Civics

Visit our Civics Gallery here!

April 15 meeting is ONLINE ONLY
via Zoom 9:45 – noon
Register Here

 

 

Come and learn about our community and invite others to come with you!  We will have special music starting promptly at 9:45am. Please arrive promptly so that we can honor our speakers and show respect for everyone’s time.

We will have two very special speakers for April, one of whom is Lani Popp. Lani is an energetic teacher of teachers and a great American Patriot. Her love of God, Country, and others is an inspiration to all of us. Our speakers will each follow their presentations with a time of Q&A from the audience. Come and be educated and blessed. We have times of interactions and prayer with them as they share their personal journeys with us. We thank God for His blessing on this class. We will be looking for YOU.

Please email Gale Sayers at Hopegale50@gmail.com with any questions, comments or need help with Zoom.

We have started our year with a bang with high attendance participation and outstanding speakers!  God is faithful! Many thanks to Tawyna Johnson and Mary Mittal for conducting the Civics class in February when Gale travelled to care for a  family member. Thank you to the Willy Ng Foundation for sponsoring our lunch in January.

Please send any questions or concerns or RSVP today, here, and to Gale Sayers at Hopegale50@gmail.com. 

 

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Speaker Bio

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Raul Reyes was born and raised in the beautiful border city of Del Rio, Texas.  His father, who legally immigrated to the US in his teenage years, had a lifelong career in construction.  Raul grew up in the barrio of San Felipe, in a home his parents bought near Hwy 90.  The house was under the flight path used by Laughlin AFB T-37 jets to train its future pilots.  Daily, Raul would lay on the hood of his mother’s car and watch as the T-37s gracefully made their right turn back toward the base.  At that point, Raul knew that he wanted to serve his country.  At 14, anxious to get started, he joined the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Program at Del Rio High School, where he donned his first uniform.  After graduation, he joined Angelo State University’s AFROTC program where he eventually earned a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant.  Raul has a Bachelor of Science in Math and later earned a Master of Arts in Computer Resource and Information Management.

Raul was highly decorated during his tenure as an active duty Air Force Officer.  As a Cyber Space Officer, and at an early stage in his career, he led the building and management of large network infrastructures needed to support the world-wide Air Force operations which safeguard the nation.  In his senior officer years, Raul was ultimately responsible for the entire Command and Control of all Cyber Defense operations for the Air Force.  He was directly responsible for safeguarding satellite communications links critical to Predator (MQ-9) integration and operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East.  Multiple annual performance reports attest to Raul’s expertise as he was designated #1 and within the top 10% of all Air Force Officers in his ranks.

Judge Bert Richardson is a native and resident of San Antonio, Texas. His father was an Air Force, fighter pilot, who flew 160 missions over Vietnam.His mother operated a fine art gallery. He graduated from Judson High School, received his BS from Brigham Young University, and his legal degree from St. Mary’s School of Law in San Antonio, Texas. Richardson began his legal career included serving as an Assistant District Attorney, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas and in 1999, Governor George Bush appointed Richardson to the 379th District Court Judge position where he served for 10 years. Richardson, who is board certified in criminal law, also serves as an adjunct law professor at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio.

He is married and has one son. 

 

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General Information

Civics is an excellent way for your children to learn first – hand how our political system is organized and about the inner workings of multiple occupations. We have lively discussions at all of our classes as we interact with our speakers. During the Civics classes, we hear from elected officials or prominent leaders who serve our communities. Please arrive early to mingle with our guests and attendees.

The FEAST Civics Class started over 15 years ago and we have hosted scores of city leaders as well as state level dignitaries. Training the leaders of tomorrow is very important for the community.  Our speakers  share about their personal journeys and about their vocations. They entertain questions from the students and parents. Speakers can also take questions during their presentation. Business Casual is our dress.  We conclude at noon with a complimentary lunch.

This class is offered completely FREE each month, but your donations are appreciated. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet influential political figures and to educate them about the values of homeschooling! 

Email Gale at hopegale50@gmail.com with any questions about the FEAST Civics Program. 

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Former Speaker Biographies

Crystal Chandler, Judge of County Court #13.  I see this court as integral to the health and safety of our community because it affords the judge an opportunity to address the root causes of domestic abuse and works to stop the sometimes deadly cycle of domestic violence.

