Gov. Abbott Reappoints Six To Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities

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Photo by Adam Thomas on Unsplash

Gov. Greg Abbott has reappointed Eric Lindsay, Elyse Lieberman, Ph.D., Kristie Orr, Ph.D., Ellen M. Bauman, Dylan M. Rafaty, and Kris Workman to the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities for terms set to expire on February 1, 2023. The committee recommends changes in disability policies and programs and supports a network of committees on people with disabilities, issues awards to promote greater awareness, and promotes compliance with disability related laws.

Here are some members with local ties:

Ellen M. Bauman of Joshua is the special needs ministry liaison for First United Methodist Church in Arlington. She is a member of the Texas Council on Consumer Direction, an advisory committee member of the North Central Texas Aging Disability Resource Center, a member of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Council of Tarrant County and the Cook Children’s Oral Health Coalition. Additionally, she is the board president of the Arc of DFW Area, a committee member for the Arc of Texas, and vice chair of Texas Parent to Parent. Bauman attended Texas Wesleyan University and Tarrant County College and received a certificate of Christian Education from Columbia College in Columbia South Carolina.   

Dylan M. Rafaty of Plano is founder/chief navigator of DylanListed and Head of Accessibility Strategy & Partnerships of C-Hear, Inc. He serves on numerous executive boards including as Chairman of the Social Inclusion Committee of IAICDV, Director of U.S. International Council on Disabilities, an Advisory Council Member of Angel City Sports, and an Advisory Board Member of Sandlot Children’s Charity, and Care and Mercy Foundation. He recently founded the North Texas Disability Chamber, a Texas nonprofit focused on community education for the cross-disability community. Additionally, he is Dallas ambassador for the Abilities Expo, a member of the Plano Chamber of Commerce, Disability:IN North Texas, North Texas Industry Liaison Group, and National Disability Mentoring Coalition. He was recently recognized as the 2020 Oticon Focus on People Advocacy winner and the 2021 Dallas Business Journal’s Leaders in Diversity Honoree. Rafaty received an Associate degree from Collin College and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the University of Phoenix.