Meet Our Council Members
Erik Dally
Chair
Erik Dally of Poolville is President of Into the Right Hands and the Program Coordinator for Boundless, a special needs ministry.
Erik is a member of Kiwanis and a volunteer for the Joseph Thomas Foundation, Joni and Friends, C.A.S.T. for Kids, and REVIVE. Additionally, he is a former board member of the YMCA: Camp Carter. Dally attended Texas Christian University, where he studied Business Administration and Public Relations & Advertising.
David Lunt
Vice – Chair
David Lunt of Haslet is a Senior Supplier Diversity Manager at Fidelity Investments, LLC. He is a member of the Disability:IN North Texas Board and the Fort Worth Mayor’s Committee on Persons With Disabilities.
Additionally, David is co-founder and former Chair of Fidelity Investments Enable Texas Employee Resource Group and the founder of the Fidelity American Sign Language Club.
Michael Garrett
Treasurer
Michael Garrett of Missouri City is a retired Senior Equities Analyst for J.P. Morgan Chase. He is currently Treasurer for the Texas State Independent Living Council.
Mr. Garrett is first vice president of the American Council of the Blind of Texas, board chairman of the American Council of the Blind Thrift Store, and board president of the Houston Center for Independent Living. Additionally, he is president of the Greater Houston Beep Baseball Association, secretary of the Houston Council of the Blind, and an associate minister and disabilities ministry leader at New Faith Church.
Rebecca “Hunter” Adkins
Secretary
Rebecca “Hunter” Adkins of Lakeway is a volunteer at the Ride On Center for Kids in Georgetown and a former member of the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.
Adkins was a guest lecturer at Texas A&M Veterinary School where she taught incoming physical therapy students about equine assisted activities for people with disabilities. Additionally, she was a contestant in Miss Wheelchair Texas and 2019 PATH International Rider of the Year.
Melva Henderson
Council Member
Melva Henderson, a native of Dallas, Texas, has over ten years of professional experience working within the blind and visually impaired community
Melva is the founder and CEO of Living Beyond Limits nonprofit organization. Her compassion and advocacy have allowed her to be the keynote speaker at universities and organizations. She is a vision life coach helping others create a road-map to successfully live a life beyond limits, while providing events that bring awareness to an underserved community. Melva received her BSW from Texas Woman’s University. She later earned an MSW from Texas A&M University of Commerce. Additionally, she received a certificate in business management from George Mason University. Melva is a catalyst for positive impact who has worked with community organizations in Dallas, Texas, enriching their development—channeling her life experiences with agency and initiative.
Patrick Studivant
Council Member
Patrick Sturdivant of San Antonio is a vice president and principal strategy consultant with Deque Systems.
Patrick promotes digital inclusion for people of all abilities by guiding global organizations to develop or maintain digital accessibility programs that foster a culture of equality. He is a member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, former board member of the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind, and former president of his homeowner’s association. Sturdivant received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from St. Mary’s University.
Tiffany Walker
Council Member
Tiffany Walker is an experienced nonprofit executive with over 20 years of experience in program management.
In addition, Tiffany’s experience includes staff development, proposal development, team building, strategic planning, and collaborating with community organizations. She is the Vice President of Services for San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Prior to joining the Lighthouse, Tiffany was an Executive Director of two San Antonio based nonprofits serving children involved in child welfare.
Tiffany has a M.S. in Psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She serves as a board member on the Texas State Independent Living Council and SJRC Texas agency.
Amanda Bodoin
Council Member
“My name is Amanda Bowdoin
I live in Forney , Texas, and am in my 26th year in Education, with 16 years of working with students who are blind or visually impaired.”
“I attended East Texas A&M Commerce with a BA in Education, SFA with a Master’s in Visual Impairment, and recently finished my DeafBlind Education at Texas Tech. I am a member of the National Family Association of DeafBlind and Deafblind International. I am married to David who has semi-retired from education as an Athletic Trainer and still contracts out to smaller school districts. We have 2 twins, Olivia who attends ETBU, and our son, JD who is deafblind and attends the 18-plus program. I am a swimmer and competes in swim races in the summer.”
