Full-Time Staff
Susie Smith
Director
Susie is from Texas and received a B.S. in Speech Communication from The University of Texas at Austin in 1987. Her career has focused in the areas of membership, development and event planning at organizations such as Barton Creek Country Club, Riverplace Country Club and destination management company, Circa Austin. Susie found her way back to the Forty Acres in 2008, serving as associate director for constituent relations in the College of Natural Sciences. In 2011, she was named director of Texas Parents and charged with developing strategies to enhance and expand Texas Parents services for all UT families. As mom of three active kids ages 20, 16 and 16 (yes, twins!), she enjoys being her kids' biggest fan in all that they do. Quite simply, Susie loves being a mom and sees her position at UT as an opportunity to draw on her and others' parental experiences to help UT parents and their students.
Favorite UT Austin Fact: Back in the day, class Adds and Drops were done manually with index cards and tables circling the multiple levels of the Erwin Center.
Shannon Cantlay
Assistant Director for Family Orientation and Events
Shannon grew up just outside of Dallas, Texas in the city of Frisco. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Louisiana State University (LSU) and a Masters of Education in Higher Education Administration from Auburn University. Shannon has worked with parents and family members at several universities before landing back in her home state at the University of Texas at Austin. She also spent some time as a traveling leadership consultant visiting 20 different universities. Outside of work, Shannon enjoys going to the dog park, watching movies, and taking in the sights and sounds of Austin.
Favorite UT Austin Fact: The famous Big Bertha drum, “The sweetheart of the Longhorn Band” weighs over 500 pounds and is almost a century old.
Lindsey Lundberg
Assistant Director for Communication
Lindsey was born and raised in Southern California. She earned her Bachelors of Art in Mathematics from Azusa Pacific University (APU) in 2013. She spent a few years after graduation living overseas before moving back to California to work at APU assisting in Finances and office management. Since then, Lindsey has moved to Texas with her husband. Outside of work, Lindsey enjoys cooking, crocheting and traveling to different countries all over the world.
Favorite UT Austin Fact: The university holds one of only 21 remaining complete copies of the Gutenberg Bible and the first permanent photograph.
Jamie Rainelli
Office Manager
Jamie was born in Germany and raised in the Midwest. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Indiana in Business Administration Management. Most recently, Jamie has enjoyed working with alumni and parents at one of our nations service academies. Outside of work she enjoys the outdoors, cooking, spending time with her family, and attending college sporting events.
Favorite UT Austin Fact: Smokey The Cannon was built in 1953 and is shot every time the school’s football team score a touchdown.
Student Staff
Anna is a senior English major from Mansfield, Texas. She began working as an Office Assistant for Texas Parents in 2018. Anna is a member of the Liberal Arts Refugee Alliance and a production assistant for the local podcast, Everyday Superhumans. Anna enjoys going to local concerts, eating Thai food and going to the movies.
Bryce is a senior Aerospace Engineering major from Cedar Park, Texas. He began working for Texas Parents in 2016 as an Office Assistant. Bryce is a member of the Longhorn Rocketry Association and hopes to join more organizations. Bryce enjoys cooking, rock climbing and camping. In his free time, Bryce can usually be found building things in the Engineering Makerspace.
Chris is a senior Marketing and Sociology double major from San Antonio, Texas. He began working for Texas Parents in 2016 as an Office Assistant. Chris is involved with the Gates Millennium Student Association, and is also a member of the Campus Events + Entertainment group ShowTime. Chris enjoys watching films, road trips around the Austin area and exploring the Austin music scene.
Gloria is a senior Economics and Spanish major from El Paso, Texas. She began working for Texas Parents in 2017 as an Office Assistant. Gloria is a member of the Longhorn Band, Tau Beta Sigma and Liberal Arts Honors. In her free time, Gloria enjoys playing soccer, hiking on the green belt and hanging out with friends.
Kendall is a senior aerospace engineering major from Nacogdoches, Texas. He began working for Texas Parents in 2017 as an Office Assistant. Kendall is the communications team-lead for the Texas Spacecraft Laboratory and is a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Kendall enjoys trying new food around Austin, listening to podcasts and exercising.
Kennedy is a freshman Communication & Leadership major from Santa Fe, Texas. She began working for Texas Parents in 2018 as an Office Assistant. Kennedy is a member of Texas Students Against Gun Violence, and The Orange Generation (an off-campus organization she co-founded). Kennedy loves concerts, reading, and running. She hopes to become an RA in the following years.
Lauren is a senior Public Relations major from Mansfield, Texas. She began working for Texas Parents in 2017 as an Office Assistant. Lauren is a member of the spirit group Absolute Texxas and a copyeditor for her PR class website, News & Junk. Lauren enjoys going to local Austin music shows, tex-mex food and painting.
Peter is senior Quantitative Finance major from Garland, Texas. He began working with Texas Parents in 2018 as an Office Assistant. Peter wants to start his own student organization for block chain education soon. He loves to study the cosmos, play basketball and learn new groundbreaking technology.
Steven is a senior Marketing major from Leander, Texas. He began working for Texas Parents in 2017 as an Office Assistant. Steven is a member of the Entrepreneur Society and enjoys golf, working out and eating good food.