As part of our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives, Impact Austin provides learning opportunities to members, potential members, Community Partners, and the public. Our DEIB learning also supports our seasonal grant cycles. Past sessions have discussed data equity; a history of race, racism, and philanthropy in Central Texas; DEIB in action, equity in the disability world; generational biases, and LGBTQ+ equity in philanthropy.
On April 28, Impact Austin will offer our newest webinar that reviews current legislation and how it impacts the nonprofits we support and the communities served by them. This event is available to a limited in-person audience (about 50) at the Austin Area Urban League and also by livestream. Register now!
Discussion points will include the following:
An overview of the 88th Regular Legislative Session and this year’s legislative priorities
Bills, regulations, and policies to watch that could impact nonprofit clients and the sector
The difference between advocacy and lobbying; why nonprofits lobby for their mission and stakeholders
How legislative priorities can be considered vis a vis Impact Austin grantmaking
How to monitor and follow legislation; how to participate in advocacy
Moderator:
Senior Managing Editor, Texas Tribune
Ayan Mittra is the Senior Managing Editor at The Texas Tribune. Ayan joined the Tribune after working more than 10 years at The Dallas Morning News. He spent his first seven years there as a copy editor. In 2008, he moved to the political desk, supervising the daily presentations and working with reporters in the field. He then worked as a night city editor, supervising the coverage of late-breaking news. He was also on the editing team for the 2009 and 2011 legislative sessions.
A native of Beaumont, Ayan graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Panelists:
Partner, Davis Kaufman, PLLC
Denise Davis is a law partner at Davis Kaufman, PLLC, a boutique law firm lobby practice operating for 20 years here in Austin, Texas. Denise has over 20 years of public service in and around the Texas Legislature, serving clients in both the public and private sectors.
Before founding Davis Kaufman PLLC with Lisa Kaufman in 2012, Ms. Davis
served as Chief of Staff to Speaker Joe R. Straus, and for several sessions as
House Parliamentarian and Special Counsel to the Texas House of
Representatives. Her public service also includes work as General Counsel to Lt.
Governor William “Bill” Ratliff, Director and Counsel to the Texas Judicial Council
under then-Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips, General Counsel to the Senate
Jurisprudence Committee under Senator Rodney Ellis, Legislative Counsel for the
Texas Legislative Council, and Assistant Public Information/Press Officer for Lt.
Governor William P. Hobby. She has also practiced in the private sector, serving
as Special Counsel in the Corporate Section of Baker Botts, LLP.
In addition to her public service and private sector work, Denise has been active
in numerous organizations over the years including the local board of directors for
Ronald McDonald House, KLRU/PBS, Austin Chamber Board, Annette Strauss Institute Advisory Council, Jack and Jill of America, Inc., The Links, Incorporated, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Texas Lyceum, Austin Children’s Museum, Mission Capital, and Social Venture Partners. She has also been Chair and Immediate Past Chair of the Texas Supreme Court’s Task Force on Emergency Preparedness. Ms. Davis is a proud graduate of UT's College of Liberal Arts and School of Law.
Director for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, LBJ School of Public Affairs
Estevan Delgado is the Director for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. In this role, he also sits on the Dean's executive leadership team.
Estevan has formal project management experience running large-scale government grants and program management experience fundraising and designing trust-based grantmaking
opportunities and events for the Hispanic Impact Fund at Austin Community Foundation.
In his professional and community-based work, Estevan seeks to embed diversity, equity, and
inclusion to ensure belonging for those underrepresented in spaces of power, especially for
people of color, people that identify as queer, and people that identify as disabled.
Estevan grew up in Columbia, Tennessee as the son of unionized autoworkers. He is a graduate of Rice University (BA) in Houston, Texas, and The LBJ School (MPAff).
Founder and CEO, Bingham Group, LLC
A.J. Bingham is the Founder and CEO of Bingham Group, LLC., an Austin-based lobbying firm serving businesses, nonprofits and trade associations at the municipal and state level.
A.J. Chairs the Bingham Group Foundation, which provides unrestricted funds to nonprofits creating educational and economic access for underserved communities in the Austin Metro. He is the Immediate Past Chair of the Long Center Board of Trustees, as well as serving on the boards of the 4ATX Foundation (Austin FC's nonprofit), Austin Trail of Lights Foundation, Austin Habitat for Humanity, Blanton Museum of Art National Leadership Board, and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of the firm, A.J. has previously taught MBA level courses on business and policy at
Rice's Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, and Austin's Concordia University.
A.J. holds a B.A. in Political Science from Wake Forest University and a J.D. from Washburn
University School of Law. Born into an Air Force family and raised in Austin, he is a graduate of
Austin ISD schools including the LBJ Science Academy (now Liberal Arts and Science Academy).
Learn more about Impact Austin!
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