Central Office

Gevona Hicks is a dedicated advocate for Texans with disabilities, bringing extensive experience and passion to her work. With over two decades of public service, her journey began with coordinating services for home and community-based providers and state-operated intermediate care facilities. She currently serves as a Managing Independent Ombudsman and has played a key role since joining the office in April 2014. During her 10 years as an Assistant Independent Ombudsman, she made significant contributions to the systemic investigation team as a Senior AIO and was the agency’s first Ombudsman Educator. As a certified person-centered thinking trainer, Gevona helps Texans imagine and achieve the lives they want. Her recent completion of a Master of Public Administration further enhances her ability to make meaningful contributions within the public sector. Her leadership has shaped policy, improved service delivery, and strengthened advocacy across the state. Gevona is committed to empowering individuals and improving public service through thoughtful leadership and advocacy.

Henry Chan was born and raised in the Northern Mariana Islands. He received his bachelor of arts in Politics from New York University. He previously worked in the civic engagement field, working to improve election administration and voters’ access to information. He has experience in program management, process development and refinement, team development and coaching, and strategic leadership. He is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration at Texas State University. He joined the Office of the Independent Ombudsman for SSLCs in November 2025.

Harrison Jensen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and raised in Southern Oregon. He received his bachelor’s degree in Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon. Subsequently, Mr. Jensen worked for the Louisiana Department of Health, where he helped improve health care quality and accessibility for Medicaid enrolled Louisianans. Mr. Jensen joined the OIO in June 2023.

Brianna Teague was born and raised in the Houston, TX area. After receiving a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, she obtained a master’s degree at the University of Houston in Anthropology. She has previous experience as a research assistant in the Health and Human Performance department at the University of Houston and as a disability specialist with the Social Security Administration. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Professor at Austin Community College. Mrs. Teague specializes in research, data analysis and management support. She joined the Office of the Independent Ombudsman for SSLCs in December 2021.

Jessica Rosa was born and raised in Austin, TX. She attended Austin Community College and Concordia University where she studied Finance. She began her professional career working for several financial institutions providing banking services for the community, and eventually moved on to work for a leading provider of residential services and supports where she provided billing and money management assistance. Ms. Rosa has experience in report development, data management, and administrative operations. She joined the Office of the Independent Ombudsman central office team in December 2019.

Mr. Clark was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, and resides in Lubbock with his family. Mr. Clark earned a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Human Services from Wayland Baptist University. He began his career with the State of Texas at the Lubbock State School as a Direct Support Professional in 1999, where he worked 14 years in roles including Unit Director, Campus Administrator, and Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional. In 2013, Mr. Clark’s endeavors for career advancement led him to the Department of Family and Protective Services (Adult Protective Services) where he worked for 6 years as an APS Specialist to advocate for elderly and disabled Texans. In April of 2020, Mr. Clark’s career path led him back to the place he began his career with the State of Texas when he accepted the position of Assistant Independent Ombudsman for the Lubbock SSLC with the OIO.  In October 2025, he was promoted to Managing Independent Ombudsman.

Mrs. Hines, a native of Grayson County, Texas, currently resides in Pflugerville with her family. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and a Master of Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of North Texas. She began her professional journey as a Child Care Licensing Specialist at the Department of Family and Protective Services in Dallas. Upon relocating to Austin, Mrs. Hines transitioned into a role as a case manager for the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. Driven by her passion for assisting others, Mrs. Hines took on the role of Post-Move Monitor at the Austin SSLC, providing crucial support to individuals transitioning into community settings. Prior to assuming her current position as the Assistant Independent Ombudsman for the Austin SSLC in 2018, she honed her expertise as a Curriculum Developer for HHS. Mrs. Hines is certified as a Person-Centered Thinking trainer by The Learning Community for Person-Centered Practices. In 2023 she was promoted to a Senior Assistant Independent Ombudsman and assumed the role of Ombudsman Educator in October 2025.

Carrie Martin has been a dedicated advocate for social justice for over 20 years, with more than a decade of experience serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Mrs. Martin previously served as the lead assistant independent ombudsman for the OIO and later as the operations manager. In August 2021, she was promoted to deputy independent ombudsman. In her current role as deputy, she oversees agency strategy and operations, legislative reports, process improvement initiatives, data and quality assurance, and staff training. Mrs. Martin has a Bachelor of Science from Texas State University and completed graduate coursework in organizational development at St. Edward’s University. As a servant leader, Carrie is passionate about cultivating transformational cultures that drive meaningful change, trust, and continuous improvement.

Candace Jennings began supporting people with developmental disabilities as a direct care specialist in 1996. After earning a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Southwest Texas State University, she gained professional experience serving the San Antonio community for 12 years. She has earned a Master of Public Administration degree and a PhD in Applied Demography from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Jennings served as Deputy Independent Ombudsman from the establishment of the office in 2010 and was appointed by Gov. Abbott to lead the OIO as Independent Ombudsman in June 2021.