As Publisher, Editor, Writer and Designer of the Fall 2025 edition of the TEXPERS Pension Observer, I led the creation of a high-impact magazine that delivers in-depth analysis and actionable insights for Texas public-employee retirement systems. The issue features articles on investment strategy, legislative developments, governance best practices, trustee education and economic outlooks—designed to help plan sponsors, administrators and service providers make informed decisions around retirement security.

A blog update on a TEXPERS government affairs campaign that saw the passing by Congress of the Social Security Fairness Act, repealing the Windfall Elimination and Government Penson Offset provisions. The blog post was part of a multi-part campaign covering emails and social media to the association's membership, as well as letter-writing to Texas Congressional leaders on behalf of the TEXPERS board of directors.

A call to action post alerting TEXPERS members to the House of Representatives passed the Social Security Fairness Act to support the repeal of the Windfall Elimination and Government Pension Offset provisions, and it is now in the hands of the Senate. It also served as a call-to-action to reach out to TEXPERS members to reach out to their Senate representatives to ask for support of the Act. The blog post was part of a multi-part campaign covering emails and social media to the association's membership, as well as letter-writing to Texas Congressional leaders on behalf of the TEXPERS board of directors.

A campaign as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October in partnership with the National Cybersecurity Alliance. TEXPERS was named a Champion of the NCA. The campaign included blog posts, social media, e-newsletter links, and a topic feature section in the association's print magazine for multiple touchpoints.

As Editor, Designer, and Publisher of the TEXPERS Pension Observer, Vols. 3/4 (2024), I led the production of a special combined edition created in response to historic weather conditions and widespread power outages across Texas. Despite the challenges, this issue provides timely insights into pension fund management, legislative activity, investment trends, and governance practices that impact Texas’ public employee retirement systems. I coordinated editorial planning, design, and publication to ensure continuous communication with trustees, administrators, and industry partners during a period of statewide disruption.

As Editor, Designer, and Publisher of the TEXPERS Pension Observer, Vol. 1 (2024), I led the development of this quarterly publication dedicated to advancing education and awareness within Texas’ public employee retirement community. This issue features coverage of investment trends, trustee training initiatives, and public policy updates shaping the future of defined benefit plans across the state. I managed content planning, editing, and layout design to ensure each article delivered clarity, credibility, and value to pension system trustees, administrators, and industry partners.

As Editor, Designer, and Publisher of the TEXPERS Pension Observer, Vol. 3 (2023), I oversaw the creation of this quarterly magazine, which serves Texas’ public employee retirement systems. This issue highlights post-legislative updates, market insights, and educational resources for pension trustees and administrators. I managed content development, editing, layout design, and production to deliver accurate, accessible, and visually engaging communications that strengthen transparency and member engagement across the TEXPERS network.

During the pandemic, as Communications Director for TEXPERS, I seamlessly transitioned to remote work from my home office, spearheading a robust crisis communications and public relations campaign to keep our membership informed and connected. Despite the challenges, I maintained a steady flow of timely and relevant content, publishing blog posts, managing social media platforms, and producing our quarterly print membership magazine. These efforts focused on empowering public employee pension system trustees and administrators with critical insights. Topics included managing funds amid economic uncertainties, analyzing state and national governmental responses, monitoring investment performance, and navigating interactions with the association during unprecedented times. Through these initiatives, I ensured our members remained informed, supported, and equipped to navigate the complexities of the pandemic.

Published on the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems (TEXPERS) blog on March 26 2020, this article by Allen Jones offers a timely “crisis survival guide” for public-pension systems navigating remote operations during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It outlines best practices for pension fund administrators in transitioning staff to home offices, maintaining communication, prioritizing health and technology investments, and ensuring uninterrupted service to members amid unprecedented disruption.

The TEXPERS 2019 Legislative Agenda was written, edited, and produced under the direction of Allen Jones as an educational resource distributed to members of the Texas Legislature. The publication outlines the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems’ policy priorities and recommendations supporting secure retirement benefits for municipal employees, police officers, and firefighters across the state. Jones oversaw content development, design, and production to ensure clear communication of complex pension issues, emphasizing the value of defined benefit plans, local control, and responsible fund management in safeguarding retirement security for Texas public servants.

Published by the TEXPERS Pension Observer, this in-depth article by Allen Jones examines the potential of dedicated funding sources as a tool to strengthen public employee retirement systems. It opens with insights from the El Paso Firemen and Policemen’s Pension Fund, which once explored using a share of the city’s border tax as a steady revenue stream, and expands to national and international examples of asset monetization and earmarked revenues supporting pension sustainability. The story features commentary from experts, including Anumeha Kumar of the Texas Pension Review Board, Jill Eicher of the Bipartisan Policy Center, and Michael Kahn of the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems. The piece provides policy context and practical considerations for trustees and lawmakers seeking innovative ways to reduce unfunded liabilities while preserving defined-benefit retirement plans.

If it is early morning on practically any day of the week, Darrell McNair can be found at Shipley Do-Nuts in League City drinking coffee, eating his favorite jelly-filled doughnut and discussing world events with a group of his friends. He has been a customer of the doughnut shop for about 34 years and says finding a doughnut better than the ones served there is nearly impossible.

About 60 people recently rushed up and down Hometown Hero's Park in League City competing for spots on a team that plays a sport developed from a fantastical game depicted in "Harry Potter" books and films. Anyone who has seen "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" remembers Quidditch, the fast-paced airborne game that involves players swooping on broomsticks chasing a ball buzzing along on tiny wings.

Alejandra "Alex" Quinonez has been legally blind since birth, but it doesn't stop the 25-year-old from doing what she loves, art. Quinonez, who has limited vision, takes part in an art program at The Lighthouse of Houston, a private, nonprofit rehabilitation and education agency for the blind and visually impaired.

Pasadena school district bus driver Alex Vatu is on the job this summer taking kids to summer school. Like many others in the area, the district struggles to keep enough drivers, needing 260 during the regular school year to transport 18,000 students on 236 routes. Pasadena school district bus driver Alex Vatu is on the job this summer taking kids to summer school.

It's got an odd name and is cobbled from bits and pieces of various racket sports, but the competitive sport is gaining traction in a big way locally and throughout the nation, especially among older adults. Proof is in the Pearland's Parks and Recreation Department's second annual Holiday Pickleball Classic Tournament set for Dec. 19-20 at the Pearland Recreation and Natatorium, 4141 Bailey Road.