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Of Note

2009 Legacy Lunch Honoring Ambassador Lyndon Olson: Video and Transcript of Remarks If you missed our 2009 Legacy Luncheon, you can watch GSD&M Idea City's video tribute to Lyndon Olson, "A Diplomat for the Common Good," view and/or purchase photos from the event, and read a transcript of Ambassador Olson's remarks.
> more Texas Voice for Health Reform Looking for CPPP's work on national health reform? You can find our blog and latest updates on health reform at Texas Voice for Health Reform. Join our email list to get involved and stay updated on the health reform debate!
> more Census 2010 CPPP is working with the Census Bureau to help increase participation by hard-to-reach households. Accurate Census data ensures Texas gets its fair share of federal funds, helps local decision-makers plan for the future, and assures we get appropriate representation in Congress.
> more What Does It Really Take to Get By in Texas? It’s been well documented that the federal poverty level doesn’t accurately measure today’s cost of living. But what does it really take to get by in Texas?
> more Problems Enrolling in Public Benefits? If you or someone you are helping is having problems enrolling for benefits through Texas' new eligibility system, please let us know.
> more

STAFF

Who Are We?

F. Scott McCown, Executive Director

Scott McCown retired as a state district judge in 2002 to become director of the center. Called "the voice of the voiceless" and "the conscience" of Texas politics by Texas Monthly, he is responsible for the center's direction and administration. He is also an expert on school finance and child welfare. Before coming to the center, he presided over all of Texas' public school finance cases from 1990-2002 and thousands of child abuse cases. He is a member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and an elected member of the American Law Institute and the Philosophical Society of Texas.

McCown earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, cum laude, from Texas Christian University in 1976, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence with honors from The University of Texas School of Law in 1979, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and to the Board of Editors of The Texas Law Review.

Anne Dunkelberg, Associate Director

Anne Dunkelberg joined the center in 1994. She is one of the state's leading experts in policy and budget issues relating to health care access. In 2007, she was named Consumer Advocate of the Year by Families USA in Washington, D.C. Before coming to the center, she served as Program Director for Acute Care in the Texas Medicaid Director's Office and spent six years with the Texas Research League, where she authored numerous reports on Texas health and human services issues and tracked state health and human services budget issues. She earned dual degrees from The University of Texas at Austin—a Bachelor of Arts (Plan II), magna cum laude, in 1979 and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs in 1988.

Dick Lavine, Senior Fiscal Analyst

Dick Lavine joined the center in 1994. He focuses on state tax and revenue issues. Before coming to the center, he was a Senior Researcher at the House Research Organization of the Texas House of Representatives, where he covered budget and tax issues. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Texas Library System, and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Travis Central Appraisal District. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1969 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975.

Eva DeLuna Castro, Senior Budget Analyst

Eva DeLuna Castro joined the center in 1998. She focuses on state budget issues. Before coming to the center, she was an Analyst for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, researching various policy issues related to state revenue and spending. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Literature, cum laude, from Harvard University in 1988 and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin in 1997.

Celia Hagert, Senior Policy Analyst

Celia Hagert joined the center in 1998. She works on food and nutrition policy, privatization of social services, and the TANF cash assistance program. Before coming to the center, she worked as a Policy Specialist for the Texas Department of Human Services and as a Health and Human Services Policy Analyst for a private consulting firm in Washington, D.C. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Columbia University in 1991 and a Master of Arts from the Institute of Latin American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin in 1996.

Don Baylor, Senior Policy Analyst

Don Baylor joined the center in 2004 and focuses on workforce and economic development. Before coming to the center, he served as a Legislative Director at New York ACORN, where he specialized in such issues as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the minimum wage, affordable housing, and welfare reform. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Georgetown University in 1994 and a Master of Arts in African American and Southern History with honors from The University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1997.

Jane BurstainJane Burstain, Ph.D, Senior Policy Analyst

Jane McClure Burstain joined the center in 2008. She is responsible for child welfare policy and CPS budget issues. Before joining the center, she served as an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University, where she taught a family policy class in the Masters of Public Policy Program. Prior to that she worked as an attorney representing children in the Los Angeles child welfare system. She earned a Ph.D. in Policy Analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School in 2008 with her dissertation addressing how to improve outcomes for adolescent mothers in the child welfare system. Jane also earned a Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, in 1995 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Virginia in 1989.
Stacey Pogue, Senior Policy Analyst

Stacey Pogue joined the center in 2008. She focuses on health policy issues. Before coming to the center, she worked as a Senior Policy Analyst with the Medicaid and CHIP Division of the Health and Human Services Commission. She has also worked to expand health insurance to uninsured Texans through the State Planning Grant with the Texas Department of Insurance. Stacey earned a Bachelor of Science in Geography, summa cum laude, from Texas A&M University in 1997 and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin in 2005.

Frances Deviney, Ph.D., Texas KIDS COUNT Director

Frances Deviney joined the center in 2005. As KIDS COUNT Director, she tracks the status of child well-being in Texas by collecting and analyzing state and county-level data. She also helps coordinate the center's family economic security work. Before coming to the center, she was a Research Specialist at the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, a Legislative Director in the Texas House of Representatives, and a Research Analyst at the Families and Schools Together (FAST Track) Project. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Vanderbilt University in 1993 and a Doctorate in Developmental Psychology from The University of Utah in 2002.

Kymberlie Quong CharlesKymberlie Quong Charles, Special Projects Coordinator

Kymberlie Quong Charlies joined the Center for Public Policy Priorities in February 2009. She is the coordinator for Texas Voice for Health Reform, a project of the Center for Public Policy Priorities to inform and mobilize all Texans on the national debate on health care reform. Kymberlie hails from the State of Maine via Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. She is currently completing a Masters of Science in Social Work at UT Austin and received a Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Global Studies from Earlham College in 2002. Before returning to graduate school, Kymberlie coordinated Membership and Outreach for Education for a Just Peace in the Middle East in Washington, D.C. Prior to this position she served as program assistant with the Middle East Peacebuilding Unit at the American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia.

Janet Hutchison, Development Director

Janet Hutchison joined the center in 2000. She is responsible for fundraising and grant administration. Before coming to the center, Janet was Director of Project VITAL, a statewide program for adult literacy organizations. She also spent over ten years as Executive Director of Literacy Austin, where she oversaw program management and fund development for its community-wide volunteer literacy program. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Magazine Journalism from The University of Texas in 1983, and has done graduate work at Southwest Texas State University.

Valerie Davidson, Manager of Finance and Administration

Valerie Davidson joined the center in 2002. She is responsible for accounts payable, payroll, and other business. Before coming to the center, Valerie was an administrator in the Office of the District Judges of Travis County. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Southwest Texas State University in 1997.