The second class of the Citizens Government Academy has continued the success of the previous years’ inaugural academy by informing its participants of the functions of the city government as it works towards ensuring all residents can live Life Connected.
The City’s second Citizens Government Academy began its first course in late July 2022, with introductory speeches from Mayor Sean Terry and City Manager Jason Laumer. This program was unique as participants were divided into four groups, who all acted as City Councilmembers who were tasked with creating their own Strategic Plan. The City Council creates a Strategic Plan every two years to ensure that the programs, projects, and services of the City are working towards impacting the Celina community in a positive way. This activity was used to show how each City department works toward the City Council’s vision using goals, objectives, and action items. Additionally, this activity helped these participants to think critically about what they envisioned Celina should look like.
During the program, the participants had several hands on activities, listened to presentations, and toured several locations, all to showcase the functions of each department in the City. Some of the highlights of the program include a planning exercise that allowed each group to redesign Old Celina Park, teaching them how our planners best utilize space for public use. A hands on demonstration of the Public Works department’s heavy machinery, highlighting the technical requirements to maneuver these pieces of crucial equipment. The participants even took a trip to the baseball fields at Old Celina Park for a classic home run derby! The academy taught each participant how the City takes great care in ensuring that the quality of life for the City’s residents is maintained.
This program was successful because of the eager participation of its residents. Each of these participants freely shared their unique viewpoint, time, and experiences, allowing for a sharing of ideas that other residents and staff members may not have heard before. This program created community bonds that would have not been possible without its participants. The City of Celina looks forward to growing this program in the future, strengthening community partnerships, and ensuring trust between the community with the city government.
Thank you to those who participated in the second annual Citizens Government Academy.
Audrey is the reporter for the Celina Record, Celina's local weekly newspaper. Audrey's love for journalism began in seventh grade when she wrote a story for the school paper about how to stick with New year's resolutions and became a full time career once she graduated. Audrey attended the University of Texas at Arlington and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and French and a minor in Communications in 2020.
Since graduating, she has had the chance to write about golf tournaments, highway infrastructure, police investigations, and everything in between. Her passion is to use the written word to capture the magic of communities like Celina. In Audrey's space time, you can find her watching old movies, hosting game nights, and drinking way too much coffee.
Clyde Hudson, Jr
Clyde E. Hudson Jr. was born in Chicago, IL. He is the father of two amazing daughters and completed his college education in Chicago. Clyde attended St. Xavier University from 2002 2008 earning his B.A. in Liberal Arts as well as an M.B.A. in Business Administration. His career spanned 23 years in Law Enforcement within the Chicago Police Department (CPD). He retired from CPD in August 2020.
Following his retirement and experiencing years of harsh winter weather, Clyde decided it was time for a change and relocated to Texas in September 2021. He became a resident of Celina in April of 2022. The relocation was an excellent idea.
David is married with two children and a Texas native, both children have and are attending City of Celina schools. The Hogue family has lived in Celina for 15 years and have embraced the change and rapid growth to our community.
Their family is very active in community volunteering and partnering with our public service teams. David and his wife, Vicky, are currently serving on the boards of the Celina Education Foundation, Celina Police Foundation, Celina Fire Foundation, Preston Trails Rotary Club, and actively involved with Bobcat Moms, Quarterback club, Band Booster club and the City's volunteer program.
Greg and his wife both grew up in Allen, Texas when it was still a small town. Once he graduated high school, he joined the Army where he spent six and a half years traveling the world. After two tours to the Middle East, he came back to Texas where he worked, played hockey, and started a family.
In 2020, Greg, his wife, and five children moved to the City of Celina. They have enjoyed the community so much that they made a goal to start doing whatever opportunities they could to plant deep roots in the community. Greg is also a Martial Arts Instructor for a few different schools in Savannah and Gainesville.
Jack is the fifth generation to live in the City of Celina. Jack is committed to historic preservation and revitalization of the City's Historic Downtown.
Jack is currently involved in real estate and developing land in the City of Celina. Jack has been married to his wife, Vivianne, for ten years and have four children, and two grandchildren.
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Jeremy is a long time resident of the City of Celina and has lived in the City for over 30 years. He is a Marine Veteran as well as an active volunteer in the community. Jeremy volunteers with multiple organizations including the American Legion, as the Vice Commander, the Rotary Club, the Celina Fire Foundation, a Sargent at arms in the Marine Corp League, the City of Celina Events Department, and the Quarterback Club.
Jeremy participated in the first Citizens Police Academy as well as the second Citizens Fire Academy. He is excited to graduate from the second Citizens Government Academy. Jeremy is also a local business owner. He owns a plumbing company located in North Texas, called Advanced Plumbing Solutions.
