COMING SOON!

OUR AAUW STATE CONFERENCE!

APRIL 6!

There will be no fee for attending!

In fact, the state will pay you for attending. Get your group together for a group WATCH PARTY; send your tally to Margaret Carlson and get $10 per person to spend on food to ENJOY while you watch the conference.

What a Deal!

Be sure to send a nomination by your branch for the AAUW Texas Outstanding Member award. It is a wonderful way to show appreciation and recognition for her hard work. Send it to Sara Wood by February 15. If you have a special member who has been with your branch for three years or less and has jumped right in to participate and make her mark, nominate her for an AAUW Texas Outstanding New Member award. The Award Winners will be announced at the State Conference on April 6, 2024.

NOW, there are some very important dates between now and April 6^th. There is very critical news in this UWT. The slate of officers is in this edition. Look it over. You will be voting on these officers between March 9 and March 23.

There are some proposed bylaws changes. Please look over them. This is your organization. Please use your voice. This is the effort we will make to get the vote out to you. We will send the ballots out by email. For those who do not have emails, we will mail their ballots by USPS mail. For any emails that bounce back, we will mail those members a snail mail ballot. We WANT you to vote.

Your chance to be informed is this UWT issue. Please read it. We are mailing it to those who do not have emails so that they, also, will be informed.

If you don’t receive the voting and registration emails in your regular in-box, be sure to check all your boxes, including spam. 

Mary Smith

AAUW Texas President

Co-Presidents

You are voting for four Co-Presidents to serve together.

NOTE: In the absence of a single candidate for AAUW Texas President for the 2024-2026 biennium, four of our previous state presidents have agreed to serve as Co-Presidents for the period. Each will fill the office for 6 months in the order listed.

Pam Wolfe

Austin and Georgetown Branches

July 1 - December 21, 2025

AAUW Texas called for the help of Past Presidents and four of us answered the call. During the 2024-2026 biennium the hope is to mentor talented members who do not feel they are ready to lead our organization yet. My goal is to help potential members to get the confidence and tool kit to lead. 

I joined AAUW in 1981, moved my membership to the Austin Branch in 1990 and have been an active member for 30 + years. I have learned lessons in facilitation of volunteers; techniques to get a group consensus, and how to work with many personalities.

Beginning 1996, served on the AAUW TX State board with seven different presidents and was the State President from 2016-2018. Therefore, I have seen first-hand how multiple AAUW TX boards process their business, and I have learned which techniques usually work and which ones usually do not work.

TX State Experience includes Central District Director/Representative (1996-1998); Historian (1996-1998); Educational Foundation Vice-President (2000-2002); Bylaws/Parliamentarian (2006-2010); UWT editor (2013-2014); Bylaws Chair (2013-2014); President (2016-2018); Co-webmaster and Facebook administrator (2016-2023) and member of the AAUW TX Restructuring Task Force (2004-2006).

Austin Branch Experience includes Member of Austin Branch Board 1990 – 2010 & 2013-current; positions included EF VP, Historian, Membership Treasurer, Study Group Coordinator, President- Elect, President, Yearbook Co-Editor, Yearbook Editor, Parliamentarian, Bylaws Chair, Database Administrator; Governance Chair, Co-Webmaster & Co-Facebook Administrator. Chair of the 2023 Austin Branch Centennial Celebration.

Education: BS (Math and Chemistry) and MBA (Master of Business Administration)

Malinda Gaul

San Antonio Branch

July 1 - June 30, 2026

I am seeking the office of Co-President to help with a transition biennium. I want to work with the other past presidents to mentor new leaders and create a pipeline of leadership to take AAUW Texas into the future.

I have served in leadership positions with AAUW and other organizations including Business and

Professional Women, State Bar of Texas Women and the Law Section and Labor and Employment Law Section, and Texas Employment Lawyers Association.

I joined the San Antonio, Texas Branch of AAUW in 1989, and have served in many capacities from Legal Advocacy Fund Liaison to President. I have also been active on the AAUW Texas Board, including being President, and currently am the AAUW National Vice Chair.

I am the senior partner at Gaul and Dumont, an employment law firm primarily representing employees. I am a Fellow with the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. I graduated from Baylor University with a BA in Radio, TV and Film and from Baylor University Law School with a JD.

