Every member of our Board of Directors demonstrates their commitment to this organization and our mission by investing in ETAA with personal donations.
Julia L. Fritz
Julia L. Fritz currently resides in Longview Texas and is the community liaison for Heritage Hospice in Kilgore, Texas. She was the business development director for Heritage At Longview for 12 years. Julia is one of the founding board members of the East Texas Alzheimer Alliance and also serves as a board member for the Gregg County Adult Protective Service (APS) and the East Texas Senior Citizen Coalition (ETSCC). Julia is a member of Growing Valley Baptist Church, the wife of Ronnie Fritz and the mother of five Deldrick, Ronnie Jr., Bryan, Breana and Britney. In her spare time Julia enjoys reading, writing, listening to old albums and spending time with family and friends.
Beth GodseyExecutive Director
Beth began working part-time as Executive Director of the East Texas Alzheimer’s Alliance in December, 2018 and transitioned to full-time in July, 2019. She received her Master’s Degree in Business from LeTourneau University and most recently became a Certified Dementia Specialist in Spring 2021. Although born and raised in Longview, Texas, Beth and her husband, Mike, have lived in Hallsville the past 31 years, and they have three children and four beautiful granddaughters.
Beth is a board member of the Hallsville Area United Fund, serves on the City of Hallsville Culture/Heritage Committee, and is also the part-time Executive Director of the Hallsville Education Foundation where she has been involved the last 20 years. She enjoys camping, beach trips to Florida, running 5Ks and half marathons, and spending time with her family.
Beth HawthornPRESIDENT
Dorothy Horne
Dorothy Horne, a retired first grade teacher, is a freelance writer, author, speaker and contributing columnist and blogger for the Longview News-Journal. She was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dorothy and her late husband, Byron, were married in 1977 and moved to Longview from Dallas in 1986. He was diagnosed in 2011 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease and died in May of 2018 at age 69.
Dorothy wrote columns about their journey throughout the course of Byron’s illness to help raise awareness about the disease, and also to share about God’s grace and provision in the midst of it. In 2015, she self-published a collection of these columns in her first book, “Glimpses of Grace: Walking in Hope through Alzheimer’s and Ordinary Days.” (A second collection of columns chronicling the remainder of their Alzheimer’s journey will be published in late 2020.) Also in 2015, Dorothy was humbled and honored to receive 1st Place in AAA Blogs in the annual TAPME (Texas Associated Press Managing Editors) Excellence in Journalism Awards state conference.
Dorothy remains passionate about advocating for and finding ways to help caregivers and their loved ones with Alzheimer’s. She feels blessed to be part of this dedicated and hard-working group of volunteers serving on the ETAA Board.
Dorothy has two daughters and four grandsons. She enjoys being with her family and friends, reading, writing, trail-walking, cycling and traveling.
Find her blog at www.dorothyhorneauthor.com and https://www.news-journal.com/blogs/reader/glimpses_of_grace/.
Steve Jones
Bio Coming Soon
Betty Kirkindoll
Betty Kirkindoll is a native of Houston, Texas and moved to Longview in 1982. She worked in various aspects of mortgage banking until her retirement in January of 2017 and has worked part time at First Christian Church since June of 2017.
Betty is a member of First Lutheran Church and is active in a bible study group and WELCA. She has been involved with numerous other charitable organizations including Longview Community Ministries, Longview Interfaith Hospitality Network, Meals on Wheels and Junior Achievement. Betty was also a member of The Pilot Club of Longview and has volunteered for Ally Fest and the Longview’s Annual Balloon Race.
Betty has been married to her husband, David, for 19 years. Her family includes her son, Kirk Carlisle, and wife, Jessica; stepson, Stacey Kirkindoll and wife, Michelle, and grandchildren, Luke Kirkindoll, Ava Kirkindoll and Anna Carlisle.
Breneda Mathis
Breneda Mathis is a Senior Vice President and Branch Manager at Texas Bank & Trust in Longview. She was a 2002 Star Over Longview, 2012 Longview High School Distinguished Alumni, and received 2005-2006 Regions Bank Chairman’s Club award. Breneda is very active in the Longview community participating in the Zonta Club, United Way, March of Dimes, Habitat for Humanity, and a Family Promise board member. Breneda was elected to the ETAA Board of Directors in August, 2020.
Chris Parker
Chris is an elder law attorney with the firm of Ross & Shoalmire. He is an accredited Veterans Affairs Attorney, a member of the National Association of Elder Law attorneys and licensed to practice in Texas. Chris is married to Danieli Parker who is the principal at Hallsville North Elementary. They have three children Jacob, Audrey, and Jackson.
Chris is a former felony prosecutor in Gregg County where he represented the victims of the community for over a decade. He prosecuted hundreds of cases and represented many of the most vulnerable members of our community.
Chris and his family attend service at St. Mary’s Church and Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Chris and his family are involved in local soccer, rugby and wrestling leagues.
Morgan Patel
Morgan is a resident of Longview, Texas, and is the Director of Nursing for Oceans Behavioral Hospital. Oceans provides immediate inpatient care for patients suffering from mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Morgan received her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler and is currently taking classes to earn her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner license from Walden University. Morgan is the wife to Janti Patel and the mother of Jagger and Riya Patel. Morgan enjoys trips to Destin, Florida, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family. Morgan is a member of the East Texas Alzheimer’s Alliance because she wants to spread the word to people in need the resources available, as well as, be a part in developing new resources for such a vicious, heartbreaking disease.
James "Jim" Sawyer, M.D., FACPDIRECTOR AT-LARGE
Dr. James Sawyer lives in Longview with his wife Nancy and retired from active medical practice in January 2017. He continues to serve as a consultant to the Medicare Center of Diagnostic Clinic of Longview (DCOL) and to the DCOL IT department on a limited basis. Dr. Sawyer graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a B.S. in Chemistry in 1973, then earned his M.D. from the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 1976. Dr. Sawyer then moved to Houston to complete his residency in Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine where he remained on faculty for 2 years prior to his move to Longview in 1982. He is a member of the American College of Physicians and the Texas Medical Association. He is active at Trinity Episcopal Church in Longview. He volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Alliance of East Texas, Refuge International, and Meals on Wheels through Trinity Episcopal Church.
Jennifer Smith, DDSTREASURER
Jennifer Smith currently resides in Longview, Texas and is the Chief of Dental Services at Wellness Pointe. She received her Bachelors of Science degree from Loyola University New Orleans and her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. Jennifer is a member of the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, and East Texas Dental Society. She serves as Treasurer on East Texas Alzheimer’s Alliance (ETAA) Board. Jennifer is an active member of the Junior League of Longview and New Beginnings Church and on the Board of Directors of the East Texas Literacy Council. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys traveling, exercising, hiking, watching sports, and spending time with her dogs.
Nona SnoddyVICE PRESIDENT
Nona Snoddy is a lifelong resident of Longview, Texas and is a Special Education Teacher for Longview Independent School District. She received her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Sociology from East Texas State University now Texas A&M in Commerce, Texas. Prior to becoming an educator, Nona gained extensive experience in the professional fields of recreation and mental health. Nona was a supervisor at Broughton Recreation Center with the city of Longview and a qualified mental health professional for Sabine Valley MHMR. Nona currently serves on the Community Advisory Council for Bancorp South, Longview City Council for District Two, member of National Education Association and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Nona is a member of Parkview Missionary Baptist Church where she enjoys singing in the choir. Nona loves working with children and adults, spending time with family, watching sporting events and being a public servant. Nona and her husband Melson have been married for 32 years and have two beautiful daughters Roshundalyn and Rikki Snoddy.