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Lee Ann Alexander, Assistant Vice President & Legislative Counsel Albert Betts, Esq. Pamela Beachley, Esq., Attorney and Lobbyist J’Don M. Bollom, BSN, RN Rod Bordelon, Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Jonathan Bow, Executive Director David Brenner, Esq., Partner Stuart D. Colburn, Esq., Shareholder Clydene Coy, RN, COHN-S, CCM Robin Davis, M.S., CPDM, Director, Integrated Disability Management Cathy Stoebner DeWitt, Vice President, Governmental Affairs Dennis Downing, President Mark A. Doyle, Esq., Partner Wanda Estrada, CWCP, CPDM, RWCS, Health Services Manager Krista Fergason, Division Director of Workers’ Compensation Claims Administration Sheila B. Gladstone, Esq., Principal Bill Hammond, President and Chief Executive Officer Senator Glenn Hegar, Chair, Sunset Advisory Commission James E. Huckaby, ARM-P, Director of Risk Management Cheryl Johnson, Risk Manager Margaret M. Knott, Esq., Partner Sara Koeniger, VP Project Management and Safety Raymond Lanoux, Director of Risk/Emergency/Facilities Management Thelma T. Lee, District Occupational Health Manager Barbara Lombrano-Williamson, Esq., Founder Marc Mayfield, Esq., Managing Partner Sam J. McMurry, ARM, Administrator, Workers’ Compensation Stephen M. Norwood, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon Dennis A. Pompa, Associate Commissioner and Director Christopher Ramirez, Manager of Risk Management Lucinda Dean Saxon, Governmental Affairs Manager Michael Seise, PharmD, MBA, Manager of Clinical Services/Associate Clinical Professor Leeann Shackelford, Workforce Services Manager Danny Taylor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor/Return-to-Work Education Coordinator Mark Thomey, Executive Director Stephen S. Vollbrecht, Esq., General Counsel Herman Wilks, Workers’ Compensation Department Director Mary Zersen, MS, CRC, CDMS Lee Ann Alexander Lee Ann received her undergraduate degree in accounting and a minor in German from the University of Oklahoma and her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Before joining Liberty Mutual, she practiced insurance regulatory law with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld in Austin, Texas. Prior to that, she was a management consultant with McKinsey and Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and practiced international trade law with Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy in Washington, D.C. she was a surrogate scheduler in the 1996 presidential campaign. She was also a legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Dave McCurdy and the campaign scheduler and opposition researcher for his 1994 U.S. Senate campaign. At Liberty Mutual, Lee Ann has responsibility for public affairs matters in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Arkansas. She currently sits on the boards of the Oklahoma Property & Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association, the Insurance Council of Texas, and chairs the board of the Texas Property & Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association. Albert Betts, Esq. Albert Betts focuses his practice on representing the interest of clients before the Texas Department of Insurance and other regulatory agencies along with representing the insurance industry, insurance companies, and other clients before the Texas legislature and other government officials. Albert has extensive experience as a lawyer and public policy administrator including representing the Department of Insurance in litigation and the state’s workers' compensation carrier in administrative proceedings. Albert has advised the state risk management board, the commissioner of insurance, and political leadership on insurance and workers’ compensation matters. Most recently, Albert served as the Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation for the State of Texas, and as Chief of Staff for the Texas Insurance Commissioner. J'Don M. Bollom, BSN, RN J’Don Bollom founded Bollom Consulting LLC to engage in dynamic cost saving strategies in managing work-related injuries, providing operational resource services, advising in the implementation of a creative, tailored, and responsive injury management plan that continues to improve and enhances the client’s business objective. With a successful 16 year career working in Risk Management, J’Don has a proven ability to develop, implement and maintain business initiatives within Fortune 500 companies by evaluating and implementing systematic and interactive procedures that result in improvement in claims management and reduce costs in the workers’ compensation, the risk management portion of the business. Beginning with Champion International she was responsible for managing workers’ compensation claims and assisting with Safety and Environmental training for the facility. As Manager of Employee health services with Nabisco/Kraft Corporation she implemented return to work policy, implemented audits and evaluated carriers on working with clients on workers’ compensation claims. Recently with Hyatt Corporation she created the Occupational Health Manager program for the Corporation resulting in consistent yearly cost savings in workers' compensation costs nationwide. J’Don served as President and Vice President of TSIA in the past and was part of the Technical Committee of