Executive Committee

Officers

Deborah E. Britton (President)

Deborah E. Britton is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and is the Community Services Division Director for Travis County Health and Human Services and Veterans Service since 2001. Prior to working for Travis County, Ms. Britton was with the City of Austin for 11 years and was the Youth Services Manager in the Health and Human Services Department. She is a graduate of the 2003-04 Leadership Austin Class, 1996 ELI Graduate and member of the ELI Connection, and a member of NFBPA since 1995. Ms. Britton served on various boards over the years including Vice-President of Habitat for Humanity. She is currently the President of the Central Texas Chapter of NFBPA.

J. C. “Dusty” McCormick (Vice-President)

J. C. “Dusty” McCormick is currently the Business and Economic Development Liaison for the City of Austin, Texas. Prior to the City of Austin, Mr. McCormick has served county, state, and federal government, and in the Non-profit and For-profit worlds in progressively responsible positions. McCormick was a 1993 graduate of the Executive Leadership Institute. He holds both a BS and MBA in Business Administration.

Yvette Rugely Craig (Secretary)

Ms. Rugely-Craig is a graduate of Texas State University and has been employed with Travis County government for 11 years. She currently works with Travis County Health and Human Services & Veteran Services as a Human Resources Specialist. Her areas of expertise are compensation, staffing and employee relations. She also serves on an Executive Compensation Committee for Travis County government. She is currently serving a second term as the Secretary to the Board of Directors of the NFBPA Central Texas Chapter. Ms. Rugely-Craig is also a recent graduate of the NFBPA Mentor Program.

Diane Harrison (Treasurer)

D. Diane Harrison is currently the Financial Manager for the City of Austin Law Department. She has been with the City of Austin for over 20 years in progressively increasing roles within various departments. Diane has been a member of the NFBPA-Central Texas Chapter for over 16 years and has many years of service as Treasurer of the local chapter. Diane has a BA and a MBA from Cornell University.

Melvin S. Manor (Parliamentarian)

A graduate of Huston-Tillotson College with a degree in Business Administrative and Master of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Employed by the City of Austin Law Department as an, Administrative Specialist, since March of 1991. Serves as Department’s Safety Liaison, HR Liaison, Healthy Connections Liaison, Mentoring and Tutoring Liaison and a member of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators since 2008.

Eddie Washington (Ex-officio)

Eddie Washington is a native, and returning Austinite with professional experience in Energy, Commercial Aviation, Professional Gaming Industry and Federal/Municipal governments. Having traveled extensively both, domestically and internationally has provide him with a keen global perspective of governments and businesses entities. Eddie is a Hatton Sumners Public Policy Scholar with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Management from Huston-Tillotson University, an M. P.A. Alumnus of the University of Texas, Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs, and a graduate of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) Executive Leadership Institute. Currently employed as a Contract Administrator with Austin Energy, the City of Austin Municipally owned Utility. He’s charged with developing, administering, and managing a mixed portfolio of electric utility agreements. He’s the immediate past president of NFBPA Central Texas and currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors. A committed and conscientious community and public servant.

Board Members

Anthony J. Snipes

Anthony J. Snipes is a graduate of Mercer University (BA) and Florida State University (MPA). He is the Chief of Staff for the City of Austin and has served since 2008. Prior to working for City of Austin, Mr. Snipes worked with the cities of Fort Worth, TX, Dayton, OH, and Tallahassee, FL in a number of professional and executive level positions. He is a 2007 ELI Graduate and member of the ELI Connection, and a member of NFBPA since 1994-1995. He is currently a member of the national NFBPA Board of Directors, as well as, chairperson for the local NFBPA chapter’s Program Committee and local Board of Directors. Mr. Snipes is very active in the community and believes that we must invest in our future (our kids) and make an investment now.

Cora Wright

Cora Wright holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Texas Women’s University, Denton, Texas and a Master of Education degree from the University of Texas @ Austin. Currently appointed, Assistant Director of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Wright provides executive oversight of several divisions and critical department functions— Financial Services, Office of Internal Review, Technology & Information Systems, Office of Special Events & Facility Reservations, the Austin Park Ranger Division, and Park Development Administration (including Public-Private Partnerships and Volunteer Services).

Sherri Fleming

Sherri E. Fleming is the Executive Manager for Travis County Health and Human Services and Veterans Service. She has held this position since her appointment by the Travis County Commissioners Court in October 2004. Sherri moved to Austin in March 2000 to serve as Director of Detention Services at Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center. At Gardner Betts, she also served as the Director of Court Services. In September 2001, Sherri joined Travis County Health and Human Services and Veterans Services as Division Director for Family Support Services, a position she held for three years prior to her appointment as Executive Manager. Sherri holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Tyler. She has been a licensed chemical dependency counselor since 1992. Her counseling experience has centered on substance abuse treatment and aftercare services for adolescents. She has also conducted numerous trainings in the areas of public relations, juvenile justice, juvenile justice management, supervision of juvenile offenders, substance abuse, personnel issues, strategies for change and working with special populations.