2018 Board of Directors Election

ACLU of Texas members who have paid their dues within the past 15 months are eligible to vote for the organization's board of directors. The board of directors represents the interests of the state's members and manages the activities of the ACLU of Texas and ACLU Foundation of Texas.

How the Candidates Were Nominated
Our by-laws specify two methods for nominating candidates for director. Candidates may be nominated by the Nominating Committee, or may be nominated by petition with the signatures of a minimum of 100 current members of the ACLU of Texas. We received no petitions. There are eight candidates for eight open seats on the board.

Instructions for Voting
Candidate bios are listed below in alphabetical order. Votes must be cast no later than 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, July 19. You will need your 8-digit membership number to vote, which can be found on your membership card or by calling Lauren Nguyen at (713) 942-8146 x121. If your membership has lapsed in the last fifteen months, visit our membership page to renew.

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Candidate Bios

The ACLU of Texas is committed to a diverse board and one that is representative of the various regions of Texas. This year's candidates are listed below in alphabetical order. You cannot cast more than one vote for any candidate.

Susie Byrd
Susie Byrd is a lifelong El Pasoan committed to improving the city through local governance. She served on City Council and is currently a Trustee for El Paso ISD. Susie owns Moxie Communications and Consulting, a local consulting firm. She co-wrote Dealing Death and Drugs with Congressman Beto O’Rourke to highlight the crippling consequences of our nation’s failed drug war policy. Susie is an outspoken advocate for civil rights and criminal justice reform and is excited to extend the impact of her commitment by serving a second term on the ACLU Board. She has served for one year as a Board member.

MaryScott Hagle
I'm MaryScott Hagle, a mom, volunteer, native Texan, and the executive director at a fast-growing Buddhist center in Houston. I’ve been privileged to serve on the ACLU of Texas board in the past, and I’m passionate about civil liberties – especially immigrants’ rights, criminal justice reform, and equal access / equal justice for ALL traditionally marginalized populations. I am so proud of the work that the ACLU has been doing in the courts and in the media to combat the erosion of fairness, justice, and equal opportunity we see in America today. I look forward to rejoining the fight in a formalized way!

Lee Henderson
Lee Henderson currently serves as President of the ACLU of Texas board. Lee has previously served as Treasurer and Executive Vice President, and has served on the board since 2009. Lee is a political strategist and has worked for many local, state and national campaigns, both in electoral and non-profit advocacy. Lee is currently employed by Everytown for Gun Safety / Moms Demand Action. In a previous career, Lee was a Chief Financial Officer for a telecom products company. Lee is personally committed to the ACLU’s work leaving a more fair and free Texas for his family.

Craig Jackson
Craig Jackson is Professor of Law at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University, in Houston. A professor of constitutional law, he has been on the board of the ACLU of Texas since 2014 and he has been the chairperson of the Nominations and Governance Committee since 2016. He served as a Co-Director of the Thurgood Marshall Institute for International and Immigration Law, which hosted a constitutional and international law symposium observing the tenth anniversary of the attacks on 9-11. In 1998 Jackson was a visiting fellow at Wolfson College and at the Lauterpacht Research Center for International Law, both of Cambridge University, England.

Maria Ramos
Maria Ramos has served on the board of the ACLU since 2011. Maria is a clinical social worker currently practicing at The Menninger Clinic in Houston. Maria is passionate about the work the ACLU does to advocate for justice for all people in Texas.

Alec Rhodes
Alec Rhodes has long supported the ACLU, valuing its fight for racial justice, voting rights, free speech, and separation of church and state. He has been on the board for five years, serving on the Finance, and Nominations & Governance committees. A member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1995-1998, he was Vice Chair of the Business & Industry Committee and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telemarketing. He was recognized by the Lone Star Sierra Club and others for his work protecting the environment. A businessman, he owned Martinez Office Supply in Austin, and taught business and management at Austin Community College.

Nicola Fuentes Toubia
Nicola Fuentes Toubia is the founding member of Fuentes Toubia, PLLC, a law firm dedicated to the legal and tax issues facing nonprofits. She has helped many nonprofits participate in the political arena, which will help the ACLU’s crisis response. An avid ACLU supporter since 2001, Nicola believes that civil liberties are the cornerstone of our democracy: they allow individual ingenuity to flourish. Nicola received a B.S. in Economics from Texas A&M University, her J.D. from the University of Texas, School of Law, and her LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Houston Law Center.

Susan Young
Susan Young believes her board service has been the most engaging, rewarding and impactful work she has done among a number of progressive efforts. She is Vice President for Development and Board Secretary and is active on several committees including Audit, Nominations and Governance. She took a leadership role in the 2010 study to reorganize volunteer activities and is passionate about all of our core issues. Her long professional career and volunteer experience includes membership on the boards of the Pacifica radio network, the Houston Museum District, Miller Outdoor Theatre, the Houston Civic Events Corporation and Sister Cities of Houston, among others.

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