the Texans for Workers’ Compensation Reform coalition during the 2005 session. Rod Bordelon Rod Bordelon was recently appointed Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation by Governor Rick Perry. Previously, Mr. Bordelon served as the Public Counsel and Executive Director of the Office of Public Insurance Counsel where he represented the insurance buying public in numerous hearings dealing with rates, rules and forms in all lines of insurance, and testified before the Insurance Commissioner, the Legislature, and others to ensure fair and adequate insurance coverage to all applicants. Mr. Bordelon was in the private practice of law where he represented insurance consumers, insurance entities, and other businesses on a variety of insurance matters. From 1988 to 1991, Mr. Bordelon served as the Deputy Public Counsel and then Acting Public Counsel for the Office of Consumer Protection, the predecessor to the current Office of Public Insurance Counsel. Mr. Bordelon has served on the Board of the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Commission (IIPRC), Consumer Advisory Member; Texas Workers Compensation Self-Insured Guaranty Association; Group Self-Insured Guaranty Association; Property and Casualty Legislative Oversight Committee; Texas Surplus Lines Stamping Office; Texas Workers Compensation Insurance Facility; and various advisory committees dealing with all lines of insurance. Mr. Bordelon is a member of the State Bar of Texas, and the American and Austin Bar Associations. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from South Texas College of Law. Stuart D. Colburn, Esq. Mr. Colburn is a shareholder who opened the Austin office of Downs Stanford, P.C. He manages the Board Representative Services. He attends Division and Legislative hearings and is a registered lobbyist. Mr. Colburn has extensive experience in all phases of dispute resolution before the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation and in district courts across the state. He is board certified in workers’ compensation by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He routinely handles workers’ compensation, non-subscriber, subrogation, and bad faith litigation. Mr. Colburn is the current Course Director of the State Bar of Texas Advanced Workers’ Compensation Seminar and the Texas Workers’ Compensation Forum. He is the only Texas attorney serving on the LexisNexis Advisory Board and blogs weekly on workers’ compensation issues. He founded and serves as the Chair of the State Bar of Texas Workers’ Compensation Section. He is extremely active in the education of both adjusters and employers and is certified by the Texas Department of Insurance as a continuing education provider. A sought-after speaker, Mr. Colburn has delivered more than five hundred speeches regarding workers’ compensation around the country. Bar Admissions and Professional Affiliations State of Texas (1994) Education University of Texas, J.D., 1994 Board Certifications Board Certified in Workers’ Compensation Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization Clydene Coy, RN, COHN-S, CCM At Freescale Semiconductor, Clydene has the responsibility of managing the on-site Health Center as an Occupational Health Nurse. She is responsible for managing multiple programs including workers’ compensation, ergonomics and injury & illness. With more than 50 years of operating history, Freescale is a leader in the design and manufacture of embedded processors. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 20 countries. Clydene provides medical and disability case-management services for workers’ compensation cases, STD and LTD cases. She currently works for Environment, Health & Safety and has held various positions within occupational health over the last 13 years including staff occupational health nurse, nurse supervisor, case manager, corporate consultant on workers’ compensation cases, and responsibilities include calculating the global injury & illness rates (TCIR). Clydene graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Nursing in 1992. She is a certified ergonomic assessment specialist, certified case manager and licensed as a workers’ compensation adjuster. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Austin Texas Association of Occupational Health Nurse (ATAOHN) association in multiple positions. Currently, she serves as the Secretary and participates on the continuing education planning committee. Cathy Stoebner DeWitt Cathy Stoebner DeWitt is the Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Texas Association of Business. DeWitt lobbies on business issues such as employment relations, tort reform, and workers’ compensation. DeWitt came to TAB in 1998 as the Communications Director of the Association where she served as editor, writer and designer of statewide publications and spokesperson for the media on legislative issues. In December 2006, she became Governmental Affairs Manager to lobby on behalf of TAB business members. In 2007, DeWitt was made Vice President of Governmental Affairs. DeWitt oversees the publication of the Texas Employment Law Handbook and its Annual Employment Relations Symposium. Prior to joining the Association she was an associate with the public relations firm, ROSS Communications, and also served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Senator