Raised by my grandmother in a small Texas town with a single blinking yellow light in humble conditions, I knew that to make it in life I had to focus on getting an education. At sixteen, I moved to San Antonio and upon graduating from Winston Churchill High School, I put myself through college at The University of the Incarnate Word where I graduated with honors.  I was the first person in my family to obtain a college degree.  I attended law school at St. Mary’s University and began my career in public service because I wanted to help create change for those who may have come from similar backgrounds.

I took the bench in 2015 with a deep commitment to public service and extensive criminal law experience, having spent 2 years as a judicial briefing attorney at Texas’ highest criminal court, and more than 15 years as a prosecutor with the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s office. 

As a felony trial prosecutor, I spent several years specializing in the prosecution of domestic violence murders, death and serious child abuse cases, sex crimes against children and other violent crimes.  As an appellate prosecutor, I handled these cases before the appellate courts, including the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.  While a prosecutor, I also sought other ways to help people. I taught criminal justice classes at San Antonio College where I encouraged my students to believe in themselves and to strive for the extraordinary.  I helped found a national human trafficking organization – Chapter 61 Ministries (now known as Truckers Against Trafficking) – a world recognized anti-human trafficking non-profit.    

As a former felony trial and appellate prosecutor specializing in the field of criminal family violence and child abuse, and while serving as judge of County Court #13, I’ve met with thousands of victims, defendants, and their families. I have personally witnessed the impact family violence has had on them. It’s this hands-on experience during my 20 years of practicing criminal law that allows me to identify how to help ensure the safety of victims while taking a comprehensive approach with defendants by imposing just sentences and providing tools to help them change their pattern of behavior.

As a judge, I have handled over 7,000 cases, presided over more than 60 jury trials, cleared the case backlog, ensured that police are aware of orders of protection as bond conditions on violent offenders and enforced compliance of firearm surrenders in domestic violence cases.  I’ve also created two initiatives at no additional cost to the taxpayers that help young adults and people with mental illness get their lives back on track. I routinely speak about family violence and human trafficking.  I am a member of several legal and community organizations, including the Bexar County Task Force on Family Violence. I have been married to my husband, Scott Zimmerer, for nearly 20 years and am the proud parent of two wonderful teenage sons, Luke and Thomas. We are also part of the Community Bible Church family.  Bexar County is our home and I want to make a positive difference.

Domestic violence affects all members of our Bexar County community, and County Court #13 is about making home a safe place for every person in every family.  

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Mark Collins as General George Washington and Judge Juanita Vasquez-Gardner– Chief of Misdemeanor Division for the Bexar County District Attorney’s office

Have you met George Washington?
With his snowy white hair and 6’ 4’’ frame, Mark Collins bears a remarkable resemblance to our founding father, George Washington. Having the same build and general appearance as the famous statesman has proven to be fortunate for Collins, he has been asked to portray Washington both on TV and in movies, most recently in “National Treasure: Book of Secrets.” With six children of his own, Mark’s first love remains the teaching of children in the classroom. If you could ask George Washington a question, what would it be? He especially loves to field questions from children as part of the presentation.

Mark Collins as George Washington has been married to his wife, Devy for 37 years. He has six children (ages 28 yrs-13yrs). He has six grandchildren. He is the Pastor of First Baptist Yorktown, Texas.

Mark Collins has served as Guest Speaker at:
Gov Perry’s Prayer Breakfast
Republican State Conventions – TX OK SC
Republican National Convention – Minneapolis MN
National Cathedral Washington DC 
National Day of Prayer Focus On the Family – CO
Mt Vernon Plantation – VA
Kimbell Theater Colonial Williamsburg
Pro-Family Legislators Conference, Dallas TX
Numerous Conservative and Republican events Nationally
Sagemont Church Houston, Tx

Film: The Revolution (13 part Mini-Series) – History Channel, National Treasure II, Hunting the Lost Symbol- The Discovery Channel, Revelation the movie 2015, George Washington the Warrior (2008), Behold A Pale Horse – Heartland Pictures (summer 2011), Deadliest Warrior – Spike TV, Revelation the trilogy 2018, “No time to run to” be released in theaters spring of 2020.

