(512) 454-9567
OUR MISSION IS TO SAFEGUARD AND MANAGE THE FUND IN THE SOLE INTEREST OF THE PLAN PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES.
Board of Trustees
Chair
Kirk Watson was elected Mayor of Austin in December 2022, having previously been elected in 1997. Mayor Watson has spent three decades working in public policy at both state and local levels, including 13 years in the Texas Senate where he was elected by his peers as President Pro Tempore in 2019. Mayor Watson has served on multiple committees, including as a member of the Sunset Advisory Commission, as Chair of the Texas Air Control Board, and as Vice-Chair of the committee that oversaw the creation of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Vice Chair
Doug Fowler retired in 2017 from the Austin Fire Department as an Assistant Chief with over 31 years of service. He then served as the Fire Chief for the City of South Padre Island. Currently, Chief Fowler is working for North Hays EMS as its District Administrator. Chief Fowler is a graduate from UT Arlington with a Masters Degree in Public Administration.
Treasurer
Belinda Weaver is the Treasurer for the City of Austin where she manages the City’s comprehensive cash, debt, and investment programs. Belinda over 15 years of public service with the City of Austin, all of which has concentrated in the City’s Treasury department.
Trustee
John Bass has been a firefighter for over 17 years, first with Round Rock, and is now assigned to Quint 3C with the Austin Fire Department. John is a University of Texas at Austin graduate, with a BBA Finance 1997, and was a former competitive rower and coach.
Trustee
Aaron Woolverton retired from the Austin Fire Department in 2020 as an Assistant Chief with 28 years of service. During his tenure, he managed the Support Services, Operations, and the Fire Prevention/Wildfire Branches of the department. Aaron previously served as a Division Chief in the role of Risk Manager, as well as Captain/Battalion Chief of Investigations and Battalion Chief of Special Operations Support. Aaron earned his Associates degrees in both Fire Science and Criminal Justice from Austin Community College, and his Bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration from Texas A&M San Antonio.
About Us
Get to know your Pension Board and Staff
The Pension Fund is administered by a 5-member-member Board of Trustees. The Administrative office has been established to assist the Pension Board in the day-to-day administration of the fund, and to help the members of the Austin Fire Fighter's Pension.
The role of the Austin Fire Fighter's Pension should be at a minimum, to preserve the assets of the fund and to maintain the standard of living for each retiree at the level at which one chose to retire.
Pension Office Staff
Executive Director
Anumeha Kumar joined the Fund in March 2022. As Executive Director, she oversees the day-to-day administration and operations of the Fund. Anu has more than 12 years of public service experience, including significant experience in the areas of public pension policy and finance. Prior to joining the Fund, Anu served for 7 years as Executive Director to the Texas Pension Review Board (PRB). During her tenure with the PRB, she provided strong executive direction and leadership to advance the agency’s core mission, and successfully led the agency through four Texas Legislative sessions. Anu earned her Master of Laws degree from the University of Texas School of Law and her Bachelor of Laws degree from the Indian Law Society Law College, Pune, one of the premier law institutes of India.
Debbie Hammond is the Benefits Manager for the Fund. She oversees all retirement and benefits program administration services of the Pension Fund. Debbie has almost 14 years of public service experience in the state retirement system working in various capacities within the customer benefits division. Debbie is a Texas State University graduate with a BBA in Marketing.
Benefits Manager
John Perryman is the Chief Finance Officer for the Fund. He oversees all accounting, financial reporting, and budgeting activities of the Pension Fund. He has almost 20 years of public service experience in state government working in all aspects of fiscal and human resource management. John is a Texas State University graduate, with a BBA in Finance.
Chief Finance Officer
Board and Operations Specialist
Gina Gleason is the Board and Operations Specialist for the Fund. She coordinates board meetings, produces Fund publications, and assists with the daily operations of the Fund. Gina joined the Fund in 2022, with 10 years of previous public service experience as an educator in Austin Independent School District. Gina is a University of Minnesota Duluth graduate with a BFA in Art Education.
Accounting Specialist &
Quality Assurance Analyst
Shira Herbert works within the Accounting Division while serving as an auditor and liaison to the Benefits Division. Shira began working for the Fund in 2022 with 22 years of financial and retirement experience. Shira is a Texas State University graduate with a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences.