Dudra Butler
President
Dudra Butler, is a longtime San Angelo resident and retired school social worker. Butler, who spent 26 years with San Angelo ISD working with at-risk students and families, said her experience connecting families to resources and services uniquely positions her to serve the community.
Chrysanthemum Cohen
Vice-president
Chrysanthemum Cohen is a writer and advocate with a background in crisis response, homelessness, and animal welfare. She has served as a Victim Advocate, AmeriCorps member, and public speaker, using her lived experiences to create more compassionate trauma-informed systems. Chrysanthemum is passionate about bridging the human and animal well-being and believes in the power of storytelling, healing, and justice to create lasting change.
Mary A.L. Tufts
Secretary
Able to edit long minutes from extensive meetings with a single keystroke. Active member of the DAR, Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Beta Sigma Phi, Unity Spiritual Center in San Angelo, Volunteer for Shannon Hospital, and almost any other organization that will have me. Old enough to know better but young enough to still care.
Gary Sanford
Treasurer
Gary is a veteran of the US Army Security Agency, serving in Germany during the Cold War. After a year as a private detective, he served as a police officer with the Wichita, KS Police Department for six years as a patrol officer and 15 years as a motorcycle officer and instructor. For 10 years, he was the chief instructor training officers for the Wichita, Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, as well as several smaller towns. He also held contracts with the U.S. Army at Ft. Riley, KS, and McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. He and his wife, Eldra, moved to San Angelo on August 1, 1997, after he retired from the police department. Ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas, Bishop Scott Mayer assigned him as Director and Chaplain to United Campus Ministries at Angelo State University, where he served for 18 years until his retirement on December 31, 2024.
Joshua Partin
Member at Large
Joshua is currently studying psychology at Angelo State University in pursuit of using his degree to help those around me. I am 20 and enjoy hip-hop, “hanging out” with friends, and reading. I am excited to help you in any way I can.
Valerie Tedford
Member at Large
Valerie has worked with Peace Ambassadors of West Texas since 2011. She is passionate about helping build relationships in the community and demonstrating the techniques of peaceful co-existence that she has learned over the years.Valerie owns an operates The Royal Touch Pet Sitting in San Angelo, a service which provides pet care visits to the pet’s own homes when the humans are away. Since 1997 she has helped countless pet owners feel at ease when leaving their precious furry ones in the hands of Valerie and her associates. She loves the theatre, especially musicals, and she enjoys a wide variety of music from orchestral to pop and country. With a masters degree in Music Theory and Composition Valerie has performed often in concerts and as an accompanist. She is a composer and songwriter.
Carl White
Member at Large
Carl White brings over 30 years of leadership experience in Parks and Recreation, with extensive expertise in park development, historic preservation, public art, and community engagement. A U.S. Army veteran and Certified Parks and Recreation Professional, Carl holds both a B.A. in History and an M.S. in Recreation Resources Development from Texas A&M University. He currently serves as San Angelo’s first official Parks and Recreation Director, overseeing Parks, Recreation, Civic Events, Fort Concho National Historic Landmark and Museum, and Fairmount Cemetery. During his 25 years in San Angelo, Carl has managed major park renovations, new sports complex construction, and improvements along the North Concho River. He serves as liaison to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, the Santa Fe Park Commission, and the Public Art Commission, working closely with local artists to promote and expand public art initiatives. Carl previously held leadership roles in Sugar Land, Texas, and remains active with Emmanuel Episcopal Church, the Peace Ambassadors of West Texas, and has also served with Ballet San Angelo, the Concho Valley Home for Girls, and other non-profit organizations. His passions include family, gardening, travel, foreign cultures, and languages, with recent travels to Mexico, Canada, Scandinavia, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, Japan, and the UAE, as well as extensive travels throughout Europe in the 1990s. He is a proud member of both the National Recreation and Park Association and the Texas Recreation and Park Society, and is also a Certified Public Manager. Carl and his wife, Kimberly, have four children: Joshua, Julia, Meredith, and Sarah.
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