President’s Visiting Council

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Patricia Ang

Patricia Ang '98 studied Computer Science and Business Administration at Austin College. She began her career as a Systems Analyst, certified in SAP software implementations with Deloitte Consulting in Chicago. Over the years, she discovered her true passion was selling technology and eventually moved into medical sales. Since 2009, she has worked for Barco, a Belgian visualization company which specializes in high resolution medical displays for many specialties, including radiology, breast cancer imaging, surgery, and cardiology. She is the Business Development Account Executive for the Pacific Northwest and the National Women's Health Specialist. Ms. Ang is passionate about helping others, especially those in developing countries. She has served on the event boards of several non-profit organizations, including Coprodeli.org, a group working with children in Peru; Fabretto.org, a group working to improve schools and nutrition in Nicaragua; and Connectmed.org, a group providing surgical care in Malawi. In February 2014, she also volunteered on a surgical mission trip with MedicalMissionEcuador.org. Ms. Ang enjoys playing guitar, yoga, paddle boarding and tennis. She is active with the Young Adult Group at St. Dominic's Catholic Church and lives in San Francisco, California.

 

Bob Ardell

Robert Ardell is a petroleum geologist Houston, Texas. He graduated from Monmouth College with a geology/economics major and received a Master’s of Science in geology from Kansas State University. Mr. Ardell has managed many different projects in almost fifty years of employment and continues today as a retained consultant in semi-retirement. Global exploration has been a very rewarding experience and an eye opening exposure for an Illinois country kid. Mr. Ardell has served on many boards for both private and public non-profit organizations and is proudly an emeritus trustee of his alma mater. Mr. Ardell is married to Lee, a current trustee at Austin College and both are strongly supportive of the College.

 

Michael R. Buchanan

 

Jim Buie

Jim Buie ’88 is a Managing Director and Senior Investment Banker with Raymond James & Associates, Inc. in Dallas, Texas. He has 26 years of experience in investment banking, government, and management and has worked on a wide range of municipal credits. Notable clients have included the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, DFW Airport, Dallas Cowboys, City of Oklahoma City, University of the Incarnate Word, and Coppell ISD to name a few. Prior to joining Raymond James to start up their public finance operations, Mr. Buie was with Banc of America Merrill Lynch in Dallas. His prior experience also includes serving as the Executive Director of the Texas Bond Review Board, as Vice President of the Oklahoma Finance Authorities, and as Senior Bond Analyst with the State of Oklahoma.

 

Mr. Buie earned a B.A. in Business Administration from Austin College and a M.B.A. from Midwestern State University. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of Houston and the LBJ School of Public Finance at the University of Texas. Jim is a current board member for the Texas Municipal Advisory Council (Texas MAC), and serves on the board of a local non-profit. He is active in his church, supports mission work in Haiti, and greatly enjoys being a Dad. He has one daughter (Kaitlin) and resides in Coppell, Texas.

 

Sara Mitchell Bushell

Sara Mitchell Bushell ‘06 is a User Experience Designer, creating consistent and easy-to-use user interfaces for mobile devices, websites, and software. She currently works at Chevron in Global Knowledge Management, the team responsible for the development of Chevron’s global workforce of technical professionals. She previously designed proprietary cementing software for Halliburton and a retail electric plan comparison site for CenterPoint Energy. Mrs. Bushell received her Bachelor’s degree from Austin College and her Master’s degree in Computer Science with a specialty in Human-Computer Interaction from Stanford University. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association of Greater Houston. She lives in Houston, TX with her husband, Brent.

 

Frank Chisholm, Jr.

 

Erica Ekwurzel

Erica V. Ekwurzel ‘01, CFRE, MPA’ff, is Founder & Principal of Advocacy In Motion Consulting, LLC (AIM), an Austin, Texas-based consultancy offering customized services in Philanthropic Strategy, Nonprofit Advocacy and Coalition/Relationship Building. AIM upholds the fabric of democracy by developing, strengthening and connecting civic leaders as effective advocates aimed to leverage positive change. She has spearheaded and organized numerous state and national legislative outreach efforts on behalf of Texas philanthropic and nonprofit associations, including Texas AFP Legislative Action Day, an initiative inspiring AFP chapters across the Lone Star State to raise the consciousness of philanthropy with Texas legislators. Additionally, Ms. Ekwurzel serves on the consultant team of Seeds for Change Consulting LLC, and is serving her second board term with AFP-Greater Austin Chapter and is a member of the AFP-IHQ US Government Relations. Building upon her professional development experience with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and CASA of Travis County, Ms. Ekwurzel earned a Master’s of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin, with a concentration in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropic Studies. She continued her tenure as philanthropic consultant to KDK-Harman Foundation, helping found the Central Texas Education Funders. She also holds a BA in English and Spanish from Austin College.

 

Mary Pat Higgins

 

Doug Kiel

 

Alex Lazar

Alexander Lazar ’90 MD/PhD is an Associate Professor of Pathology and Dermatology with tenure at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. His academic work focuses on sarcoma and melanoma ranging from clinical diagnosis, staging, molecular testing, translational research, novel clinical trials and genomic characterization of these tumors. He is a Director of two fellowship training programs in Pathology which graduate 16 fellows per year. Dr. Lazar is married to Victoria Lazar, an Associate General Counsel at General Electric in the Oil & Gas Division. They have two children, Elliott and Abigail. After obtaining a degree in philosophy and political science as an undergraduate at Austin College, Dr. Lazar earned his MD and PhD at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas.

 

Laura Liles

Laura Liles ‘90 is the Assistant Director of the Genomic and RNA Profiling Core at Baylor College of Medicine. She has been at the BCM core for 13 years and has had a crucial role in expanding the facility’s services to include microarrays, qPCR, and next generation sequencing. The core is one of the Advanced Technology cores for the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center. Ms. Liles has recently implemented a new Laboratory Information System (LIMS) for the core.

 

Ms. Liles received her Bachelor’s degree from Austin College in International Relations. She lived in Japan and California before returning to Texas. She has worked with PAWS Foundation Houston for over 10 years. The organization facilitates hospital visits between patients and their own pets. She lives in Houston.

 

Paul Neubach

 

Vivian Neubach

 

Chandini Portteus

 

Frank Stevenson

 

Jennifer Ware

 

Bryce Weigand

Bryce A. Weigand, FAIA, is an architect and artist in Dallas. He has more than 40-years of award winning architectural experience, most notably with educational and religious institutions. A native of Oklahoma, Weigand graduated from Oklahoma State University. He retired in 2012 as a principal with Good, Fulton & Farrell Architects in Dallas and established Weigand Art and Architecture in 2013. Bryce was elevated to the prestigious AIA College of Fellows in 1993 and served a three-year term as a director for National AIA beginning in 2004. In 2002 he served as President of the Texas Society of Architects and was President of the Dallas AIA in 1997. Additionally, he held membership in the Society of College and University Planners (SCUP). An elder of First Presbyterian Church Dallas since 1978, Weigand has served in capacities of the FPC Foundation, as President of the FPC Corporation, Chairman of the Building Committee for the recent expansion of the church and was lead designer for Encore Park including the renovation of 508 Park and the amphitheater.

 

Weigand’s professional work included notable facilities for Southern Methodist University and its Centennial Campus Master Plan, the Hockaday School, Jesuit College Preparatory School, the Texas A&M system and the University of Texas system along with many other clients.

 

In retirement, Weigand continues to serve on several boards that include the Texas Society of Architects Foundation, the Dallas Center for Architecture Foundation, the Building Committee for the Dallas Holocaust Museum, and the Southwest Watercolor Society. Leisure pursuits are focused on grandchildren, painting, golf, and expanding the family’s country ranch home and grounds.

 

Bob Weiss

Bob Weiss is the Vice President for Administration of The Meadows Foundation, the position he has held since joining the Foundation in July 1989. Previously, Mr. Weiss was the founding Executive Director of The Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas, a management assistance program established in 1981 to bring business skill and knowledge to nonprofit organizations. Mr. Weiss is a member of the Conference of Southwest Foundations, and has served as Chair of the Legislative Network Committee. Mr. Weiss is actively involved in professional, civic, and community affairs. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation of Dallas, and is a member of the Kalman & Ida Wolens Foundation board of directors. He also serves on the Board of the Burkett Foundation in El Paso. He served as the City of Dallas Plan Commission Chair during 2006-2007 and completed his service, after 5 years, in December 2009. He completed a term, as Chairman, on the Paul Quinn College Board of Trustees in 2012. Past board service includes Youth and Family Impact Centers of Dallas, the YMCA of Dallas, Temple Emanuel, and St. Edward’s University, Austin. Bob participated in the Leadership Dallas Class of 1983 and has been a member of the Dallas Assembly. Mr. Weiss currently serves on the Dallas County Health Facilities Development Corporation and is a founding Board member of Leadership DISD.

 

Elizabeth Wiley