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AddRan College of Liberal Arts

Department of Political Science

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Advisory Board

Meet our advisory board! 

Chelsea Alexander

Chelsea Alexander earned her TCU degree in Political Science with honors, and she was involved as SuperFrog and student body president. Today, she is an Associate Vice President and Financial Advisor at a financial services industry in Fort Worth, where she was named a Five Star Wealth Manager in 2019 and 2020. Her husband, Ben, is a fellow TCU alum, and they are the proud parents of Sydney and Graham.

Kevin Arceneaux

Kevin (Vin) Arceneaux graduated from TCU in 1997. He fell in love with political science so much while he was there that he decided to get a PhD in it. He is currently the Thomas J. Freaney, Jr. Professor of Political Science, Faculty Affiliate with the Institute for Public Affairs, and Director of the Behavioral Foundations Lab at Temple University, where he has been a member of the faculty since 2005. In May 2021, he will be heading to Paris to join the faculty at Sciences Po. 

Maggie Burreson

Maggie Burreson graduated from TCU in 2016 with a B.A. in Political Science and Religion, where she participated in Model United Nations, Moot Court, and was a member of the John V. Roach Honors College. After leaving TCU, Maggie attended law school at Washington University in St. Louis and now works as a litigation associate at Jackson Walker LLP in Dallas.

Barrett Karr

Barrett Karr grew up in Fort Worth and graduated from TCU in ’94.  Barrett spent 25 years serving on Capitol Hill, and in the White House.  She currently works for Silver Lake, a private equity firm, based in both New York City and Menlo Park, CA.  Barrett's role in Silver Lake is to offer government insights relative to current and future investments.

Robert (Bobby) Chesney

Bobby Chesney (TCU ’94, Harvard Law ‘97) is the James A. Baker III Chair in the Rule of Law and World Affairs at the University of Texas School of Law, where he also serves as the Law School's Dean.  Separately, he serves UT as Director of the Robert Strauss Center for International Security & Law, which is a university-wide interdisciplinary unit that generates policy-relevant research, innovative courses, and high-impact public events.  

Alison Juban Creed

I was so fortunate to be a political science major at TCU! Engaging and challenging classes prepared me well for law school, and my professors were supportive of me every step of the way.  I’m delighted that my daughter is now a TCU Political Science major.  She is also having a stellar experience and is so grateful for her dedicated professors. After graduating from TCU, I attended Yale Law School and then spent a year as a clerk on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.  I practiced law in Houston with BakerBotts, where I focused on litigation and appellate work.  Since having my two daughters I have mostly retired from legal practice, but I run a small business and I stay busy as a community and school volunteer.

Ale Ortega Diaz

Attending TCU afforded me access to a quality education and a plethora of opportunities pre and post-graduation. Today, I am committed to spending my time in roles and opportunities that allow me to achieve impact AND pursue equity. Currently, this looks like serving as Director for Talent & Leadership at Teach For America – DFW’s school leadership pipeline. My ultimate goal here is to increase the number and quality of school leaders serving students in DFW. When I’m not on the job, I love walking my dog, sharing a good meal and conversation with family and friends, being physically active (dance fitness is my favorite!), volunteering for a local animal rescue organization, and indulging my love for seeing new places.

Charles "Chuck" Mooney III

Chuck is a graduate of Texas Christian University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree (’90) as well as the Master’s in Liberal Arts (’92). He was a four-year letterman on the Horned Frogs football team and as such, continues to profusely bleed Purple.  Chuck is a 17-year veteran of the merchant services industry where he has served as an electronic payments consultant and is known far and wide as Chuck the Credit Card Guy.  He specializes in making credit card processing one less thing that his clients will ever have to worry about.  Despite the absence of any legacy Frogs (so far), Chuck is most proud of his three children.  Jack (22) is a Jayhawk, Sarah (20) is a Razorback, and Cap (16) is an Aledo Bearcat.  Fortunately, Chuck says, they all look like their mother.  

Jenighi Powell

Jenighi Powell graduated from TCU 2009 with a BA in Political Science with emphasis in International Relations and a minor in Journalism. While at TCU, she served as a leader for First Year Experience programs, wrote for the Daily Skiff, served as a TCU Chancellor’s Scholar, and was a delegate for several Model United Nations conferences. Her favorite part of TCU, by far, was interacting with the amazing Political Science professors while working as an office assistant in the department. She is now a management consultant for Tecolote Research Inc., with over 10 years of experience supporting the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE). As a consultant, she plans and directs analysis of complex policy issues for one of the Department of Defense’s largest Big Data initiatives.

Walter E. Steimel, Jr.

Walter Steimel (TCU BBA Accounting ’78; UT Law ’81; Georgetown LLM studies) is the managing member of Steimel Conner Law Group PLLC in Washington, D.C., and is s licensed accountant (Texas) and attorney (D.C., Texas and multiple federal courts) specializing in international compliance, litigation, governance and cybersecurity. He was a practice group leader and partner/shareholder at both Hunton & Williams and Greenberg Traurig prior to starting his own firm. He served as a Visiting Scholar in the MJ Neeley School of Business teaching students on location in Cuba with Dr. Bruton and is an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Engineering at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., focusing on cybersecurity. Among his interests and activities are political strategy and policy work in Washington, D.C.; owning and operating wine import and sales companies in Chile and N.Y.; operating and managing sports and rowing training for the visually impaired and masters rowers; and leading peace missions in the Middle East.

Erin Cooksley Weece

My time at TCU was formative, there were endless opportunities to engage in learning both inside and outside the classroom. The Department of Political Science professors are top notch both academically and personally, some have continued to mentor me over a decade after graduation. The ability to individualize your journey and the bonds developed are something I believe you will only experience at a place like TCU. I earned my B.S. Political Science at TCU and my MBA in Marketing & Business Analytics at Southern Methodist University. I am currently Marketing Director for  Consumer Insights, Strategy & Planning, at Children's Health. Previously, I have been National Marketing Operations Manager, Tenet Health and was a Captain in the Army Medical Service Corps and an Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran, '08-'09.

Laura M. Wood

I came to TCU on an academic scholarship and earned my BA in Comparative Studies which allowed me to take a variety of classes in history and political science (my two main loves) along with economics and geography and 3 1/2 years of German language as the degree required at least 3 years of a foreign language; this was during the Cold War and so my classes had particular relevance to world events.  The professors inspired me and some remain my friends. I went on to graduate work at UT and UNT and earned a MA in Comparative Politics/International Relations, but I returned, most happily, to TCU to earn a Ph.D. in Modern European/Military History.  I have taught for more than 30 years at Tarrant County College and have been able to see a number of my students go on to earn their own degrees at TCU.