When Evan Smith helped launch the nonprofit Texas Tribune in 2009, he set out to get people engaged in their government again, especially in places where newspaper coverage has dwindled. The Tribune introduced blogs, multimedia, troves of government data, and something old-fashioned for an online news startup: face-to-face conversations.
Representative Dan Branch is a corporate lawyer first elected to represent HD-108 in 2002. He represents parts of Dallas, the Town of Highland Park and the City of University Park. He is the chairman of the House Committee on Higher Education, a member of the Legislative Budget Board, and serves on the Calendars, Redistricting and Elections Committees.
Representative Trey Martinez Fischer is an attorney first elected to represent HD-116 in 2001. He is the chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, the largest Latino caucus in the country. He is also the current vice chairman of the State Sovereignty Committee and serves on Natural Resources and the Ways & Means committees.
Date
Time
7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. Doors open at 7:30 am. The event begins promptly at 8 am.
Location
The Austin Club 110 E. Ninth Street, Austin, TX 78701
(map)
Gail Collins joined The New York Times in 1995 as a member of the editorial board and later as an Op-Ed columnist. She was the Editorial Page Editor for the Times from 2001-2007--the first woman to have held that position. She currently writes a column for the Times' Op-Ed page twice weekly.
Her most recent book is As Texas Goes...: How the Lone Star State Hijacked the American Agenda.
This event is a co-production with KLRU.
Date
Time
6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. A cocktail reception and book signing will take place from 6 - 7 p.m.
Location
KLRU Studio 2504-B Whitis Ave, Austin, TX 78712
(map)
John Weaver, a legislative, political and communication strategist, is a senior partner at the Austin-based firm The Network LLC. He served as the chief strategist in U.S. Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign.
Matthew Dowd is a founding partner of ViaNovo and an ABC News Political Contributor. He served as chief strategist on two winning reelection efforts – for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 and for President George W. Bush in 2004.
Mark McKinnon is an award-winning media producer and communications strategist who has served as principal media advisor for hundreds of corporate and political campaigns around the world including President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain and Governor Ann Richards.
Date
Time
7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. Doors open at 7:30 am. The event begins promptly at 8 am.
Location
The Austin Club 110 E. Ninth Street, Austin, Texas 78701
(map)
