Janice Cartwright, Executive Director, joined RECA in May 2000. During her tenure, RECA has grown in number of members, financial strength, and influence on policy issues. RECA provided the seed money for Opportunity Austin in 2003; pledged $400,000 to total $500,000 in contributions to the Hill Country Conservancy to support its efforts to purchase open space in Central Texas; and co-funded two campaigns to defeat 1) Props 1 and 2, SOS's petition-initiated charter amendments, in 2006 and 2) Prop 2, the citizen-initiated charter amendment in 2008 that, if passed, would have forced the city of Austin to terminate two legally-binding commitments made with the developers of the Mueller neighborhood (the old airport) and The Domain.

Cartwright is a native Central Texan, a graduate of Southwest Texas State University, and a Certified Public Accountant. She has extensive accounting, lobbying, and public relations experience.

Susan Hewlitt, Assistant to the Executive Director, rejoined RECA in May 2007. Hewlitt previously served as RECA's office manager five years before going on maternity leave. Hewlitt plans and executes RECA's fundraisers, KnockOut Night and the charity golf classic, and the Gardner-Betts Art Show and Silent Auction.

Hewlitt is orginally from Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1994 with a Bachelors degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Nancy McDonald joined RECA in August 2007. She is currently RECA's Director of Regional Outreach and facilitates RECA's Regional Issues and Transportaton committees as well as writes the monthly newsletter, The Regional Review .

McDonald has seven years experience as an account executive at McDonald Public Relations Inc. (MPRI) where she implemented public affairs plans for multiple clients with legislative issues in Texas. In addition to media relations and communications support for lobby efforts, McDonald has demonstrated expertise in grassroots organizing for client issues. Prior to her tenure at MPRI, McDonald worked for the Office of the Attorney General as a Human Resources Trainer/Facilitator for more than a decade.

Originally from El Paso, McDonald received her B.A. in Political Science from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Michael Wilt joined RECA in June 2008 as Director of Government Relations. Wilt represents RECA at City Hall, monitors city meetings, and facilitates RECA’s Affordable Housing and City of Austin Policy Issues committees and the Leadership Development Council classes as well as publishes RECA's bi-weekly newsletter, the Hot Sheet .

Wilt has extensive policy, legislative, and lobbying expertise through his tenure at the Texas Capitol and for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. While working towards his law degree, Wilt facilitated training for Fortune 500 companies, Am Law 100 law firms, and industry leading technology companies and financial institutions as a Client Relations Specialist for Management Team Consultants.

A native of Amarillo, Wilt received his B.A. in Government and Latin from the University of Texas in 2002 and his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2007.

Lesley Sanchez joined RECA in April 2010 as RECA's Office Manager. In October 2010, she was promoted to Director of Events and Administration. Sanchez organizes RECA's membership events, including the annual community service project, Christmas in October.

Sanchez is originally from Louisiana. She received a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Services from the University of Mississippi. She moved to Austin in 2007 and spent two years working as a legal assistant with Porter, Rogers, Dahlman & Gordon, LLP law firm. Prior to joining RECA, Sanchez worked part time as an event planner and personal assistant.