Lake Travis Fire Rescue engages in training exercises using structures slated for demolition. If you have a structure that you would be willing to offer for our training purposes, please reach out to us for more details on how you can contribute. Complete the “Contact Us” form, and our Battalion Chief overseeing training will get in touch with you promptly.
Commissioner
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An 18-year resident of the Hudson Bend area, Paula brings extensive executive management experience to her role as commissioner. Currently, she serves as Director of Client Services for HdL Companies, a privately held company providing revenue management services to local government. Prior to locating to Austin, she was the Chief Executive Officer of Preferred Health Plan, Inc., a third-party administrator of employer-sponsored health plans based in Louisville, KY. She is a member of the Board of Directors of SAFE-D, the Texas State Association of Emergency Services Districts, and serves on its legislative committee. She is also an active member of the Travis County ESD Commissioners Council, which meets monthly to discuss emergency services topics of interest among ESDs across the region. Paula and her husband, Alexander, make their home in the Woods of Lake Travis. They have two sons, Bryce (24) and Keegan (21), who also reside in the Austin area. She enjoys daily walks around “the Bend” with her rescue dog Margo. Paula is an avid cook, and in her spare time enjoys sports of all kinds, particularly baseball and traveling.
Secretary/Assistant Treasurer
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Jessica Clinton was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. While raising her two girls, she was fortunate to be able to live in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area and finally Zürich, Switzerland before moving to Austin in 2016. Jessica serves as chair for precinct 232 and is highly active in her community. Today, she is employed by the Texas HDCC as a Finance Assistant. Jessica loves living in the beautiful hills of Steiner Ranch and is grateful to hike regularly on the trails in her own back yard.
Treasurer
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Well-known and respected in the insurance community, Matt is a past President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin (IIAA), Regional Vice President of IMPACT (the political fundraising arm of IIAT) 2010-2014, Chair of the 2012 “Big I” Junior National Championship Golf Tournament and has served on the IIAT Budget and Finance Committee and chaired the Young Agent Committee. In 2008, Matt was named the ‘Young Agent of the Year’ by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) which is the largest Independent Agent association in the country. Matt has served on the board for IIAT since 2019.
Matt joined Watkins Insurance Group in August 2003 and in 2008 was named a Shareholder. Matt’s strong work ethic and accolades make him a superior resource to counsel clients from all backgrounds. Matt’s tenacity and strong will to succeed coupled with his passion for serving those around him have led to his many successes in the industry. He has earned the industry designation of Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and a Certified Risk Manager (CRM).
An Austin native, Matt is dedicated to his community and has proudly served as Chair of the Board for Austin Children’s Shelter 2011-2013. In years prior, he was President of Choose Austin First, assisted SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives) in their monthly class Essentials of Starting a Business, a Young Agent Committee Chair of IIAT, and a 4-year Board Member of the Lake Travis Education Foundation. Matt has also volunteered his time to numerous committees and causes including Family Eldercare, the Austin Technology Council, the Real Estate Council of Austin, and Lake Hills Church where he has been a member for 23 years and served in a variety of leadership roles. Matt has also participated in Leadership Lake Travis for the Lake Travis School District, served on the community advisory board for the 2011 bond proposal by LTISD and served as treasurer for the PAC to help get the bond package passed in 2011 and 2017. Matt participated in Leadership Lake Travis for the Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce Class 003 and most recently he served as the Co-Chair for Class 004 and Chair for Class 005. Matt served as Board Chair for the Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce in 2015 and 2018. Matt is currently serving on the Baylor Scott & White Development Advisory Board for their Lakeway hospital.
In his spare time, Matt enjoys golfing, being outdoors and any University of Texas sporting event. One of Matt’s favorite events is his family’s annual trip to an orphanage in Haiti. He draws most of his enjoyment from spending time with his wife of 25 years April and three daughters Madeline, Abigail and Olivia.
Vice President
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I was born in Southeast Texas, my wife Linda and I have 2 sons, 3 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
I spent my entire career representing union workers in the oil and chemical industry.
We moved to Lakeway in 2009 and we are very active with family, friends as well as a number of activities in the Lakeway area.
President
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Shiloh Newman is a native Texan. He was born in Corpus Christi but moved to Austin at the ripe old age of 5 and has never left. He attended Round Rock ISD and graduated from Westwood High School, he remembers when Parmer Lane was just a barbed wire fence he would jump and go fishing on the other side. After high school he received a scholarship to play football at Lamar University and he eventually graduated from Texas State University with a BBA focused in management.
His business career began in the early 90’s in downtown Austin on Sixth Street. After running and owning several bars and nightclubs he expanded his small business ownership when he received his real estate broker’s license in 1999. Shiloh and his wife Jenny started a real estate asset management company and proceeded to purchase properties in many states. Always wanting to grow and do something new, Shiloh branched out to commercial real estate. He purchased a South Austin shopping center that happened to have the locally famous restaurant, La Fuente’s, as a tenant. He fell in love with this old Austin institute and instead of tearing it down he brought it back to life. Shiloh operated La Fuente’s restaurant for nearly 10 years, opening a second location as well.
Shiloh realized he wanted to spend more time with his two daughters and give back to the community that has given him so much so he changed his priorities. Shiloh has focused nearly all of his time for the past 15 years on the Lake Travis Youth Association where he has been a girls soccer coach and currently sits on the board as president of LTYA. He realized there is a need in the community to conserve water and help sustain our natural resources so he started Cen-Tex Luxury Lawns. They specialize in artificial turf for home, business and athletics. Saving precious water for Lake Travis and Austin.
The Newman family has lived in Lakeway for over 20 years. Shiloh and Jenny have raised both their daughters in the community. Their oldest daughter, MJ, is heading to TCU in the fall. While their youngest, Emmabeth, will start her sophomore year in high school. Shiloh has deep roots here and looks forward to serving the area for many years to come.
