ALEF Board of Managers
The Board of Managers is made up of community and business leaders committed to the goals of the Endowment Fund and the Library. They are elected for three-year terms by the Board, which meets quarterly.
Jeanie Schulmeister
President
Jeanie worked on government defense projects as an engineer and manager for more than 30 years at Texas Instruments, Unisys, and Raytheon, developing state-of-the art products for the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force. Jeanie is now retired and a volunteer for many civic groups such as the ALEF Board and her church family at First United Methodist Church Allen. Jeanie and her family have called Allen home for more than 35 years with many cherished library memories.
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Kirsten Fair
Vice President
Kirsten Fair and her husband Jeff have lived in Allen for over 20 years and have three wonderful teenage children. A retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Kirsten is an active volunteer in the community. She has served in various roles in her children’s schools, from elementary through high school, her church, and many local organizations such as ACO (All Community Outreach) and YMSL (Young Men’s Service League). She is a strong advocate for the Allen Public Library, having served on the Friends of the Library Board as a Volunteer Coordinator for many years and now the ALEF Board, where she enjoys supporting future library growth and planning fundraising events.
Cindy Heller
Treasurer
Cindy Heller has worked in the accounting field during her entire career and currently serves as Vice President/Treasurer for JaRyCo Development. She and her husband moved to Allen in 1986 to raise their three sons. In addition to serving on the ALEF Board, she has also been a volunteer at her church on various committees and boards. Reading is one of her passions and she is honored to be able to support and grow the Allen Public Library through her work on the ALEF Board.
Ernie Pero
Secretary
Ernie Pero is a retired business executive whose career included leadership positions with Travelers Insurance Company, Perot Systems and Dell, Inc. Ernie and his family have been residents of Allen for 32 years. His community service includes the Kiwanis Club of Allen, ALEF BOARD and various community and church committees and boards. He is a strong advocate for the future of the Allen Library.
Becky Breining
Board Member
Becky has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. In addition to her volunteer work, she is a marketing consultant and freelance writer who creates digital and print content for corporations and nonprofits. A former journalist, Becky’s favorite reading material is fiction written by award-winning authors and historical novels. She also enjoys exploring Texas’ great outdoors and the Rocky Mountains.
Dennis de Wet
Board Member
Dennis is a retired Technical Writer. He worked in the Telecom, Toll Road, and other technology industries, and has resided in Allen since 1986. Dennis is also involved with his church administration and volunteers with the Coventry Reserve, a nonprofit daily life enrichment program that serves adults with special needs. He plays tennis and racquetball and has hiked on the Appalachian Trail, walked across England on Hadrian’s Wall, and hiked trails in various spectacular canyons. He loves reading biographies such as Shackleton’s Endurance and about ancient history (especially Roman history). Dennis became a fan of the Allen Public Library through his children, who spent a lot of time there.
Anne French
Board Member
Allen resident since 2007, embedded software engineer retired from Texas Instruments in 2019, on the board of the Newcomer Friends of Greater Plano, big fan of the library, her three cats, cycling Allen’s beautiful trails and playing clarinet / piano duets with her husband, Stewart.
Jeff Kacines
Board Member
Jeff Kacines worked as an electrical engineer at Texas Instruments for 15 years. His last position was as a Senior Member of Technical Staff in the Education Technology division where he worked on integrating technology into calculators and classrooms. He left TI in 2007 to focus full time on his growing consumer products company, OIC Products, LLC, which has been in Allen since its founding in 1998. Jeff and his wife Sue raised their two sons in Allen and have been residents since 1993.
Shahmeen Khan
Board Member
Shahmeen is a Financial Paraplanner at Meridian Wealth Management. She graduated from the State University of New York Albany with a degree in economics and business administration. Shahmeen’s passion is in public service; active in her community, Shahmeen takes the time to give back to her city, served as the chair of the City of Allen Library Board, Board member of the Allen Library’s Endowment Fund and a Board of Trustee for the Allen Park’s Foundation, current Board member of the Community Development Corporation, and a member of Allen Kiwanis Club. Shahmeen and her husband Sheelpi, a CPA for Yum China holdings, son Arman and daughter Ilan have been residents of Allen since 2013.
Rekha Kumar
Board Member
Rekha Kumar is an Electrical Engineer and has been working with Texas Instruments for 25+ years in various management roles. She and her husband Raj along with their son and daughter have been Allen residents since 2005. She has been involved with various initiatives such as the Diversity Council in Texas Instruments and also serves on the board for High Tech High Heels in addition to ALEF. Rekha is passionate about Girls in STEM and is honored to support the Allen Public Library.
Alyce McKenzie
Board Member
Alyce is a Professor of Homiletics (preaching) at Perkins School of Theology, SMU in Dallas. She is also an ordained United Methodist pastor appointed to this specific ministry of training theology students to communicate good news. She also founded and directs the Perkins Center for Preaching Excellence at SMU. Alyce and her husband have lived in Allen since 1999. She has written ten books focusing on interpreting sacred wisdom traditions and unleashing the power of imagination in everyday life. Alyce enjoys reading all kinds of genres from nonfiction to contemporary literature to mystery novels. Her parents instilled in her a love of reading and set an example of support of local libraries. As a grandparent of 8 and 4-yearold grandsons, she cherishes continuing the tradition of love of reading and visits to the Big Blue Library!