A Message from CAI Austin Chapter President Suzanne Hubbard

Dear Members,

January has already flown by, and before we get too far into the first quarter, I wanted to share a brief update on the Chapter.

We are excited to announce that we have hired additional support staff to assist with day-to-day operations. Veronica Palacios has joined the team as our Marketing and Membership Coordinator and will support website updates, membership requests, marketing and graphic design collateral, email communications, and much more. This additional support staff will allow the Chapter to continue producing high-quality events and ensure we deliver on our mission to serve our growing membership.

We have also kicked off the year with record-breaking Annual Sustaining Partnership sales. In 2026, we welcomed 12 new sponsors, resulting in a 40% increase in gross revenue for the Chapter. This added revenue will allow us to host low- or no-cost events in 2026 — we couldn’t be more grateful to our annual sponsors.

I’d also like to highlight our Managers Workshop held on January 22, which welcomed nearly 100 community managers. The event featured great education, giveaways, and three hours of continuing education credits. Special thanks to our sponsors who helped make this event such a success: Blancken Insurance Group, Cagle Pugh, Cox CPA Services, First Citizens Bank, Kennedy Richter Construction, Kerrane Storz, P.C., and Porter Law Firm!

There are also several opportunities to get involved within the Chapter. We currently have openings across various committees and encourage you to stay engaged and active. Committee sign-up opportunities are listed below, and members are welcome to reach out directly to Jesus Azanza, Executive Director, at jesus@caiaustin.org to submit your committee interest.

Arcade/Skate Night

Crys Sanders, McKenzie Mena, LLP, Chair

Bowling

Reginald Mahadeo Jr., Farmers Insurance, Chair

Chili Fest       

Keri Scott, CMCA, AMS, D.R. Horton, Chair

Conference & Expo

Jill Nathman, Western Alliance Bank, Chair

Editorial

Chelsea Stormes, Alliant Insurance Services, Chair

Education

Elizabeth Babin, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Worth Ross, Chair

Membership

Cynthia Burns, CMCA, First Citizens Bank, Chair

I would also like to congratulate Jeanette Vella, who has been appointed to serve as President-Elect in 2026 and will be your Chapter President in 2027. Jeanette is a dedicated community association volunteer leader and has served on the Board of Directors for several years. She is a true advocate for community associations, and I look forward to working closely with her and the entire Board of Directors this year.



Finally, I encourage you to review our 2026 calendar of events and save the dates for the exciting educational and networking programs planned for this year. The Board continually evaluates each program to ensure we are delivering timely content, engaging experiences, and meaningful value to our membership.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Chapter President. I’m looking forward to a great 2026 and hope to see you later this month at our Game & Glide event in Austin.

Your Community Association Partner,

Suzanne Hubbard

2026 CAI Austin Chapter President