VP AAUW Funds

Debbie Campbell

Houston Branch

* Offer Funds VPs 1 Zoom meeting in the fall semester and 1 Zoom meeting in the spring semester

* Apprise branches of state and national Funds opportunities, procedures, and issues

* Help branches learn about what other branches recommend for doable, successful fundraising

* Show branches ways of helping their members identify their “Why” and use online resources

* Suggest updates to National that improve the donor experience

* 20+ years of communicating complex information to program members and the public

* 20+ of working alongside AAUW branch/board members, both for fun and to achieve branch goals

* 20+ years of helping people understand and use technology and learn or improve English

* 3x Branch Funds VP (2022-2023, 2021-2022, 199x-199x?*)

* 2x Branch Newsletter Editor (20xx-20xx, 20xx-20xx*)

* Ongoing Branch President (inactive Houston Branch)

* 27x volunteer with West Harris Country Branch’s annual Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics conference (1993- 2019) including presenter, committee chair, board member, and  program director

* Some dates of service are unavailable because many of our personal records were lost when Hurricane Harvey flooding destroyed our home in 2017

* Community volunteer working with adults with aphasia (loss of communication skills after a medical event) in English and Spanish

* Graduate leveling studies in communication disorders (Eastern New Mexico State University online)

* Undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, plus cognitive psychology and Spanish (University of Houston)

* 20+ years as an instructional designer / webmaster / technical trainer / presenter / program manager for Internet/web technology, complex oil and gas technology, historically accurate writing systems (calligraphy), and house rabbits

* 20+ years as a wife and mother

Finance Officer

Vickie Natale

Corpus Christi Branch

* As the new state finance officer, I will become conversant with our state policies and operations, along with getting to know our state officers, through online meetings, phone calls, emails, and other communications. I look forward to learning new and wider perspectives on issues and events important to AAUW.

* I will develop a deeper understanding of the Community Hub, learning how it works and how I can assist other statewide members and branch finance officers navigate the online registration system. I will attend state and national online workshops concerning the registration and financial aspects of the new system in order to ensure that my knowledge of the system is up-to-date.

* I will assist the state officers in communicating news about AAUW dues, including changes in dues and changes in expiration dates or due dates, through the newsletters, emails, and online meetings.

* I will assemble the materials and documents needed and convene the Finance Committee to develop a budget each year that supports the AAUW Texas strategic plan.

* I will file the IRS 990-N electronically each year for AAUW Texas through the national AAUW system, in compliance with federal law and IRS regulations.

* I will ensure that all financial records are maintained in an organized system that can be

shared with other officers for continuous open communications and accountability.

I currently serve and have served as the Finance Officer for the Corpus Christi Branch since 2019. I worked with the AAUW, Inc., legacy online registration system before the conversion to Community Hub was implemented in 2022. I have become very familiar with the Community Hub on handling updates, renewals, additions, and corrections to the system. My educational background and career have developed my skills in financial management, project management, computer systems, and team building, which will be essential to this job.

AAUW member since 2017; lifetime member in 2019

Finance Officer for Corpus Christi Branch – 2019 to present

Webmaster for Corpus Christi Branch – 2018 to present

Communications Chair for Corpus Christi Branch – 2019 to present

Member, Book Finders Committee of the Corpus Christi Branch – 2017 to present

Member, Community Outreach Committee of the Corpus Christi Branch – 2017 to present

Member STEM Committee of the Corpus Christi Branch – 2018 to present

Occupation:

Retired, Associate Vice President of Planning and Institutional Research, Northern Kentucky

University, 2011-2017

Previous, Dean of Administrative Services (and other positions), Del Mar College, 1978-2011

Education:

B.A., Mathematics, Baylor University

M.B.A., Business Administration, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi

Ed.D., Higher Education Administration, Texas Tech University

North District Representative

Margaret Martin

Northeast Tarrant County Branch

Share best practices for branch activities with other North District branches.

I have served as President, Membership Vice President, Secretary, Chair Scholarships, and Website Designer. These positions have provided the opportunity to hone my leadership skills and develop as a relationship builder. As website designer and Zoom host during the pandemic, I’ve become technologically proficient. When you add to these my ability to work with many different individuals and recruit successfully for our branch, I believe my skill set reflects what’s needed to serve competently as the North District Representative.

