Speakers

Rodney Anderson, CTIP

President, Texas Land Title Association
Executive VP & National Agency Manager, Alliant National Title Insurance Company

Rodney Anderson is the Executive VP & National Agency Manager at Alliant National Title Insurance Company. Currently serving as TLTA President, his other association contributions include chairing the Finance, Communications & Marketing, and Member Services Committees, and roles in the Regulatory and Federal Issues Committees and the TDI Licensing Task Force. Serving three terms as a state representative in the Texas Legislature, Anderson played a vital role in shaping legislation crucial to the title industry. His dedication was recognized through his receipt of the TLTA Legislator of the Year Award during the 82nd and 84th Sessions. Beyond his professional endeavors, Anderson is deeply committed to community service, serving on boards such as the Grand Prairie YMCA and Baylor Scott & White - Irving.

Aaron Day

Director of Government Affairs and Counsel, Texas Land Title Association

Aaron Day is Director of Government Affairs and Counsel for the Texas Land Title Association (TLTA). Aaron is TLTA’s general counsel, and he directs the association’s government affairs program. In addition to lobbying for TLTA during legislative sessions, Aaron manages the association's role and participation in Texas Department of Insurance regulatory activities, including rate hearings, rule hearings and other regulatory responsibilities.

J. Miguel Guhlin

Director of Professional Development, Texas Computer Education Association

Miguel Guhlin has dedicated his career to enhancing teaching, learning, and leadership through strategic technology use. With a background as a district technology administrator, regional education specialist, and bilingual/ESL classroom educator, his expertise is extensive. He has served twice as President of the Technology Education Coordinators group. Miguel also contributes to educational technology through his roles as a Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) online course developer for 14 courses and co-developer for six, including AI-focused courses like "ChatGPT for Educators" and "Canva Specialist." His insights are shared in over a thousand blog posts and various publications. Discover more at  https://go.mgpd.org/tlta.

Leslie S. Johnson

Vice President and Texas State Counsel, WFG National Title Insurance Company

Leslie S. Johnson is Vice President and Texas State Counsel for WFG National Title Insurance Company. Leslie underwrites title insurance transactions and provides legal support, education, and training to WFG agents in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Leslie is an active TLTA volunteer and currently serves as a member of the TLTA Board of Directors and Chair of the Judiciary Committee. In 2022, she was awarded the James H. Garst President’s Award, and she is an alumni of the 2016 Alex H. Halff Leadership Academy. She is also a member of the TLTA Legislative, Regulatory, and Institute Committees and is a frequent speaker at TLTA events.

Don Kennedy

President, American Land Title Association
Managing Director, First American Title Insurance Company’s Agency Division

Don Kennedy is managing director of First American Title Insurance Co.'s Agency Division. Most recently, Don served as Vice President, Area Manager for Direct Title Operations in Southern California and Arizona. Previously, he acted as Division Counsel for the company's Database Solutions & Home Warranty divisions. Prior to joining First American in 2011, Don served as an attorney in the litigation department of SNR Denton, a global law firm. After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Stanford University, Don went on to receive his juris doctorate from McGeorge School of Law at University of the Pacific. A California resident, He is a member of the California Land Title Association Board of Governors. Don also serves on the Board of Governors for the American Land Title Association. He serves as chair of ALTA's Underwriter Section Executive Committee. Don resides in Southern California with his wife and their two children.

Reese Lacasse

SVP & Chief Information Officer, CATIC Title Insurance Company

Reese Lacasse is responsible for all technology, systems, networks, and process automation used by Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Co. (CATIC). Before joining CATIC, Reese was the Director of Information Technology and Command Center Operations for Insurity. At Insurity, Reese was responsible for all systems and operations which hosted end-to-end policy processing systems for some of the largest insurance companies in the world such as Allstate, Nationwide, Geico, and Tokio Marine Insurance companies. Over his 25-year career, Reese has held many IT leadership positions in both small and large companies in insurance, manufacturing, software development, and university settings.

Lori Levy

General Counsel & Vice President of Legal Affairs, Texas REALTORS®

Lori Levy is the General Counsel & Vice President of Legal Affairs for Texas REALTORS®. In that role she oversees all legal aspects of the association and the association’s political action committees. She oversees enforcement of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, directs educational and communication content, supervises all litigation affecting the association, and manages the association’s legal defense fund and the Legal Hotline. She works closely with the Governmental Affairs department in public policy and legislative efforts. She earned a BA from Emory University and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. After law school, Lori worked for various senate members, including Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff and Senators Florence Shapiro and Todd Staples as general counsel for the State Affairs and Transportation and Homeland Security committees. She then joined Texas REALTORS® in 2006 as the legislative attorney.

