The FOI Foundation of Texas annual state conference is almost here. Register now to join us Friday, Sept. 26, in Austin for a powerful lineup of speakers and panel discussions.
CLICK HERE to register for the Sept. 26 conference.
This year’s conference “We the People: Holding Government Accountable” is Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Austin featuring luncheon keynote speaker Jan Crawford, chief legal correspondent for CBS News and a recognized authority on the Supreme Court. Her 2007 book, “Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court” gained critical acclaim and became an instant New York Times bestseller. She has reported on most of the major judicial appointments and confirmation hearings of the past 30 years.
Conference agenda:
8: 50 a.m.: Welcoming remarks by FOIFT president Ayan Mittra of the Texas Tribune
9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. – Hill Country flood: Demanding transparency, accountability, reform. Dillon Collier of KSAT-TV; Louis Amestoy of the Kerr County Lead; Matthew Childress, father of Camp Mystic counselor Chloe Childress and participant in The Campaign for Camp Safety. Moderator: Josh Hinkle of KXAN.
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Texas Legislature outcomes and look-aheads. Rep. Joe Moody, speaker pro tempore of the Texas House of Representatives; Emily French of Common Cause of Texas; Rachel Clow of KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi; JT Morris of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression). Moderator: Arif Panju of the Institute for Justice.
Noon to 1:30 p.m. – John Henry Faulk Awards Luncheon, featuring keynote speaker Jan Crawford of CBS News, presentation of the James Madison Award to attorney Bill Aleshire and presentation of Spirit of FOI Awards.
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Pursuing the truth through the Public Information Act. Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom; Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE-TV; Karina Kumar, data journalist and recent graduate of the University of Texas. Moderator: Missy Minter of the FOI Foundation of Texas board.
The FOIFT conference will be at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center, 1900 University Ave., in Austin. Registration is open! Individual registrations for $125, which includes the luncheon, are available as are luncheon-only tickets for $80. Also available are sponsorships for $1,000 and $550 for full or half-tables for 10 or five people, respectively, including full-day attendance. (The online registration tool works best on a laptop vs. a phone. Checks are also accepted. Contact [email protected] with any questions.)