Texas Border Business
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott appointed Juan Carlos Lopez to the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities for a term set to expire on February 1, 2026. Additionally, the Governor has appointed Chelsea Elliott, Ronald Browning, and Lisa Treleaven, Ed.D. and reappointed Ellen M. Bauman, Neva Fairchild, and Kristie Orr, Ph.D. for terms set to expire on February 1, 2027. Additionally, the Governor named Ellen Bauman as chair of the Committee. The Committee recommends changes in disability policies and programs, supports a network of committees on people with disabilities, issues awards to promote greater awareness, and promotes compliance with disability related laws.
Juan Lopez of Edinburg is a board member for the Valley Association for Independent Living. He previously served as a support member and translator for the Texas Civil Rights Project and a paralegal for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid.
Chelsea Elliott of Austin is the founder and executive director of half Helen. She is a McBee Fellow for the Austin Area Research Organization and an associate member of the Texas Optometric Association. She is a mentor at St. Edward’s University and St. David’s Foundation’s Neal Kocurek Scholarship Program. Elliott received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from St. Edward’s University.
Ronald “Ronnie” Browning of Spring is a legacy board member of Texas Advocates. He is a volunteer for The Arc of Texas and the Special Olympics and former president, vice president and treasurer for Peoples First of Wichita Falls. Additionally, he is a former board member of the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and a former volunteer for the United Way.
Lisa Treleaven, Ed.D. of Montgomery is a licensed counselor and a consultant in the fields of education and mental health. She a volunteer parent mentor for Texas Parent to Parent and a family advisor for Texas Children’s Hospital and Emergency Medical Services for Children. She is a member of the Community Emergency Response Team and Texas Partners in Policymaking class of 2025. Treleaven received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The University of Texas (UT) at Austin and a Master of Arts in Psychology and Doctor of Education from Houston Christian University.
Ellen M. Bauman of Joshua has served on the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities since 2018. She formally worked as the special needs ministry liaison for First United Methodist Church in Arlington and is a certified Christian educator. She is a member of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee, Durable Medical Equipment Back-Up Taskforce, and The Arc of Texas Public Policy Advocacy Committee. Additionally, she is the immediate past president of the Arc of DFW Area and board chair of Texas Parent to Parent. Bauman attended Texas Wesleyan University and Tarrant County College and received a certificate of Christian Education from Columbia College in Columbia South Carolina.
Neva Fairchild of Flower Mound is owner of Experts On Blindness. She has worked in the field of blindness services for over 30 years. She is president of the Braille Revival League of Texas, state newsletter editor for the American Council of the Blind of Texas, and former president of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. Fairchild received a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Science and a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling Psychology from UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
Kristie Orr, Ph.D. of College Station is the disability resources director for Texas A&M University. She is a member and former president of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). She frequently provides workshops, lectures, and external reviews at state and national conferences and on campuses throughout the United States. Orr received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Doctor of Philosophy in School Psychology from Texas A&M University and a Master of Education in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
