Task Force Members
Joyce James (Chair)
Texas State Agency Representative
Joyce James serves at the Deputy Commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a position she has held since January 2009. Her previous experience includes serving as the Assistant Commissioner for Child Protective Services (CPS), CPS District Director for the East/Central District, Regional Director, Program Administrator, Regional Operations Management Liaison, Program Director, Supervisor, Volunteer Coordinator, Caseworker and Residential Placement Coordinator. She has more than 27 years of experience in state service and has experience facilitating focus groups at the local and state level on various child welfare issues. James has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lamar University.
Robert Hickerson (Vice-Chair)
Community-Based Organization Representative
Robert Hickerson serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Off-Campus Sites for Texas Tech University. His previous experience includes founding and directing a national direct AmeriCorps program for Texas A&M University and serving as the Executive Director of the Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, which included serving as the head of the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism. At the Texas Nonprofit Management Assistance Network, he served on the Board of Directors and became President in early 2009. Hickerson has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkley, and has a master’s degree in management from the University of Southern California.
Angela Bies, Ph.D.
Academic Community Representative
Dr. Angela Bies, Assistant Professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, joined Texas A&M University in 2001 as a visiting faculty member with a joint appointment in the Bush School and the College of Education. Bies has published in many scholarly venues. She has held executive and consulting positions for a variety of nonprofit and public sector organizations, including the U.S. Peace Corps, the United Way of the Greater Minneapolis Area, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Council on Standards for International Education and Travel and the National Charities Information Bureau/Rockefeller Brothers Fund national panel on nonprofit accountability. She has a master’s degree in management from the University of Wisconsin and has a doctorate in nonprofit management from the University of Minnesota.
Brad Carter
Faith-Based Organization Representative
Brad Carter served as the Executive Director of Connecting Caring Communities from 2007-2010. His previous experience includes serving in leadership roles for large nonprofit institutions, leading a small urban ministry, and speaking and presenting on nonprofit capacity building. He was recognized as one of 20 business leaders under 40 in the Abilene area in 2009 and received the Public Citizen of the Year award from the National Association of Social Workers in Abilene. Carter has a bachelor’s degree in ministry and a master’s degree in Christian ministry from Abilene Christian University.
Bruce Esterline
Foundation Community Representative
Bruce Esterline serves as the Vice President for Grants for the Meadows Foundation, a position he has held since 1992. Prior to that, he had served as a Program Officer with the Meadows Foundation since 1983. He has had a 35-year career in the government and nonprofit sectors. His previous experience includes working with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of nonprofit agencies throughout Texas, including a central program focus on supporting nonprofit infrastructure in Texas. Esterline has a bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford University and has a master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.
Karen R. Johnson
Community-Based Organization Representative
Karen R. Johnson has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Ways of Texas for the past 10 years. Under her leadership, the United Ways of Texas has been recognized as the top nonprofit lobbying organization in the state. She also currently serves as a Fellow and Advisory Board Member for the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution. Her previous experience includes working with state agencies, elected officials and members of the private sector as a lobbyist, attorney and head of an energy company. She has served as an advisory member of the Governor’s Volunteer Council and a member of the Executive Committee for Texas Society of Association Executives. She was honored in 2006 with the Austin Business Journal’s Profiles in Power Award and was recognized in being named 2007 Volunteer Extraordinaire Sustainer by the Junior League of Austin. Johnson has a bachelor’s degree in government from The University of Texas at Austin and has a law degree from St. Mary’s University.
Bee Moorhead
Faith-Based Organization Representative
Bee Moorhead is the Executive Director of Texas Impact, a position she has held since April 2000. She is also the director of Texas Interfaith Power and Light, Texas Impact’s environmental program. Her previous experience includes seven years as a senior state fiscal policy analyst for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts; chief architect of Family Pathfinders, a unique program linking Texas congregations and civic organizations with families on public assistance; and serving as a key member of the Comptroller's Texas Performance Review. She has a bachelor’s degree in drama from The University of Texas at Austin and has master’s degree in public administration from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.
Barry Silverberg
Community-Based Organization Representative
Barry Silverberg serves as the President and CEO of the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations (TANO), a position he has held since March 2008. He also leads the Center for Community-Based and Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College and its Nonprofit Austin program. In addition, he maintains an active life as a nonprofit volunteer. His previous experience includes serving as a TANO Board Member for many years and serving as the TANO Board Chair. Silverberg has a bachelor’s degree in political science from The University at Albany and a master’s degree in Jewish communal service from Brandeis University.
Texas State Agency Representative
Joyce James serves at the Deputy Commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a position she has held since January 2009. Her previous experience includes serving as the Assistant Commissioner for Child Protective Services (CPS), CPS District Director for the East/Central District, Regional Director, Program Administrator, Regional Operations Management Liaison, Program Director, Supervisor, Volunteer Coordinator, Caseworker and Residential Placement Coordinator. She has more than 27 years of experience in state service and has experience facilitating focus groups at the local and state level on various child welfare issues. James has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lamar University.
Robert Hickerson (Vice-Chair)
Community-Based Organization Representative
Robert Hickerson serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Off-Campus Sites for Texas Tech University. His previous experience includes founding and directing a national direct AmeriCorps program for Texas A&M University and serving as the Executive Director of the Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, which included serving as the head of the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism. At the Texas Nonprofit Management Assistance Network, he served on the Board of Directors and became President in early 2009. Hickerson has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkley, and has a master’s degree in management from the University of Southern California.
Angela Bies, Ph.D.
Academic Community Representative
Dr. Angela Bies, Assistant Professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, joined Texas A&M University in 2001 as a visiting faculty member with a joint appointment in the Bush School and the College of Education. Bies has published in many scholarly venues. She has held executive and consulting positions for a variety of nonprofit and public sector organizations, including the U.S. Peace Corps, the United Way of the Greater Minneapolis Area, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Council on Standards for International Education and Travel and the National Charities Information Bureau/Rockefeller Brothers Fund national panel on nonprofit accountability. She has a master’s degree in management from the University of Wisconsin and has a doctorate in nonprofit management from the University of Minnesota.
Brad Carter
Faith-Based Organization Representative
Brad Carter served as the Executive Director of Connecting Caring Communities from 2007-2010. His previous experience includes serving in leadership roles for large nonprofit institutions, leading a small urban ministry, and speaking and presenting on nonprofit capacity building. He was recognized as one of 20 business leaders under 40 in the Abilene area in 2009 and received the Public Citizen of the Year award from the National Association of Social Workers in Abilene. Carter has a bachelor’s degree in ministry and a master’s degree in Christian ministry from Abilene Christian University.
Bruce Esterline
Foundation Community Representative
Bruce Esterline serves as the Vice President for Grants for the Meadows Foundation, a position he has held since 1992. Prior to that, he had served as a Program Officer with the Meadows Foundation since 1983. He has had a 35-year career in the government and nonprofit sectors. His previous experience includes working with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of nonprofit agencies throughout Texas, including a central program focus on supporting nonprofit infrastructure in Texas. Esterline has a bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford University and has a master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.
Karen R. Johnson
Community-Based Organization Representative
Karen R. Johnson has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Ways of Texas for the past 10 years. Under her leadership, the United Ways of Texas has been recognized as the top nonprofit lobbying organization in the state. She also currently serves as a Fellow and Advisory Board Member for the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution. Her previous experience includes working with state agencies, elected officials and members of the private sector as a lobbyist, attorney and head of an energy company. She has served as an advisory member of the Governor’s Volunteer Council and a member of the Executive Committee for Texas Society of Association Executives. She was honored in 2006 with the Austin Business Journal’s Profiles in Power Award and was recognized in being named 2007 Volunteer Extraordinaire Sustainer by the Junior League of Austin. Johnson has a bachelor’s degree in government from The University of Texas at Austin and has a law degree from St. Mary’s University.
Bee Moorhead
Faith-Based Organization Representative
Bee Moorhead is the Executive Director of Texas Impact, a position she has held since April 2000. She is also the director of Texas Interfaith Power and Light, Texas Impact’s environmental program. Her previous experience includes seven years as a senior state fiscal policy analyst for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts; chief architect of Family Pathfinders, a unique program linking Texas congregations and civic organizations with families on public assistance; and serving as a key member of the Comptroller's Texas Performance Review. She has a bachelor’s degree in drama from The University of Texas at Austin and has master’s degree in public administration from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.
Barry Silverberg
Community-Based Organization Representative
Barry Silverberg serves as the President and CEO of the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations (TANO), a position he has held since March 2008. He also leads the Center for Community-Based and Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College and its Nonprofit Austin program. In addition, he maintains an active life as a nonprofit volunteer. His previous experience includes serving as a TANO Board Member for many years and serving as the TANO Board Chair. Silverberg has a bachelor’s degree in political science from The University at Albany and a master’s degree in Jewish communal service from Brandeis University.
