25 Association CEOs and Executive Directors in Texas

Last updated 14 August 2026.

Why these leaders matter.

Texas has a broad network of professional societies, trade groups, chambers and member-led organisations. Their chief executives and executive directors turn member needs into advocacy, education, services, standards and practical progress.

This recognition directory brings together current association leaders across banking, manufacturing, construction, health, education, professional services and community life. It is a starting point for understanding the people who help members work together across Texas.

25 association CEOs and executive directors in Texas.

1. Chris Furlow.

CEO and President, Texas Bankers Association.

Chris Furlow leads the Texas Bankers Association, which describes itself as the leadership organisation for Texas banks. The association focuses on member-centred policy, issue advocacy, professional development and services for banks of different sizes and types.

That mix gives the role a wide brief. It connects the everyday needs of banking members with the policy, capability and community work that keeps a professional association useful.

2. Tony Bennett.

President and CEO, Texas Association of Manufacturers.

Tony Bennett leads the Texas Association of Manufacturers, which advocates for manufacturing companies across the state. The association brings policy, partnerships and member support together around the competitiveness and long-term strength of Texas manufacturing.

Association leadership in this setting means holding a clear industry voice while keeping the needs of smaller and larger members visible. It is a practical example of leadership built around shared interests.

3. Scott Norman.

CEO, Texas Association of Builders.

Scott Norman is CEO of the Texas Association of Builders, a statewide organisation supporting the building industry and its member network. The association connects builders with advocacy, professional support and the wider conversations shaping housing and construction in Texas.

The role shows how association leaders help a sector speak with greater clarity. They translate a wide range of member experience into common priorities and useful services.

4. Meloni Raney.

President and CEO, TEXO Association.

Meloni Raney leads TEXO Association, which provides members with programmes, services and strategic alliances across the construction sector. Its work includes advocacy, professional training, education, networking and safety services.

That combination makes the role especially relevant to anyone studying member-led leadership. The association has to support immediate operational needs while also helping members build capability for the future.

5. John Hawkins.

President and CEO, Texas Hospital Association.

John Hawkins leads the Texas Hospital Association, the statewide voice for hospitals and health systems. The association brings together advocacy, hospital support, workforce issues, education and quality conversations that affect healthcare across Texas.

The work is a reminder that a membership organisation can be both a public voice and a practical service partner. Its leadership has to keep those two responsibilities connected.

6. Ray Martinez III.

President and CEO, Texas Association of Community Colleges.

Ray Martinez III leads the Texas Association of Community Colleges, a membership association representing 48 community colleges across Texas. Its work connects policy, institutional practice, workforce education and continuing education with the needs of colleges and the communities they serve.

This is association leadership at the intersection of education and economic development. The role depends on turning a diverse member network into constructive partnerships and shared progress.

7. George Linial.

President and CEO, LeadingAge Texas.

George Linial leads LeadingAge Texas, an association serving organisations and professionals in ageing services. The association gives its members a place to share knowledge, strengthen practice and respond to the needs of older people and the communities around them.

The role matters because ageing services depend on both human care and strong organisational systems. Association leaders help members navigate that balance together.

8. Tracy Ginsburg.

Executive Director, Texas Association of School Business Officials.

Tracy Ginsburg leads the Texas Association of School Business Officials, which supports the people responsible for the financial and operational work of school systems. Her background in school district finance gives the role a direct connection to the practical realities members face.

This is a useful example of a leader carrying frontline experience into association service. Members benefit when professional learning is shaped by a clear understanding of the work itself.

9. Harley Eckhart.

Executive Director, Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association.

Harley Eckhart leads the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association, which serves Texas school leaders from pre-kindergarten through Year 8. The association has a long history of supporting the people responsible for leading schools and developing better learning communities.

The role highlights the people-centred side of association leadership. Supporting principals means helping members lead staff, students and communities through constant change.

10. Ben Starr.

Interim Executive Director, Texas Computer Education Association.

Ben Starr is Interim Executive Director of the Texas Computer Education Association, which supports educators and leaders working with technology in education. The interim label matters because it describes the current shape of the role accurately.

Technology education changes quickly, so the association has to make useful ideas easier for members to understand and apply. That makes the role a clear example of leadership through translation and service.

11. Leslie Midgley.

Executive Vice President and CEO, Texas Land Title Association.

Leslie Midgley leads the Texas Land Title Association, the statewide trade association for the title insurance industry. The association supports members through education, advocacy, professional development and services connected to the work of protecting property transactions.

The role shows how an association can create confidence in a specialised profession. Clear standards, shared knowledge and strong representation all matter when members work in a technical field.

12. Jennifer Ahrens Cawley.

President and CEO, Texas Association of Life and Health Insurers.

Jennifer Ahrens Cawley leads the Texas Association of Life and Health Insurers. The association represents insurers and speaks on the economic, legislative and regulatory questions that shape life, health and related insurance products for Texans.

That places the role close to both member needs and public policy. It is a strong example of how association leaders create a bridge between a profession and the wider community it serves.

13. Diana Martinez.

President and CEO, Texas Assisted Living Association.

Diana Martinez leads the Texas Assisted Living Association, which is committed to enriching the lives of Texas seniors, developing the people who care for them and being a voice for both. The association serves professionally managed senior living providers across the state.

The role makes the connection between member service and human outcomes especially visible. Effective association leadership keeps professional capability tied to the experience of residents, families and caregivers.

