The 2011 annual conference theme of “Piecing it all Together: Promoting Partnerships for a Healthy Texas” expressed the need for partnership and unity between the stakeholders as each individual entity engages in their role in improving the health of Texans. Although each entity has a unique role and obligation in improving the overall well being of the State, all of these roles are interconnected. This year’s conference provided a collaborative learning opportunity between members of the vital statistics registration system that will improve communication, increase the understanding of the connections between partners, and strengthen partnerships through a conceptual understanding of the ‘big picture’ of vital registration. This conference offered an interactive and comprehensive analysis of vital registration roles, functions and goals so that all partners can work together more efficiently towards improving the health of all Texans.
Keynote Speaker
Marty McKellips has been involved with the Central Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross since the year 2002. Currently serving in the role of Chief Executive Officer, she began her Red Cross work as a Disaster Action Team volunteer responding to home and apartment fires. After training in Public Affairs she assumed the role of leadership volunteer in Public Information and joined the Financial Development Committee. She was recruited to join the Board of Directors in 2005 and served as Chair of Volunteers for three years. During this period she continued her Public Affairs work and took training to be a member of the National Disaster Public Affairs Team. As a member of the paid staff she has served in the roles of interim Emergency Services Manager and Development and Communications Manager for Williamson County and Chief Marketing Officer.
Her Red Cross accomplishments include co-authoring the Central Texas spontaneous volunteer plan used by local governments, school districts and the Red Cross during hurricane evacuations into Central Texas, engaging Lucy Baines Johnson in the local chapter, and serving as a public information officer in ten National Disaster Relief Operations.
She is also a co-owner and Vice President for Public Relations of Biggs and Smith Electric, Inc. Since the founding in 2000 the company has grown from a three employee operation to $1 million dollars in annual sales. She also serves as the Business Continuity Officer for the company.
Early in her career she taught high school English and speech and owned and managed successful residential cleaning services. She has a B.A. in Speech from Cameron University where she won the Pi Kappa Delta National Championship for Extemporaneous Speaking.
Her professional awards include The Shining Star Award from the Public Relations Society of America, The Clara Barton Award, and Volunteer of the Year for the Central Texas Chapter.
Marty volunteers in the local community garden, loves gourmet cooking and local music.
Continuing Education
The conference applied for Continuing Education for licensed funeral directors, county clerks, justices of the peace and AHIMA.