Governor Abbott Names Chair And Vice-Chair And Appoints Seven To The Advisory Council On Cultural Af
Governor Greg Abbott named Ruth Ruggero Hughs as chair and Steven Nguyen as vice-chair of the Advisory Council on Cultural Affairs and appointed them to terms set to expire on February 1, 2019 and 2017 respectively. The Governor additionally appointed Lisa Hembry and Ali Zakaria for terms set to expire on February 1, 2017 and Veronica Vargas Stidvent, Major General Juan Ayala and Bryan Daniel for terms set to expire February 1, 2019. The council will advise the office of the governor on issues resulting from changes in demographics in the state.
Ruth Ruggero Hughs of Austin is the Commissioner representing employers of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). As Commissioner, Hughs serves as an advocate for the 500,000 Texas employers and her office provides a variety of resources including training and assistance with workplace hiring, managing and recruiting matters. Prior to her appointment to TWC, she served in the practice of law and was also a small business owner. She also served in the Texas Attorney General’s Office as the Director of Defense Litigation, advising on federal, state and local matters and providing executive oversight for the civil litigation divisions. Hughs received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers Camden School of Law in New Jersey.
Steven Nguyen of Irving is an optometrist and president of Southwest Dallas Eye Care. He is a member of the American Optometric Association and Texas Optometric Association and has served as a board and committee member for both organizations. He is a member of the board of directors of the Las Colinas Association and Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD Foundation and president of the Foundation for Education and Research in Vision. He is a former member of the Texas Institute of Health Care Quality and Efficiency Board of Directors, Texas Statewide Health Coordinating Council and the Small Business Advisory Council. Nguyen received a Bachelor of Science and a Doctor of Optometry from the University of Houston.
Lisa Hembry of Dallas is the president and CEO of LIFT (Literacy Instruction for Texas) and was a previously elected Dallas County Treasurer. She is a gubernatorial appointee on the Family and Protective Services Council and former appointee of the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas County and District Retirement System Board of Trustees. She is chair-elect of Literacy Texas Board of Directors and a member of Executive Women of Dallas and Texas Capital Bank Community Development Corporation Board of Directors. Hembry received a Bachelor of Science with honors in political science from Southern Methodist University and a Graduate Marketing Certificate from the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business.
Ali Zakaria of Sugar Land is the managing attorney at M. Ali Zakaria & Associates. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, South Asian Chamber of Commerce and the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association. He is a volunteer at the Shifa Legal Clinic and various women’s shelters. He is a former member of the Harris County Sherriff’s Advisory Committee and is a former director of the Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Houston. Zakaria received a Bachelor of Arts in accounting and marketing from Houston Baptist University and a Juris Doctor from the South Texas College of Law.
Veronica Vargas Stidvent of Austin is the Chancellor of WGU Texas. Previously, she was president of CEA Consulting and a lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. She also served as the Head of Education and Training at Dimensional Fund Advisors and as program director for the University of Texas Hispanic Leadership Initiative and Subiendo: The Academy for Rising Leaders at the McCombs School of Business. She also served as the inaugural Executive Director for the Center for Politics and Governance at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. She is a former member of The University of Texas Commission of 125, Texas Commission of Human Rights and Travis County Elections Study Group. Stidvent received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.
Major General Juan Ayala, USMC (Ret.) of New Braunfels is the director of the Office of Military Affairs for the City of San Antonio. He recently retired after 36 years of service as an active duty Marine. His last assignment was as the Commander of Marine Corps Installations Command at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. He served as Inspector General of the Marine Corps, Chief of Staff of the United States Southern Command, Senior Advisor to the 1st Iraqi Army Division, Plans Officer, JTF 6 (Counterdrug Operations) and 4 combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Gold Star and “V” Combat Distinguishing Device, Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon. While on active duty, he served in Iraq, throughout Africa, South America, Eastern Europe, Germany, Japan and Cuba. Ayala received a Bachelor of Arts in business from The University of Texas at El Paso, Master in Business Administration from Campbell University in North Carolina and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.
Bryan Daniel of Georgetown is the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism. He joined Governor Abbott’s administration after serving as the Senior Administrator for Trade and Business Development at the Texas Department of Agriculture. He previously served as vice president for Business Development at Agricultural Workers Mutual Auto Insurance Company and as the Texas state director of Rural Development in President George W. Bush’s administration. Daniel received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Agriculture from Texas Tech University.