Our Team
Hannah Kessler
Executive Director
Hannah Kessler serves as the Executive Director of the Texas Youth Voter Project (TYVP), where she leads the organization’s efforts to expand youth civic engagement through nonpartisan voter registration, civic education, and community partnerships. Under her leadership, TYVP partners with school districts to support compliance with Texas Election Code §13.046 by ensuring eligible high school seniors have the opportunity to register to vote before graduation.
Her commitment to civic engagement began as a Volunteer Deputy Registrar, where she gained firsthand experience meeting voters where they are and helping individuals navigate the voter registration process. That experience continues to shape her leadership and her belief that meaningful civic participation starts with access, education, and trust.
In addition to TYVP’s work in high schools, she has helped expand the organization’s community-based outreach through neighborhood canvassing and community voter registration drives. She is committed to building collaborative relationships with educators, election officials, and community organizations to make civic participation more accessible for all Texans.
Beyond her role at TYVP, she serves on the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Texas, where she chairs the Youth Engagement Subcommittee. She also serves on the Dallas County Citizens Election Advisory Committee (CEAC). Through these leadership roles, she works to strengthen nonpartisan voter education, youth engagement, and public participation in the democratic process.
She believes that every eligible Texan deserves the opportunity to register, vote, and have their voice heard. She is passionate about empowering the next generation of civic leaders and fostering a culture of lifelong participation in democracy.
Domingo Garcia
President
Attorney Domingo Garcia has led an active civic, legal and political career. He was born in Midland, Texas and grew up in Dallas, Texas. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Texas in 1980. In 1983, he obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. In 1982 he won a scholarship to study at the El Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City and obtained a Masters diploma in International Relations. Domingo Garcia is a former Mayor Pro Tem for the city of Dallas and State Representative for Texas. Domingo has been a successful trial lawyer and an editorial columnist/TV commentator for thirty years.
Hector Amaya
Deputy Director
Hector Amaya began his civic organizing journey in 2018 after the passing of his father, an experience that deeply shaped his commitment to public service. He learned grassroots organizing skills through a nonprofit organization dedicated to civic engagement during the 2018 midterms, including organizing volunteers and leading teams. After seeing firsthand how stacked the medical system is against working-class families, Hector became deeply involved in campaigns focused on empowering people to participate in the democratic process. Along the way, he continued his education—earning 46 college credit hours and preparing to transfer to a university to study political science with plans to attend law school.
At Texas Youth Voter Project he leads a team of voter registrars who reach out to students and community members to ensure they are registered to vote.
Laura Barberena, Ph.D.
Secretary & Treasurer
Dr. Laura Barberena is a communications consultant and researcher specializing in civic engagement and public affairs. She earned her doctorate from the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin, where she also completed a bachelor’s degree in Radio-Television-Film, and holds a master’s degree in International Relations from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
Dr. Barberena is the founder of VIVA Politics, LLC, a San Antonio–based firm that provides strategic communications, media production, bilingual outreach, and research services. She is a published author and has taught and trained leaders in the U.S. and abroad, including through international democracy-building programs. In 2024, she was invited to Ireland to speak on American politics at the Kennedy Summer School.