Roland Love

Vice President, Business Alliances & Field Operations, Independence Title

Roland Love is Vice President, Business Alliances & Field Operations, for Independence Title. He currently serves TLTA as a Board Director and Chair of the Regulatory Committee. He additionally chairs the Texas Land Title Institute and the TLTAPAC. Roland is a fellow in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, member of the Texas Title Examination Standards Board, and a past Chair of the State Bar Real Estate Probate and Trust Law Section. He has been honored with the State Bar’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Real Estate, the Texas Bar College Patrick Nester Award for Excellence in CLE, and the United Way’s Advocacy Award. In 2018, Roland was awarded TLTA’s highest honor, Title Person of the Year.

Leslie Midgley, CAE

Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Texas Land Title Association

Leslie Midgley has served as Executive Vice President and CEO of Texas Land Title Association since 2001, and her professional service to TLTA spans four decades. She has served as chair of the Texas Society of Association Executives Board of Directors, and she received TSAE’s Distinguished Executive Award in 2013. In 2017, Leslie served as President/Board Chair of the Girl Scouts of Central Texas.

Lindsay Nickle

Partner and Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Vice Chair, Constangy Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP

Lindsay Nickle is a Partner and serves as the Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Vice Chair at Constangy Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP. Based in Dallas, Lindsay specializes in managing responses to data privacy and security incidents. With extensive experience in this field, she has overseen numerous responses to incidents of varying sizes and types. Notably, Lindsay has handled some of the largest and most complex healthcare-related incidents worldwide, particularly those subject to HIPAA and the HITECH Act. She also assists clients with PCI DSS compliance and offers valuable insights into third-party liability, drawing from over 15 years of experience as a trial attorney in healthcare and financial regulatory matters. Lindsay is committed to helping clients mitigate risks by providing training and workshops on data security. She holds the CIPP/US credential and is recognized as a leader in cyber risk management, serving on the Advisory Board for Advisen Cyber Risk Insights Conferences and frequently speaking on topics related to cyber insurance, risk mitigation, and data privacy regulation.

Evan Smith

Senior Advisor, Emerson Collective

Evan Smith is a senior advisor at Emerson Collective, working closely with journalists and funders around the country to support the local news ecosystem. He’s also an assistant professor of practice at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he teaches courses on the politics of the election season and media and democracy. He previously spent more than thirteen years at The Texas Tribune, which he co-founded and led as CEO, and nearly eighteen years at Texas Monthly, including nine years as editor in chief and a year as president. Evan is the host of “Overheard with Evan Smith,” a weekly half-hour interview program that airs on PBS stations. He currently serves on the boards of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, the Austin Film Society, and the LBJ Foundation. A native of New York, he's a graduate of Hamilton College, which awarded him an honorary degree in 2023, and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, which inducted him into its Hall of Achievement in 2006.

Ted Smith

Partner, Cornell Smith Mierl Brutocao Burton, LLP

Ted Smith is a Board-Certified Labor and Employment attorney specializing in employer-employee relationships, including training, litigation, and appeals. His expertise covers federal and state employment laws such as Title VII, the FLSA, and ADA, along with matters of wrongful discharge, union relations, and employee rights. Ted's career began in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, litigating employment claims across various federal agencies. He practiced at Littler Mendelson and Jenkens & Gilchrist before co-founding Cornell Smith Mierl Brutocao Burton, LLP in 2003. Ted is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Texas School of Law, and resides in Austin, Texas.

Steve Streiff

Vice President and Texas State Counsel, Old Republic National Title Insurance Company

Steve Streiff is Vice President and Texas State Counsel for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company. He currently serves as chair of TLTA’s Legislative Committee and is past chair of the Regulatory Committee. He also serves on TLTA’s Basic Manual Task Force and the Data Privacy Advisory Group. In 2018, he was awarded TLTA’s prestigious President’s Award. Steve is a frequent speaker at continuing education events, a Certified Adult Education Instructor, and a member of the College of the Bar. 

Diane Tomb

Chief Executive Officer, American Land Title Association

Diane Tomb is Chief Executive Officer of the American Land Title Association (ALTA). In this role, Tomb leads an organization focused on providing advocacy, education, networking, and standards for an industry that operates in every county in the United States. In 2017, Tomb was named one of HousingWire's Women of Influence, a recognition awarded to the most influential women in the housing industry. She currently serves as a commissioner on the Bipartisan Policy Center's Commission on Political Reform. Tomb is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and is a member of the International Women's Forum of Washington, D.C.

Lawrence Yun

Chief Economist, National Association of REALTORS®

Lawrence Yun is the Chief Economist and oversees the Research group at the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. He supervises and is responsible for a wide range of research activities for the association, including NAR's Existing Home Sales statistics, Affordability Index, and Home Buyers and Sellers Profile Report. He regularly provides commentary on real estate market trends for the association's 1.4 million REALTORS®. Dr. Yun creates NAR's forecasts and participates in many economic forecasting panels, including the Blue Chip Council and the Wall Street Journal Forecasting Survey. He also participates in the Industrial Economists Discussion Group at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. He appears regularly on financial news outlets, frequently speaks at real estate conferences throughout the United States and has testified before Congress. Dr. Yun has also appeared as a guest on CSPAN's Washington Journal. Dr. Yun received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland at College Park.