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Meet Christi Craddick. Christi Craddick is in the forefront of the newest wave of pragmatic conservatives in leadership roles across Texas. Raised in a strong conservative household, retained as legal counsel by prominent Texas firms, and shaped by more than a decade as a trusted political adviser, Christi has set a clear standard of integrity, self-reliance and innovation in her role as Chairman at the Railroad Commission of Texas.
Since her tenure on the Commission began in November 2012, Craddick has pushed to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of an energy industry that is driving the state’s unparalleled economic success. In the process, she has repeatedly proven that sensible regulations, careful listening and plain talk can foster innovation that has solidified Texas leadership in the energy sector.
Making it a top priority, Christi has worked to educate the public about the oil and gas industry and its impact in Texas. She has fought against Washington’s one-size-fits-all environmental policies that would kill jobs and stifle energy production growth. Christi has advocated for recycling in the oilfields, helping to drive the percentage of reclaimed water upwards, an essential achievement in a state enduring a multi-year drought.
As part of her efforts to modernize the agency, Christi has championed an Information Technology overhaul for the Commission, seeking improvements that would upgrade the Geographic Information System, increase public access to the agency’s data, and speed up inspections and permitting times.
A native of Midland, Christi earned both her Bachelor’s Degree as a Plan II graduate and her Doctorate of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas at Austin. During her career as an attorney, she specialized in oil and gas, water, tax issues, electric deregulation and environmental policy.
Following the example of her father and mother, Craddick has been drawn to public service and politics. As president of a grassroots advocacy firm, she took the lead on work in coalition building in the public policy arena and development and implementation of issue strategies.
Christi serves her community as an active member of organizations including the State Bar of Texas, University of Texas Liberal Arts Alumni Advisory Council, and Dell Children’s Medical Center Foundation. Christi resides in Austin with her daughter, Catherine, and is an active member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church.

Pete Flores is the Senator for Texas Senate District 19. Pete was born and raised in South Texas and is a lifelong public servant: he served the state of Texas as a Game Warden for 27 years, rising to the rank of Colonel. His District stretches across west Texas from San Antonio to Pecos, sharing hundreds of miles with Mexico’s border. As a State Senator, Pete Flores plans to secure the border and work with other state leaders to enact policies that promote job creation and respect conservative values. Pete Flores currently resides in Pleasanton, TX with his wife of 36 years, Elizabeth.

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Judge Juanita Vasquez-Gardner is the Chief of the Misdemeanor Division. She is responsible for managing the Misdemeanor Division Assistant District Attorneys in thirteen County Courts at Law including specialty courts. She ensures the efficient operation of the Division.
In January 2015- December 2018, she served as the Chief Administrative Attorney and was responsible for managing the legal, financial and personnel administrative operations for the District Attorney’s office.
From January 2013- December 2014, she was the Staff Attorney for Criminal District Court Judges. She assisted, advised and conducted legal research for judges; reviewed orders and correspondence to judges from Courts of Appeals (including Court of Criminal Appeals and the Western District of Texas) and responded accordingly; represented judges in mandamus and contempt proceedings; prepared jury charges; and prepared judges’ Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law on Applications for Writs of Habeas Corpus.
In September 2000- December 2001, she was the Judge of the 399th District Court for the State Of Texas where she presided over felony criminal cases. Her duties included: jury trials; bench trials; probation revocation hearings; evidentiary hearings; pre- and post-trial hearings; and special assignments to attorney disciplinary and contempt hearings throughout the state of Texas. From January 2008- December 2016, Judge Vasquez-Gardner served as a member of the Committee of Authors on the Texas Criminal Pattern Jury Charges Committee (State of TX). She had been appointed by the President of the State Bar of Texas to provide guidance and input to the Committee responsible for the publication of modem Texas Criminal Pattern Jury Charges used throughout the State of Texas. She served admirably.
In November 1989 -August 2000, she was the First Chair Prosecutor of the 290th District Court as an employee of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office (SanAntonio, TX). She was assigned to Misdemeanor, Family Violence, Felony, Intake (Felony and Misdemeanor), Juvenile, and Drug and Violent Task Force sections. Her responsibilities as a Prosecutor included the presentation of cases to Grand Jury; pre-trial hearings; and trial preparation and presentation of cases to juries and judge. She conducted 115 jury trials which included Capital Murder, Murder, Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, Aggravated Robbery, and Possession of Controlled Substances cases.
Judge Vasquez-Gardner was educated at the University of Texas School of Law (Austin, Texas where she received the Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in May 1989. She attended the University of Texas at San Antonio (San Antonio, Texas) graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Criminal Justice in August 1985. She is a proud graduate of Robert G. Cole, Jr. Sr. High School (Fort Sam Houston, Texas).
Juanita’s community involvement includes serving at the Family Justice Center, as an Advisory Board Member. She is a member of the University of Texas at San Antonio Alumni Association and the Cimarron Homeowner’s Association. Judge Vasquez- Gardner is a parishioner at St. Anthony Mary Claret Catholic Church. She is a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary Veterans of Foreign Wars. Juanita is married and has one child.