President – 2018-2020

Membership Vice President – 2012-2016

NETC Shining Star – 2015

Secretary – 2016-2018

Named Gift Honoree – 2000, 2009

Website Designer – 2012-2015

Education and Scholarships – 2021-2022

Legacy Circle

BSN and MSN in Nursing. I worked for many years in nursing and served as a nursing director in several hospitals. I have taught many clinical areas in nursing and presented at several national conferences. I am currently retired and volunteer in church. I have been president of my Sunday School class for five years.

South District Representative

Brenda Van Derbur

North Harris County Branch

My goal as a South Texas Representative would be to maintain communication and support the South Texas affiliates while sharing information from Texas AAUW and National about activities, goals, and resources available to them as affiliates. I would encourage each affiliate to communicate with other affiliates and Texas AAUW to share ideas, activities and accomplishments. Through communication and visits, I hope to offer motivation, encouragement and, when needed, help with problem solving.

Good oral and written communication skills.

Organized, dependable, follow through with tasks, and willing to work.

Try to be encouraging to all.

Committed to AAUW.

NHC AAUW Membership Vice President, 2018-2019

NHC AAUW President, 2019-2021

NHC AAUW Past President, 2021-2022

NHC AAUW Recording Secretary. 2022-2024

I am currently a retired educator from the state of Texas. I have a BA in elementary education from Stephen F. Austin State University and an MEd in the area of Reading Language Arts/Mid-Management Certification from Sam Houston State University.

AAUW Texas Outstanding Member and

Outstanding New Member

Attention all branches! It is time to nominate exceptional members for the AAUW Texas Outstanding Member and Outstanding New Member awards. The winners will be announced during our April 6 Conference.

Every branch has an outstanding member dedicated to ensuring that branch activities are successful. She is generous with her time and willing to help out wherever necessary. Nominating her for the AAUW Texas Outstanding Member award is a great way to show appreciation and recognition for her hard work.

We will also recognize an AAUW Texas Outstanding New Member. This award is for a special member who has been a member of your branch for three years or less and has actively participated in making a difference.

Each branch of Texas can nominate one member for the AAUW Texas Outstanding Member and for the AAUW Texas Outstanding New Member awards. To nominate a member, please submit a narrative (1,000 words or less) highlighting the nominee's accomplishments and explaining why she should win the award. Also, please include a photo of the nominee.

Email your award nominations and photos to Sara Wood at rwrolls@aol.com by February 15, 2024.

Sara Wood

AAUW Texas Membership VP

AAUW TEXAS 2024 Conference

April 6, 2024

Charting a Course Through the

Challenge of Change

You are Invited!!!

The AAUW Texas 2024 Conference will be held on April 6, 2024.

The conference will start at 8:30 am via a Zoom Meeting link for sign in and greeting with the presentations starting at 9:00 am.

The Conference will be free to all AAUW Texas members who will receive a link to the conference prior to the meeting. It will be a half-day conference with 2 keynote speakers, 3 mini sessions, and our biannual business meeting.  

The tentative schedule for the half day conference is:

8:30  Set-up/Sign-In

9:00  Mini-session - Sustainability Paula Jernigan

9:30  Keynote Speaker - Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi

10:15 Break

10:30 Mini-session - DEI Chasity Crawley

11:00 Business Meeting

11:30 Break

11:45 Mini-session - Networking Joyce LeBombard, LWV Texas

12:15 Keynote Speaker- Dr. Malinee Neelamegam

1:00  Closing

AAUW Texas Conference

“Charting a Course Through the

Challenge of Change"

WATCH PARTY

Saturday, April 6, 2024

8:30 AM – 1:00 PM

AAUW Texas wants members to participate in the state conference. To encourage participation, an incentive ($$$) is being provided for branches to hold WATCH PARTIES at homes or other meeting venues. Gather your members and your branch will be reimbursed $10.00 per member for attending the watch party. Funds received can be used toward refreshments for your gathering or for a group lunch after watching the conference. Checks will be made payable to your branch and mailed to branch finance officer. Complete the information below and forward electronically to AAUW.Margaret.Carlson@gmail.com no later than March 29. Reimbursement is being provided prior to the event based on anticipated at attendance. Post party, send Margaret a sign in sheet to document participants and return unused funds.

This is a wonderful opportunity for branch

members to meet and learn. 

Plan your party NOW!!!

Watch Party Funding Request

Branch Name:____________________________________________

Number of members who will participate in your branch watch party:___________________________________________________

Sustainability - Paula Jernigan will present a succession plan to ensure new ideas and perspectives are included in your future leadership plans, from the Branch Board Institutes.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion - A practical approach for your organization to diversify the membership base presented by AAUW Member Chasity Crawley.

