Board of Directors

The Board guides the organization’s legislative policy with the goal of promoting the professional, economic, intellectual, social, and healthy well–being of retired school personnel in Texas, while maintaining a functional and united organization.

The TRTA Board of Directors consists of the President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Immediate Past President, District Presidents Council Chair, District Presidents Council Vice-Chair, District Presidents Council Recorder, and Legislative Coordinator. The Board guides the organization’s legislative policy with the goal of promoting the professional, economic, intellectual, social, and healthy well–being of retired school personnel in Texas, while maintaining a functional and united organization.

Marcy Cann

TRTA President

It is such a JOY to serve as your TRTA State President. I so enJOY being a member of TRTA. There are so many social and fun connections and opportunities to volunteer in my local chapter. It would be great for every public-school retiree to have this same opportunity. On the state level we work as a team to improve benefits for all our retirees. A little TRTA background: I have served as a member of the State Legislative Committee, as District 4 President, and President of my local chapter. I have also served as State Secretary/Treasurer, Second Vice-President, and First Vice-President.

Leroy Dehaven

TRTA Immediate Past President

I have been a member of TRTA for 24 years. I joined TRTA because I felt that it was the way to secure our future. All retirees should join TRTA because the information you receive will keep you informed and in touch with other retirees. Also, TRTA is the only organization that works solely to enhance and protect the benefits of TRS retirees. I served on the State Legislative Committee for eight years and have held many leadership roles at the local, district, and state level, including President. I am now serving as TRTA Immediate Past President.

Ella Gauthier

TRTA First Vice-President

I have been an involved and dedicated member of TRTA for 19 years. My membership in TRTA was a retirement gift, however, it did not take me long to realize “magic” of my TRTA membership. Other TRS retirees are invited to experience this “magic.” State membership in TRTA brings with it a voice with our legislators, informative publications, in addition to endorsed benefits and discounts. I strongly encourage all state members to explore the “magic” in TRTA by joining a local chapter. Local chapters have programs that inform and energize, opportunities for fun and fellowship, trips, and opportunities for volunteerism. I am a member of Pasadena Area Retired School Employees and District 4, and am currently serving as First Vice-President/Membership/Volunteer Services Chair of TRTA. Since becoming a member of TRTA, I have served as State Second Vice-President/Public Relations Chair, Secretary/Treasurer and Vice-Chair of the District Presidents Council. On the district level, I served as President, Parliamentarian, and Treasurer. My local chapter positions included Secretary, First Vice-President, and President. Currently in my Local Chapter, I chair the Scholarship Committee.

Frana Patterson

TRTA Second Vice-President

I joined TRTA to learn! I retired spontaneously and had not educated myself about the “roads and potholes” of retirement. I am appreciative of the time and effort TRTA staff and members contribute to the well-being and care of public education retirees. A non-member has no comprehension of the benefits they are privileged to enjoy because of the work of active TRTA members. An example is the refund we got from our insurance fund. A non-member called an active TRTA member to ask why she received that check. My question is, “Why would any retiree NOT be a member of the ONLY organization protecting their retirement annuity?” TRTA is the ONLY organization advocating for them in the Legislature, and the Legislature is the entity that controls how our money is allocated! Are you, as a public education retiree, exemplifying the expectations you had of your students? Are you trusting someone else to make decisions about your money or are you working to protect your future and the future of current educators? Will you “walk the walk and talk the talk?” I have been President of my local chapter (among other positions), an officer and President of District 11, a state committee chair, Chair of the District Presidents Council, State Secretary/Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. I currently serve as Second Vice-President and Chair of the Communications Committee.

Terri Navrkal

TRTA Secretary/Treasurer

I retired in 2011, after 30 years of working for the Lubbock Independent School District as a teacher, administrator, and Executive Director of Human Resources. I knew I still wanted to be involved in something but didn’t know exactly what until an invitation to join the Lubbock South Plains RTA and TRTA came my way. I have never looked back! I have always been involved with professional organizations. It is in my “nature” to want to be a leader, and I enjoy being around people, making friends, and helping in any way I can. TRTA allows me to do that! I think other TRS retirees should join TRTA because we need them! It is a great organization that fosters friendships, relationships, and most importantly, a belief that we can make a difference, whether that be advocating for a COLA, protecting the defined benefit plan, maintaining quality and affordable healthcare, or ensuring that these things will be around for our current public-school employees when they retire. Prior to my current position, I served as District Presidents Council Chair (2020-2022), District 17 President (2018-2022), Lubbock South Plains RTA President (2021-2022, 2017-2019, 2013-2015), and Lubbock South Plains RTA First Vice-President (2015-2017). I also served on the State Standing Committee for Public Relations (2014-2018) and currently serve as the Senior Tutor Recruitment and Partnership Advisor for the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation Tutor Program.

