Commissioners

Mario Castillo of San Angelo founded The Aegis Group, Ltd., a government and public relations firm, after serving for nearly a decade as chief of staff of the Committee on Agriculture of the U.S. House of Representatives. Castillo was also appointed as a commissioner of the Arts and Humanities, where he developed the Larry Neal/Pen Faulkner Writers Conference for the eastern seaboard. He has served as chair of the Friends Council of The National Museum of Women in the Arts of Washington, D.C. and as an advisor to the board of directors of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. Castillo recently served as chair of the Texas Small Business Development Corporation.

Michael "Mike" D. Donegan was raised in Texas and attended Texas A&M University, graduating with a degree in Agricultural Economics in 1972. He served five years in the U.S. Army stationed in the U.S. and Europe. His professional career has been in agricultural sales positions in South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas. Mike is a Fertilizer Accounts Manager with El Dorado Chemical in Rockwall, Texas. He has been a city councilman and held the office of Mayor of McLendon-Chisholm for 17 years. He has served as the chairman of the Men's Ministry of Chisholm Baptist Church and co-chair of the Dallas area Fundraiser for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis," Lou Gehrig's Disease") for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He also served on the board of directors for the Rockwall Youth Fair and was class agent for the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M. Mike and his wife Sharon live in McLendon-Chisholm.

Gravelle had an epiphany during a parachute jump. Jumping and branding, he realized, are a lot alike. You have to leave safety behind. You’re in big suspense till the finish. But if you do things right, you’ll have a good landing.

Gravelle has launched a consulting practice, Gravelle Branding/Marketing, in order to work with people dedicated to building powerful brands. He’s had more than 30 years of practice, 11 on the brand manager side.

For 20 years, Gravelle oversaw clients of Richards/Gravelle, an affiliate of The Richards Group. During that time he directed branding and marketing strategy, advertising, and public relations for numerous clients in categories such as banking, technology, healthcare, biotech, food service, and business-to-business. He also has deep experience in not-for-profits. From 1975 to 1986, he was head of marketing for MCorp, the largest bank holding company in Texas. During his tenure, the firm grew from a single $850 million bank to a $23 billion organization. From 1979 to 1984 he directed retail activities of the flagship bank.

Gravelle is a trustee of The Hockaday School and a director of the American Film Institute/Dallas. He is a past president and member of the governing board of the Dallas Museum of Natural History, and The Dallas Assembly; a former member of the associate board of the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business; a former director of the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation; and the Baylor Health Care System Foundation. Gravelle is also a member of the Krewe of Orpheus. He has run more than 35,000 miles, climbed mounts Rainier, Shuksan and Fuji, completed an Outward Bound survival course, and made more than 30 military parachute jumps.

Gravelle has bachelor's and master's degrees from Southern Methodist University. He and his wife Linda have two children.

August W. Harris III, a native Austinite, is president of Covenant Financial Solutions, LLC. He is a board member of Leadership Austin, Vice President of the Heritage Society of Austin, President of the Austin High School Continuing Education Foundation, and leads several other civic and community organizations and initiatives. He is former chair of the Transportation Committee, the Local Issues Committee, and the Public Policy Roundtable of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce; past Treasurer of the Texas School for the Deaf Foundation; and a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Harris received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and is a certified mediator from the University of Texas School of Law Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution.

Steven L. Highlander of Austin is a founder and the managing member of Parker Highlander PLLC. He is a member of the American Intellectual Property Organization, American Bar Association, and Association of University Technology Managers. Highlander received a bachelor’s degree from Central Missouri State University, and a doctorate degree in cell and molecular biology and law degree from the University of Michigan.

Tom Perini of Buffalo Gap is the owner/operator of Perini Ranch Steakhouse. He is a member and past president of the Texas Restaurant Association, a member of International Association of Culinary Professionals, James Beard Foundation, and the Abilene-Taylor County Public Health Advisory Board. He is a former board member of the American Red Cross, St. John’s Episcopal School in Abilene, and the Ben Richey Boys Ranch of Abilene. Perini grew up proudly surrounded by historians. Locally, Perini serves on the board of the Buffalo Gap Historic Village, the Fort Chadbourne Foundation in Bronte, Texas, and various committees of the Buffalo Gap City Council, including Planning and Zoning. He graduated from Peacock Military Academy in San Antonio and attended the University of North Texas.

Judy Williams Richardson was appointed to the Texas Historical Commission in 2011. She is currently president of the Burleson County Historical Society and a member of the Burleson County Historical Commission. As fifth-generation person living on the family land, she has had numerous opportunities to be instrumental in the preservation of history, including contributing to the writing of  “Astride the Old San Antonio Trail," a history of early Burleson County and it’s families. Richardson received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from  Sam Houston State University. She worked for Tenneco Oil before starting the family's insurance business with her husband about 40 years ago. She continues to be a leader in community activities, was a charter president of the local Lions Club, a former school board member, and a chamber of commerce director.

Nancy Steves of San Antonio is a community volunteer. She is past vice president of the San Antonio Conservation Society, past director on the San Antonio River Authority Board, and a past member of the San Antonio Botanical Garden and the Witte Museum boards of directors. She is also a member of San Antonio Museum of Art and San Antonio River Foundation boards of directors, and represents the San Antonio Museum for Art to the San Antonio Fiesta Commission.