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We are transportation and environmental
planners, public outreach specialists and communicators, who together
have over 170 years of experience. We have expert skills in
environmental studies, group facilitation, marketing, planning, event
coordination, public speaking, media relations, graphic design,
photography, social media, language translation and data base
management.
Below are NLA staff available to work
on your project.
Nancy
Ledbetter
President
E-mail
Nancy Ledbetter brings together a 28-year career in
transportation planning, environmental planning and public outreach
programs. As Founder and President of NLA, Nancy's focus is on design
and management of public outreach programs for transportation
projects. The hallmark of her work is a clear understanding of all
facets of effective communication and the ability to implement
strategies that recognize the needs of various stakeholder interests.
This knowledge and expertise results in comprehensive and highly
effective outreach programs.
Ms. Ledbetter is thoroughly familiar with
transportation and environmental-related regulatory processes and the
public input component of those processes. Prior to forming NLA,
Nancy worked for a large transportation engineering consulting firm,
a small transportation planning consulting firm, a metropolitan
planning organization (CAMPO), the City of Austin, Williamson County
and the Texas Transportation Institute. She has prepared several
Major Investment and Feasibility Studies, long-range transportation
plans and has been a key participant in the preparation of numerous
NEPA-responsive Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact
Statements.
Nancy earned her Master of Science in Community and
Regional Planning from the School of Architecture at the University
of Texas at Austin. Her concentration was in transportation and
environmental planning. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal
Arts with a concentration in Geography from UT Austin.
Randall Dillard
Senior Associate
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Randall Dillard has been
effectively communicating information to the general public –
promoting public understanding and citizen involvement – for
more than 26 years. A
trusted spokesperson, practiced in message discipline, Randall served
as Director of Communications for the Texas Secretary of State for more
than two-and-a-half years and in numerous key communication positions
during a nearly 24 year career with the Texas Department of
Transportation. His
positions at TxDOT included Director of the Public Information
Office, Manager of Media Relations and District Public Information
Officer in the agency’s Austin and Lubbock Districts.
As spokesperson for two
state agencies, Randall earned the confidence of top executives while
providing meaningful information about agency programs, initiatives
and activities to the public.
Prior to his extensive state government experience, he was a
reporter and news anchor at radio stations in New Braunfels and
Georgetown.
An Austin native, Randall
holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Southwest Texas State
University in San Marcos.
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Erin
Perkins-Watry
Public Outreach Manager
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Erin Perkins-Watry brings to NLA over 11 years of
local, regional, and statewide experience in public service and
transportation/land use planning. Ms. Perkins-Watry grew up in New
Braunfels, Texas and earned both a Master of Science in Urban and
Regional Planning and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from
Texas A&M University. She has a diverse work background that
includes experience in both the public and private sector, in short
and long-range planning disciplines, and in urban and rural
environments.
Since joining NLA in 2003, Ms. Perkins-Watry has
worked primarily as a senior public outreach specialist for the
Trans-Texas Corridor TTC-35 Project. As part of the TTC-35
public outreach team, she has helped plan and implement over 170
public meetings and hearings throughout a 77-county study area,
create and maintain a stakeholder database that includes almost
40,000 entries, develop project website and handout materials, and
respond to public inquiries and comments regarding the project.
Prior to this, she worked as a comprehensive planner for the Capital
Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), where she managed several
transportation-related planning projects and coordinated a successful
effort to obtain $12.1 million from the Texas Transportation
Commission to widen US 290 in Lee County. She has also worked
as an urban planner for several Texas municipalities, including Fort
Worth, Beaumont, and Hurst, Texas.
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Bruce
Byron
Senior Associate
E-mail
Bruce Byron's
extensive and highly diverse career makes him an effective interface
between the public and private sector. For nearly 40 years he has
managed people, organizations and projects including public, private
and nonprofit. He has operated at the federal, state and local levels
of government in both large and small agencies. His background makes
him a unique resource in dealing with complex governmental problems
whether they are within a government, between governments or between
government and business.
Born in upstate New York, Bruce grew up in
Richardson, TX. He graduated from University of Texas in 1970, served
in the US Navy and returned to Texas to get a Masters at the LBJ
School of Public Affairs. He worked in city management in Austin,
Plainview and Sugar Land; built homes, developed land, consulted in
policy, finance and government relations. Most recently he founded
and managed a business support group for transportation successfully
promoting the construction of 110 miles of highways in Central Texas.
He currently provides consulting services in government relations and
project implementation.
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Mitzi Ellison
Public Involvement Lead and Environmental
Manager
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Mitzi
Ellison has more than 15 years of experience in environmental
planning, public involvement and communications. An expert in the environmental
study process, Mitzi has managed, coordinated and authored numerous
documents compliant with the National Environmental Policy Act for
major transportation projects as a consultant to the Texas Department
of Transportation.
