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2025 Fellows

John Sherrill

Dr. John Sherrill is an educational leader and curriculum specialist. His work with schools for the past seventeen years has built the foundation for community involvement, teacher development, and student success. John has served in administrative roles including Special Programs Coordinator, Early College High School principal, High School Principal, and most recently Superintendent of Schools, where he proudly leads the Panhandle Independent School District in Panhandle, TX. John has a passion for student success that began when he was a coach and social studies teacher. As he rose in administration, he saw that his influence could positively affect the outcomes for student success. As High School Principal in Archer City, John’s schools were awarded the Marzano Resources High Reliability Schools national awards for safe schools and effective teaching in every classroom, respectively. These internal and external checkpoints aligned well with his vision of a successful, holistic educational environment. 

Pursuing a Master's in public policy has been on John’s radar for some time because he believes that the high-level decisions that influence the day-to-day lives of the 5.5 million students in Texas should have a voice from the communities and constituencies they represent. John desires that the lessons learned in public administration will set the stage for the impact he can make for all learners. You can find John's presentation here.

Melissa Ionson

Melissa Ionson is a Graduate Student in the Master of Public Affairs program at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin. With a background in Criminal Justice (B.C.J. ’21) from Canada, Melissa specializes in AI ethics, national security, and social psychology research. She is a Texas Lyceum Policy Fellow and participates in the Clements Center’s Graduate Portfolio Program in Security Studies. As a Graduate Research Assistant at UT, she supports foster youth initiatives and program research and development. Melissa’s research examines the impact of policy on societal behavior, with a focus on the intersection of technology and security. You can find Melissa's presentation here.

Nicole Roy

Nicole is a first-year graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Public Affairs. She holds dual degrees in Chemistry and Plan II Honors from the University of Texas at Austin. Nicole’s interest in AI was sparked through an interdisciplinary research project with NASA, where she collaborated with astrobiologists to develop methods for detecting signs of life on extraterrestrial terrain. She created a machine-learning algorithm to classify substances as abiotic or biotic using molecular fingerprinting. Originally from southern Louisiana, Nicole loves cooking and savoring Cajun and Creole dishes. You can find Nicole's presentation here. 

Joe Eduard Rucker

Full-time student at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing a Master's in Information Studies and a Master's in Global Policy Studies. Research focuses on information and technology policy, national security, internet governance, and artificial intelligence. You can find Joe Eduard's presentation here. 

Colleen Goggin 

 

Colleen Goggin has recently completed a Master of International Affairs degree at the Bush School of Government & Public Service with a focus on international development and economic policy. Before her Master's, she earned a BA in International Studies and Political Science, with a minor in Economics, from Texas A&M University.

As an undergraduate, she spent a semester interning for U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions in Washington, D.C., while also working for Texas A&M’s Economic Statecraft Program. Colleen has developed strong interests in economic, environmental, and trade policy and aspires to work as a research assistant or policy analyst in these fields. You can find Colleen's presentation here. 

Kendall Hollingsworth

Kendall Hollingsworth is a native Houstonian and graduate of the University of Houston, where she studied Political Science with minors in Business Administration and Quantitative Social Sciences.

She has held several roles in government affairs departments in Washington, D.C. with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Cargill, SOLV Energy, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Currently, she serves as a Grant Coordinator at BakerRipley while pursuing her Executive Master’s in Public Administration at Texas Southern University. 

Passionate about nonprofit leadership and public policy, Kendall plans to pursue a J.D. to further her impact in advocacy and community development here.

2024 Fellows

Jasmine Johnson

Johnson was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, and moved to Houston in 2015. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University and later pursued an Executive Master’s in Public Administration to learn more about starting a nonprofit. As a third-grade teacher, Johnson is passionate about inspiring a love of learning in students. In addition to her role as a teacher, she is a dedicated mother and avid reader. She is always looking for ways to improve my community through education and service, and is committed to making a positive impact both in and out of the classroom.

You can find Jasmine's presentation here.

Hope Henderson

Hope Henderson is a recent graduate of Texas Tech University's Master of Public Administration program with a lifelong commitment to public service. Her diverse experience spans non-profits, local and federal government administration, public higher education, and international service as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer. Hope's research focuses on rural mental health access, climate resiliency, groundwater conservation, and other critical issues affecting Texans. In her free time, Hope enjoys dancing, needlework, and cheering for Philadelphia sports with her partner, Paige.

You can find Hope's presentation here.

Keilly O'Reilly

Keilly O’Reilly is a Master’s of International Affairs candidate at the Bush School of Government and Public Service studying national security and diplomacy. Prior to this, she earned her B.A. in Political Science and B.S. in Economics from the University of Houston. Keilly’s primary research activities include the accessibility of space careers, deterrence in the space domain, and how countries leverage the space domain for national security. Post graduation, Keilly seeks a career in the national security space industry.

You can find Keilly's presentation here.

James Williams IV

James serves as the current Chief Staff for the Chancellor at Rutgers University-Camden. Prior, James served as the Director of Racial Justice Policy & Government Relations at Fair Share Housing Center. He led initiatives to address racial disparities in housing and advocated for equitable policy changes.

