Division profileHealth & Human Services - Research and Planning Division
Research and Planning Division
Division Profile
The Research and Planning Division is comprised of the Division Director, Planning Manager, four Senior Planners, and four Planners. Most planners have developed expertise in issue areas and special populations specific to health and human services. Current areas of focus include: adult behavioral health, aging services, basic needs, early childcare and education, housing, immigrants, public health and access to healthcare, veterans, and workforce development. The Research and Planning Division works with the Commissioner’s Court and other planning groups to track and respond to these community conditions. While all planners contribute to this work, several planners also focus on performance measurement, evaluation, resource development, and internal system development (such as facilitation of strategic planning).
Staff Biographies
Blanca Tapia Leahy - Division Director
Director Leahy has extensive experience in public service, in the higher education setting as well as in local government with Travis County and the City of Austin. She began her work for Travis County/City of Austin Health and Human Services in 1998 as Research Coordinator and became the Division Director a couple of years later.
Blanca began her community work in Virginia with a focus on equity, leadership development, and women's advocacy as head of a Mother's organization, member of the Monticello Community Action Agency, and Coordinator of NOW for the state of Virginia. Upon returning to Texas, Blanca worked at the University of Texas in the Special Projects Unit and developed training programs for teachers and hard to serve students—including the development of a U.T. Dropout Prevention Program for Migrant Students, which is still in place today. While attending graduate school, she worked in Institutional Studies and examples of her work include analysis of demographics, tenure in education, and student flow models.
Blanca has worked professionally and personally as an intermediary to improve systems via her membership in such diverse Boards as Laguna Gloria Art Museum, Austin Museum of Art, La Peña, City of Austin Comprehensive Arts Task Force, Women and Their Work, Green Corn Project, and Catholic Charities of Central Texas. She is currently on the Board of the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Austin Community College Center for Non-Profit Organizations, Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, and the Workforce Solutions Board.
Blanca's background includes a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia and graduate work in Urban Planning at the University of Virginia and in Higher Education at the University of Texas at Austin.
Lawrence Lyman - Planning Manager
Lawrence Lyman has over 15 years experience in public service, primarily in local government with Travis County and the City of Austin. He currently serves as Planning Manager, overseeing planning staff, and managing workforce development and education for the Travis County Health and Human Services & Veterans Service Department.
Prior to this assignment, his work has encompassed a wide range of human services issues including early childhood, youth development, basic needs, and public safety. Work in these areas has encompassed all phases of intermediary work: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Lawrence earned a Bachelor of Arts from Rice University and a Master of Public Affairs from the L.B.J. School at the University of Texas at Austin.
Courtney Bissonnet Lucas
Courtney earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Southwestern University and a Master of Education from the University of Texas at Austin.
Anna Lisa Fahrenthold
Before joining TCHHS/VS, Anna Lisa was a Research Analyst with the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth & Their Families (DCYF) where she focused on population-level data analysis and presentation and managed the development of the 2008 DCYF Community Needs Assessment and the 2010-2013 Children’s Services Allocation Plan. Prior to San Francisco, Anna Lisa served in professional and volunteer capacities at a variety local organizations including Caritas of Austin, Open Door Preschool, Casa Marianella, the Center for Social Work Research and the Center for Public Policy Priorities.
Anna Lisa holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Science in Social Work with a focus on Administration and Planning from the University of Texas at Austin.
Brook Son
Brook Son has been with the Travis County Health and Human Services & Veterans Service Department’s Research and Planning Division since January of 2004. Her primary focus is building local community-capacity to solve system-level problems through cooperative, inclusive processes. She will begin teaching a graduate-level community-building class for the University of Texas School of Social Work in the Fall of 2009.
In eight years of direct social service, Brook worked with populations in the following issue areas: childhood abuse and neglect, drug addiction and alcoholism, teen parenting, adult literacy and English as a Second Language, early education, and family poverty.
Brook has particular expertise in early education. From 1999 to 2001, Brook was Center Director at Mainspring School, an accredited preschool licensed for up to 60 children. Brook currently offers planning support to the City of Austin’s Early Education and Care effort and has served on the Work Force Solution Child Care Advisory Board.
Brook holds an Master of Science in Social Work with a focus on Administration and Planning from the University of Texas at Austin.
Sandra Valenzuela
Sandra Valenzuela has 14 years of public service experience working at different levels of state and local government, such as the Texas Department of Health and the Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, in different capacities ranging from planner to program officer. Additionally, she has worked within the community at a San Antonio Community Health Center as the Director of Planning and Development and as a bilingual elementary teacher in the Dove Springs neighborhood of Austin.
Currently, she serves as Senior Planner for resource development and education and leads the Travis County Health and Human Services & Veterans Service Department’s Resource Development workgroup. Her past work included grant writing, grant management, program planning, capacity building, performance measurement, and evaluation.
In the past, she has been involved with ECHO (End Chronic Homelessness Organization) and has volunteered as a mentor at Sanchez Elementary through the Literacy Champions and Partners in Education programs. She is a member of the Austin Chapter of the American Association of Grants Professionals. She also participates in the Ready by 21 Coalition.
Sandra's background includes a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at San Diego and a Master of Public Affairs from the L.B.J. School at the University of Texas at Austin.
Elizabeth Vela
Elizabeth Vela joined Research and Planning in the summer of 2009. Beginning in 1996, she has worked primarily in nonprofit development for organizations such as the Foundation Center, Caritas of Austin and Texas PTA. Elizabeth has also worked in public policy research and planning for public and private groups, including the Williamson County and Cities Health District and the City of Austin.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Boston University in 1996 and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin in 2000.
Last Modified:
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 3:56 PM
