Announcing the Opening Central Texas for Business Task Force
Posted on 04/23/2020 by Austin Chamber of Commerce
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt and Austin Mayor Steve Adler have asked the Chamber to convene a task force to provide a knowledgeable perspective on when and how businesses might be able to adapt and function in a COVID-19 world.
This task force is structured to represent a diverse set of stakeholders: small and large businesses, multiple industry sectors, business membership organizations, and community groups that support the needs of business such as transportation, public health, and safety.
The work of this task force is to honor public health priorities and focus on how to thoughtfully and safely reopen our regional economy. Key activities for the task force will include:
- Evaluating and accounting for specific needs by industry sector
- Evaluating the preparedness level of businesses to safeguard public health
- Educating the business community on public health requirements and best practices
- Monitoring public health outcomes to determine whether adjustments are needed
- Providing feedback to policymakers
Through the Chamber’s leadership, we will be trusted advisors to our elected and public health officials so our member businesses can get back to work stronger and safer than ever.
Task Force Members
Our task force is comprised of more than 100 community and business leaders. This is not a comprehensive list and will continue to be updated throughout the coming days.
| Full Name | Organization |
| Neeraj Aggarwal | Michael & Susan Dell Foundation |
| Joan Altobelli | Austin YMCA |
| Rey Arellano | City of Austin |
| Tamara Atkinson | Workforce Solutions Capital Area |
| Mason Ayer | Kerbey Lane Cafe/United Way Board Chair |
| Josh Baer | Capital Factory |
| Ed Bailey | Austin City Limits Live & 3Ten |
| Kathleen Baireuther | Ford |
| Cheyenne Baker | Freeman Co. |
| Jason Ball | Round Rock Chamber of Commerce |
| Dianne Bangle | Real Estate Council of Austin |
| Marina Bhargava | Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce |
| A.J. Bingham | The Bingham Group, LLC (Representing the Greater Austin Restaurant Association) |
| Scott Blalock | JW Marriott Austin |
| Joe Bolash | Austin Hotel & Lodging Association Chair |
| Amber Brandt | American Youth Works |
| Bill Brice | Downtown Austin Alliance |
| Veronica Briseño | City of Austin |
| Charles Brotherton | Travis County |
| Joseph Cajas, III | The Cajas Digital Agency/Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber Board Chair |
| Tina Cannon | Austin LGBT Chamber |
| Gus Cardenas | Austin Healthcare Council |
| Sue Carpenter | United Way for Greater Austin |
| David Case | Schertz Bank & Trust |
| Allison Castle | Castle Communications |
| Chris Cervini | Austin Community College District |
| Peter Cesaro | GDHM/Real Estate Council of Austin Board Chair |
| Elisbeth Challener | ZACH Theater |
| Emily Chenevert | Austin Board of Realtors |
| Derrick Chubbs | Capital Area Food Bank |
| Carrie Ciliberto | Home Builders Association of Greater Austin |
| Randy Clarke | Capital Metro |
| Krystle Cline | VORTEX Repertory Company |
| Rebecca Cole | HappiFamili |
| Beth Corbett | Central Texas Food Bank |
| Shaun Cranston | Halff Associates |
| Spencer Cronk | City of Austin |
| Dr. Paul Cruz | Austin ISD |
| Scott Davidson | Code 4 Event Management/Emergency Services |
| Andy Davis | Ascension Seton |
| Cara DiMattina Ryan | Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area |
| Emily Dreyer | Dell Technologies |
| Denise Eisman | Austin Hotel & Lodging Association |
| Craig Enoch | Enoch Kever/Austin Chamber of Commerce Board Chair |
| Christine D. Escobar | Univision Communications Inc. |
| Dr. Mark Escott | Interim Health Authority |
| David Evans | Integral Care |
| Gary Farmer | Heritage Title Company/Opportunity Austin Board Chair |
| Gina Fiandaca | City of Austin |
| Tamara Fields | Accenture |
| Joe Fowler | Home Builders Association of Greater Austin |
| Jay Fox | Baylor Scott & White |
| Frank Fuentes | U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association |
| Brian Gannon | Visit Austin |
| Ryan Garrett | Stubb’s Austin |
| Kate Garza | Ascension Seton |
| Mike Geeslin | Central Health |
| Jason Gindele | Mainspring Schools |
| Jason Giulietti | Greater San Marcos Partnership |
| Michele Glaze | Samsung Austin Semiconductor |
| David Glenn | Home Builders Association of Greater Austin |
| J.J. Gottsch | Ryan Sanders Sports & Entertainment |
| Larry Graham | Texas Gas Service |
| Nikki Graham | Bank of America |
| Amber Gunst | Austin Technology Council |
| Sandy Hentges Guzman | Austin Area Research Organization |
| Kareem Hajjar | Hajjar/Peters LLP |
| Debbie Halbert | IBM |
| Tam Hawkins | Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce |
| Patricia V. Hayes | PVH Consulting Group/Greater Austin Black Chamber Board |
| Jeremy B. Hendricks | Southwest Laborers District Council/Laborers' International Union of North America |
| Katie Herbek | Ford |
| Kenny Hill | Goodwill Industries of Central Texas |
| Nestor Ho | Silicon Labs |
| Cathy Hoover | Westlake Chamber of Commerce |
| The Honorable Donna Howard | Texas House of Representatives |
| John Howard | Dell Technologies |
| Laura Huffman | Austin Chamber of Commerce |
| David Huffstutler | St. David's HealthCare |
| Brett A. Hurt | data.world, a Certified B Corporation |
| David Jabour | Twin Liquors |
| Preston James | DivInc |
| Liz Johnson | St. Edward's University |
| Charlie Jones | Four Leaf Productions |
| Michelle Jones | Freeman Decorating Co. |
| Josh Jones-Dilworth | Jones-Dilworth, Inc. |
| Scott Joslove | Texas Hotel & Lodging Assiciation |
| Maninder Kahlon | University of Texas at Austin |
| Jason Kelley | IBM |
| Natalie Kennedy | Kennedy Creative Events |
| Juliana Kerker | St. David’s HealthCare |
| Kyle Kerrigan | Upbring Innovation Labs/Austin Young Chamber Board Chair |
| Chase Kincannon | Austin LGBT Chamber |
| Joel Lathrop | Microsoft |
| Ed Latson | Austin Regional Manufacturers Association |
| Chi Lee | Perkins + Will |
| Rick Levy | Texas AFL-CIO |
| Glen Lietzke | Austin Junior Volleyball |
| Cindy Y. Lo | Red Velvet Events, Inc. |
| Meagan Longley | Austin Community Fund |
| Andy Loughnane | Austin FC |
| Amy Madison | Pflugerville Community Development Corp. |
| Dr. Molly Beth Malcolm | Austin Community College District |
| Oksana Malysheva | Sputnik ATX |
| Chief Brian Manley | Austin Police Department |
| Carlos Martinez | University of Texas at Austin |
| Mark McClain | SailPoint/Austin Technology Council Board Chair |
| Tracye McDaniel | TIP Strategies/Past Chair, International Economic Development Council |
| Thomas Miranda | Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce |
| Laura Mitchell | Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce |
| Jason Mock | San Marcos Chamber of Commerce |
| Chas Moore | Austin Justice Coalition |
| Nick Moulinet | DPR Construction |
| Jack Murray | Austin Marathon & High Five Events |
| Mike Nellis | Austin Community Fund |
| Tom Noonan | Visit Austin |
| Eric Olsen | Babson Diagnostics |
| Juan M. Ortiz | City of Austin |
| Eli Pablon | Amazon |
| Alyssia Palacios-Woods | Austin Young Chamber |
| Carmen Palo | HID Global |
| Anna Panossian | Circuit of The Americas |
| Dixie Patrick | Austin Independent Business Alliance |
| Abby Payne | SailPoint |
| De Peart | Downtown Austin Alliance |
| Wes Peoples | Wes Peoples Homes, LLC |
| Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette | Huston Tillotson University |
| Nenad Praporski | Fairmont |
| Ann-Marie Price | Baylor Scott & White |
| Diana Ramirez | Travis County |
| Rebecca Reynolds | Music Venues Alliance-Austin |
| Dr. Richard Rhodes | Austin Community College District |
| Reena Richtermeyer | Arendes Green Richtermeyer and Stahl PLLC |
| John Riedie | Austin Creative Alliance |
| Mary Riggs | Andy Roddick Foundation |
| Rosa Rios Valdez | BCL of Texas |
| Nelia Robbi | SAFE Alliance |
| Geronimo Rodriguez | Austin ISD Board President |
| Jose Roig | City of Austin |
| Nathan Ryan | Blue Sky Partners |
| Jackie Sargent | Austin Energy |
| Samantha Schoen | HID Global |
| Brenda Schultz | The Learning Experience |
| Amos Schwartzfarb | Techstars Austin |
| Ed Serna | Charter |
| Timothy Shelhamer | NXP |
| Stacy Sheridan | Cushing Terrell |
| Elliott Smith | Kitchen Sync Strategies |
| David C. Smith | United Way for Greater Austin |
| Jennifer Stevens | JHL |
| David Stewart | HID Global |
| Kelsey Streufert | Texas Restaurant Association |
| Leslie Sweet | HEB |
| Richard Tagle | Andy Roddick Foundation |
| Simone Talma Flowers | Interfaith Action of Central Texas |
| Trisha Tatro | Austin Convention Center Department |
| Anna Tauzin | Texas Restaurant Association |
| Karla Taylor | City of Austin |
| Kathy Terry | P Terry’s/inLieu |
| Kobla Tetey | Austin Area Urban League Young Professionals |
| Scott Turner | Riverside Homes |
| Michele Van Hyfte | Downtown Austin Alliance |
| David Waddell | Texas Restaurant Association |
| Michael Ward | Austin Urban Technology Movement |
| Meghan Weller | St. David's HealthCare |
| Rick Whiteley | Cushman Wakefield |
| Jason Winborn | AT&T |
| Ellen Wood | vcfo, Inc. |
| John Woodley | Advocates for Disability Access |
| Jacqueline Yaft | Austin Bergstrom International Airport |
| Yuen Yung | Casoro Group |