Networking - Presentation by Joyce LeBombard, President of the Texas League of Women Voters, on how branches and individuals can partner with them during this important election year.

Please plan to participate in the AAUW Texas 2024 Conference. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn and share. You will receive a link to an evaluation form after the conference. Your answers to the Google Form survey will give the AAUW Texas board important input for future events. See you on April 6!

Terry Whaley

AAUW Texas Program VP

SHARE and NCCWSL

The SHARE Committee challenges all members to recall their student years and reminisce about opportunities available then compared to opportunities now for women students to learn, network, and be inspired to enthusiastically accept the challenge of leadership, advocacy, and equity. AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Leaders (NCCWSL) has provided such opportunities for over 10,000 students over three decades. An excellent track record!

One source of financial assistance for Texas students to attend the conference is a grant from the AAUW Texas SHARE fund. Reports from students whose registration fee was paid last year via a SHARE grant confirm the importance of participation in the conference. A few examples of their comments: “the honor of attending sessions with some amazing, insightful women that left us with valuable lessons on leadership;” “The seminars I had the opportunity to attend have proven to be so impactful on my life since the conference;” “It showed me the importance of striving for the best and fulfilling it even when I feel discouraged with a hard workload. If these strong and powerful women can do it, I know I can too!”

The conference in 2024 will be held May 30 – June 1 at the University of Maryland College Park campus. It will surely inspire a new group of young women to embrace their education and learn techniques to reach their goals, including enhancing opportunities for all women and girls. Application forms for SHARE grants have been sent to branches with information about the conference, about the March 15 due date to submit applications, and the maximum grant amount of $565 per student, consisting of the early registration fee available to April 14 and which includes housing at the university and five meals. It is hoped that additional funding will be available from branches and other sources to help pay for transportation and other costs.

A SHARE grant to participate in NCCWSL is an investment in the future. The SHARE Committee and Board of Directors look forward to receiving applications and, post-conference, to hear from participants about their experiences.

Shirley Selz

SHARE Grants

Managed Funds Pay Off

Several years ago AAUW Texas received a generous bequest from a member’s will. To honor and protect this special gift, the AAUW Texas Board of Directors decided that, rather than spend the gift immediately, the funds should be allocated over a longer term. Thus, the SHARE (Supporting Hardworking Affiliates Rising to Empower) fund was created, the idea being to share these funds to strengthen the branches.

In order to better preserve the value of these funds, in March 2023 the Board of Directors invested the SHARE funds in a managed account for potential enhanced financial returns for AAUW Texas. The balance at the time of that investment was $139,390. In the ensuing ten months, AAUW Texas has used $9,749 of these SHARE funds to:

·       Provide 10 branches with Zoom accounts

·       Support 10 branch leaders in attending the AAUW Regional Conference in St. Louis

·       Assist 2 branches to implement special AAUW-related projects in their community.

This Spring SHARE funds will be used to pay the registration fee for several young Texas women college students to attend AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) in College Park, MD.

With the increase in value provided by the managed account—even with the expenditures noted above -- the December 31, 2023 ending balance was $143,335.

Margaret Carlson

AAUW Texas Finance Officer

Public Policy Update

Our current legislative focus is on the upcoming Primary Elections, ending on March 5, which are expected to have a direct effect on the November 5^th General Election. Here are Important 2024 Primary Election Dates for our state:

• Last Day to Register to Vote - Monday, February 5, 2024
• First Day of Early Voting - Tuesday, February 20, 2024
• Last Day of Early Voting - Friday, March 1, 2024
• Primary Election - Tuesday, March 5, 2024
• Primary Runoff Election (If Necessary) - Tuesday, May 28, 2024

At the quarterly public policy Zoom discussion in December, participants agreed that we must continue to speak out for our ideals and stand up for the value of equity in policies and legislation into the New Year. In a recent call to Kate Kuhlman, the AAUW Texas Board's legislative advisor, she also recommended that in 2024 our AAUW advocates continue to focus on the selected issues related to our AAUW mission: education, women's healthcare, gun violence, fair pay, and voters' rights to free & fair elections. She also suggested contacting and supporting our representatives in the State House who have been threatened and berated for voting against vouchers in mid-November. Both the Governor and Attorney General are targeting House Republicans who opposed them, finding opponents to unseat them in the upcoming elections. 