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Karen Harris of Austin is owner and CEO of Proton Mechanical Systems, which provides delivery of radiology medical services. She and her husband have owned and operated radiology medical service businesses in Texas for more than 25 years. She is the Chaplin for Safe Harbor Compliance, founder of Medicine for the Heart Ministries, Inc., and a former prayer ministry team leader at Summit Worship Center. She is a former gubernatorial appointee to the Health and Human Services Council and served as an appointee to the advisory committee to the Texas Education Agency for Academic Achievement Distinction. Harris received an Associate of Science in radiologic science from Virginia Commonwealth University – Medical College. Additionally, she is an ordained minister with training in Christian counseling from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and the Therapon Institute.

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As State Representative for the 61st District, Phil King represents the people of Parker and Wise counties in the Texas Legislature. He has earned a reputation as a principle-driven conservative who consistently provides key leadership in passing some of Texas’ most sweeping public policy legislation.

King serves on the National Board of Directors for the American Legislative Exchange Council and was the 2015 National Chair. He also chairs ALEC’s Center for Innovation and Technology. King also serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute. In the Texas House, King chairs the Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee and serves on the Energy Resources Committee.

Phil was a police officer for 15 years and continues to serve in the Texas State Guard. He is a practicing attorney and small business owner. Representative King and his family have been active members of Trinity Bible Church since 1984. Phil and his wife Terry are the proud parents of six children, nine granddaughters, and five grandsons.

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Ken Mercer, School Finance/Permanent School Fund, Jan. 1, 2017 – Jan. 1, 2021  
Ken Mercer is a technology project manager, as well as a former member of the Texas House of Representatives.

Mercer, a Republican, was elected to State Board of Education in November 2006 and re-elected in 2010, 2012 and 2016. He is currently a member of the Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund. The committee’s duties include overseeing the Permanent School Fund, the nation’s largest education endowment.

During his tenure on the board, he has also served as chair of the board’s Committee on School Initiatives, vice chair of the board’s Committee on School Initiatives and vice chair of the board’s Committee on Instruction.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Business Administration from UT-San Antonio. He also has a Master’s of Business Administration in finance and management from St. Mary’s University. Mercer was a member of the Delta Mu Delta Graduate Business Honor Society.

The former state representative served as an advisor to the governor as a member of the state Homeland Security Council, He has also served on the State Republican Executive Committee.  Mercer was named 2005 Alumnus of the Year by UTSA and was given the Distinguished Legislator Award by the Texas Republican House Caucus. In 2003, the San Antonio Police Officer’s Association named Mercer the Legislator of the Year.   Mercer represents the following counties: Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Llano, Mason, San Saba and parts of Bexar and Travis counties.

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Mr. Grant Moody is delighted to spend time sharing about his recent trip to Israel.  Mr. Moody’s topic is Israel: Our Partner in the Middle East. He recently traveled to Israel and will share much exciting news. Mr. Moody will capture your heart.
Grant is a business executive at a large military financial services firm headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. He previously served 10 years on active duty as a Marine F-18 pilot with combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He continues to serve as a Major in the Marine Reserves. Since leaving active duty, Grant has been politically active supporting veterans for public office. In 2017, he was appointed by Texas Gov Greg Abbott to serve on the Texas Veterans Land Board alongside Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Soldiers’ Angels a national non-profit. Grant is a distinguished graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a B.S. in Quantitative Economics. He also holds an M.S. in Statistics from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School. Grant is married with 3 young children. They reside in San Antonio.

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We are excited to welcome The Honorable Susan Narvaiz as the speaker for our Civics class. This is your time to listen, to share and to ask questions of a former elected official. Susan is warm and unpretentious. Susan loves the Lord and loves to share how God governs her life. She is the former mayor of San Marcos, Texas where she was re-elected to her third term as Mayor on Nov. 4, 2008. She was first elected by the people of San Marcos in 2004 and was re-elected in 2006. Before serving as Mayor, Susan was elected to Place 3 on the City Council in 2002. Narvaiz was the Republican Nominee for U.S. Congress TX35 and a Republican Primary Candidate for U.S. Congress TX21. Susan is the Chair of Hill Country Church Advisory Council. As a member of a Military Family, Mayor Susan was born in Dayton, Ohio, and moved to San Antonio when she was young. She became a resident of San Marcos, TX in 1995 until moving to New Braunfels in 2014. She is married to Miguel Narvaiz and they share in the lives of their grown children and ten grandchildren.