Gary Schepf

District Presidents Council Chair

I joined TRTA in 2013 during spring break when I was asked to attend a local chapter meeting. Since I was still a full-time educator at the time, I realized that my future would have to include TRTA. I am a firm believer that being a member of an organization that impacts my career and life is an expectation and duty. Having an organization that addresses my needs as a retiree at the state Capitol is critical, especially since our pension fund is at the whim of the Legislature. We need a voice in Austin. TRTA is that voice. Prior to retirement, I assisted with the email distribution of the local chapter newsletter. I was elected as IRSPA Second Vice-President in 2018 and President in 2020. I was named District 10 Technology Chair in 2020 and elected District 10 President for 2022-2024. I served as the 2022 State Convention Volunteers Committee Chair. Most recently, I was elected as the District Presidents Council Chair in 2022.

Nancy Evans

District Presidents Council Vice-Chair

I officially joined TRTA in 2012 after I retired from my 42 years in education. I can literally say that I joined TRTA because my mother told me to join. She served as President of Ysleta Retired School Employees Association and as President of District 19. From her I learned the important role that TRTA plays in protecting the annuities of education retirees in the state of Texas. Her example of working for other retirees provided me with a model to follow when I retired. I feel that TRTA provides retirees with an opportunity to network with fellow education retirees. The meetings allow retirees to fellowship with friends and colleagues and to enrich their lives by just being together. The meetings are informative and keep you up-to-date on a variety of topics. More importantly, TRTA provides a platform for retirees to lobby to improve our annuities and maintain our health insurance, hopefully at a reasonable price. TRTA is the best deal for retirees at a reasonable price! Join Us! I am a member of Ysleta Retired School Employees Association. I have served on several committees as well as serving as First Vice-President and Treasurer. I was elected President of YRSEA in 2015 and served in that position through 2019. I have worked in District 19 as First Vice-President and President. I am currently serving my third year as District President. I was elected to serve as District Presidents Council Vice Chair and am currently serving my third year in that position.

Karen Hoelscher

District Presidents Council Recorder

I joined TRTA as I was always taught that to make a difference, you must get involved. As a member and taking on leadership roles, I have met so many wonderful people and value their knowledge as I continue to grow through this great organization. I believe educators are best when sharing with each other and supporting one another. TRTA is the foundation for retirees to continue to be involved and informed in public school education and the lives of young people. The future of education and taking care of all retirees takes everyone becoming involved in their local chapter, district, and state through the many aspects of TRTA. I have been a retiree and member of TRTA since 2014. During those 8 years I have been a member of the Runnels County RSE in District 15. I have served in the local chapter as Secretary, chapter voting delegate to the state convention, First Vice-President, and Children’s Book Project chair, as well as President. In District 15, I have served as Historian, District voting delegate to the state conventions, First Vice-President in charge of membership and am currently serving as President. I also recently served on the State Local Unit Support Committee serving as liaison to districts 11, 14, 15, and 19. I am currently the Recorder for the District Presidents’ Council.

DR. Mary Widmier

TRTA Legislative Coordinator and Chair

I am excited to be the State Legislative Coordinator and look forward to working toward positive changes for all our retirees. Having worked for 36 years in public education, I have now been retired for 15 years. Although I first joined TRTA to stay active in working with other educators and serving my community, I am now passionate about preserving and improving our pension and healthcare benefits. Joining our organization is a great way to stay active, learn new things, and ensure that our schools and our profession are a source of pride in our communities. I joined TRTA the month after my retirement and have since been President of my local chapter and filled various roles such as District 4 President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Historian, and Legislative Chair. I have also served as State Historian and have been my district’s representative on the State Legislative Committee for the past six years