Dr. Cornell Thomas
Professor, Texa Christian University, Texas

Dr. Cornell Thomas is Professor of Educational Leadership at Texas Christian University. He holds a doctorate from Texas A&M University-Commerce, M.S., Music Education, Jackson State University and B.A., Music Education  from the University of Missouri - St. Louis.  Heis the author of a recent book published with the Sense Publishers titled A Call for Engaged Leadership. The book emphasizes the type of interchange that leads to actions designed to help make teaching and learning environments better, for all students.  It describes how to empower ourselves, and others, to better understand the present and then find ways to improve the future. Leaders who are most successful in education demonstrate a commitment to engagement.

To lead with a commitment to engagement means to value every person’s self-identity, their presence, and the gifts they bring to the organization.  It means practicing inclusion intentionally.  The inclusion of all voices involved in the life of the organization results in levels of synergy where excellence becomes the norm and even higher levels sought.  Engaged leaders are personable, hands-on, supportive, facilitating, visionary, inclusive and very successful. 

Leadership should be focused on serving others in inclusive ways.  Leadership should, as a primary task, help to create pathways that empower others to successfully complete the work at hand and to do so including all voices in the process.

Dr. Forrest Aven
Dean, H-E-B School of Business and Administration, University of Incarnate Word

Forrst Aven serves as dean of the H-E-B School of Business & Administration. Prior to joining UIW, Aven spent 23 years at the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD).

While at UHD, Aven served as the interim dean for the College of Business, associate dean, department chair for management and marketing and was granted professor of management status. Aven has also published several articles relating to compensation, organizational commitment and entrepreneurship. In addition, he has conducted several compensation surveys for the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) and created several successful and lucrative continuing education programs for UHD’s College of Business.

Aven received his Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Colorado and earned both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He also spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia as a consultant to small businesses.

Dr. Glenda Ballard
Dean, College of Education and Liberal Arts, Texas A&M University - Texarkana

Glenda Ballard has served as Dean of the College of Education & Liberal Arts at A&M-Texarkana.  A thirty year veteran of education--all levels from high school through graduate studies, Dr. Ballard has been a strong participant and supporter of the implementation of the leadership courses at A&M-Texarkana.

Dr. Ballard was appointed to the CEPA Advisory Council in 2011. Her pro-active style has brought a sense of urgency to the need for improving instructional leadership. She inspires young people to become their own leaders – not simply to follow, but to ask questions, and live lives of integrity. Throughout her presentations, Dr. Ballard has focused on the idea that emerging leaders measure themselves by their vision of the future.  She serves as co-director for CEPA 2014.

Dr. Michael J. Laney
Dean, School of Arts and Sciences, Our Lady of the Lake University

Dr. Laney assumed his duties as Dean, College of Arts and Sciences at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio on July 2, 2012 . Prior to his civilian career, he was commissioned in the United States Army Signal Corps as a second lieutenant and entered active duty. One of his prestigious assignments was to serve as an Aide-de-Camp, to the Deputy Commanding General, 7th US Corps in Stuttgart, Germany, and was assigned in a joint command role with the combined Field Army as a liaison officer to the Republic of Korea Army in South Korea. While in the military, Laney was also called and ordained into the ministry in 1987. He serves as co-director for CEPA 2014.

Dr. Laney holds a BA from the University of Massachusetts-North Dartmouth (Political Science), MA-Michigan State University-East Lansing (Telecommunications), and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (Broadcasting).

Dr. Eric J. Lopez
Dean, College of Education and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University – San Antonio

Dr. López is the new Dean for the College of Education and Kinesiology at Texas A&M University - San Antonio. Born and raised in the South Side of San Antonio, Texas, Dr. López has 13 years of higher education experience with New Mexico State University where he served as the department head of the Department of Special Education/Communication Disorders as well as a tenured full professor for the special education program.

Dr. López served as the first Stan Fulton Chair for the Improvement of Border and Rural Schools where he was the principal investigator and co-chair for the Alliance for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, which coordinated the College of Education's Outreach and Extension efforts, Southern New Mexico Engaging Latino Communities in Education and several others, totaling over three million dollars.

Dr. López received his Ph.D. and Ed.S. in School Psychology at the University of Iowa and his B.A. in History at Texas A&M University. He also completed the United States Department of Agriculture E. (Kika) De La Garza Fellowship Program in 2009. His research interests include multicultural assessment, consultation and intervention.

Dr. Betty M. Merchant
Dean, College of Education & Human Development, University of Texas at San Antonio

Dr. Betty M. Merchant received her Ph.D. in Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University.  She is Dean of the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and first recipient of the Henrietta Zezula Lowak Endowed Distinguished Professorship. Previously, she served as the first chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the COEHD.  Prior to joining UTSA, she was an associate professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.  Dr. Merchant has taught at all grade levels, K-12 in a broad range of cultural and linguistic contexts, including tribally controlled Native American schools.

Carlos Gutierrez
Director, The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC), The University of Texas - Pan American

VBOC is part of the Business Development and Innovation (BDI) Group at the University of Texas - Pan American. The mission of the program is to assist veterans, reserve, guard, and active duty military members with business planning, financial projections, gap analysis, training, and technical support.

As director of VBOC, Carlos provides innovation and entrepreneurial leadership for making the transition from military service to civilian careers. He and his staff focus on small business development, business ownership, entrepreneurial development and provide awareness of educaional opportunities for military communities. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin - The Red McCombs School of Business.

David Uminski
San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers

David Uminski is currently in his 9th season with the San Antonio Mastersingers.  David began singing the National Anthem at professional sporting events in high school. He has performed at the Freeman Coliseum, the Alamodome and AT&T Center for each of San Antonio's three hockey teams as well as the Pepsi Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the Indianapolis Ice. He was invited to sing at his 2009 Commencement Ceremony for St. Philips College at the Municipal Auditorium. David currently works as the Wedding Coordinator at Rio Cibolo Ranch where he is the resident anthem singer for the rodeo performances. Most recently, he sang both the United States and Canadian Anthems at the opening session of the 2011 FICP Conference in San Antonio and the Canadian anthem for the San Antonio Rampage hockey game for a crowd of 8,600 (March 2012).  David expects to graduate from Texas A&M University - San Antonio in May 2014.  He currently serves on the Board for the San Antonio Mastersingers (Social Committee Chair 2011-2014, Vice President 2012) and the Alamo Area Hospitality Association (Community Outreach 2012, Vice Chair 2013, and Chairperson 2014).