 

 

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The son of Thomas and Linda Newell, David was born at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland, though he grew up in Sugar Land, Texas with his much taller, older brother, Robert Newell. David graduated cum laude from William P. Clements High School. He earned his undergraduate degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. He graduated magna cum laude, earning University honors and honors in his major. He received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1997 before returning home to work in the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. He served as an appellate prosecutor for 16 years, first in Fort Bend County and later in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office from 2007 until his election to the Court.

Judge David Newell has twice served as the Chairman of the Editorial Board for the Texas District and County Attorney’s bi-monthly journal, The Texas Prosecutor. He also co-authored a regular byline for the journal, “As the Judges Saw It,” a column that analyzed and summarized the significant decisions of the Court of Criminal Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. He served repeatedly on the planning committee for the Advanced Criminal Law Course for the State Bar of Texas and he has presented the Court of Criminal Appeals Update at the Texas Conference on Criminal Appeals, the TDCAA Criminal and Civil Law Update, and the Texas State Bar’s Advanced Criminal Law Course.

Judge Newell is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both criminal law and criminal appellate law. He is also licensed by the State Bar of Texas and admitted to practice before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. In 2013, David received the C. Chris Marshall Award for Distinguished Faculty from the Texas District and County Attorneys’ Association. David and his beautiful wife, Shayne, currently live in the Houston area with their two sons.

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Willie Ng, Blue Armor Security Services, Inc

In 2003, Willie Ng founded Blue Armor Security Services, Inc., and serves as owner, President and Chief Executive Officer. Willie is leading, guiding and overseeing the performance of the organization.

Willie sets the direction and drives the company’s strategic plans and vision, and he leads business development and fiscal operations. Willie determines the company’s overarching goals and initiatives.

With an innate ability for law enforcement and public service, Willie Ng has been serving in Law Enforcement since 1993. Recently, Willie served in the roles of Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Criminal Investigator with the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, where Willie lead multiple teams working closely with local and federal law enforcement agencies to successfully prepare criminal cases for prosecution in Bexar County.

Willie Ng served the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Office from January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2018. Prior to joining the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office as Chief Criminal Investigator, Willie served the city of San Antonio with the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) for 22 years. During his time with SAPD, Willie began as a Patrol Officer patrolling all areas of San Antonio, then served as a Detective Investigator where he investigated various criminal offenses in the Repeat Offenders Program (ROP) and Financial Crimes Unit. Prior to retirement from SAPD, Willie worked with the United States Secret Service where he was deputized as a Special Federal Deputy Marshal and served within the unit for over seven years. Willie’s in-depth training as a law enforcement professional ranges from Hand-to-Hand Combat & Self-Defense, Hand-Written Forgery, Counterfeit Currency & Credit Card Fraud, to Lie Detection, Narcotics and Emergency Management training by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Willie is a certified Trainer for Active Shooter and Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response from Texas State University.

Willie has a Master Certification in Law Enforcement by the State of Texas. Willie is a deputized Special Federal Deputy Marshal with the United States Secret Service. In addition to public service and economic development, Willie is tireless in his efforts toward non-profit work. Willie provides community support and consulting to business leaders, entrepreneurs, law enforcement and various local and national organizations. Willie contributes his time serving on various boards, to include but not limited to, Executive Board Member and Chair of Small Business Development of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of the San Antonio Education Partnership (SAEP), Board of Director for Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA), Co-Founder of the Maestro Entrepreneur Center and Maestro Leadership Development. Willie is a member of the Criminal Justice Reform Committee of the Texas Associations of Business (TAB) with headquarters in Austin, Texas, where he worked in conjunction with the team to create and implement the initiative Texas House Bill 918 in 2019 which goes into effect in January 2020.

