2026 Conference Keynote Speaker & Workshops

Susan Biles

Susan Biles serves as the Principal Deputy Inspector General for the Texas Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. She joined the OIG in January 2017 and was Chief of Staff for five years before taking on the Principal Deputy role in December 2023.

Susan has over 25 years of experience in Texas government, including work at the General Land Office and Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Her experience also includes the Texas Medicaid Healthcare Partnership, management consulting and working as an adjunct professor of U.S. and Texas government.

Susan holds a degree in Plan II/Government from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Policy from Duke University.

Imelda Garcia

Imelda Garcia is currently serving as the interim commissioner for the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Since January 2025, she has served as Chief Deputy Commissioner overseeing finance, operations, compliance and data modernization for the agency. Over the past 19 years, she has held several leadership positions focusing on agency operations, data modernization, lab and infectious disease, and family and community health.

Ms. Garcia served from 2018 to 2023 as Associate Commissioner of the Laboratory and Infectious Disease Services Division at DSHS. In this role, she led the agency’s overall efforts in the COVID-19 pandemic response including disease surveillance, testing, and state’s vaccination efforts. In addition to leading the COVID-19 response, she also led the agency’s response to Ebola, Zika, monkeypox, and other infectious diseases.

Ms. Garcia has dedicated her professional career to public health. She began her public health service in 2004 working with New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In 2007, she moved back home to Texas and resumed her public health work at DSHS.

Ms. Garcia received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Mexican American Studies with a concentration in public policy. From 2001 to 2003, Ms. Garcia attended the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University gaining her master’s in public health with a focus on health policy and management.

Genesis Gavino

Genesis Gavino serves as Chief of Staff to the City Manager for the City of Austin, where she drives organizational change through strategic initiatives and partnerships. Her portfolio spans International Relations; Ethics and Compliance; Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment; Climate Action and Resilience; Communications and Engagement; and Equity and Inclusion. Since joining the City, she has advanced priorities across leadership development, organizational effectiveness, climate resilience, and international engagement—building systems and partnerships that strengthen Austin’s capacity to deliver equitable, forward-looking services to its residents.

Genesis brings over a decade of progressive experience in local government, with a track record of navigating complex organizational structures and advancing equity-centered systems change. Prior to her current role, she served as Chief of Staff and Chief Resilience Officer in another major city manager’s office, where she led cross-departmental implementation of broadband and digital equity strategies, resilience initiatives, and SmartCities programs. She has served on the Global Steering Committee for the Resilient Cities Network and collaborated with peers internationally to embed resilience principles into local government practice.

Gavino holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Washington State University, a Master’s in Public Administration and a certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Washington, and is currently a doctoral candidate in Public Administration and Public Policy at the University of Texas at Arlington, where her research focuses on administrative burden and digital equity in public benefit programs.

Lisa Jammer

Lisa Jammer is the Chief People and Culture Officer at DIR. In this role, she leads the vision, strategy, development, and execution of talent and culture management programs to advance the agency’s mission, vision, and core value statements. She has more than 20 years of human resources experience with 14 of those spent in Texas state government. She successfully completed the Governor’s Executive Development Program in 2021. Prior to state service, Lisa served in a variety of human resource, treasury, and accounting roles with Indeed, Waste Management, Continental Airlines, and the University of Houston.

Lisa has a Master of Science in Human Resource Development from the University of Houston, Bachelor of Science in Business Management. She has successfully earned the PHR and SHRM-CP designations

Amy Maddox

Amy Maddox has more than 26 years of experience in financial management, including 15 years focused on state budget development, oversight, and financial planning. As Chief Financial Officer for the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), she oversees the financial operations and budgets for TDI, the Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC), and the Office of Injured Employee Counsel (OIEC). She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Finance, is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), and is a graduate of the Texas Fiscal Officers Academy.

For the 2026-2027 biennium, Amy is responsible for managing, monitoring, and reporting on more than $475 million in public funds. She oversees a wide range of state funds, including legislative appropriations, general revenue-dedicated funds, and specialized trust funds, ensuring fiscal accountability, transparency, and compliance across multiple agencies and programs.

As a proud Texan, Amy is committed to serving the people of Texas through responsible financial leadership and stewardship of public funds. Guided by TDI's core values of Transparency, Efficiency, eXcellence, Accountability, and Service (TEXAS), she strives to uphold the highest standards of fiscal integrity while supporting TDI, DWC, OIEC, and the people of Texas.

Stephanie Muth

Stephanie Muth was appointed executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission by Gov. Greg Abbott, taking leadership of the state’s largest agency on Jan. 3, 2026.

Muth has more than two decades of state government experience. She previously served as commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and held several executive-level positions at HHSC.

At HHSC, Muth oversaw a large-scale reorganization of the HHS system, overhauled the oversight of managed care, and increased accountability across the agency. She also modernized the Medicaid eligibility system, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other social services programs.

Her roles at HHSC included state Medicaid director, deputy executive commissioner of social services, deputy executive commissioner of transformation, chief of staff, and director of consumer and external affairs.

Muth has a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Florida and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas.