Tracy Benedict is a CPA and tax Senior Manager at Ernst & Young. Tracy earned her MPA and BBA in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and is a member of several professional organizations, including the Texas Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. Tracy is a proponent of helping students achieve a college education, and has volunteered as a mentor with various youth programs.  Tracy also works with several major universities in her capacity as a campus recruiter.

Paul Brownell is a Principal at Growth Acceleration Partners, a management consulting and software development outsourcing company. Paul specializes in developing business strategy, leading change and implementing world-class software practices.  He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Tennessee, with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.  Paul is past president of The Next to New Shop, a retail consignment shop whose proceeds go to local charities.

Henry B. “Hank” Ewert,nationally recognized in the field of college counseling and admissions, served as Director of College Counseling of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School for 25 years. He continues to hold leadership roles in counseling and admissions, in addition to providing independent college planning at Academic Answers.  He is past chairperson of the College Board Southwest Regional Council, a charter member of the Texas Association of College Admission Counseling (TACAC), and Chairman of their Summer Institute committee. Hank has represented Texas at the National Association of College Admission Counseling in five separate years.

Lisa Fielder (Ex-Officio) has a lifelong commitment to education and a genuine affection for teenagers.  Since founding College Forward in 2003, Lisa has impacted hundreds of college-bound students in Central Texas and was named a “Local Hero” in 2006 by the Bank of America Foundation.  In 2008, she was awarded the “Excellence in Service Award” by the College Board for her catalytic innovations in education access and college counseling. As executive director, Lisa provides vision and leadership to support the design, implementation, and management of programs that support our mission.

James Gaeta is the Director of Financial Aid at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. He earned a baccalaureate degree in Business Administration from Southwestern and served with distinction in their Office of Admissions for several years before joining the financial aid office. He is a strong proponent of the liberal arts and is committed to helping needy students find ways to attend colleges and universities.

Jackie Mata is a Wealth Manager for JP Morgan. Jackie has significant background in the areas of finance, investment management, and taxation as she is a CPA and Certified Financial Planner.  Previously, she was COO of the KDK-Harman Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, Jackie was the Director of Wealth Management services at an Austin based investment management firm.  In addition, she had served as the chief financial officer for a family office serving the financial needs of a three-generational family.  Jackie began her career at Deloitte & Touche in Michigan as she graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Accounting. Until recently, she served as Vice-Chairman of the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas.

Doreen J. Wise, Ed.D. (Chair) is founder and CEO of Medical Research Consultants of Houston, Texas.  Dr. Wise is a charter member and past president of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) and served as editor and contributing author of AALNC’s core curriculum textbook. She is founder of Gabriel’s Gifts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of issues related to missing children in America, and co-founded College Forward with Lisa Fielder in 2003.