AFP Austin May Education Session 
Registration: Free for members & Non-Members

Philanthropy Meets Policy: Speaking Up for Change

Austin AFP's monthly luncheons, hosted by the Education Committee, are opportunities for members to listen, learn and engage in specific issues that address the non-profit sector.  In tandem with this year's Legislative Action Day, the May 13, 2021 AFP Luncheon will focus on the intersection of government policy and philanthropy. Luncheon attendees will be inspired to advocate for their clients, donors, and non-profit organizations in local, state, and national policy settings and will understand how they are uniquely situated to impact policy. 

Elizabeth A. Henneke, Executive Director, Lone Star Justice Alliance 

Elizabeth A. Henneke serves on the Juvenile Council for the State Bar of Texas, the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, OJJDP Subcommittee on LGBTQ Issues, the Collaborative Council for the Judicial Commission on Mental Health, as an advisor to the Texas Judicial Council Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice, and the Board of Directors for the Campaign for Youth Justice. In addition to being named a finalist in 2019, Elizabeth joined the Board of Directors for Philanthropitch in 2020 furthering the mission of LSJA to support other nonprofits and shift resources from prisons to the community. 

​Elizabeth graduated from Yale University and the University of Texas School of Law. She then served as a law clerk for the South Africa Constitutional Court and for Judge Edward C. Prado on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, before joining Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C. Elizabeth has been a clinical instructor for the University of Texas' National Security & Human Rights Clinic, and was the inaugural Audrey Irmas Clinical Teaching Fellow at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

Since founding LSJA, Elizabeth has received the Travis County Women Lawyers' Association Attorney Award, been recognized as the Austin Under 40 winner in the legal category, and was named a finalist in the DivInc. Champions for Change Rising Star Award.

 Representative James Talarico, Texas House District 32 

Representative James Talarico is a former education non-profit leader and public school teacher elected to serve House District 52 in the Texas House of Representatives. He was born in Williamson County, where he attended Round Rock ISD schools and graduated from McNeil High School. Rep. Talarico earned his bachelor’s degree in Government from The University of Texas at Austin and his master’s degree in Education Policy from Harvard University. Upon graduation, Rep. Talarico taught 6th grade at Rhodes Middle School on the Westside of San Antonio. He later became the Central Texas Executive Director of a nonprofit dedicated to equipping classrooms with innovative technology. He currently serves as the youngest member of the Texas Legislature, sitting on the Calendars Committee, the Public Education Committee, and the Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee. In his first term, Rep. Talarico helped write historic school finance reform legislation that infused Texas schools with $11.6 billion in new education funding. Outside of his role as a legislator, Rep. Talarico is an education consultant, crafting and implementing education solutions across Texas.

Vanessa Fuentes, Austin City Council Member - District 2 

Vanessa Fuentes is elected to Austin City Council. She represents District 2 in Southeast Austin.  Elected to the Austin City Council on Nov. 3, 2020, Councilwoman Vanessa Fuentes is the second Latina to serve in this role. She brings more than ten years of community, public, private and nonprofit sector experience, which earned her a reputation as an innovative, results-oriented leader. 

Councilwoman Fuentes serves as the vice-chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, vice-chair of the Austin Water Oversight committee and sits on the Regional Affordability Committee and Community Action Network board of directors. She also serves on the Austin/Travis County Hate Crimes Task Force as an appointee by the Mayor. 

Her policy interests are health equity and economic justice, which currently present as equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine, affordable housing and small business advocacy. 

She lives in Southeast Austin with her husband Curtis Smith, chief of staff for a state representative, and their adorable fur baby, Axel the Bulldog.

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