Legislative Services

Caroline Love joined TAC in October 2022 as a Legislative Consultant and was named Director of Legislative Services April 2024. With more than 24 years of work experience in Texas, Caroline held various positions within Texas state government, including the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV), and the Texas Municipal Retirement System. Additionally, she has worked for HillCo Partners and on several Texas political campaigns.

A Chicago native, Caroline received a Political Science degree from Loyola University of Chicago then quickly moved to Texas to avoid those long cold, bitter winters. Her broad exposure to work with both public and private entities brings diverse perspectives and solutions. Her previous role for many years as Director of Government and Strategic Communications with TxDMV, including work with stakeholders and counties on issues, makes her a great resource.

Katy Estrada is TAC's Associate Director of Legislative Services and serves as TAC's liaison to the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas. She initially worked with the Tax Assessor-Collectors Association of Texas after joining TAC in 2018. Estrada previously was a governmental affairs consultant at Davis Kaufman PLLC, where she spent two years developing legislative strategies, conducting policy research and advising on legislation. Her experience also includes serving as committee director for the Texas House Committee on County Affairs for three years and as the committee clerk for two years. Estrada began her career as a clerk in the House Committee Coordinator's office.

She holds a Master of Public Administration from Texas State University and a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University.

Amy Ruedas joined the TAC Legislative Department as Operations Manager in 2016. She brings more than 10 years of experience working in nonprofit management. Ruedas assists the TAC Legislative Director and department staff, helping to coordinate the operations of the department.

Ruedas was born and raised in Austin. She earned a B.A. in Human Services and M.A.T. with a minor in organization development and training from St. Edward’s University in Austin.

Amy Bruno joined TAC's Legislative Services team in 2024 as a Legislative Consultant working with the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association, bringing more than 17 years of experience in Texas policymaking. Before TAC, Bruno served as vice president of advocacy at a nonprofit, where she worked to promote policies and innovations that support child wellbeing. Her career also includes roles as chief of staff and legislative director for several state representatives, as well as work with a government affairs firm and various Texas political campaigns. At the national level, she has worked for a U.S. senator and held multiple roles on a presidential campaign.

Bruno earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and Russian from The Ohio State University and studied as a fellow with Ohio State's John Glenn Institute for Public Affairs and Public Policy in Washington, D.C.

Katie Carmichael joined the Texas Association of Counties in 2024 as Legislative Consultant, serving as liaison for the Sheriffs' Association of Texas. She brings more than 15 years of experience in communications, public affairs and governmental relations, with a strong background in legislative, regulatory and advocacy work in Austin. Carmichael has had held a variety of roles across diverse policy areas, including serving as a clerk for the Texas House of Representatives Culture, Recreation and Tourism Committee; director of public affairs for a Texas Railroad Commissioner; and founder and principal of her own PR and government relations shop. She also served as vice president of a national PR firm and, most recently, worked as a lobbyist representing numerous high-profile clients, primarily in the technology sector. In addition, she has worked on several political campaigns over the years.

Carmichael earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas State University in 2009 and is currently completing her J.D. at St. Mary's University School of Law. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering and giving back to her community.

William Chapman joined the Texas Association of Counties in 2024 as a Legislative Consultant, advising on federal legislative strategy and policy matters. He began his public policy career as a staff assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he gained critical legislative experience. In 2021, he joined the National Park Foundation as an account associate for corporate partnerships, focusing on building corporate relationships to support the National Park Service. The next year, Chapman joined the National Association of Counties as a corporate relations assistant, leveraging his expertise to develop strategic partnerships and support county initiatives. He holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and philosophy from Allegheny College.

Elizabeth Choate is a TAC Legislative Consultant and liaison to the Texas District and County Attorneys Association. Before joining TAC's Legislative Services in 2022, she was a government relations specialist at AAA Texas & New Mexico, where she advocated for the company's interests before legislatures, regulatory bodies and other key forums. Choate previously spent more than a decade as the director of government relations and general counsel at the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, managing the association's government affairs program and political action committee and providing legal counsel to the association and its members.

