James E. Wilhelm, III (Jamie); President - Jamie is an executive vice president for the Austin-based student housing company American Campus Communities. He is responsible for leading the company’s efforts relating to the successful development of public-private partnerships with colleges and universities across the country. He and his wife (Kathy) have two married children (JD and Jason) and live in Lakeway, Texas. Kathy is active with their church (The Lakeway Church) and is a group facilitator with Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). Jamie and Kathy moved to Texas from Columbus, Ohio. Jamie joined the PIH Board in 2019 and has found that serving on this Board is a great way to participate in an important local ministry. He loves how PIH focuses on building sustainable relationships between families suffering from hardship and social isolation with local church groups. These relationships benefit both parties and result in strengthening the Body of Christ.

Brian Oaks; Vice-President - Brian has been a patent attorney with Baker Botts since 1998. Brian grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and came to Texas in 1990, where he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. After law school in Virginia and several years in Dallas, he and his family moved to Lakeway in 2009. They attend Lake Travis United Methodist Church, where Brian serves on the Missions Committee. Brian joined the Board in 2016.

Laurie Hockenberry; Secretary - Laurie and her husband Mike moved to Lakeway in 2013 after retiring from State Farm Insurance. Laurie spent 35 years with the company in various management positions in Finance,  Auditing and Compliance.  They have one son, Brett, who is married to Ali and lives in South Florida. Both Laurie and Mike are active members of ACTS Church Lakeway. Laurie became familiar with PIH when Mike started working with the organization and several members of ACTS in making improvements to a client’s home. She is excited about the opportunity to be involved in an organization that can have such a positive impact on others.

Renee Philips; Immediate Past President - Renee has lived, served, and worked in the Lake Travis community since 2001. Renee and her husband Bryan have been married for over 30 years, and are both active in their church, Austin Christian Fellowship. Renee recently transitioned to full-time retirement from Independent Bank in Lakeway. She began serving with PIH as a volunteer on Saturday workdays. After retirement, she joined the PIH Board in 2014 and considers herself blessed to be involved with a ministry that offers a unique opportunity to do kingdom work in this little slice of heaven on earth known as the Lake Travis community.

Bob Corless - After living and working in numerous domestic and international locations, Bob and his wife Joni decided to call Austin home in 2013. They have been married for 33 years and have one adult daughter who is studying to become a registered nurse. Bob retired from Chevron in 2016 after 39 years in facilities engineering. Bob is a member of ACTS Church Lakeway and is currently serving on staff as their Facilities Manager. He was introduced to Partners in Hope by helping with Christmas decorations and later led a small project repairing a client’s trailer. Bob initially saw PIH as a great organization that helps the less fortunate in the Lake Travis area but has learned that it is much more. Partners in Hope also benefits members of the Body of Christ by building treasures in heaven that will not wear out, allowing them to get outside of the church walls to share resources and the love of Christ.

Thornton “TC” Cornell - TC is a Product Director for State Auto Insurance Company & is also a Certified Public Accountant. He and his wife of 27 years have six children and live in Steiner Ranch where Shelley teaches 5th Grade. They attend church at Austin Christian Fellowship’s Four Points location. They moved to Austin in 2015 after living in the Fort Worth area for 25 years. TC joined the Board in 2017.

Don Crook - Don is a managing partner of Combined Benefits Group, Inc, an independent insurance agency serving public schools. He and his wife, Dena, began serving with PIH several years ago and Don became a Board member in 2023. Don was introduced to PIH through a partner ministry, Cornerstone Restoration. He quickly learned that PIH was so much more than a simple workday. Instead, he views it as an opportunity to serve not only the needs of the community that often go undetected, but to also feed the souls of those who serve their neighbors. This vision of ministry has also called him to be involved with God of Hope Ministries, which brings the gospel to men behind the walls of our prisons who are seeking hope. Don and Dena attend Austin Ridge Bible Church and have resided in the Lakeway/Bee Cave community since 1993. They have two beautiful daughters, Hannah and Gracie.

Diahn (Dee) Ehlers - Dee’s 10 years with Partners in Hope began with serving as a Board member in 2013 and then as a staff member from 2015-2023.  Dee is excited to be back on the Board of Directors, utilizing her experience working with PIH families and volunteers to advance the goals and mission of Partners in Hope. In all of her roles, she loves encouraging others to see their true gifts and potential. Dee is also a certified Life Coach through the Forward Foundation and is working toward receiving her accreditation through the Association for Coaching. “As one who has the tendency to isolate when life gets tough, I know the importance of building and maintaining a healthy community around myself and my family.”

Dallas Gregory - Dallas joined PIH as a Board member in 2023 and works as the operations manager for MLD Services, a local HVAC company. Dallas has lived with her husband Lee in Leander, Texas since 2002. Their blended family includes seven grown children and three grandchildren. Dallas is a member of Life Church in Leander and has worked with CASA as a Court Appointed Special Advocate since 2020. Dallas loves the mission of PIH and working with families as she is able. Her favorite scripture verse is Philippians 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Tyler Lewis - Tyler and his family have called the Lake Travis area home since moving from Houston in 2012. He and his wife Rebekah of 13 years have two children, Sophia and Jacob who attend Austin Ridge Bible Church. Tyler is the Vice President of TAB Technologies and when not working enjoys spending time outdoors with his family. Tyler joined the Board in 2020.

John Mason - John has served alongside PIH for several years and joined the PIH Board in 2023. He is retired and lives in the Lake Travis area, where he attends Austin Ridge Bible Church. He appreciates how Partners in Hope brings together churches, organizations, and people to help those in need in our community and believes this ministry wonderfully fulfills Christ's instruction to raise up people with a passion to care for, serve, and love our neighbor.  John reminds us that a complete understanding of Christ's teaching is summed up in the following Commandment: "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Keith Morton - Keith joined Partners in Hope as a board member in 2022. He lives with his wife Stephanie in Leander, Texas, where his three adult sons live as well. Keith and his family moved to Austin in 2002, after being born and raised in the Washington, DC area. They call Austin Christian Fellowship their church home. Keith serves on ACF’s Mission Leadership Team, and has been on several national and international mission trips to Managua, Nicaragua where he serves alongside the Nicaraguan Resource Network. It is through his serving in Nicaragua where he came to appreciate that missions is more about “being” than “doing.”  Keith works for the National Credit Union Administration, where he serves as the Regional Director and President of the Asset Management Center.

Susan Priddy -Susan works as a freelance marketing strategist and writer. Originally from San Antonio, she is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. Susan and her husband Chuck moved back to Austin from the Chicago area in 1993, and they have one adult daughter named Morgan. They attend church at Austin Christian Fellowship (Four Points). Susan joined the Board in 2020 after participating in the development of Matt Peacock’s book about the continued growth of Partners in Hope. After learning about the many stories of lives transformed through the organization’s efforts, she was excited to contribute on a deeper level.

Rita Thompson - Rita joined Partners in Hope as a Board member in 2022. She lives with her husband, Bill, in Cedar Park, Texas, and have lived in that area since 1990. They have three adult children who live in Cedar Park, Northlake, and San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. They are members of Bethany United Methodist Church, where they have served in a multitude of areas, including teaching both youth and adults. Rita serves on Bethany’s lead team, chair of the trustees, prayer team, and inviting ministries teams along with other service roles. Rita recently retired from AT&T where she was an account manager for large government agencies. She is looking forward to continuing Kingdom work with Partners in Hope, as she loves the focus on building relationships between families in need and local church groups with emphasis on sustainability.