2021 Your AAA Staff

EMILY BLAIR, CAE

Executive Vice President, Boss Lady, the Big Cheese, The Buzzkill Committee

Staff Liaison for: Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Leadership Committee, PAC Board of Trustees, and AAA Education Foundation (among others)

The Beginning: Born and raised in Holland, Michigan (also known as the frozen tundra this time of year – have I mentioned how happy I am to live in Texas?!)

Career Path: Market Research Firm, then Home Builders Association(s), then Austin Apartment Association

AAA Workiversary: Second anniversary January 7, 2021

Fun Facts: • My husband Brian and I live in the hill country – Dripping Springs with Sadie (our crazy Bernedoodle) • At 5’ 11” I am the shortest of all of my siblings – with my baby sister the tallest at 6’ 3”! • I have lived in Texas for 5 years and have never been to Mexico in my life

Happy Place: Anywhere outside – and the happiest of happy is enjoying live music outdoors drinking wine

Favorite things about working for the AAA: Our hilarious team and our wonderful members who truly care so much about the AAA and its future. I love working with dedicated talented individuals.

LISA BERMAN

Director of Membership Development, People Partner & Membership Guru

Committee Staff Liaison for: Ambassador (A-Team), Mentors (M-Team), & NextGen Committees

The Beginning: Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio Career Path: I started my non-profit career with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, followed by 7 years with the Ohio Pharmacists Association as their Director of Membership & Events.

AAA Workiversary: First anniversary January 6, 2021

Fun Facts: • I come from a large family with lots of cousins. I am very familiar with the concept of the Italian goodbye (aka Berman goodbye), involving goodbye’s in the kitchen, living room, doorway, car, and from the street as you’re pulling away. • My fiancé and I bought our first home in South Austin 6 months ago. • I love challenging myself training for races. My last was the incredibly scenic Big Sur International Marathon in California!

Happy Place: Travelling to be with family and exploring new cities with friends, sitting on a patio, playing tennis

Favorite things about working for the AAA: Easy—the dedicated AAA staff and amazing members! I love the sense of community within the industry and how welcoming everyone has been. I’m really looking forward to working with you all again this year and if I haven’t met you in person yet, I hope to meet you soon!

DANA BOLZ, CMP

Director of Meetings and Events, Director of Fun, Head of Schmoozing, Professional Cat Herder

Committee Staff Liaison for: Products and Services Council

The Beginning: Moved to Texas from Connecticut when I was 10 years old and have lived in Austin for 20 years

Career Path: Began my career as the Meeting Planner for the Texas Parent Teacher Association

AAA Workiversary: Will celebrate 14 years at AAA on January 4, 2021

Fun Facts: • I have an 8-week-old Golden Retriever named Sir Miller Brown; I also have a 6-year-old Labrador named Tico Brown • My niece and nephew live in Benin, Africa (with their parents) • I love to travel; I have skied in the French Alps, swam in the Dead Sea and surfed in Peru

Happy Place: Sitting by a fire when it’s cold outside; baking cookies; taking a hot bath; being with my family; day drinking in a pool

Favorite things about working for the AAA: The members! Watching members connect and create professional and personal relationship’s is very rewarding. The AAA staff is pretty awesome too! Besides all of the fun events I get to plan, seeing everyone come to together on Food Drive Delivery Day is very inspiring!

PAUL CAUDURO, CAE

Director of Government Relations and, as the only male on staff, the one who lifts heavy objects, picks up dead bugs and changes the florescent light bulbs

Committee Staff Liaison for: Legislative Committee, PAC Board of Trustees

The Beginning: Born in Warren, Ohio. Moved to Richardson, Texas in 1977. Bachelor of Science from Southwest Texas State 1984, Master’s Degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas, 1987. Earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 2019

Career Path: Began my career doing long-range transportation planning and travel forecasting. Entered association work at the Home Builders Association of Dallas followed by the Texas Association of Builders and the Texas Combined Heat and Power Association.

AAA Workiversary: Started at the AAA in April 2015

Fun Facts: • Married twenty years to Michelle with a son Evan, 18 and daughter Aubrey 15. • While in graduate school during the mid-80s I was a parking valet for the nicest restaurant on 6th street called the Fish Market. • I was a NCAA Lacrosse referee for 15 years

Happy Place: You can usually find me cooking for the family or at my daughter’s club volleyball game.

Favorite things about working for the AAA: Some of the best minds in the rental housing business are members of the AAA, and working with them for the betterment of the industry to resolve housing challenges in the Austin area and beyond is very rewarding.

AMBER COLLINS

Director of Marketing & Communications, Social Solutionist, Graphic Guru, Copy Crusher, Magazine Master Committee Staff

Liaison for: Communications Committee, Outreach Committee, and Food Drive Committee

The Beginning: Born in Norman, Oklahoma and grew up in Purcell, OK (Sooner born and Sooner Bred… Sorry guys – “But Texas is the place I really long to be.”

Career Path: Began my career as an Account Executive at an ad agency in OKC. Went to work for one of my clients as the Marketing Director at American Floral Services. Moved to D.C. in 2001 to help expand a marketing firm over a period of 12 years. Relocated to Austin in 2013 to establish and manage their Austin satellite office.

AAA Workiversary: Celebrated one year on October 28, 2020 (Lynne and I started on the same day)

Fun Facts: • Live in Lakeway with husband, David; 4-year-old daughter, Eliza; COVID-pup, Dash; and two kitties, Bernard and Bianca • My husband and I both have twin sisters • I was an extra in the movie Twister, but my scene ended up on the cutting room floor (LOL)

Happy Place: Sitting on my back porch with my family; Maui (although being anywhere near or on the water makes me happy); a hot bath; driving anywhere with the windows down, radio up, singing at the top of my lungs

Favorite things about working for the AAA: My fellow AAA staffers, our amazing members, helping to make a real difference in people’s lives through community outreach and food drive; and coming up with creative ways to help our members connect, learn and stay informed

AMY LYDIC, CAE

Director of Education, Organizer of Random Thoughts and Erratic Activity, Founder and CEO of MBI (Mom’s Bureau of Investigation)

Committee Staff Liaison for: Education Committee and AAA Education Foundation

The Beginning: Born and raised in Central Illinois. Relocated to Texas in 2017 for husband’s job. Never knew I wanted to live in Texas, until I got here and now, I never want to leave (even in the summer).

Career Path: I have worked in association management for nearly 23 years and served more than 15 different associations. From fundraising, working with Boards and strategic planning to managing certification and awards programs, and event management. I feel like I have seen and/or done it all. I have so many stories. A

AA Workiversary: Started at AAA in August 2019

Fun Facts: • I live in Cedar Park with my husband. We have two adult children, one son-in-law and one grandchild, who all live in Florida. We are a crazy close-knit bunch. We have a lot of fun and I would do anything for them. • I do a lot of laundry and my fitted sheet fold is on point. • If music is on, I am probably singing along, and I know the words (even the explicit ones). • My son played hockey competitively for nearly 10 years from youth through High School. I am still recovering from being a Hockey Mom for that long. Not to leave my daughter out, she was a really good tennis player, but hockey is a full-on family commitment and some of the best years of all of our lives.

Happy Place: would be any warm locale on or near water, in a convertible with the top down, or at hockey rink.

Favorite things about working for the AAA: The PEOPLE! I love my co-workers and our members. Hands down, this is one of the most fun and caring group of folks I have ever had the chance to meet and be involved with.

LYNNE WILLIAMS

Accounting Manager, Director of Bean Counting and Money Maestro

Staff Liaison for: Budget and Finance Committee

The Beginning: Originally from New England, I relocated to Houston Texas in 1992 and have been a native ever since.

Career Path: I have been in accounting most of my adult life, working as Controller/CFO of several Country Clubs in the Houston area, having my own Controller-in-a-box company and public accounting work.

AAA Workiversary: I began working for the Austin Apartment Association October 28, 2019.

Fun Facts: • Moved to Austin in May of 2019 to care for my daughter who suffered a major stroke and who is still my biggest hero! We live in the hip and cool South Austin area with her dog Max, my dog Callie and my mom who also came to support us. My son just graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Computer Engineering this past December 2020. • I’m a huge Sci-Fi fan and love to go to Comic Con when it comes around. • I love Harry Potter as you can tell by all the stickers on my rear windshield.

Happy Place: I’m usually up to my elbows in dirt or doing a DYI project around the house. But if I want to relax, it’s the beach all the way. Grew up on the water in a boat fishing with my Dad and those are the places that make the world melt away.

Favorite things about working for the AAA: The people. My teammates are always working together toward a common goal, which is to make this a great member experience. Our outstanding members make it a breeze to do our jobs and love the feedback we always get from them. The community outreach just shows the giant hearts everyone has that is associated with the association.