IABC/Austin Board of Directors 2009-2010

President: Kimberly Hilsenbeck
Kimberly is a senior research manager at NuStats, a survey research firm, where she has worked for 11 years, including three as communications manager. In that role, she oversaw all marcom, the Web site, newsletter editing and business development. She served as co-vice president of awards for IABC/Austin for the 2007-2008 year and President-Elect in 2008-2009. She received an IABC Presidents Award in 2009. Before moving to Texas, Kimberly was the communications assistant at Musikfest in Bethlehem, Pa. She also served on the board of the Lehigh Valley chapter of IABC as vice president of programming as well as media relations. She holds a master’s degree in advertising from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in communication and public relations from Kutztown University. Kimberly is also a member of the Association for Women in Communications.

President-Elect and Webmaster: Stephanie Malone
Stephanie is a Creative Director for a large financial firm, where she manages an award-winning team of in-house writers and designers. She also owns her design business (www.smalonedesign.com). Previously, she was a communications manager at a high-tech start-up where she was responsible for print and Web design, HTML e-mail marketing and corporate branding. Stephanie graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a BA in English and has more than 13 years of experience in communications and graphic design. She is a member of Association of Women in Communications, American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), Graphic Artists Guild, Art Director’s Club, Young Women’s Alliance and InSource for Inhouse Creative Managers.

Vice President of Administration: Michelle Durham
Michelle is the marketing manager for Capital Surgeons Group and Southwest Bariatric Surgeons, where she oversees the marketing, media relations, Web sites, and advertising of these large medical practices. She has worked in communications for more than a decade, much of that time in the health care industry. Her experience also includes work with associations in both Austin and Chicago, where she managed marcom activities and edited multiple industry-specific newsletters. Michelle graduated from Trinity University and the University of Texas School of Law.

Co-Vice President of Awards and Sponsorship: Bonnie Caver
Bonnie Caver, a 20-year public relations and communications veteran, leads Caver Public Relations, a virtual strategic communications firm she founded in 2004. Prior to cpr, Caver led communications teams at both a globally respected non-profit and a nationally recognized public university. Caver is an alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is a Certified Crisis Manager. She enjoys the role of mentor for young communications professionals and is a frequent speaker on strategic communications topics.

Co-Vice President of Awards: Ellen Terry
Ellen is communications manager in the Client Services Department (marketing communications) at the Texas Medical Association, a position she has held eight years. Prior to that, she was communication director for the Texas Propane Gas Association for 10 years. Ellen has been an IABC member since 1987 and has served on the board in several capacities. She also handled finances for the IABC District 5 Conference in 2003 and for the Southern Region Silver Quill competition in 2006. Ellen received an IABC/Austin President’s Award in 2005 and 2007. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas State University.

Vice President of Communications and Social Media: Natalie Gray
Natalie Gray is a communications manager at a large financial firm, where she has worked in the Specialized Creative Services department and encouraged financial literacy among Americans since 2006. She has also held positions at The Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at UT School of Law and GSD&M’s Idea City, specializing in marketing communications, writing/design, branding, public relations and media. She serves as the PR Director on the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and is a member of the Writers’ League of Texas. A native Texan, Natalie earned her bachelor’s degree in advertising with concentrations in business and Spanish from The University of Texas at Austin.

Co-Vice President of Development (Programming): Cindy Posey
Cindy Chapman Posey is currently the Communication Coordinator for The University of Texas at Austin. She has taught a variety of communication courses at Southwestern University, Mary-Hardin Baylor University and Austin Community College. Her past experience ranges from an assignment as Vice President of Marketing for a hospital in Arizona to running a successful non-profit in Georgetown, TX. She has been a communication consultant to Fortune 500 companies such as Federal Express and Holiday Inn and conducted 8 communication audits for various organizations. Her undergraduate degree in Communication is from Freed-Hardeman University and her Masters from The University of Memphis. The accomplishment of which she is most proud however, is being the mother of two amazing college students, a recent UT graduate and a sophomore at TCU.

Co-Vice President of Development (Programming): Jessica Birge
Jessica is sales and marketing manager at Cheryl Seale, CPA, where she is responsible for creating a marketing plan, rebranding the company and kick-starting sales. In addition, she is in charge of implementing new procedures/processes to improve company efficiency. Previously, Jessica worked at Wildwood Interactive as a jack-of-all-trades. Responsibilities included sales, accounting, HR, A/R, office management and event planning. Jessica served as sponsorship chair for the Association of Women in Communications’ 35th Annual Banner Brunch and as Web director for SNA Austin.

Vice President of Logistics: Ericca Long
Ericca is Development & Communications Manager with the American Red Cross of Central Texas. Leave your TV on long enough and you’ll probably see her face pop up representing the Red Cross at special events and major disasters. Ericca is excited to be both a new member and board member to the IABC/Austin, though a long-time event attendee and 2-time Bronze Quill Award winner. She has worked in both corporate and nonprofit worlds and started a freelance graphic design business in 2007, Brainiac Designs. Having lived in practically every state in the US, she is delighted to call Austin home for the last 5 years. She has a BA in French from Boise State University.

Vice President of Finance: Open Position
To volunteer, please email President Kimberly Hilsenbeck at khilsenbeck@nustats.com.

Vice President of Membership: Jocelyn Sexton
Jocelyn has more than eight years of corporate and government communications experience. She currently serves as a press secretary and assignments editor for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, where she helps create strategic communications plans, coordinates press events for Comptroller Susan Combs and works in media relations. She also works as a freelance writer for area electric cooperatives, writing feature stories and corporate biographies. Her prior work experience includes a stint as an editor and speechwriter for the commissioner for the Texas Department of Agriculture and three years working as the communications director for United Cooperative Services, a rural electric distribution company in North Texas. Jocelyn is a former member of the Fort Worth Chapter of IABC. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism – public relations from the University of North Texas in Denton.

Vice President of Technology: Mark Evans
Mark is a senior account executive for Cohn & Wolfe Read-Poland on the corporate communication and public affairs team. He has been with Cohn & Wolfe for almost three years. Before joining the agency, he was the information and outreach coordinator for the Texas General Land Office’s coastal resources program in which he oversaw all communication and outreach efforts for the state’s coastal management program and administered several scientific grants programs. He has more than 15 years of experience in public relations and started his career working for Texas A&M University in several positions, including media communications coordinator for the university’s engineering program and science editor for Texas A&M’s Texas Sea Grant College Program. Mark also taught undergraduate media writing at the university for three years. He holds a master’s degree in science/technology journalism and bachelor’s degrees in biology and journalism. Mark has been a member of IABC since 2003 and has served on the board in various capacities over the years.

Immediate Past President: John Harris
John is division manager of the Corporate Affairs & Marketing division of the Convention & Entertainment Facilities Department for the City of Houston. He commutes a lot. A Houston native and an Austin resident from 1985-1991 and again starting in 2003, John also operates J. Harris Communications. He has been an IABC/Austin member since 2004, serving two years as VP of Awards. He has worked in public relations in both the corporate and agency sides, in both the public and private sectors, and earlier served at various Texas newspapers including five years as a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Texas at Austin.