John Cornyn’s Supreme Court Race in 1996. Dennis Downing Dennis Downing is CEO and Founder of Future Industrial Technologies (F.I.T.), an international organization with the goal of reducing workers’ compensation costs through effective injury prevention protocols. For over 11 years he has worked with companies large and small across America. Through the practical applications of BACKSAFE® and SITTINGSAFE® employees around the world have benefited from reduced injuries and improved quality of life, while companies have enjoyed lower work comp costs and increased employee morale. Mark A. Doyle, Esq. Mr. Doyle represents insurance carriers, self-insured’s and employers in the defense of workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. He is board certified in workers’ compensation law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His area of practice includes workers’ compensation litigation, in both courts and administrative hearings before the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation, personal injury litigation and civil litigation. Mr. Doyle also represents clients in workers’ compensation subrogation claims and workers’ compensation wrongful discharge lawsuits. He frequently provides continuing education presentations to insurance carriers and professional associations regarding workers’ compensation matters. Bar Admissions State Bar of Texas (1995) Certifications Workers’ Compensation Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization Education Texas Weslayan University, J.D., Order of the Barristers, 1995 Professional Affiliations Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Texas Wanda Estrada, CWCP, CPDM, RWCS Wanda Estrada is the Health Services Manager for Miller Brewing Company in Fort Worth. Prior to her employment with Miller Brewing Company, Ms. Estrada was the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator for Lear Corporation where she provided recommendations and support to the workers’ compensation, return to work, short term disability and FMLA processes. Previously, Ms. Estrada was the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator at Vought Aircraft Industries. Her responsibilities included the program management and oversight of programs at all company sites in Washington, California, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. She also provided guidance on complex medical disability and work-related situations, including concurrent ADA and FMLA related issues. She works with physicians, environmental safety health and medical departments, third-party administrators, insurance brokers, supervisors, and collective bargaining unit representatives to provide effective company-wide workers' compensation programs. Ms Estrada is the current treasurer of the Disability Manager Employer Coalition (DMEC) for the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter, and she holds a position on the national DMEC Employer Advisory Council. In addition, Ms. Estrada has her CPDM (Certified Professional Disability Management), RWCS (The National Registry of Workers’ Compensation Specialist) and CWCP (Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional) certifications. Krista Fergason Krista Fergason RN, BBA is the Division Director of Risk Management Services of Workers’ Compensation Claims Administration for the Texas Association of School Boards. Krista oversees all of the workers’ compensation operations of the TASB Risk Management Fund. The TASB Risk Management Fund is the 4th largest property/casualty public entity self-insurance pool in the United States (Business Insurance June 7, 2010). She holds a BBA from the University of North Texas, formerly North Texas State University. She is a licensed Registered Nurse in the state of Texas and a licensed 03 adjuster. Krista has also received her ARM for Public Entities designation. Krista has 26 years of experience in the nursing profession and 22 years of utilization management experience with several years spent managing large medical cost management departments in the workers’ compensation field. Before coming to TASB she was employed as the Vice President of Cost Containment at the Texas Workers Compensation Insurance Fund (now Texas Mutual). She has been employed by TASB since January of 1996. Sheila B. Gladstone, Esq. Sheila Gladstone heads the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group and has over 20 years’ experience assisting public and private sector employers with all aspects of employment law. Her practice focuses on counseling employers on the legal issues involved in personnel decisions, auditing employment practices for legal compliance, assisting with strategic decisions that affect personnel, conducting internal investigations of employee complaints, reviewing policies, conducting management training, defending employers in administrative proceedings, investigating and negotiating demands, and working with trial lawyers on employment law issues throughout the litigation process. Sheila also represents her clients before agencies including the EEOC, the NLRB, the OFCCP, the Wage and Hour Board, the Texas Workforce Commission, labor arbitrators, hearing examiners and civil service boards. She is a frequent speaker and published author on employment-related issues. Sheila obtained a B.A. with honors from the University