The mission of the Advisory Board is to provide mentorship, strategic guidance, and professional networking support to New Voices Texas—a vibrant, student-led nonpartisan grassroots coalition. New Voices Texas advocates for state-level legal protections that secure the First Amendment rights of high school journalists. By working in close partnership with these inspiring student leaders, the Advisory Board ensures that young reporters have the institutional support, resources, and professional advocacy they need to cover important community issues safely, ethically, and without fear of censorship.

The Advisory Board, is comprised of a dedicated group of educators, media industry professionals, and student press rights advocates committed to supporting and defending scholastic press freedom across the Lone Star State. This board brings together a diverse array of experts to champion the voices of young storytellers and media creators.

Advisory Board Officers

Jennifer Buergermeister

Advisory Board Chair

Buergermeister is a journalism educator at Bellaire High School in Houston where she advises award-winning student media programs and champions student press freedom, an adjunct professor in psychology at CHCP, and a lecturer at Rice University in health and wellness. As a published author, global program leader, longtime educator and advocate in Texas, she has spent more than two decades developing leaders through journalism, health and small business advocation, and civic engagement. Jennifer is passionate about empowering young voices, strengthening ethical journalism, and helping students understand the essential role of a free press in sustaining democracy and informed communities while navigating a complicated political system.

Andrea Negri

Advisory Board Vice Chair

Negri serves as the Scholastic Press Rights Director for the Journalism Education Association (JEA) and is an active member of the JEA Scholastic Press Rights Committee. She brings expertise in media law, First Amendment rights, educator outreach, and professional networking.

Melissa Perner

Advisory Board Secretary

Perner is a high school publication adviser, former professional journalist, and former newspaper publisher and owner. She serves as the committee’s Secretary and brings critical experience in government relations and legislative lobbying through her background with the Texas Press Association’s Legislative Advisory Committee.

Advisory Board Members

Dr. Pedro “PJ” Cabrera

Cabrera is an award-winning educator with a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Dr. Cabrera serves as an assistant professor of instruction in communication at UTSA. He also coordinates JEA’s Scholastic Journalism Week, serves as the NAHJ Academic Officer at Large, is the At-Large Communication Member of the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists, and has worked as a dedicated advocate for scholastic journalism and community organizing.

Josette Coker

Coker is the yearbook adviser at V.R. Eaton High School in Haslet, Texas, and has served as Board President of the Association of Texas Photography Instructors since 2025. An award-winning educator and photographer, she has led her students to success in statewide competitions while discovering a passion for scholastic journalism that continues to inspire the next generation of storytellers.

Christopher Evans

Evans serves as executive director of Student Media at Rice University, where he advises student journalists across print, digital, radio, and broadcast platforms. A former print journalist, he previously helped lead the successful effort to pass New Voices legislation in Vermont and brings experience in student press rights, media law, newsroom leadership, and journalism education to the advisory board.

Trinidad Gonzales

Gonzales a retired South Texas College History and Mexican American Studies instructor. He is the owner/founder of the history consulting firm History Education, Research and Creative. Gonzales is a nationally recognized public historian who co-founded the award winning public history project Refusing to Forget. Besides his public history work he has been recognized for public advocacy with the American Historical Association John Lewis Award for History and Social Justice. He just finished serving two terms on the National Humanities Alliance board, a non-profit advocacy organization focused on protecting federal humanities funding.

Angela Macias

Macias works with students in South and West Dallas to tell the unique stories of their neighborhoods for the non-profit, non-partisan news site. As a former high school publications adviser and newspaper reporter, she was recognized by the Associated Press Media Editors for her work using the Freedom of Information Act. Angela is a passionate public education advocate and believes all young people should be given the essential tools to be engaged members of their communities. 

Gilbert Martinez

Martinez, a veteran educator, has taught media law, ethics, and free speech courses since 2003 at Texas State University. He specializes in First Amendment jurisprudence and has a long-standing history of providing direct advocacy and legal-context support to student journalists.

Bao Ong

Ong is a restaurant critic for the Houston Chronicle. He moved to Houston in summer 2022 and in his first year as a restaurant columnist, he won the top award in the Comment and Criticism category awarded by the Texas Managing Editors organization. He previously worked on staff at Eater New York, Bon Appétit and Time Out New York. In addition to Bao’s background in journalism, he also graduated from the French Culinary Institute.

John Schwartz

Schwartz is a former reporter for The New York Times and The Washington Post, John brings decades of elite professional journalism experience and deep newsroom leadership to the board. His work at UT Austin focuses on training the next generation of professional journalists..

Erin Sledge

Sledge serves as a student publication adviser at Eagle Mountain High School in Saginaw ISD. She served as chair of the New Voices Advisory Steering Committee. Her background provides the board with valuable strengths in public relations, strategic communications, marketing, and professional design services.

David Doerr, NVT adviser liaison

Doerr has served as the Adviser Officer for New Voices Texas since its formal establishment in 2019, guiding student leaders in their vital campaign to pass a New Voices law in Texas. He has worked as a dedicated high school newspaper adviser at Akins High School since 2010, fostering a strong culture of scholastic journalism.

Zara Bukhari, NVT student liaison

Zara has served as a Legislative Officer for New Voices Texas since 2025. She has been actively involved in advocacy and press rights since her sophomore year in high school after joining her school’s publication. Through her work as a student journalist and editor, she experienced firsthand the importance of protecting student journalists’ abilities to report accurately and responsibly. In 2026, she was recognized as the TAJE Student Press Rights Advocate for her commitment to protecting student press freedom.