National Advisory Board
Back row l to r: J. Pat Hickman, Jan O'Neill, Nancy Neal, Adair Margo, Nancy Weiss, Andi Ball, Donna Williams, Diana Strauss, Sally McDonough, Larry Gill
Front row l to r: Chancellor Kent Hance, Debbie Francis, Mrs. Laura W. Bush, Dr. Marjorie Jenkins, President John Baldwin, Diane Scovell
The mandate of the National Advisory Board (NAB) is to advise Executive Director, Dr. Marjorie Jenkins, to advance the Institute in research, education, and community outreach. The founding NAB members are dedicated leaders who were invited to participate upon recommendations from Mrs. Laura W. Bush, TTUS Chancellor Kent Hance and TTUHSC President.
2009 National Advisory Board
Board Member Information
Debbie Francis, Dallas, Texas, Chair
Trustee, United Cerebral PalsDirector, UCP Metro DallasDirector, Founding Board Member, Camp John Marc for Special KidsChairman Advisory Board for the Center for Brain Health (University of Texas at Dallas), Appointed by Texas Governor William Clements to serve on the Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities, 2001 Presidential Inaugural Host Committee for George W. Bush.
Debbie and her husband, Jim, live in Dallas.
Diane Scovell, Dallas, Texas, Development Chair
Director, Texas Country Banks Holding Company; Owner Operator Brady National Bank, First National Bank Ballinger, Citizens Bank of Knox City, Citizens Bank of Abilene, Bank of San Angelo, and Uvalde National Bank; General Partner S& K Ranches 1988 to present; Director, Texas Country Bancshares Holding Company; Presbyterian Hospital Leadership Council; Field Scovell Scholarship Foundation Board; Center for the Performing Arts Advisory Board; Ceaser Kleberg Wildlife Institute Board; Charter 100 Women; Dallas Historical Society Board.
Diane and her husband, John, live in Dallas and have three children.
Karen Hughes, Austin, Texas, Marketing Chair
Global Vice Chair Burson-Marsteller; Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, 2005-2007; Communications Consultant for President Bush re-election campaign 2004; Counselor to the President, 2001-2002; Communications Director, Bush for President 2000.
Karen and her family live in Austin where she is an elder in the Presbyterian Church.
Andi Ball, Austin, Texas
Senior Advisor to U.S.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison; Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady, 2001 to 2005, White House; Chief of Staff to Mrs. Bush in Austin, Texas.
Andi and her husband have lived in Austin for over 20 years. They have one daughter, Angela, who is an attorney in Austin. Andi enjoys traveling, walking, reading, and spending time at Lake
Myrna Deckert, El Paso, Texas
YWCA, CEO and executive director for 33 years - from 1969 to 2002; Currently the president and CEO for Paso Del Norte Health Foundation and also served as CEO for the Paso Del Norte Group for three years after retiring from the YWCA; Deckert is a member of the El Paso Women's Hall of Fame; YWCA branch named in her honor.
Myrna and her husband Ray have four children: Shelly Dick, an attorney in Baton, Rouge, LA.; Kim Herrera, owns an accounting firm in Palm Desert, CA; Charles Deckert, owns a security company in Austin, TX; Michael Deckert, works at a resort in Napa, CA; and nine grandchildren.
Larry Gill, Abilene, Texas
Vice President and
Grants Administrator, Dodge Jones Foundation; Retired Air Force Lt. Colonel; Awarded 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 5 Air Medals and 2 Meritorious Service Medals; Serves on Executive Committee / Abilene Industrial Foundation; Serves on Texas Tech University Athletic Council; Chairman of Abilene Airport Development Board; Founding Chair of Abilene Child Advocacy Center Board.
Larry and his wife, Mary, have three children and six grandchildren. Larry is an active leader to his community and church.
Susie Hance, Lubbock, Texas
Board member, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the South Plains; Practiced Commercial Law in Dallas after graduating from SMU, Current philanthropic efforts include the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing and the Garrison Institute on Aging.
Susie and Kent Hance, TTUS Chancellor, live in Lubbock. They have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. They are members of the First United Methodist Church in Lubbock.
J. Pat Hickman, Amarillo, Texas
Chairman and CEO � Happy State Bank; Chair, Canyon/Amarillo United Way Campaign; Honored with Hickman Chair of Marketing at WTAMU; Served (2003-2004) as Chairman of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas. Served as the Campaign Co-Chair of the United Way of Amarillo & Canyon (2006-2007) and the Campaign busted the $5 Million pledged mark for the first time.
J. Pat Hickman has been married to his �bride�, Nancy, for 31 years. They have been blessed with four children: J. Brad, and his wife, Heidi; J. Grant, and his wife, Jenna; Tara and Crista.
