Alumni Spotlights and Events

Alan Thomas (MPAff '94) specialized in national security at the LBJ School before he became a federal political appointee. Thomas ultimately became an operating executive with more than 25 years of delivering mission-critical programs, championing large-scale digital transformation initiatives, and building deep functional expertise in acquisition and procurement. Thomas is currently the chief solutions officer at Leadership Connect, a vital service in relationship-building for policymakers and public sector professionals nationwide.

Amy Knitt Eskew is the president and CEO of Texas Healthcare Trustees, a statewide association comprised of Texas hospitals, health systems, and the 3,000 board members who govern those organizations.

Tina Moroney-Ebarb is a broadband program coordinator in the Texas Broadband Development Office within the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. More recently, Moroney-Ebard obtained her Texas contract manager certification and helped her office apply for ARPA and IIJA funds, which could make them eligible for up to $4 billion in federal funds for broadband development and digital equity programs. A big part of her job is to work with her team to formulate and execute a vision for evaluating upcoming broadband deployment application submissions.

Then U.S. Navy liaison Matt Ziesmer (MGPS '22) embarked on a master's program at LBJ while working remotely from Singapore. Despite attending classes at odd hours, he completed his Master of Global Policy Studies with an Indo-Pacific regional specialization. Now, Matt, a foreign area officer, is in California for Korean language training before returning to work on Navy policy in South Korea or Singapore. He tells us about his professional journey and the LBJ camaraderie he experienced, from afar.

From an internship with a consulting firm to managing disaster recovery efforts at FEMA, this public servant's career journey exemplifies the importance of being flexible and exploring all options, reminding us that the path to our dream job may take unexpected turns. Keep reading to learn more about LBJ alumna Jamie McAllister's (MPAff 2010) career path. 

The Honorable Jaime Lizárraga, an LBJ School graduate with more than 3 decades of public service experience, will return to The University of Texas at Austin in May to deliver the graduation address to the class of 2023.

LBJ alumna Sarah Hamill (MPAff '22) studied sex education reform at the LBJ School. Now, she is the founder of Birds N' Bees Box, a business focused on reproductive wellness and access to menstrual and sexual health products and services. She grew her community engagement skills while studying at the LBJ School - skills that she says are invaluable to her business. 

The regular session of the 88th Texas Legislature kicked off on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 and will run through May 29. Sherri Greenberg, a former Texas state representative and the LBJ School’s Dean for State and Local Government, gives us an inside look and shares her tips for a career at the Lege.

Austin City Council voted to name LBJ School Alumnus Jesús Garza (MPAff '77) as interim city manager.

LBJ alumni, students and government officials and their staff gathered in the Texas State Capitol on Feb. 5 for the LBJ School's biennial networking reception, Under the Dome.