of Arizona in 1983, and a J.D. with high honors in 1987 from the University of Arizona College of Law, where she was an editor for the Arizona Law Review. Bill Hammond Bill Hammond was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Texas Association of Business & Chambers of Commerce (TABCC) on the first of April, 1998. Prior to coming to TABCC, he served for three years as chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), a position to which he was appointed by Governor George W. Bush. The TWC was created by the Texas Legislature in 1995 to consolidate all of the states workforce-related programs. Hammond also served as employer representative on the three-member commission. A four-term member of the Texas House of Representatives during the 1980s, Hammond successfully authored the Texas Education Agency Sunset Bill, and was named on one of the states top ten legislators by Texas Monthly and Dallas Morning News. A former employer, Hammond was owner and president of Dallas Tent and Awning Company prior to his appointment to the TWC. Glenn Hegar Senator Glenn Hegar, the youngest member of the Texas Senate, is a sixth generation Texan who farms on land that has been in his family since the mid-1800s. Glenn, his wife, Dara and their children, Claire, Julia and Jonah, live in Katy, where they attend Memorial Lutheran Church. Glenn serves as Chairman of the influential Sunset Advisory Commission, Chairman of the Legislative Sportsman's Caucus, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Government Organization, as well as a member of the Committees on Natural Resources, Nominations, and Criminal Justice. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst's appointment of Senator Hegar as Chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission made Texas history, marking the first time that a freshman member of the Texas Legislature has been appointed to a leadership position of Chairman or Vice Chairman of the powerful Sunset Advisory Commission. In addition to his other appointments, Senator Hegar is a member of the Environmental Flows Advisory Group and a member of the Legislature's Rural Caucus. James E. Huckaby, ARM-P James E. Huckaby, ARM-P is the Director of Risk Management for the Mesquite Independent School District in Mesquite, Texas; a position he has held for 18 years. Mesquite ISD is the sixth largest school district in the Dallas area, with a student population of 37,148; 5,300 employees; and an annual operating budget of $386 million. He is credited for establishing Mesquite ISD’s Risk Management Department, which is recognized as one of the most innovative and effective among public school districts; as further evidenced by being cited as one of the “Top 10” Public Risk Managers in America published in the July 2000 edition of American City & County Magazine. His responsibilities include managing the property & casualty insurance program, loss control, workers’ compensation program administration, state and federal environmental compliance, and employee benefits. Significant accomplishments include a reduction of workers’ compensation and automobile liability claim costs by 60% and 45%, respectively. Under his management, Mesquite ISD’s workers’ compensation self-insured program has produced a documented savings in excess of $26.7 million. In 2006, his department received the Mesquite ISD Board of Trustees’ inaugural Peak Performance award for unprecedented service to the school district. In 2005, he was awarded the Outstanding Achievement and Service Award by the Texas Association of School Boards. In 1996, he was the recipient of the prestigious “Risk Manager of the Year” Award from the Texas PRIMA Chapter. Preceding that award he was recognized by the Texas Safety Association as “Safety Manager of the Year” in 1995. Huckaby is a past president of the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA), a national not-for-profit association headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia that provides public risk management education, information, and advocacy for nearly 2000 members who represent counties, cities, schools, states, and other government entities. Prior to the national presidency, he served on the Texas PRIMA Board of Directors for seven years, including the office of presidency in 1999. He also served a two year term on the Texas Safety Association Board of Directors. Huckaby currently serves as a public representative to the Texas Surplus Lines Stamping Office Board of Directors. His three year term runs through December 31, 2010. He is a long-standing member and past president of the Mesquite Rotary Club and is currently serving his second term as president of Mission East Dallas, a non-profit Dallas County faith-based organization that provides medical and dental services for low income individuals and families who are uninsured. He is past president of the Mesquite Social Services and American Heart Association-Mesquite Division Board of Directors. Huckaby holds a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree (both in Biology with Chemistry minors) from Texas A&M University at Commerce, TX. He holds the designations of Associate of Risk Management (ARM) and Associate in Risk Management – Public Entities (ARM-P). Cheryl Johnson Cheryl Johnson is the Risk Manager for the Dallas Independent School District, the 