Our Team

Francisco A. Castellanos-Sosa

Senior Research Associate

Francisco is an economist and data scientist with a Ph.D. in Public Policy and an M.Sc. in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin. Over his career, his work has applied economic theory in academia and government. He served as a Lecturer at the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University from 2020 to 2023. In Mexico, he worked on performing different types of evaluations of public and budget programs, constructing economic development plans, designing competitive public agendas, creating indexes, identifying strategic economic sectors, and teaching several undergraduate and graduate courses at Universidad del Valle de Mexico. Francisco also holds a B.A. in Economics from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon and an M.A. in Economy and Public Policy from Tecnologico de Monterrey.

Manuel de Leon Jr

Community Partnership Fellow

Manny is a passionate individual who is skyrocketing in his role as a pre-law student, and in his role as community partner fellow at Texas Census Institute. En route to graduation, Manny is a Criminal Justice & Political Science Major, with a concentration in criminal law. As an active individual within the RGV, he is quite involved in many organizations. He is the Vice-President of the RGV Model United Nations, the Liaison Officer for his Mock Trial Competition Team and an active member in several community events. Due to his interests in the community and in justice, Mr. De Leon has been exposed to diverse educational settings and several intellectual debates. He has worked as an academic tutor and has helped high school students pursue an education. In assessing the world around him, Mr. De Leon has an analytical approach that has garnered him recognition. He has a high G.P.A., excellent research & writing skills, and a personable nature. Not only is he dedicated to his intellectual growth, he also is an entrepreneur with his own pastry business. As a lifelong student, Mr. De Leon is constantly exposed to a wide array of sectors related to U.S. legal institutions, social justice causes, and education.

Shawn Clement

Salesforce Lead

Shawn Clement is an experienced and certified Salesforce Admin with nearly a decade of expertise in the platform. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Intervention from Winthrop University and a Master’s in Higher Education from the University of Virginia. Throughout his career, Shawn has been dedicated to the nonprofit sector, with a focus on education, student development, and advocacy.

Shawn’s professional journey has been marked by a strong commitment to human rights, compassion, meditation, mindfulness, and social justice. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role, with a particular passion for creating equitable and inclusive environments. Shawn’s dedication to these values is evident in his work, where he strives to leverage technology to drive meaningful change and support the missions of the organizations he serves. His three Salesforce certifications underscore his expertise and dedication to staying at the forefront of the field.

His work is characterized by a deep sense of empathy and a commitment to making a positive impact in the world.

Castellanos-Sosa, Francisco A., & Moulton, Sean. (2024). Funding Implications of the 2020 Census Undercount of Children and Young Children in Texas. Texas Census Institute.

Jacqueline Menjivar

Operations Manager

Jacqueline Menjivar is a dedicated and passionate professional currently serving as the Operations Manager at the Texas Census Institute. She brings a diverse range of experience in managing operations across retail, museums, and interior design. Jacqueline is deeply committed to human rights and civil rights work, with an extensive background in advocacy for equity and diversity. She is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science at Texas Woman’s University, driven by her passion for understanding the critical role of policy in promoting human rights. Throughout her career, Jacqueline has demonstrated a strong commitment to social justice, actively working to advance equity and inclusion in various sectors. At the Texas Census Institute, she leverages her operational expertise to ensure efficient and effective management of the Institute’s projects and initiatives, supporting its mission to promote fair and equal representation for all communities.

Castellanos-Sosa, Francisco A., & O’Hare, William P. (2024). Contributing Factors of the 2020 U.S. Census Children and Young Children Undercount in Texas. Texas Census Institute.

Castellanos-Sosa, Francisco A. (2024). The 2020 Census Undercount in Texas Counties. Texas Census Institute.

Castellanos-Sosa, Francisco A., & O’Hare, William P. (2023). The 2020 Census Undercount of Young Children in Texas Counties. Texas Census Institute.

Castellanos-Sosa, Francisco A., & O’Hare, William P. (2023). The 2020 Census Undercount of Children in Texas Counties. Texas Census Institute.

Castellanos-Sosa, Francisco A. (2022) Undercounting and Overcounting Population in Texas Counties: A Determinants-Side Approach and its Application to Texas. Texas Census Institute.

Brian Folkers

Business Systems Intern

Brian is a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Political Science and Statistics. While in school, he worked for several years as an undergraduate research assistant, combining quantitative and qualitative research methods on projects studying global development and political economy. He is interested in using data analysis for social impact and public policy changes to improve the quality of life of Texas citizens.

Angela Broyles

Founder & Executive Director

Through her extensive start-up experience in the B2B, retail and marketing industry, Angela brings expertise in strategy, process development, and financial planning for startups as well as growth-stage organizations. She has a history of simplifying complex business processes, positioning businesses as customer-centric, forward-thinking performers, along with extensive experience building focused teams, and inspiring collaboration.

In addition to her work in the business sector, Angela is an experienced social-sector change agent. Hired by Communities Foundation of Texas to manage the Texas Counts Pooled Fund to support the 2020 Census, Angela became engaged in efforts across the state and gained a deep understanding of the importance of census data. Her passion for this work led her to launch the Texas Census Institute to ensure the planning, collaboration, and research needed to elevate the importance of the census and the American Community Survey continues to ensure Texas remains the best place to live and work.

Angela has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

Amy Desler

Chief Strategist

Amy is the Founder and Principal of B. Partners, a consulting group that specializes in strategy, fundraising, communications and events. Her passion is helping organizations optimize resource development by leveraging unique communications, technology and marketing strategies while streamlining processes to accelerate impact.

Passionate about the importance of the census, Amy works to connect and align the Texas Census Institute with stakeholders across the state and nation.

Regina Nippert

Human Systems Design Strategist

Regina is a human-centered design strategist and collaborator and an experienced change agent for equity and community building. In addition to her current role with the TxCI team, Regina is the founding director of Human Systems and Strategies Design Group, and she is the co-founder of The Budd Center: Engaging Communities in Education at Southern Methodist University where she led its keystone project, The School Zone for more than a decade. In addition to her work in human systems and strategies, Regina has more than thirty years of experience in a variety of community development settings including the practice of architecture, micro-lending, affordable housing, and PreK-12 education. Regina received her B’Architecture from Texas Tech University and a Master’s in Design and Innovation from Southern Methodist University.

Map Tutorial

Follow the tutorial to explore factors contributing to the likelihood of census participation.

TO VIEW THE DATA:

Hover over the map and click on the county you would like to explore.

Factors for the county selected will appear to the left of the map.

Click on the Theoretical Factors drop-down icon ☰ for the definition and additional sources for each factor. The Legend will show value ranges for each factor.

Angela Broyles

FRANCISCO CASTELLANOS-SOSA

AMY DESLER

REGINA NIPPERT

JACQUELINE MENJIVAR

SHAWN CLEMENT

MANUEL DE LEON JR

RESEARCH COMMITTEE

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Research Partners

Francisco A. Castellanos-Sosa

Manuel de Leon Jr

Shawn Clement

Jacqueline Menjivar

Brian Folkers

Angela Broyles

Amy Desler

Regina Nippert

Map Tutorial

TO VIEW THE DATA: