THE WIND COALITION STAFF
Paul L. Sadler | Steve Gaw | Lindsey Hughes
PAUL L. SADLER
Executive Director
Paul Sadler is a licensed attorney in the State of Texas and Louisiana. He serves as Executive Director of The Wind Coalition, with policy and regulatory development in eight (8) states including: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and New Mexico. He is board certified in Texas Civil Appellate Law and Personal Injury Trial Law. Sadler graduated from Baylor University in 1977 and Baylor Law School in 1979.
Some of the highlights of his legal career include all of the class certification hearings and all appellate responsibilities to the United States Supreme Court of the first asbestos class action ever approved in the United States. His litigation experience ranges from simple motor vehicle accidents to construction litigation in New York, patent infringements in Chicago, and product liability class actions from both the plaintiff and defense perspective. He was named and nominated by his peers as a Texas Super Lawyer from 2003 - 2007. He is admitted and qualified in numerous federal courts, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court, as well as all state courts in Texas and Louisiana.
Mr. Sadler also served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1991 - 2003. He served on numerous committees, including Judiciary, Pensions and Investments, Calendars, Health and Human Services, and on the Legislative Budget Board. His most significant committee work, however, was in the area of education. Mr. Sadler served on the House Public Education Committee from 1993 - 2003, serving as Chairman of the committee from 1995 - 2003. In 1997, Mr. Sadler served as Chairman of the Select Committee on State Revenue and Public School Finance and in 2001, he served as Chairman of the Select Committee on Public School Employee Health Insurance. During the decade of the 1990's, he was the only House member to serve as Chairman of more than one committee in the same session.
In 1995, as Chairman of Public education his committee re-wrote the Education Code. Senate Bill 1, dubbed the "Ratliff-Sadler Act" by late Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock, received almost unanimous approval in the House of Representatives after three days of debate involving more than 400 pre-filed amendments and approximately 1,000 floor amendments. As Chairman, Sadler was responsible for every issue of the debate in the Texas House of Representatives.
Over his legislative career, he successfully worked with democratic Governor Ann Richards and republican Governors George W. Bush and Rick Perry. During the 76th Legislative Session, Chairman Sadler guided the passage of a $3.8 billion education tax relief package. The legislation provided a $3,000 teacher pay raise, critical need programs such as new prekindergarten and kindergarten grant programs, the ninth grade initiative targeting students at risk of drop out, and at the same time providing the largest property tax cut in the history of the State. Sadler was also primarily responsible for passage of public school employee health insurance for the first time in the history of the state. He was responsible for substantially increasing funding for preschool, kindergarten and early elementary education. He pushed through legislation to increase funding for public school facilities, teacher pay, reading, math and science initiatives. Virtually every area of public education in Texas was affected by his leadership.
Mr. Sadler has received numerous awards for his legislative work. He was singled out by Texas Monthly during each of his legislative terms, being named to the Ten Best List in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001. He was recognized by the Dallas Morning News during each of his legislative sessions naming him as one of the three "Outstanding Legislators" in 1995 and one of "Six Stellar" legislators in 1997.
Mr. Sadler has been honored by all of the education groups including each of the teachers organizations, the Texas Association of School Boards, Elementary and Secondary Principals Association and the Equity Center. Sadler was honored, along with Senator Ratliff, with the "John Connally Excellence in Education Award" presented by the "Just for Kids" Foundation.
Contact: ExecutiveDirector@WindCoalition.org
(512) 651-0291
STEVE GAW
SPP Policy Director
Steve Gaw, former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives and former Chair of the Missouri Public Service Commission, currently consults with the Wind Coalition focusing on policy issues regarding electricity within the Southwest Power Pool region and matters of national interest that impact the advancement of wind energy. He was one of the founding directors of the Organization of MISO States (OMS) and the SPP Regional State Committee. He served in every officer position with the OMS including the office of President.
Steve has been a speaker and moderator in regional, national and international forums on energy policy dealing with both electricity and natural gas. As Speaker of the Missouri House for five years, Steve established a reputation of improving public access to the legislature, leading the Missouri House to broadcast sessions live on the internet, the first in the nation to do so. He was recognized for passing legislation improving education, enhancing public safety, increasing access to health care and cutting taxes for which he received numerous awards. While on the Public Service Commission of Missouri he was noted for his in depth inquiry into complex issues, opening investigations into the release of protected consumer records and the activities of rating agencies in rate cases, and listening to the concerns of consumers.
Steve is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Truman State University with a BS in Physics and has a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Contact: Steve@WindCoalition.org
(573) 645-0777
LINDSEY HUGHES
Associate Director
Lindsey Hughes joined the Wind Coalition as the Associate Director in March of 2008. She received a BBA in Business Management and a minor in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in May of 2002. During her senior year, she worked as an intern on Governor Rick Perry’s 2002 Gubernatorial Campaign. Following graduation, she accepted a full-time position on the campaign as a Political Staff Assistant. In this role, she developed and managed the Mayors for Perry grassroots effort, establishing a coalition of over 275 mayors from across the state in support of the Governor.
In January of 2003, Ms. Hughes took her talents to the state legislature, accepting a job as an Executive Aide for Representative Mike Krusee, Chairman of the Texas House of Representatives Transportation Committee. In 2005, Chairman Krusee promoted Ms. Hughes to Legislative Aide where she served as the primary liaison between that office and constituents, elected officials and their staff, state agencies, and the lobby. Concurrently, she served as Chairman Krusee’s Campaign Finance Director.
In 2007, Ms. Hughes received the Capitol Area Transportation Coalition’s (CATC) “Unsung Hero” award for her efforts in the passage of H.B. 2296, a bill that named SH130 the “Pickle Parkway” after Congressman J.J. “Jake” Pickle.
Contact: Lindsey@WindCoalition.org
(512) 651-0291