12th largest school district in the U.S. Prior to arriving at Dallas ISD in 1990, Cheryl had experience in the private and non profit sectors as the risk manager of Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and Baylor Medical Center. Cheryl is a past president of the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter of Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), a past Texas Public Risk Insurance Management Association (PRIMA) Public Risk Manager of the Year and recipient of the Ron Judd Heart of RIMS award. She co-authored “The National Incident Management System for Schools” published in PRIMA magazine in 2007, which won her an award for Public Risk Author of the Year. As a life-long believer in education she has taught risk management classes for over 15 years as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer at a number of campuses in Texas and around the country. Cheryl has a BA in Spanish from the University of Minnesota and an MLA from Southern Methodist University (SMU). She also received certifications in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Certified School Risk Manager (CSRM). Margaret M. Knott, Esq. As founder of the Dallas law firm of Knott & Doyle, Ms. Knott offers more than 23 years of experience in the defense of personal injury and workers’ compensation cases, representing insurance carriers and self-insureds. She is board certified in personal injury trial law and workers’ compensation law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization; and is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell. Her areas of practice include personal injury litigation, workers’ compensation litigation, in both courts and administrative hearings before the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation, nonsubscriber suits and civil litigation. Ms. Knott also represents clients in defense of wrongful termination suits and subrogation claims. Her experience includes extensive work defending child care centers in suits for injuries and alleged abuse. She frequently provides continuing education presentations to insurance carriers and professional associations regarding workers’ compensation matters. Bar Admissions State of Texas (1986) Certifications Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization Education University of Houston, J.D., 1986 Professional Affiliations American Bar Association Sara Koeniger Sara has been with Balcones Resources since 1995 and has held a variety of positions including sales, marketing and operations. She currently manages projects as well as safety & maintenance for the company. Sara has been responsible for the start up of several recycling operations for Balcones from the initial real estate transaction and due diligence process; equipment design and planning; building construction; equipment installation and start-up. In addition, she manages the equipment installation and start-up process for our recycling customers in Austin, Dallas, and Little Rock, Arkansas. A 5th generation Texas and native Austinite, Sara received a BFA from Southern Methodist University and an MS in Environmental Planning from the University of Texas. Raymond Lanoux Ray Lanoux is the Director of Risk/Emergency/Facilities Management. DCS is an intermediate public school district providing services to other school districts in support of education and district operations. DCS is noted for operating over 1700 school buses making it one of the top 5 largest school bus fleets in the U.S. DCS is also one of the first public agencies to successfully implement a workers’ compensation 504 program, DCS Workers’ Compensation Medical Care Program, for DCS as well as other public agencies. Ray, DCS's first Risk Manager, has been with DCS since 1993. Additionally, Ray developed and managed DCS’s Human Resources Department and Facilities Management Department. Ray has also developed DCS’s emergency management functions with responsibilities not only within DCS, but also on a local, regional and State level. Ray currently is the public school representative on a regional multi-jurisdictional emergency management preparedness advisory committee for the North Texas region. Prior to working for DCS, Ray worked for Chubb Group of Insurance Companies as a Loss Control consultant and as a safety consultant for a private safety consulting firm. Ray graduated from LSU - Baton Rouge in 1987 with a BS degree in Industrial Technology/Industrial Safety. Barbara Lombrano-Williamson, Esq. Barbara Lombrano-Williamson specializes in the practice of workers’ compensation. Ms. Williamson is board certified in Texas Workers’ Compensation Law. Currently, Ms. Williamson is Vice Chair for the State Bar of Texas Workers’ Compensation Section and Co-Director for the State Bar of Texas Advanced Workers’ Compensation Seminar. Marc Mayfield, Esq. Mr. Mayfield represents individuals in the prosecution of their claims for workers’ compensation benefits and personal injury claims. He is board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His areas of practice include workers’ compensation litigation, in both courts and administrative hearings before the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation, personal injury litigation and civil litigation. Mr. Mayfield also represents clients in claims of bad faith arising from the handling