Constituent Advisory Council (CAC)
Steve Aleman
Professional Affiliation: Policy Specialist, Disability Rights Texas
Karen Mayer Cunningham
Professional Affiliation: Special Education Advocate
Association with Disability: Specializes in assisting parents in successfully navigating the IEP/ARD process in public schools. We work with families, students, and schools to bring about a comprehensive set of goals, expectations, and services to meet each child’s unique needs.
Ericka DeLeon, MEd
Ellen Goudeau
Professional Affiliation: Non-Attorney Special Education Advocate, Paralegal
Association with Disability: Chair, Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University; President, The Arc, Greater Houston Chapter; Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) – Houston
Stephanie Hill
Professional Affiliation: 25 years working in higher education
Stephanie has been an active member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Central Texas since 2011 and understands the profound impact of NAMI’s outreach and delivery. Stephanie currently is a NAMI Family Support Group Facilitator and part of the Sharing Hope Mental Wellness in the Black Community. She is a trained Mental Health First Aid instructor.
She retired from The University of Texas at Austin after 25 years working in higher education. Stephanie spent 8 years of those 25 years in the College of Education Department of Special Education academically advising masters and doctoral students in the program. Stephanie’s daughter who is her inspiration and motivation, is an adult living with autism and schizophrenia.
Through her lived experiences and knowledge, her mission is to educate others most importantly communities of color to help in dispelling the shame behind mental illness. Stephanie understands the power of education and outreach and the importance of it. Mental Illness is an Illness and once society acknowledges and accepts this; we will all understand Mental Illness.
Eddie R. Jessie
Professional Affiliation: The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD Services of Harris County: Program Manager-Collaboration for Action Employment Services
Association with Disability: Commissioner for the Houston Commission on Disability
Pan Lily
Professional Affiliation: Department Director for IDD Waiver Services, MHMRA of Harris County
Association with Disability: Friends and Families of Asians with Special Needs Support Group
Havilah Walsh
Professional Affiliation: PATHS Program Alumni, Childcare Worker at YMCA, Self-Advocate
Erin Wilder, M.Ed., C.R.C.
Professional Affiliation: Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Statewide Transition Specialist
Erin Wilder, M.Ed., C.R.C. currently serves as a Texas Workforce Commission- Vocational Rehabilitation representative. Erin holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Texas Tech University and a Masters of Education in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Texas. She has worked in Vocational Rehabilitation for 19 years as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Regional Transition Specialist, Statewide Transition Specialist, and most recently Program Manager for Transition and Pre-Employment Transition Services.
Mary Jane Williams
Professional Affiliation: Executive Director, Family to Family Network
Gail Wright
Professional Affiliation: Regional 6 Coordinator, PATH Project, Partners Resource Network, Inc.
Nina Zuma
Professional Affiliation: Associate Director at the Texas Center for Disability Studies at the University of Texas at Austin
Association with Disability: Dr. Zuma has over 20 years of experience working with individuals with disabilities and their families in a variety of roles including professor, researcher, certified special education teacher, and in-home/in-school behavioral skills trainer. Her research and community service interests include: family quality of life, individual and family supports across the lifespan, community inclusion, and transition from high school to postsecondary education and/or the workforce.