Nancy Jones, Ft. Worth, Texas
Founding President of the Community Foundation of Abilene; Appointed by then-Governor Bush in 1997 to serve on the Board of Regents of the Texas Tech University System; Served on the Executive Committee and the Board of the Texas Tech University Foundation as well as on the National Center for Children�s Illustrated Literature and the United Way of Abilene.
Nancy and her husband, Ross, live in Ft. Worth. She enjoys doing Board retreats for Community Foundations, having worked with over 32 Community Foundations in the past ten years. Faculty member of the Community Foundation Institute, teaching �Community Foundation Fundamentals� and �Finance and Administration for Community Foundations.
Adair Margo, El Paso, Texas
Founder and owner, Adair Margo Gallery; Appointed by President Bush as Chairman of the President�s Committee on the Arts and Humanitites in 2001; Former Chair of the Texas Commission on the Arts; Member of the board of Mid-American Arts Alliance and the Texas Humanities Council; Author of two books, one on renowned painter, Tom Lea, and another on Jose Cisneros, famed illustrator of the borderlands.
Adair and husband, Dee, live in El Paso and have two sons. She is has traveled extensively in Latin America as a cultural representative of the U.S.
Nancy Neal, Lubbock, Texas
Community/Civic Volunteer; BSN in Nursing, Texas Tech University Health Science Center; RN, Emanuel Hospital School of Nursing, Portland, OR; Board Member The Institute of Environmental and Human Health TTU; Vice President, Lubbock Achievement Rewards for College Scientists; Board of Trustees, Buckner International, Dallas, TX, Finance Committee; AMPAC (American Medical Political Action Committee); Texas Medical Association Alliance Board; American Medical Association Alliance; American Nurses Association; Board of Young Women�s Leadership Academy; Former Regent and Past Chair, Texas State University System Board of Regents; Awarded Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award, 1998.
Nancy and her husband, Tom, live in Lubbock. Tom is a physician in Otolaryngology.
Jan O�Neill, Midland, Texas
Vice President, George W. Bush Childhood Home, Inc.; Board Member, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, a program of U.S. Department of State�s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs; Member, Trinity School Board in Midland; Co-Chair & Member, Governor�s Commission for Women in Austin, 1994 � 2000; Chair & Co-Chair, Texas Women�s Hall of Fame Member, Permian Basin Area Foundation Grant Committee
Jan and her husband, Joe, live in Midland.
Diana Strauss, Dallas, Texas
Chaired or Co-Chaired the following Benefits: Princess Grace Foundation Gala, Cattle Barons Ball, Crystal Charity Ball Luncheon, March of Dimes Western Party, Susan Komen Luncheon, UT Southwestern � Saks Fifth Avenue 1999 Gala.
Served or Co-Chaired on Underwriting Committees:Crystal Charity Ball, Susan Komen Foundation.
Charity Selection Committee: Crystal Charity Ball 1991-1998
Boards: Dallas Challenge, Dallas Child Advocacy Center, Deposit Guaranty Bank, Susan Komen Foundation, Executive Committee, Timberlawn Psychiatric Research Foundation, Zale Lipshy Hospital � Chairman of Development Committee 1997 � 1999, Chairman of Nominating Committee 1995 � 1997,Trustee:Lowe Foundation, Vice PresidentMember:Charter 100,Sweetheart Ball Committee
Nancy Weiss, Lubbock, Texas
Appointed by then-Governor Bush to Texas Commission for Volunteerism in 1995 & Community Service; Named in the list of 100 people who helped Lubbock become the Hub of the South Plains over the City�s first 100 years; On the �West Texas Coalition� to locate the George W. Bush Presidential Library at Texas Tech University.
Nancy and her husband, Mike, live in Lubbock where she has been a long-time advocate and community supporter of youth.
Donna Williams, Arlington, Texas
Vice President and Program Manager for Parsons Infrastructure and Technology, Inc., a subsidiary of the Parsons Corporation; Responsible for the Technical Support Services Contract (TSSC III) for the Southwest Region --Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico; The TSSC III is a nation wide multi-year contract with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) potentially in excess of $1.3 billion; Selected in 2006 as One of the 100 Most Important Blacks in Technology by the US Black Engineer & Information Technology; President George W. Bush nominated and the U.S. Senate confirmed Ms. Williams as a Director of the Corporation for National and Community Service in 2003; Selected to serve on the Corporation�s Leadership Council in 1999; Received Parsons� "Engineer of the Year" award in 1993.
Donna and her husband, Michael, live in Arlington. Michael serves as the Texas Railroad Commissioner. They are members of the Potter�s House Church in Dallas.
F. Marie Hall, Adjunct Member