of their workers’ compensation claims. Sam J. McMurry, ARM Sam is the Workers’ Compensation Administrator for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. The company is headquartered in Fort Worth and has major facilities in Palmdale, California and Marietta, Georgia in addition to smaller facilities in Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and West Virginia. Sam manages the program and oversees the Workers’ Compensation Administrators that handle the day to day activities across the company. He has over 25 years’ experience in loss control and workers’ compensation since leaving the Air Force and becoming the Safety Director for Alamo Iron Works in San Antonio. He also served on the Board of Directors of the San Antonio Safety Council and was active in the local chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE). Since then he has held positions as Manager of Safety and Security at Dr Pepper Bottling of North Texas, Safety and Risk Manager for Haggar Apparel in Dallas and Risk Manager for Tecnol, Inc., a medical products manufacturer in Fort Worth. While at Haggar Apparel Sam became a member of the Texas Association of Business (TAB) State Task Force for Workers’ Compensation Reform. While at Tecnol he continued as a member of the TAB State Taskforce whose work resulted in the workers’ compensation reform of 1991. In addition he continued his professional development achieving the designation Associate of Risk Management (ARM). Since 1990 he has been with Lockheed Martin. The world’s premiere military aircraft manufacturer, the company currently builds the F-16, the F-22, the C-130 and the F-35. Sam represents the company on regulatory and legislative issues dealing with workers’ compensation. In 1994 the Fort Worth facility became a Certified Self-Insurer for workers’ compensation in Texas. Sam now serves as President of the TSIA and Chairs the Texas Certified Self-Insurers’ Guarantee Association (TCSIGA) Board of Directors. The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute of Cambridge Massachusetts has also chosen Sam as a member of the Advisory Committee for Texas. Sam chaired the Technical Committee of the Texans for Workers’ Compensation Reform coalition during the 2005 session and worked with that team on what eventually became HB 7. Stephen M. Norwood, M.D. Dr. Norwood is a board-certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with Southwest Orthopaedic Group in Austin. He is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Physicians Cooperative of Texas, a TDI-certified Physician Sponsored Network. In addition to degrees from Rice University and U.T. Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, he earned a Certificate of Medical Management from Johns Hopkins. He has been involved in positions of medical leadership at the local, state, and national level for over 17 years. His expertise in healthcare policy and medical organizations has been honed through service as Hospital Medical Staff President, County Medical Society President, Secretary of the New Mexico Orthopaedic Society, and CEO of an Orthopaedic Group practice. He has been instrumental in founding two surgery centers and serves as Legislative Chairman of the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society. He has chaired the Workers’ Compensation Committee for the Texas Orthopaedic Association and has been the 2005-06 President of that organization. He recently completed a 6 year term on the Board of Councilors of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has participated in numerous committees including the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Workers’ Compensation, and the Texas Department of Insurance Workers’ Compensation Workgroup, which is responsible for stakeholder advice to TDI during the rulemaking process. Dennis A. Pompa Dennis is Associate Commissioner & Director of the Texas Department of Insurance Fraud Unit. He has been employed with the Unit since its beginning as a law enforcement agency twelve years ago. His career in insurance fraud investigations spans almost two decades; he is a former police officer and district attorney financial crimes investigator. Dennis also has a wide-ranging background in the personal banking business and served as project coordinator for a national and international electronic funds transaction network. He holds a BS degree in Criminal Justice Administration; is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and maintains a Texas Master Peace Officer certification. Dennis currently serves as the Texas Department of Insurance’s liaison to local and national antifraud organizations. Lucinda Dean Saxon Lucinda Dean Saxon, Government Affairs Manager for the Texas Association of Business (TAB), brings over ten years legislative experience to the Association. Starting in October 2003 at the TAB, Saxon has been responsible for lobbying on workers' compensation, tort, and privacy policy. Lucinda currently serves as Chair of TAB’s Workers’ Compensation Task Force, a committee comprised of business members who are committed to creating change in the workers’ comp arena. In addition, she also heads the newly formed task force, the Nonsubscribers Committee, for members electing to use private sources to give injured workers care and benefits. Most recently, Saxon served as the Government