During the Zoom discussion, several participants offered relevant points of interest

• One-half of the Texas SBOE positions will come up for re-election in the spring primaries for both political parties, and extremist groups are determined to take over a majority of seats. We need to identify whom to support and vote for in that election.

• We must encourage friends, relatives, and even strangers to register and vote.

• Vote411, the online guide from the League of Women Voters, will become “live” on February 2, 2024. It has valuable and easily accessible information.

• Check the legislative records of candidates at the League of Women Voters' website or in newspapers. Although AAUW cannot support specific candidates, we can study and share their voting records.

• Go to the Texas Tribune website for a link to the Dec.15, 2023 article which ranks our state representatives by their voting record in 2023.

The next AAUW TX Public Policy Zoom will take place on February 29.

Pat Rehm

AAUW Texas Public Policy Chair

KEY DATES FOR THE 2024 TEXAS PRIMARIES

Please don’t forget to

make your voice heard in the primaries.

February 5, 2024 – Twenty days left to register to vote.

February 20, 2024 - Eary voting starts!

March 1, 2024 - Early voting ends!

March 5, 2024 - ELECTION DAY

What’s on the ballot?

While there is a presidential election this year, eligible Texans can also cast their ballots for many Texas officials running for office at the federal, state and local levels. This includes representatives in the U.S. and Texas houses and the following elected offices: your US Senator (Ted Cruz), 15 State Senators, 7 State Board of Education members, and various Chief Justices, and judges. 

What's Happening in AAUW

The news has just come recently out from National about the NCCWSL conference May 30-June 1. The registration fee is $565.The state is willing to pay the registration fee for the students who apply up until our limit is filled. Urge your college students to go to our website and download the application and apply for the state scholarship to cover the registration fee. The deadline is March 15. National also has a scholarship for the students, but the deadline is February 2.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Fort Bend, Hill Country, Lubbock, North Harris County, Northeast Tarrant County, San Antonio, Tarrant County, and West Harris County branches for being awarded SHARE grants to be for attending The AAUW Central States Regional Conference in St. Louis, MO in October. Eleven members were able to attend due to these grants.  

On January 2, 2024, our AAUW Texas Public Policy Team sent out a big congratulatory message about Valerie Koehler, an AAUW member of West Harris County AAUW branch and owner of Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston. She was recognized by the Houston Chronicle as the Thumbs Everyday Texas Hero for 2023 for “her brave and clear-headed arguments that protected booksellers from government overreach” – the bill otherwise known as HB 900. She was also recognized by Publishers Weekly as one of two 2023 People of the Year. Valerie had joined a suit in defense of banned books and the freedom of the people to read.

The preliminary injunction was issued November 13, 2023, by Judge Alan D. Albright of the U.S. District Court. The READER Act would force vendors selling to schools to rate titles in all past and future sales to a school district or be barred from selling to them.

The State appealed the preliminary injunction to the Fifth Circuit, at which point an “administrative stay” was put in place — effectively allowing the law to remain in effect while the appeal was heard. This latest ruling means the law is once again NOT in effect, pending a final decision on the case. This is a significant victory and worth celebrating, but not a conclusive one. More appeals will occur. We will try to keep you informed. 

Dear AAUW Friends:

The support from the AAUW has meant so much to me this year. The judgment of the Fifth Circuit was pretty solid against compelling us to rate the books. Some legislators would like it to be appealed to the Supreme Court. But the court will have to "accept" the appeal. And the three judges are very conservative so I hope they will not.

It is groups such as the AAUW who are actively working to defend that make our society a better place to live.



Take care,

Valerie

Elected Officers  

Mary Smith

Terry Whaley

Sara Wood

Margie Poole

Margaret Carlson

Lucy Barrington

Elected District Representatives

Betsy Calabro

Cheryl Fuller

Cheri Butler

Standing Committees

Brenda Van Derbur

Pat Rehm

Appointed Positions

Shirley Selz

Margo Johnson

Chasity Crawford

Communications Team

Malinda Gaul

Janani Janakiraman

Jerrilyn Woodard-Entrekin

Contact at:https://aauw-tx.aauw.net/about/leadership/

President

Program VP

Membership VP

AAUW Funds VP

Finance Officer

Secretary

South District

Central District

North District

West District

Bylaws/Parliamentarian

Public Policy

SHARE Grants

Branch Services

Inclusion and Equity

UWT Editor/Email Communications

Website

Facebook