Before joining Fair Share Housing Center in 2019, James worked with Philadelphia Works, where he contributed to workforce development programs aimed at improving employment opportunities for underserved communities. He also held a position at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, where he focused on criminal justice reform and economic justice issues.

James’s diverse professional background includes his tenure with the Department of Defense (U.S. Air Force) and since 2020, James has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Criminal Justice department at Rutgers University-Camden, sharing his extensive knowledge and experience with students.

James holds both a B.A. in Psychology and an M.S. in Criminal Justice from Fayetteville State University. He is currently pursuing an Executive Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University-Camden.

James is committed to advancing social justice and equity through his work in academia and public service, and he brings a wealth of experience and dedication to his new role at Rutgers University-Camden.

Chance Wood

Chance has previous professional experience working in the water resources field as a water treatment operator. During this time, Chance saw the age of facilities and infrastructure, with many utility departments and agencies operating with outdated equipment well past their useful lifespan. Since coming to LBJ, Chance’s has focused on climate adaptation, Texas Water policy and critical infrastructure security which if compromised can have long lasting impacts to public safety.

You can find Chance's presentation here.

2023 Fellows

Rebecca Nelson

Rebecca Nelson is a Master of Public Service and Administration candidate at the George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, concentrating in public management and state and local government.

Rebecca recently spent time building her professional experience interning for the City of San Antonio in the summer of 2022. She currently works as Graduate Assistant where she compiles, tracks, and publishes data surrounding military-affiliated students to enhance student success.

Rebecca is passionate about serving her community and seeks to build her career in local government where she feels she can directly make a positive impact.

You can find Rebecca's presentation here.

Tyson Thompson

Ty Thompson is a Master of Public Administration candidate at Texas Tech University. Ty received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech in 1997. In 2004, Ty received his commission in the United States Navy. He was deployed in 2005 and then in 2009.

Ty’s current role with the City of Fort Worth allows him to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Ty grew up in Houston before relocating to the DFW. He has been married to his college sweetheart for 21 years and a grateful father to his son Cade (9) and daughter Hayden (6).

You can find Tyson's presentation here.

2022 Fellows

Ellyn Anthony

Ellyn Anthony is a Master of Public Administration student at Texas Tech University with an interest in environmental administration, natural resource management, and environmental ethics and justice.

Ellyn received a B.S. in Biology from Texas Woman’s University, Denton, and spent two years teaching high school science in Aubrey, TX.  Motivated by this experience, Ellyn earned an M.S. in Environmental Studies from Kentucky State University, Frankfort, KY. Her thesis work and position as a research and extension assistant in the organic agriculture group at Kentucky State focused on nutrient concentrations of subsoil water in an integrative, crop-livestock rotation under organic management. This work may be reviewed here.

Ellyn’s work at Texas Tech continues to motivate her passion for education and administrative leadership founded in science. The Texas Lyceum Fellowship provides her an opportunity to research and re-engage with West Texas communities, including that of her hometown, Plainview. 

To see more of Ellyn's work click here.

Rebekah Barfield

Rebekah Barfield is working toward her master's in public service and administration at the George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. She earned her bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University with a double major in political science and philosophy in 2019. She spent the following two years as an AmeriCorps member in San Jose, teaching elementary students and working as a team leader with City Year. She currently works as an academic mentor to Texas A&M student-athletes.

One of the morning sessions at The Texas Lyceum Public Conference (PubCon) meetings on Friday, April 1 in Frisco featured Bush School of Government and Public Service graduate student Rebekah Barfield. The theme of this year’s PubCon is “Texas in the 2020s: Prospects, Pathways, and Power.” Barfield’s presentation on infrastructure issues relating to the rapid growth of Texas’ exurb communities was very well received and came from work that was supported by a research fellowship from The Texas Lyceum and supervised by Dr. Mallory Compton of the Bush School.

Barfield’s research findings are also available in a research paper titled “Infrastructure Consequences of Exurb Growth in Texas” published in the Mosbacher Institute White Paper Series. In the article, she notes that Texas has the largest exurbanite population in the United States relative to its size and explores some of the infrastructure consequences of such fast growth, particularly in education, transportation, and flood management. Mosbacher Institute White Papers are publications of the Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy at the Bush School at Texas A&M University.

You can also read more about Barfield’s research about the impact of exurb growth on rural roads and highways and on traffic fatalities in her op-ed piece published on April 1 in The Dallas Morning News.

Ebony Sowells

Ebony Sowells is a master of public administration student at Texas Southern University and a high school English teacher. She earned a master of liberal studies degree from Rice University. 

She is focused on creating equitable access to education. As a teacher at an alternative school, she helped build an academic curriculum that addressed the intersections of trauma, special needs, and poverty as key gateways into the justice system. She also founded Pathways to Justice, a nonprofit that seeks to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline. Her research on education and economic development in Longview is an extension of her expertise on equity and justice issues. 

To see more of Ebony's work click HERE. 

2021 Fellowship Policy Brief

2020 Fellowship Policy Brief

2019 Fellowship Policy Brief

2018 Fellowship Policy Briefs

Questions?

For more information, please call 512-992-0026 or email [email protected].