Relations Director for the State Office of Risk Management, the state agency that oversees the workers' compensation program for the state. Saxon was charged with the task to develop legislative strategies and policies to reduce the cost of workers' compensation. Saxon also served as Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for State Representative Kenn George focusing her efforts on workers' compensation, biotechnology and agriculture. Michael Seise, PharmD, MBA During his tenure at Healthesystems, Dr. Seise has designed and implemented targeted physician communication programs aimed at achieving cost-conscious, patient-centered outcomes for workers’ compensation insurers. In addition, he is directly responsible for developing a successful drug information and managed care clerkship program. Dr. Seise received his MBA in Pharmaceutical Business from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, allowing him to provide great insight into global pharmacy market price and utilization trends. During his military tenure as Assistant Chief, Department of Pharmacy, Dr. Seise oversaw pharmacy operations at the US Army’s largest community hospital and acted as regional consultant to the Department of Defense Pharmacoeconomic Council, determining the formulary and pharmacy budgets for the entire armed forces. He also gained valuable knowledge in maximizing therapeutic and budgetary impact across a large population of beneficiaries. Danny Taylor Danny Taylor is a Return to Work Education Coordinator with the Texas Department of Insurance-Division of Workers’ Compensation. Prior to joining the TDI-DWC, he spent the last 15 years working in the field of state vocational rehabilitation services at several state agencies including the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Rehabilitation Commission and the Texas Commission for the Blind. His experiences include directing consumers in the rehabilitation process from onset of injury, illness or disability all the way through to employment. His previous work history has partnered him with other agencies including Social Security, private insurance carriers, varied medical providers, Medicaid waiver programs, workers’ compensation, adult MHMR programs, secondary and post-secondary academics, adult probation and private industry employers. Mr. Taylor has a Masters of Education degree from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. Stephen S. Vollbrecht, Esq. Stephen S. Vollbrecht is the General Counsel at the State Office of Risk Management, the Texas state agency that administers the Government Employees Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program. Stephen has been with the Office since 2001, where he currently oversees daily legal and policy operations. Stephen received his BA from Texas Lutheran University with majors in English and Communications, and his JD from Texas Tech University. He has studied abroad at the University of Malta in Linguistics and is a graduate of the LBJ School of Public Affairs Management Development, Senior Management Development, and Governor’s Executive Development Programs. His professional background includes working for Texas Mutual Insurance Company, formerly the Texas Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fund; consulting; and private law practice. Herman Wilks Herman Wilks is celebrating his 15th year with the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and serves as the Department Director of WC Claims Administration. Herman is charged with handling and overseeing all aspects of the medical side of the claims division including medical cost containment, utilization management, the medical director, case management and a team of physician advisors. He has 20 years of experience in the field of workers’ compensation and was recently recognized by Risk and Insurance Magazine as a 2009 Risk Innovator for his work with managing prescription drug utilization for the TASB Risk Management Fund. Herman received his education from Texas A&M University and is also a licensed workers’ compensation adjuster. Mary Zersen, MS, CRC, CDMS Mary Zersen, MS, CRC, CDMS is a certified disability management specialist and certified rehabilitation counselor who is approved by DWC for inclusion in the Division’s registry of private providers of vocational rehabilitation services. Ms. Zersen is the owner and Case Manager of ZD Consultants, LLC which is a private consulting firm utilized by TPAs, insurance companies, employers, attorneys and persons with disabilities to assist individuals with problems that may occur following accidents, injuries, or illnesses. Ms. Zersen has been providing medical case management, vocational case management and disability management services for workers’ compensation cases, STD and LTD cases for over 15 years. Ms. Zersen has been approved by the Texas Department of Insurance to provide training on numerous workers’ compensation issues. Ms. Zersen is currently the Past President of the Texas Rehabilitation Association and has served in the TRA positions of President-Elect and Board member. She is a board member of the Houston Area Rehabilitation Association. Ms. Zersen graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a Masters of Science in behavioral studies/rehabilitation counseling.
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