State Executive Director of Amachi Texas

As State Executive Director of Amachi Texas, Olivia Eudaly is at the helm of this groundbreaking, statewide initiative. Working closely with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Texas Education Agency, One Star Foundation, the Office of the Governor, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and ten Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the state of Texas, Olivia coordinates Amachi's efforts to place one-to-one mentors in the lives of children of prisoners. In this position, which she has held since January 2006, Olivia also serves as the statewide spokesperson for the organization.

A lifelong advocate for children and the underprivileged, Olivia previously served as Executive Vice President of Big Brothers Big Sisters North Texas and as Deputy Director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Tarrant County in Texas.

In addition to her professional career Olivia is an active member of the community, serving on a variety of boards and committees including former trustee of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX, Leadership Forth Worth, Leadership Texas, and American Society of Association Executives which awarded Amachi Texas the national Summit Award in 2007. Her involvement has earned her recognitions and accolades in her home state and across the nation. A former candidate for U.S. Congress, Olivia is also active in local, regional and national politics. In 2000 she was elected delegate to the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia where she served as the National Credentials Committeewoman from Texas.

Prior to entering non-profit management, Olivia's professional career centered around academia. She taught as an adjunct professor of Speech/Communication at Texas Christian University and as an adjunct professor of English at Dallas Baptist University, Texas Wesleyan University, and Tarrant County College. In addition, she previously served as chair of the Speech/Drama department at A & M Consolidated High School in College Station, taught Senior English and Advanced Placement English at Western Hills High School in Fort Worth and taught English and Speech at Monnig Middle School in Fort Worth.

She received her BA degree from Texas Christian University with a major in Speech/Communication and English and a minor in Education, graduating cum laude. She earned her MA degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with an Education/Communication emphasis, graduating with honors. She also did graduate studies at Texas A & M University and by invitation at Harvard's JFK School of Government, Executive Education Leadership program.

Her biographical listings include Marquis Who's Who in America, Who's Who Among American Women, Outstanding Young Women of America, Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans and others. The Fort Worth Business Press named her among the Women of Influence at the "Great Women of Texas" presentation in December 2001. She has twice received the Presidents Award from the Fort Worth Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and has twice received both the Bronze and Silver Quill Awards from the International Association of Business Communicators.

She teaches a popular Ladies' Bible Study class at Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth.

She has served as Vice President of the Board of Managers of Tarrant County Hospital District, as President of Fort Worth's Junior Woman's Club, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Happy Hill Farm. In addition, she was appointed by the Governor of Texas to serve as a member of the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. She was appointed by the Mayor of Fort Worth to serve as a member of the Tarrant County Collaborative Leadership Council, the Fort Worth City Charter Revision Commission, and the Fort Worth Human Relations Commission. She is a charter member of Leadership Texas. For four years she served on the State Republican Executive Committee where she was a member of the Governor Bush Liaison Committee, the Resolutions Committee, the State Nominating Committee and Chair of the Legislative Liaison Committee.

Olivia has been an Amachi Big Sister for 2 years. She currently mentors a young girl in the Fort Worth area whose father is serving 8 years behind bars.