Speakers

• CFRE
  CFRE
• Janet Bubert
  

  Janet Bubert

  Janet Bubert focuses her practice on representing the boards of numerous independent school districts, charter schools, universities, community colleges and education foundations. She advises clients on all aspects of education law and represents schools in both federal and state courts and before the Texas Commissioner of Education as well as other federal and state agencies. Janet has significant experience advising schools about programs for students with disabilities and authored a book chapter on disability programs.

  Janet regularly provides training for boards, school administrators and staff, and she is a frequent speaker at state and national education conferences. She was named a Rising Star by Thomson Reuters from 2007-2012 in Schools and Education Law in Texas Monthly and was included in the List of Top Attorneys from 2011-2015 for Education and School Law in Fort Worth, Texas Magazine.

  Following law school, Janet served as a briefing attorney for the Honorable James A. Baker and the Honorable Michael Schneider, Justices of the Supreme Court of Texas.

• Laurie Cromwell
  

  Laurie Cromwell

  Laurie Cromwell, CFRE was the first woman elected to an at large position on the local school board, the first woman school board president, the first president of the local education foundation, the first woman president of the local Economic Development Commission, and a founding Board member of the local Chamber of Commerce. She was the first person to receive Chamber Citizen of the Year and the first to receive the Outstanding Service Award by the Texas Pioneer Foundation. She started her mission in the nonprofit field in 1984 and in 2003 founded Foundation Innovation, a consulting firm that has guided hundreds of education foundations and school boards to success.

  ​laurie@foundationinnovation.com
  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 700

• Shawn Callaway
  

  Shawn Callaway

  Shawn Callaway started his career in nonprofit management in 1993 and has accrued almost 30 years of experience in nonprofit management. From religious and education to business nonprofits, Shawn has served in most roles of nonprofits from Board Member all the way to President/CEO. Under Shawn’s leadership two different local Chambers have received Five Star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber. Shawn currently serves as the first executive director of the award-winning Aledo ISD Education Foundation, which has raised over three million dollars since its founding in 2013. Shawn is actively involved in pro-education legislation and activism. Shawn earned a B.A. in Communications/Mass Communications from Texas Tech University and holds certifications in adolescent education from Southern Methodist University and Princeton University. Shawn is the President and CEO of Foundation Innovation LLC.
  ​
  shawn@foundationinnovation.com

  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 712

• Suzi Pagel, CFRE
  

  Suzi Pagel, CFRE

  Suzi Pagel, CFRE has served as Midway ISD’s Director of Development since 2002.  During this time, the Foundation has provided over $2.1 million for more than 650 classroom grants for the students and staff of Midway ISD and has an endowment of $2.5 million dollars.

  Suzi holds a B.S.Ed. from Baylor University. In addition to teaching in Texas and California, she served as the volunteer coordinator for the City of Woodway and the program coordinator of Keep Knoxville Beautiful. She volunteers for the Junior League, Hewitt Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. 

  Suzi received the Junior League’s Golden Wing Award for Outstanding Volunteerism and the Association of Fundraising Professional’s Outstanding Professional Fundraiser awards.
  ​
  suzi@foundationinnovation.com
  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 705