, authentic community engagement, thoughtful curriculum development, and engaging event experiences. Jackmon was appointed by Austin Mayor Steve Adler to serve as the co-chair of the Anti-Displacement Task Force, she also served as a representative for the city of Austin with Policy Link All-In Cities Initiative on Displacement and she currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Austin History Center Association. As Executive Director for Six Square: Austin’s Black Cultural District, she positioned the 10 year old organization to become a powerful voice on issues of displacement, created local and national platforms to share Six Square’s story and strategies and powerfully led Six Square to serve as a visionary player for major projects to preserve, educate and sustain black arts, history and culture in Central East Austin. Jackmon has presented at a number of conferences and workshops across the country. She is also a writer and had an essay published in a book edited by Nikki Giovanni and another essay to be published in the fall 2019 by Emmy Award Winning Artist James Gayles. An outdoor enthusiast, Jackmon enjoys camping, hiking, and kayaking and is proud that her son recently graduated with an Ivy League education debt free, but smiles slightly when she reminisces on his words “Mom, you were hard.”
Bryan Hardeman
A graduate of the University of Texas, Bryan worked in the banking business until he purchased his first automobile dealership, Continental Cars, in Austin in 1978. His dealerships have expanded to include Audi, Honda, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, and Subaru. Bryan’s roots in Texas go all the way back to the early 19th Century, when his family came from Tennessee to become part of Stephen F. Austin’s land grant colony. Bailey Hardeman helped author and sign the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836 and served as the Republic’s first Treasurer. His brother, Thomas, built the first home on the north side of the river on what is now 17th Street. Bryan’s father, Dorsey B. Hardeman, was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1936 and the Texas Senate in 1946, where he served through 1969. Bryan is married to high school sweetheart Rebecca. They have three adult children – Will, Joy and Genny - and four grandchildren living in Austin. He serves on Strategic Planning and Corporate Membership.
Jenniann McKnight
Jenniann has been serving as Event Coordinator and Bookkeeper for the past 12 years for her family owned businesses, The Old Pecan Street Café, The Ranch, Shakespeare’s Pub and The Blind Pig. She graduated with honors from the Education School at The University of Texas at Austin with a minor in Dance and American Sign Language. There she was active at The Texas School for the Deaf, worked at several elementary schools in the Austin area, and camp counselor at Camp Ozark. She was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Lambda,Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and The Texas Pom Squad. She was a professional dancer growing up for 10 years. She taught dance at dance studios, high schools and dance conventions throughout Texas earning numerous awards and is a member of The Texas Association Teachers of Dancing, (TATD). Also she is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Texas Exes, Texas Longhorn Foundation, Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni and Austin History Center. She is a volunteer in the Mobile Loaves & Fishes program at her church, Saint John Neumann. She is also on the Board of the Rise School of Austin. Jenniann and her husband, Matt McKnight, are proud parents of three beautiful girls. She serves on Eberly and Marketing, PR and Social Media Committees.
Amy Wong Mok
Amy Wong Mok is the Founder & CEO of the Asian American Cultural Center. Born in Hong Kong, Amy came to the United States in 1975. She is a psychotherapist by formal education and has worked at the South Cove Community Health Center in Boston Chinatown before moving to Austin, Texas in 1983 with her husband, Dr. Aloysius K. Mok who is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin.
Amy has been deeply involved in community service both locally and nationally. She has served on numerous boards and commissions and championed social causes in regard to education, cultural diversity and women’s health issues.
Amy currently serves on Austin Arts Commission, the Board of the Austin PBS and the Board of the ADL. She is a member of AARO (Austin Area Research Organization). Because of her work in promoting cultural understanding, her love for diversity, her passion for social justice and her active efforts to facilitate positive social changes, Amy has been honored with her being selected as one of the American Trustees (https://moody.utexas.edu/centers/strauss/american-trustees).
Chad Williams
A native Austinite, Chad grew up in Austin during the 1970s. His earliest childhood recollections are playing at Pease Park, swimming at Deep Eddy, and being scared to death (though oddly intrigued) by the Littlefield fountain. Chad attended Mathews Elementary, Pleasant Hill Elementary, Highland Park Elementary, Baker 6th Grade Center, and Lamar Junior High. His family moved to California in 1981 where he attended Fairfield High. He completed his first two years of college at Napa Valley College and then transferred to San Diego State University where he completed his baccalaureate degree in English. In 1992, Chad returned to Austin with his wife, Giselle, and moved into his family’s house in West Austin. The passage of SOS rekindled his curiosity and passion for Austin local politics. As a result, he became active in local politics in 1993 helping environmental candidates get elected to the Austin City Council. In the fall of 1993, Chad enrolled in graduate school at Southwest Texas State University. He completed his M.A. in English in 1996. While at SWT, Chad served as president of Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor’s society. Soon after graduate school, he began an 18-year career at IBM in 1999. During his time at IBM, he continued to stay active in local political endeavors, serving as an officer for West Austin Democrats. He also served on numerous city commissions, as well as an AISD Facilities Master Plan Task Force. Currently, he is serves as previous Chair on the Library Commission. In all commission assignments, Chad has served as an officer. He was also a board member of Channel Austin, the non-profit awarded to manage and operate Austin’s public access channels. Chad and Giselle have two children: Savannah and Conor. He is a member of the Waterloo Press and Facilities Expansion Committees.
Marilyn Poole
Marilyn Poole is an Austin lawyer born from generations of Old East Austin leadership. She is the niece of the late Dr. James Hill, the first African American to become a Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. She is also the niece of Dr. Oscar and Irene Hill Thompson. A former professor at Huston Tillotson University, Oscar was the first African American to earn an advanced degree from UT. Irene was a librarian at the original historic Anderson High School. Marilyn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in behavioral psychology from Austin College in Sherman, Texas and a juris doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law.
Karen Sonleitner
Karen Sonleitner spent more than 4 decades of her working life in high profile positions of public trust in Austin.
Her dad’s job with Shell took their family from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Cleveland, Westport CT — then to Houston. She moved to Austin in 1973 to attend the University of Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Journalism and graduated with honors in 1977. Karen became an award-winning broadcast journalist with KVUE-TV, covering city, county and state government for 18 years.
Karen left broadcasting in 1994 to run for public office, becoming part of the first Travis County Commissioners Court with women in the majority.
During her 3 terms as Precinct Two Commissioner, she was a tireless advocate for the creation of four Metropolitan Parks and for efforts to complete the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. She co-sponsored the proposal that merged Austin Emergency Medical Services System into Austin/Travis County EMS. Karen served 12 years on the Downtown Austin Alliance Board of Directors and CAMPO, the regional board for transportation planning. After leaving the Court, she spent 10 years as a Senior Planner in the Travis County Auditor’s Office.
She is retired from full-time work, but continues to volunteer on the Travis County Leadership Advisory Board for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and with St. David’s Episcopal Church’s Café Divine. She's a Lifetime Member of the UT Ex-Students’ Association. Karen has lived in the Crestview neighborhood in Central Austin since 1982. She remains uninterested in any and all offers to sell her mid-century home.
Bob Ward
A Marine Vietnam veteran, Bob has been a been a real estate appraiser for more than 40 years, working extensively with affordable housing organizations around Austin. He currently serves as Chair of the Travis County Historical Commission, an Archeology Steward with the Texas Historical Commission, a member of the Antiquities Advisory Board with the Texas Historical Commission and on the board of Preservation Austin. He is also involved with the Save Austin’s Cemeteries organization and the Travis County Archeological Society. Bob holds an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Archeology from the University of Houston and a master’s degree in Geography from the University of Texas.