Seth Wells
Council Member
Seth Wells was born in Taylor County, TX (Abilene), and his family moved around Texas until finally settling in College Station, TX.
Seth attended McMurry University in Abilene, TX where he received a BA in Communication.
Seth Wells is a proud Veteran of the United States Navy where he achieved the rank of Second-Class Petty Officer, Surface Warfare Qualified. As a member of Amphibious Squadron 3, he deployed upon the USS Rushmore on an 8-month WESTPAC deployment to the Gulf from 2012-2013. He left active duty service in May 2014 and returned to Texas.
Seth transitioned into the oil and gas field after moving back to Beaumont, TX. He thoroughly enjoyed his time in that industry for 5 years, but felt the pull back into the helping field. In the Fall of 2019, he joined the staff of the Rise Center for Independent Living as an Independent Living Specialist. He moved into the role the Executive Director of RISE in 2021.
He has been married to his wonderful wife Sarah for almost 14 years, and they are the proud parents of a super 10-year-old, Hank
PiPa McCollister
Council Member
PiPa McCollister joined the State Independent Living Council in December of 2024.
She is going on her second year of being assistant to the Self Determination Group, an advocacy group under the Arc of DFW. PiPa graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2011with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She worked for school districts in North and East Texas in Special Education before turning to caretaking for individuals with disabilities in 2015.
Her passion for supporting individuals with IDD and disabilities came after her daughter was diagnosed with autism and IDD in 2022. PiPa would later be diagnosed with autism herself, in 2023 at age 43. Her personal experiences and education surrounding autism and IDD, has made her a passionate advocate for those seeking to live a self determined life.
She is a member of The Arc of DFW, the Self Determination Group, Texas Advocates, and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. PiPa currently lives in Cleburne, Texas with her husband, daughter, boxer and 2 cats. In her free time she enjoys diamond painting and listening to podcasts.
Ex Officio Members
Bonnie Notargiacomo
TWC
Bonnie Notargiacomo has over 25 years of experience working with people with disabilities and promoting independent living.
Notargiacomo currently serves as TWC’s Program Specialist for the Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program within TWC’s Vocational Rehabilitation division. Prior to joining TWC, she worked with independent living centers in McAllen and El Paso, including as a deputy director in McAllen. In her career, Notargiacomo, who holds a master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation (VR), has been a VR counselor, a VR teacher and a VR program specialist.
She is a past recipient of the Aubrey Boyd Tipps Award, which is presented to an individual who consistently provides outstanding employment services to persons who are blind or visually impaired in competitive careers consistent with their interests, skills, and abilities. The award is given by the Texas Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Notargiacomo has been legally blind since age 16 and encourages others to live by her own personal philosophy, “Don’t let blindness get in the way of accomplishing your goals in life and fulfilling your dreams.”
Dana McGrath
HHSC
Dana McGrath is the Associate Commissioner for Local Access and Support at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
In this role, Ms. McGrath works to strengthen services for older adults and people with disabilities provided through the Area Agencies on Aging, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services, and Independent Living Services programs.
Prior to joining Local Access and Support in 2022, Ms. McGrath served for six years as the state’s director of Early Childhood Intervention Services, working to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and developmental delays. Ms. McGrath also spent eight years in the Regulatory Services Division at the Department of Aging and Disability Services, where she held leadership roles overseeing policy and licensing for long-term care facilities and home health agencies. Before moving to Texas, Dana held positions as a government relations specialist, legislative aide, research assistant and executive assistant in the public and non-profit sectors in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, CA.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and the study of women and gender from Rice University and a master’s degree in public policy from the George Washington University, and is a graduate of the Governor’s Executive Development Program. Outside of work, Dana enjoys running, reading and spending time with her husband, two children, and four cats.