Governor Abbotts Appoints Eight To The Governing Board Of The Texas School For The Deaf
Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Eric Hogue and Angela “Angie” Ortiz Wolf to the Governing Board of the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) for terms set to expire on January 31, 2021. Additionally, the Governor has appointed Christopher Moreland, M.D. and reappointed Shalia “Sha” Cowan, Ed.D. and Shawn Patrick Saladin, Ph.D. for terms set to expire on January 31, 2023 and appointed Keith Sibley and reappointed David Saunders and Heather Withrow for terms set to expire on January 31, 2025. The board oversees the provision of all TSD services, and is responsible for budget preparation, policy adoption and the appointment of the superintendent.
Eric Hogue of Wylie is a residential real estate agent. Since 2008, he has served as Mayor of Wylie, and his current term will end in 2020. He also volunteers as a board member of the Baylor Scott and White Lake Point Hospital in north Texas. He is the chair of the Governing Board of the Texas School for the Deaf. Hogue received a Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Angela “Angie” Ortiz Wolf of Dripping Springs is Human Resources Director at the Public Utility Commission of Texas. She has nearly three decades of professional experience in the fields of personnel and human resources. She is active in a number of professional organization and is a volunteer at St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic School. Wolf received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Christopher Moreland, M.D. of New Braunfels is an internal medicine physician at UT Health San Antonio. As a physician who is deaf, he manages the care of hospitalized patients, mentors and supervises resident physicians and medical students, conducts research related to medical education, and serves as an Associate Residency Program Director for Internal Medicine. Moreland received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin, a Doctor of Medicine from The University of Texas at Houston Medical School, and a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Davis.
Shalia “Sha” Cowan, Ed.D. of Dripping Springs is co-director of the Austin Sign Language School, a non-profit community education institution. She is a volunteer interpreter for Westover Hills Church of Christ and Service Dogs, Inc. and a member of the Texas Association of Parents & Educators of the Deaf. Cowan received a Bachelor of Science in deaf education, a Master of Arts and Doctor of Education in curriculum and instruction from The University of Texas at Austin.
Shawn Patrick Saladin, Ph.D. of Edinburg is the Associate Vice President for Faculty, Division of Health Affairs at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He is a past member of the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, and also volunteers with a number of organizations focused on rehabilitation and interpreter training. Saladin received a Bachelor of Science in industrial education and a Master of Education in industrial education from Texas A&M University and a Doctor of Philosophy in special education and rehabilitation counselor education from The University of Texas at Austin.
Keith Sibley of Bedford is an adjunct professor of foreign language at Brookhaven College, where he teaches American Sign Language to hearing students. He has been an educator at the secondary and post-secondary level since 1972. He is an alumnus of the Texas School for the Deaf. Sibley received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Gallaudet University and a Master of Science in deaf education and habilitation from Lamar University.
David Saunders of Waxahachie, a native of Temple, is President of Workforce QA, a drug testing and background provider that serves a nationwide customer base with a focus on the trucking industry. He is an active participant on a number of boards and committees related to the trucking industry, vehicle safety, and bus safety.
Heather Withrow of Austin is a mother of three children, one of whom is deafblind, one of whom is deaf, and one of whom is hearing. In addition to serving as a mother and an advocate for deaf and deafblind Texans, she received a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design from Gallaudet University and is pursuing a Master of Education in special education, orientation, and mobility from Texas Tech University.
These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.