By Michael Reed, MPA, MBA, Director of Healthcare Delivery Systems
Texas Medical Association

Stakeholders on Friday applauded the reported appointment of Office of Public Insurance Counsel head Rod Bordelon as Texas' workers' compensation commissioner.

A federal judge in Austin overturned two portions of the "speaker's statute", the state law limiting Texans from spending money to influence the speaker's election.  State law had limited individuals to spending no more than $100 on correspondence to aid or defeat a speaker candidate. It also barred groups or organizations from giving "anything of value," directly or indirectly, to aid or defeat a speaker candidate.  The judge ruled those provisions are unconstitutional infringements on free speech.  The ruling will likely lead to individual Texans and groups spending money this fall to support their preferred candidate for speaker.

Last week, we asked you to send us some information about your office.  This week, we include some information about our office.  If you call our office, you will likely speak to our staff at one time or another.  Here are some details about us.

Vicki Goff joined the firm in 2004.  As the Office Manager, Vicki handles scheduling, client and customer relations, business operations, and information systems for the firm.  Vicki devoted over thirty years in service to the State of Texas prior to joining the firm, bringing extensive knowledge and experience in governmental relations and administration.  Vicki held various administrative and management positions in the University of Texas System, the Office of the Governor, the Texas House of Representatives, and the Texas Senate.

Charles H. Girard exemplifies the presence of business experienced professionals utilizing corporate best practices and blending those with the strategic acumen needed for governmental consulting.  Chuck graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1996 with B.A.'s in Government and History.  His educational experience was supplemented with a rigorous work schedule as well, working up to 30 hours a week during his college tenure.  Upon graduating in 1996, his professional path led him to an array of challenging endeavors including a stint working in litigation support for the defense in a $14 billion products liability lawsuit in Texas and an unconventional sprint up the corporate hierarchy at Merrill Lynch in Denver, Colorado.   Chuck returned to school to pursue a graduate business education at Rice University in Houston, and earned his M.B.A. in 2003.  Prior to joining Mignon McGarry in January 2005, Chuck worked in an advocacy and communications role for a Senior Vice President at Pfizer Inc in their headquarters in New York. 

M.L. Calcote brings her decade of legal expertise and legislative drafting skills to the firm.  M.L. graduated with a Plan II degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1989 and then earned her law degree from The University of Texas School of Law in 1994 and is licensed to practice law in Texas.   Upon graduation from law school, M.L. served as an Assistant Attorney General in Texas in the Tort Litigation Division.  She began her legislative career in 1996 when she joined the Legal Division at the Texas Legislative Council.  There, M.L. drafted legislation for members of the Texas Legislature until 1999 when she became General Counsel for Senator Jeff Wentworth.   M.L. also served as the Committee Director and General Counsel for the Senate Jurisprudence Committee before joining the firm in 2006. 

Amy Dyer is the newest addition to the firm.  A 2003 graduate of The University of Texas, Amy served on the staff of U.S. Representative Ralph Hall in Washington, D.C. for four years in a variety of positions.  Like many Texans, Amy longed to return to Texas so she chose to return to Austin to see how the Texas Legislature compares to the U.S. Congress.
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