14. Lee Ann Johnson.

Executive Director, Texas Dental Association.

Lee Ann Johnson brings more than 35 years of association leadership to her role at the Texas Dental Association, including 25 years with TDA. Her work has included membership, communications, publications, operations, programmes and member service delivery.

The breadth of that experience reflects the range of work inside a professional association. Members rely on leaders who can connect governance, service and the daily details that make belonging worthwhile.

15. Rachel Kramer.

Executive Director, Texas Association for Behavior Analysis.

Rachel Kramer leads the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis, a statewide professional association for people working in behaviour analysis. The organisation gives members a way to build professional connection, share knowledge and support the development of their field in Texas.

The role demonstrates how association leaders help a profession keep its standards and community strong. That work is often quiet, but it shapes how members learn and contribute.

16. Shirley Robinson.

Executive Director, Texas Library Association.

Shirley Robinson leads the Texas Library Association, which brings together library professionals across public, school, academic and special library settings. The association connects advocacy, education, member participation and the practical work of strengthening libraries across Texas.

Her role shows how a professional association can hold a broad community together. The work is not only about policy. It is also about giving members useful ways to learn, contribute and support one another.

17. Gloria Terry.

Chief Executive Officer, Texas Council on Family Violence.

Gloria Terry leads the Texas Council on Family Violence, a statewide organisation focused on family violence prevention and response. Its work brings together member organisations, public education, professional support and the wider effort to make communities safer.

Association leadership here carries a clear public purpose. The role depends on building practical alignment among people and organisations working on a difficult and important issue.

18. Lindsay Thompson.

President and CEO, Texas Healthcare Trustees.

Lindsay Thompson leads Texas Healthcare Trustees, a statewide association whose members include hospitals, health systems and the board members who govern them. The organisation provides education, resources and leadership development for healthcare trustees.

That focus puts governance at the centre of the role. Strong association leadership helps people who carry formal responsibility become more informed, capable and useful to the institutions they serve.

19. Michelle Jackson.

Executive Director, Texas PTA.

Michelle Jackson leads Texas PTA, whose state office supports local PTAs and their work for children and families. The organisation gives local volunteers and leaders a wider network, shared resources and practical support.

The role is a reminder that membership organisations often succeed through distributed leadership. A strong centre makes it easier for local people to act with confidence in their own communities.

20. Steven Stout.

Executive Director, Texas Society of Association Executives.

Steven Stout leads the Texas Society of Association Executives, the professional community for people who run associations in Texas. TSAE creates opportunities for education, connection and the exchange of ideas across the association sector.

That makes the role especially relevant to this list. It is leadership of a network whose members are themselves responsible for helping other networks work well.

21. Mark Allen.

Executive Director, TXCPA Houston.

Mark Allen leads TXCPA Houston, a local professional society serving CPA members in the Houston region. The chapter gives its members access to education, connection and support across the accounting profession.

Local professional societies turn broad professional standards into relationships and services close to home. The role shows how association leadership can be highly practical and community-based at the same time.

22. Serena Bumpus.

Chief Executive Officer, Texas Nurses Association.

Serena Bumpus is Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Nurses Association. She leads the strategic direction of the association and its foundation while representing Texas nurses in national conversations.

The role connects professional membership with public voice, education and workforce issues. It shows why association leaders need to understand both the profession they represent and the systems around it.

23. Rachel Naylor.

Executive Director, Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

Rachel Naylor leads the Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, a professional association spanning several related fields. Its work brings people together around education, professional development and the value of active, healthy communities.

The breadth of the remit makes the role a useful study in shared identity. Association leadership often means finding the common purpose that connects neighbouring disciplines.

24. Jodi Ann Ray.

President and CEO, TXCPA.

Jodi Ann Ray leads TXCPA, the statewide professional society serving Texas CPAs. The organisation supports members through professional education, advocacy, resources and a shared connection to the accounting profession.

Statewide leadership in a profession depends on making a large network feel relevant to people in different places and stages of their careers. That is one of the central challenges of association work.

25. Christopher Williston VI.

President and CEO, Independent Bankers Association of Texas.

Christopher Williston VI leads the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, which represents independent community banks across the state. The association gives member banks a shared voice while supporting the distinctive role community banking plays in local economies.

The role illustrates how association leaders protect both professional identity and practical member interests. It is work built on listening carefully, representing fairly and keeping the wider purpose visible.

Conclusion.

Across these organisations, three themes keep appearing. Association leaders have to represent a profession, build member capability and keep the organisation connected to the people it serves.

They also work across boundaries. Policy, education, advocacy, governance and community outcomes rarely sit in separate boxes, so the leaders responsible for membership organisations have to help people see the whole system.

That is useful for any leader, not only an association CEO. The strongest organisations make their purpose practical, give people ways to contribute and turn shared values into repeatable habits.

About the Author.

Jonno White is the founder of Consult Clarity, a keynote speaker, leadership consultant and author. He helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at, with practical ideas they can use on Monday morning.

Related reading.

If you lead a team and want clearer ways to work together, you may enjoy Leadership Team Aligned, 21 Practical Working Genius Tips for Leaders and Working Genius Transforms Executive Teams.

If you want a useful next step after a team development conversation, read Steps After Working Genius.

A practical next step.

If your association leadership team needs clearer culture, strategy or alignment, I can help turn good intentions into practical team habits.

Email jonno@consultclarity.org with a short note about the work you are trying to do, and I will reply in writing with a useful starting point.