
Attention TEXPERS System Members: Register Now for the 2025 Legislative Advocacy Workshop!
TEXPERS invites its System Members to join us for the 2025 Legislative Advocacy Workshop, an essential two-day event designed exclusively to equip trustees and administrators of Texas' public pension systems for active engagement in the 89th Texas Legislature.
When: February 4-5, 2025
Where: Hyatt House Austin/Downtown, Austin, TX
This workshop is your opportunity to strengthen your advocacy skills, understand key legislative proposals, and collaborate with fellow pension system leaders to safeguard the future of defined benefit plans.
Why You Should Attend
Featured Speaker: Joseph Gagen

Joseph Gagen will lead a highly interactive and engaging half-day session on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 4. Highlights include:
I. Understanding the Legislative Audience
- Identify factors influencing legislators' decisions, including their lack of expertise on most issues and time constraints.
- Build relationships to make advocacy impactful and avoid jargon by using concrete examples, stories, and anecdotes.
- Explore the power of passionate advocacy, the importance of a unified voice, and the pressures legislators face to compromise.
II. Communicating with Legislators
- Learn the dos and don’ts for structuring presentations and scheduling effective legislative visits.
- Understand the pivotal role of legislative staff in decision-making and how to engage with them strategically.
III. Putting Skills Into Practice
- Participate in mock legislative visits and receive feedback on your advocacy approach.
- Watch real-world testimony examples and learn the rules for delivering effective legislative testimony.
This session is a must-attend for all System Members aiming to refine their advocacy skills and make a meaningful impact during the legislative session.
Gagen has conducted well over seven hundred successful legislative training and planning programs for numerous national and state associations, as well as present at numerous leadership conferences for volunteer-based association members, including presentations at past TEXPERS Legislative Advocacy Workshops in 2015, 2016, and 2019. He chaired the Texas agency responsible for workers’ compensation, served as general counsel to the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee, and taught public policy communications at the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Additional Program Highlights for the Workshop (Program subject to change):
- Pension Reform Proposals: Analyze potential legislation impacting public employee pensions.
- Local Control & Pension Independence: Strategies to preserve local authority.
- Effective Advocacy Tactics: Proven methods to communicate and influence outcomes.
- Media Engagement: Learn best practices for framing your message to gain public support.
- Building Coalitions: Partner with other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy.
- Regulatory Updates: Stay informed on key state and federal developments.
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is exclusively for TEXPERS System Members, including:
- Pension Trustees
- Plan Administrators
- Pension Consultants
- Legal and Legislative Advisors
If you are dedicated to protecting the future of Texas public pension systems, this event is for you.
Register Now
Don’t miss your chance to join this vital workshop and elevate your legislative advocacy skills. Secure your spot today for just $125 by clicking below:
Register Here
Agenda (subject to change)
Day 1: Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025
Morning: Setting the Stage and Featured Speaker
- 10:00–10:40 AM: Registration & Networking
- Light refreshments served.
- Distribution of schedules, advocacy toolkits, and name tags.
- 10:45–11:00 AM: Welcome & Opening Remarks
- Delivered by TEXPERS leadership.
- Focus:
- The importance of advocacy for public pension systems.
- Setting expectations for the workshop.
- 11:00 AM–1:00 PM: Featured Speaker: Joseph Gagen
- Session Highlights:
- Understanding the Legislative Audience:
- Explore factors influencing legislators' decisions.
- Build relationships using impactful stories and examples.
- Communicating with Legislators:
- Structuring presentations and engaging legislative staff.
- Interactive Elements:
- Real-world examples and participant discussions.
- 1:00–2:00 PM: Networking Lunch
- Opportunity for attendees to connect with peers and discuss insights.
Afternoon: Skill Building
- 2:00–3:00 PM: Joseph Gagen (Continued): Putting Skills into Practice
- Session Highlights:
- Mock legislative hearings with real-time feedback.
- Rules and tips for delivering effective testimony.
- Interactive Activity:
- Role-play exercises to refine advocacy techniques.
- 3:00–3:15 PM: Coffee Break
- 3:15–4:15 PM: Crafting Persuasive Narratives
- Speaker: Professional communication coach.
- Workshop:
- Techniques for storytelling to advocate effectively.
- Balancing emotional appeal with factual data.
- Activity: Draft and share narratives for peer feedback.
- 4:15–4:30 PM: Day 1 Wrap-Up
- Facilitator: TEXPERS representative.
- Summary of Day 1 takeaways.
- Preview of Day 2 schedule.
Evening: Networking Event
- 5:00–7:00 PM: Networking Reception at a Local Restaurant
- Venue: Nearby restaurant (to be announced).
- Format:
- Informal discussions with legislators, TEXPERS board members, and peers.
- Enjoy light appetizers and drinks provided by the restaurant.
- Objective:
- Build connections in a relaxed, social setting to strengthen advocacy networks.
Day 2: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025
Morning: Strategic Advocacy
- 9:00–9:30 AM: Breakfast Networking
- Light breakfast served.
- Opportunity for informal discussions among participants and speakers.
- 9:30–10:30 AM: Legislative Challenges & Opportunities
- HillCo. and TEXPERS Legislative Committee
- 10:30-11:30 AM: Media Training or Q&A with Legislator
Mid-Morning Lunch
- 11:30 AM–12:00 PM: Lunch
- Informal networking during lunch.
Late Morning Strategy Session
- 12:00–12:45 PM: System Advocacy Planning
- Breakout groups by system type, i.e. municipal, fire, police, etc.
- Objective: Develop tailored advocacy strategies for local systems.
- Deliverable: Actionable plans for post-workshop implementation.
Closing Session
- 12:45–1:00 PM: Workshop Wrap-Up
- Summary of key insights and takeaways.
- Closing remarks by TEXPERS leadership.
- Participants pledge to ongoing advocacy efforts.
Event Venue: Hyatt House Austin/Downtown

Hyatt House Austin/Downtown is a modern, extended-stay hotel conveniently located in the heart of Austin. The hotel provides:
- Special Room Rate: $199 per night, available through January 6, 2025.
- Pet-Friendly Accommodations: Bring along your furry companions.
- Complimentary Breakfast: Start your day with a free, fresh breakfast.
- Amenities: Enjoy a 24-hour fitness center, outdoor pool, and the H Bar for light bites and cocktails.
- Discounted Parking: Attendees receive parking at $30 per day.
- Connectivity & Convenience: Complimentary Wi-Fi, access to a business center, and on-site laundry facilities.
Explore Austin: Within walking distance of Sixth Street, Rainey Street, and the Texas State Capitol, this venue offers a perfect base for both professional and leisure activities.
Take action now and be part of shaping the future of public pensions in Texas!
Sponsorship Opportunities
Market your organization to a niche audience of public employee decision-makers, including trustees, administrators, and advisors. Ideal sponsors include investment firms, pension vendors, consultants, legal firms, and other organizations serving public pension systems.
For sponsorship details, contact Allen Jones at [email protected].
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with key decision-makers in the pension industry!
Sponsors
Workshop Sponsors









Networking Social Sponsors