Choate began her career in public policy in the Texas House. She served multiple sessions as a policy analyst and later as chief of staff and general counsel to the chairman of the County Affairs Committee. She holds a Bachelor of Science in political science and economics and a Juris Doctor with a certificate in government law.

Nanette Forbes has been a TAC Legislative Consultant since 2005, working closely with the County and District Clerks' Association of Texas. In her role, she assists with legislative research and facilitates communication with state elected officials and agencies. She previously worked as a paralegal in TAC's Legal Services department and held a variety of public sector jobs at the county and state levels before joining TAC.

A native of Jim Hogg County in South Texas, Forbes has lived in the Austin area for the past 20 years. Her expertise includes issues pertinent to county and district clerks, such as elections, fines and fees, and open government.

Stefan Silveira joined TAC in 2024 as a Legislative Consultant and liaison to the Tax Assessor-Collectors Association. He previously worked as a legislative director in the Texas Senate. His experience also includes work in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he specialized in appropriations. Silveira holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School at UT-Austin. Before his career in public policy, Stefan worked as an elementary and middle school teacher for four years in both the Dallas and Austin areas.

Pete Winckler has served as liaison to the Texas Association of County Auditors since joining TAC in late 2020. Previously, he lobbied for corporations and interest groups, building on his 14 years as an aide, director and chief of staff to four Texas state senators. Winckler has called Austin home for over 20 years and draws on his time representing coastal, North and East Texas interests to better understand the diverse needs across our great state.

Julie Young joined TAC in 2024 as a Legislative Consultant and liaison to the County Treasurers' Association. Previously, she served as chief of staff, general counsel and committee director for the House Committee on County Affairs. In 2022, she was appointed chief of staff and general counsel to the chair of the House Juvenile Justice Committee. Earlier in her career, Young held various positions in the Texas House, including committee director and general counsel for the Higher Education and Juvenile Justice & Family Issues committees. She began her public policy career in 2015 as a committee clerk for the House Investments and Financial Services Committee.

Young holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami. Before moving into public policy, she worked as a public defender and regional conflict counsel.

Tim Brown joined TAC in 1999 and is now the senior analyst for the County Information Program within the Legislative Department. Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Dallas before joining the U.S. Navy. After leaving active duty, he attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he received a master’s degree in library and information science.

In 2001, Brown was mobilized and served one year with the U.S. Central Command.

Fiscal Policy Analyst
Zelma Smith is a Fiscal Policy Analyst for TAC’s County Information Program. She focuses on the state budget and funding included in the budget for Texas counties. Smith identifies state and federal grants available to Texas counties and posts them on TAC’s Grant Opportunities webpage. She also works with county staff and officials to assess the fiscal impact of state legislation on county resources. Smith has over three decades of experience in state and local government budget and policy issues, working in city budget offices in Texas and Illinois and as an analyst and manager at the Texas Legislative Budget Board. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a master’s in Urban Studies.

Policy Analyst - Jack Austin joined TAC in 2024 as a policy analyst. He previously worked for the Texas Municipal Retirement System and spent six years teaching English at Austin Community College. Austin earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Master of Fine Arts from Hunter College in New York.

Sara Ratliff joined TAC's Legislative Services in 2024 as a Policy Analyst, using her expertise to complement the team’s work on legislative review and research. She began her career in public affairs as a policy assistant for the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Science, Space and Technology. She then moved to the U.S. Department of Education, where she served as a confidential assistant. In 2020, Ratliff returned to Capitol Hill to join the House Committee on Oversight and Reform as a professional staff member and clerk.

She moved home to Austin in 2022 to build on her Washington, D.C., experience and gain deeper insights into the policy priorities of Texans. She worked her first Texas legislative session in 2023 within the Comptroller's Government Affairs and Programs office.

Ratliff holds a bachelor's degree in political science, with a minor in communications studies, from Texas Tech University.