Jill was born in Southern California. She is a full time mother to her son, Jack, and a stepmom to Sophie. Sophie is a sophomore honors college student. Jack is a fifth grader. Motherhood takes up most of her time. She earned an associates degree from Fullerton College in California.
Her interests include string instruments, gardening, art, traveling the world with her husband, watching basketball and baseball. She was once a property manager for a ballet company, responsible for maintaining props used in plays such as the Nutcracker.
John has lived in many west coast states and even some foreign countries. He is a father to Sophie and little Jack. Sophie is a sophomore honors college student. Little Jack is a fifth grader. Jack owns a small school and several small businesses. He earned a masters degree from Texas A&M and is presently working on another from a top school.
He learned to play the piano as a teenager and played for many years. He has graduated from both the City of Celina's Citizen's Fire Academy and Citizen's Police Academy, and now Citizen's Government Academy. He encourages all eligible students to attend all of those academies as well.
Joy Martinez was born in San Diego, California and grew up in Farmington, New Mexico. After graduation, she moved to California, and then to Texas; where her family is all from. She and her husband, Juan, moved to Celina in August 2020. She has been in the Healthcare Industry for over 33 years, 25 of those as a Medical Transcriptionist.
Last year, she and her husband adopted their grandson, who is a first grader at Donnie O’Dell Elementary School. She collects flamingos and is always on the hunt for unique and unusual ones the quirkier the better. She enjoys spontaneous road trips, antiquing, and watching true crime shows. She hopes Celina will be a forever place to raise her grandson!
ThompsonKelly relocated to the City of Celina in 2019. Kelly serves as a federal investigator and runs a sales and tax compliance consulting firm. Kelly resides in Celina with her spouse and two Corgis.
Since becoming a resident of Celina, Kelly has completed both the Citizens Fire Academy and the Citizens Police Academy to become a resource for her neighborhood. Kelly also works part time as a Site Coordinator for the Celina Parks and Recreation Department.
Marc was born and raised in Belgium where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in electronics and software engineering. After completing his military service, he joined Nokia and was fortunate enough to live and work in different countries and states holding various roles in product engineering or program leadership. He currently is still working for the same company which relocated him to Celina in 2014 and has been living here ever since.
Marc enjoys roughhousing with his two Maine Coons and two Aussies, loves nature and the outdoors, enjoys cooking (and tasting), building scale models, and the occasional volunteering when and where he can.
Pam Denson
Pam is a Texan native, born in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Deer Park High School. She is currently enjoying her retirement after spending thirty three years in the banking and financial services. Pam has been married for fifty one years and has three children and nine grandchildren.
Pam still serves our community as a substitute teacher for both Celina and Prosper ISD. She enjoys to travel.
Peggy became a City of Celina resident in 2019, following an enriched life as a Navy wife, mother, and public school teacher. After earning a BA in Elementary Education from Central Washington University, Peggy began her life as a Navy pilot’s wife and teaching career in Beeville, Texas. As a military family, the Lees became involved with communities outside each assigned Naval Air Station.
To date, Peggy has a MA in Special Education, a MS in Education Administration, and privately tutors students in need. She is a proud mother of two children and three grandchildren.
Ryan TubbsRyan currently lives in the Creeks of Legacy community with his wife, Carmen, of nine years and their two daughters, Aria (7) and Cora (5). Ryan is a member of the Preston Trail Rotary Club serving the cities of Celina & Gunter, Resident Board Member of the Celina Creeks of Legacy HOA, Celina Special Events Committee member and active volunteer for the City of Celina. In 2021, he was appointed to serve on the City of Celina Home Rule Charter Commission.
Ryan and his family attend Rock Creek Church. In his free time, you can find Ryan on the golf course or supporting his daughters at gymnastics, art class or swimming lessons.
Tony believes in service to our community and our world. Tony is on his seventeenth year in education, nine years as an English Teacher, five years as an school administrator, and currently in his third year as a Digital Graphics/Animation and Engineering Teacher.
Tony was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He is a military veteran who served as Field Artillery Fire Direction Specialist (13E; FDC). Tony has been married to LaTasha Stone for ten years, has four daughters, and more recently, twin boys. He is an active member of One Community Church and seeks to live a life pleasing to God. He enjoys his Celina community and looks forward to the service that he will be able to provide.
Victoria is a recent transplant to the Celina area she moved to the City of Celina in February 2021 just as the big winter storm hit. She is a licensed General Insurance Agent (Property and Casualty) and Risk Manager by the TX Department of Insurance. In addition to her licenses, Victoria is also a commissioned Notary Public.
In her free time Victoria enjoys reading true crime, studying insurance, watching baseball, and collecting all kinds of things. A resident of The Homestead at Ownsby Farms, she lives with her husband, Scott, and their three adorable cats, Mommas, Godzilla, and Sally. Her favorite part about Celina is driving down Preston and seeing the cattle, horses, and other livestock.
