2026 Lake Buchanan/Inks Lake Chamber Board of Directors
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Dr. Terry Northup, President of the Board
Dr. Terry Northup was born and raised in the Chicago area. He received a BS in Education and then, later, his Masters of Education at Ole Miss. He returned to Illinois to teach school for five years.  While teaching that last year in Pekin, IL he met and married Mary Jacque Sloter. When the school year was completed, the couple moved to West Lafayette, Indiana where he attended Purdue University completing a PhD in Education in 1971.  Terry then joined the faculty at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA where he taught for 5 years and was Executive Secretary of the Georgia Social Science Teachers Association. By this time, the family had two sons and enjoyed the benefits of living in a vibrant urban area.  However, during this time, Terry felt called to be involved in Christian Higher Education.  He became a professor and later Dean of Education at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, TX, and later filled the same role at McMurry University in Abilene, TX. Terry followed in his father's footsteps with involvement in the in church and community affairs with the goal of making a positive impact on the community in which you live.
Upon retirement, Mary Jacque and Terry moved to Buchanan Dam because of its beauty and slower pace of life.  Since arriving, he has been active in the Highland Lakes United Methodist Church, the Kingsland Friends of the Library, the Lake Buchanan Inks Lake Chamber of Commerce and playing golf.
​Nurtured as a Central Texan in Lampasas, Dr. Ray Buchanan discovered a deep love of writing as an English major at Trinity University in San Antonio.  He then learned the significance of Old Testament languages at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, absorbed teaching
techniques at Makerere College, the University of East Africa in Kampala, Uganda, and discovered the joy of teaching at King’s College, Budo in Uganda, East Africa. Dr. Buchanan, upon return stateside, earned his PhD in his latest passion, Russia history, at Indiana University in Bloomington.  He then moved to Dallas, and taught history  at Southern Methodist University before becoming Chair of the History Department at Greenhill School in Dallas.  Ray and his wife, Carole, retired to the shores of Lake Buchanan. Since retiring, Ray enjoys volunteering with the Master Naturalists, the Master Gardeners, the Friends of
Lakeshore Library, the Nature Center, the Lake Buchanan/Inks Lake Chamber of Commerce, and the election site in Tow.  He is strongly passionate about teaching programs at the University of Texas Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, reading, writing and traveling. 
Dr. Ray Buchanan, Parliamentarian of the Board
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Mandi Goldsmith, Board Member At-Large
​Mandi Goldsmith is a Highland Lakes native. She serves as Publisher and General Manager of Operations at Victory Media, the parent company of The Picayune Magazine, DailyTrib.com, 101HighlandLakes.com, 101 Fun Things to Do in the Highland Lakes magazine, and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune. With almost 30 years at Victory Media, Mandi has grown alongside the company and the communities it serves.

Mandi brings a wealth of experience to the Lake Buchanan /Inks Lake Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center through her numerous leadership roles with the Marble Falls/Highland Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, including Advisory Board Member, Treasurer, Vice President, President, and Past President.  A passionate advocate for local business, Mandi believes in helping businesses—large and small—thrive wherever they are planted. She understands that behind every business are people, and every person has a story worth telling. Mandi sees chambers of commerce as vital connectors, helping share those stories to strengthen networks, fuel opportunity, and foster success. Because when people succeed, communities succeed.
​Cindy Parker-Burleson moved to Buchanan Dam in 1969 and has called Buchanan home for 57 years.  She married Michael Burleson twenty years ago and is the mother of twins, Amber Blair and Brandon Fountain as well as her "bonus" children, Erin Saenz and Shawn Burleson.  Cindy loves being a grandmother to her 5 grandchildren.

Cindy has been with the U.S. Postal Service for 32 years and is the owner of local coffee, tea and refreshers shop, The Thirsty Armadillo located in Kingsland.  She and Mike also own AW Taco in Buchanan Dam and 2 Angels Embroidery and Personalization Shop in Burnet.   Cindy, following in her family's footstep of ongoing community service,  is a member of Delta Phi chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, an international service organization, and spends much of her time volunteering around the area as well as serving on the Board for the Lake Buchanan/Inks Lake Chamber.
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Cindy Parker-Burleson, Board Member At-Large
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Ron Abshier, Board Member At-Large and Lakes Conservation and Preservation Committee Lead
Ron was born and raised in rural Kansas.  He attended and received his Bachelor's Degree in Biology and then his Master's Degree in Biology with Freshwater/Ichthyology emphasis from Kansas State University as a Member of Beta Beta Beta National and the Biology Honor Society.  Ron started his career teaching pre-med high school biology classes until founding his own company, Intervet Corp. International Marketing Services, Inc. a domestic distributor of veterinary products.  He eventually moved his company into the Hill Country, which led to his move first to Burnet County and, eventually, to Llano County where he is now settled.  Ron is also the former owner of Hill Country Hall in Buchanan Dam. 

​Ron is a founding member, past President and current Board Member of Lake Buchanan Conservation Corp., the past Secretary of Precinct 2 (Llano) Emergency Services District, and the past President and now current Board Member At-Large of the Lake Buchanan/Inks Lake Chamber of Commerce.  Ron also serves as Committee Lead of the Chamber's Lakes Conservation and Preservation Committee.  Ron enjoys time in service to our lakes community and spending time with his two adult daughters and three grandchildren.