In 2016, Willie received the ASIS International Award for Exemplary Service to Business and Law Enforcement, and in 2017, Willie received the award for Professional Achievement by the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement (TCOLE) for his service and accomplishments in law enforcement since 1993. Willie has a Baccalaureate (Bachelor’s) in Criminal Justice from Wayland Baptist University, a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from St. Mary’s University, and Willie is currently beginning his dissertation to obtain his Doctorate (PhD) in Organizational Leadership from the University of the Incarnate Word. Willie is an award recipient at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) Dreeben School of Education in Recognition for Academic Excellence in April 2019.

As a consummate public servant, Willie regularly speaks about education initiatives, business leadership, economic development and modern law enforcement throughout South Texas, to include assisting local Churches to improve their security detail for their congregations, and Willie is frequently invited to speak to students in local schools, colleges and universities, such as University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, San Antonio College (SAC), St. Phillips College in San Antonio, as well as multiple elementary, middle schools, high schools and charter schools.

Recently, Willie and his wife, Ruby, established The Willie Ng Family Foundation, which is designed to provide a diversity of support to people and animals throughout Bexar County with the belief to help all those in need. In 2017, Willie battled cancer, and today he is a cancer survivor because of his LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. Due to the personal life altering experience of battling cancer, Willie and his wife, Ruby, work to help those who must face the battle of cancer. Willie’s devotion and tenacity to San Antonio, Bexar County and the surrounding communities is evident in his life’s work, and Willie is committed to the enhancement of the quality of life and quality of education for our current and future generations.

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Judge Daphne Previti Austin

When the Honorable Daphne Previti Austin was elected to the 289^th District Court in 2014, she saw a need for a boys mental health court. Bexar County already had a national award-winning specialty court to serve girls that were started by the Honorable Laura Parker but there wasn’t an equivalent program for boys. She is pleased that her court was awarded the first grant for which they applied and has now started the first juvenile boys’ mental health court in the country.

Judge Previti Austin began her advocacy career in the St. Mary’s University Law School Clinic for Legal and Social Justice when she wrote an appellate brief and argued before the Fourth Court of Appeals and prevailed. She quit while she was ahead and continued with a courtroom practice. She spent many years at the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office and several years as a solo practitioner concentrating on Criminal and Juvenile defense in State and Federal Court. She became Board Certified in Juvenile Law in 2002.

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Chip Roy is a genuine and principled conservative running to represent the 21st Congressional District in Texas. Chip’s Texas roots date back to the 1850s when his family settled in Central Texas, near Dripping Springs. Chip is a graduate of the University of Virginia and holds a law degree from the University of Texas.
Chip worked as an investment-banking analyst with NationsBanc Capital Markets and is a former federal prosecutor. Chip has served as general counsel to Sen. John Cornyn and held several top leadership positions for Texas elected officials, including the First Assistant Attorney General of Texas under Ken Paxton, Chief of Staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and senior advisor to Texas Gov. Rick Perry—and serving as his director for State-Federal Relations.
Previously, Chip served as the Vice President of Strategy for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In that role, Chip helped spearhead Life: Powered, TPPF’s major initiative to change the national dialogue on energy and promote the use of affordable and reliable fossil fuels.
Currently, Chip serves as general counsel for Brigham Resources, an oil and gas company headquartered in Austin,
Texas. In this role, Chip advocates for responsible energy production empowers clients to provide reliable energy at an affordable price through the free market and is a champion of American energy independence.
Most importantly, Chip is a dedicated husband and father. He is married to Carrah Roy and they live in Austin, TX with their two young children Charlie and Virginia.

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Tommy Stolhandske is the judge of the Bexar County Court at Law No. 11. He was elected in 2014 and took office January 1, 2015. Judge Stolhandske has heard thousands of criminal cases and presided over many jury trials. In addition to his regular court, Judge Stolhandske also presides over the Bexar County Adult Drug Court, which is a special court that provides judicial intervention by supervising the highest risk and highest need offenders suffering from drug addictions in Bexar County. He was born and raised in San Antonio and is a graduate of Churchill High School. Stolhandske earned an undergraduate degree from Texas Lutheran University, where he was a three-time All-American basketball player and then went on to receive his J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law. Stolhandske worked as an attorney in Bexar County from 2009 until his judicial election in 2014. He is a husband and is a father to a beautiful 3-year-old daughter with a son due in December. Judge Stolhandske loves sports and is a die-hard fan of the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Cubs!

 

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Judge Scott Roberts

Judge Scott Roberts-  Judge, County Court at Law #12, Bexar County, Texas, 2011