Mitzi
has also successfully coordinated public involvement on environmental
studies on a wide range of issues, including transportation, habitat
conservation and – as an environmental specialist for the
Pantex Nuclear Weapons Facility near Amarillo – the
nation’s top nuclear weapons facility. She has effectively coordinated
a variety of complex issues with federal, state and local elected
officials. An accomplished communicator, Mitzi easily translates
technical issues into meaningful and understandable information for
citizens.
Mitzi
holds an M.B.A from West Texas A&M University, a Masters in
Communication from West Texas A&M University, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from West Texas
A&M University.
J.
Scott Johnson
Vice President
E-mail
J. Scott Johnson, is
a skilled and professional meeting facilitator. An electrical
engineer and integrated circuit designer by training, Scott brings to
the team over 20 years experience in marketing and project
management. His experience includes coordination of major technical
conferences and training programs, serving as team leader on numerous
R&D programs in computer design and production, and advising such
major manufacturers as AMD, Intel, HP, and Texas Instruments.
Scott’s talents are particularly well-suited to assisting in
public involvement activities where a combination of technical
background and facilitation/mediation experience is required.
Scott is a native of
South Louisiana and received his BSEE from Louisiana State
University. The entirety of his professional career has been based in
the State of Texas, first in Fort Worth and, since 1996, in the
Austin area. He has published papers in several Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) sponsored conferences as
well being granted 2 patents in the field of integrated circuit
design.
Heather Parscal
Public Involvement
E-mail
Heather
Parscal has supported public involvement and outreach activities on
several important transportation projects, including the I-35
Corridor, the MoPac Improvement Project and projects associated with
the Hays County Road Bond Program. She has also provided public involvement
services for TxDOT environmental projects, including Capuano Bay
Causeway (Rockport), Buford/Horizon Blvd. (El Paso) and SH
45/O’Connor (Round Rock).
Prior
to joining NLA in May 2010, Heather was project development
coordinator for the Texas Emissions Reduction Program (TERP) with the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. She planned and coordinated of
all public outreach activities, including workshops, the production
of brochures, notices and other outreach and informational
materials. She assisted
with public hearings on legislative changes to the TERP program and
consulted with potential grant recipients. She was also a planner in the
Municipal Solid Waste Planning Department of TCEQ providing technical
assistance to private industry and COG’s and responding to
requests received from legislative staff, executive management and
the general public.
At
the Capital Area Planning Council and the Heart of Texas Council of
Governments, Heather served as environmental resources coordinator,
working closely at both organizations with boards, commissions and
the public.
Heather
holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of
Arts in Speech Communication from Baylor University.
Dana Shidlofsky
Public Outreach Specialist
E-mail
Dana Shidlofsky has over 25 years of experience in
building productive relationships to further organizational goals.
She is an outstanding communicator and is fluent in English, Spanish
and Hebrew. She is a proven leader in challenging groups to excel,
resulting in successful staff management and leadership.
She has worked as a merchandising representative,
staff liaison for a parents association, camp director and teacher.
Her broad background has contributed to her ability to communicate
clearly and effectively.
Ms. Shidlofsky is a graduate of the University of the
Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, South Africa, with a Bachelor of Arts
in Elementary Education. She earned her teaching certificate from the
University of Texas at San Antonio. She is a native of Israel and
currently resides in Dallas.
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Liza
Ross
Public Outreach Specialist & Administrative Assistant
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Liza Ross has over 8 years of experience in
administrative work. She began her career as a Trade Show Office
Manager, where she developed a background in marketing, real estate
development, and management.
She has also worked as a teacher and education
administrator. These experiences have strengthened her customer
service, interpersonal, organizational and administrative skills.
Currently, she works for Nancy Ledbetter & Associates as an
Administrative Assistant for the State Highway 161 project.
Ms. Ross is a graduate of the University of North
Texas, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood. She is a
native of Texas.
Amanda
(Mandy) Gonzalez
Graphic Designer
E-mail
Mandy Gonzalez is
experienced in graphic design, photography, website design and social
media. She is thoroughly
familiar with all facets of creative design and social media as it
relates to communicating with the public. As part of the NLA team, Mandy
creates the e-Newsletters for the MoPac Improvement Project as well
as graphics and informational materials for several TxDOT
environmental public meetings and hearings.
Prior to joining NLA,
Mandy created graphics and informational materials for the Texas
Dental Association Smiles Foundation, Ranch Studios on the production
of the movie Conflict of
Interest, and for Emmis Austin Radio as their news and event
photographer.
Mandy earned a Bachelor of
Arts in Digital & Photographic Imaging from Texas State
University in San Marcos.
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