Our Team

Stacey Hawkins began her career with the City of Temple in March 2007 in the Finance Department as an Accounting Specialist eventually promoting to Senior Accountant.  In 2016 Stacey transitioned to the Human Resources Department where she focused on training and safety.  In 2018, she became the Director of Performance Excellence in the newly established Office of Performance Excellence. Her work is focused on strategic planning, organizational development, safety & training, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Stacey has a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and is currently working on a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Stacey is a life-long resident of Temple and is passionate about serving the community and her fellow employees.  She loves to cook and enjoys hosting friends and family and loves to read.

Andrea Ortiz joined the City of Temple in March 2020, providing management support to the City Manager's Office prior to joining the Performance Excellence department. Andrea assists with administrative and clerical duties to the entire department. Prior to joining the City of Temple, Andrea worked in the housing sector with the Central Texas Council of Governments and the Temple Housing Authority for 14 years. While there, Andrea worked closely with low-income/underprivileged families and veterans to assist with obtaining housing.

Andrea brings her administrative, customer service, and office environment work expertise to the Performance Excellence department.

Christine Leal joined the City of Temple in 2018 as a Management Specialist in the Department of Public Works. In 2019, she became the Performance & Analytics Manager in the newly established Office of Performance Excellence. One of Christine’s main duties is to assist with the development, implementation, and progress monitoring of the City’s Strategic Plan. In the coming years, she will direct and manage the creation of a performance measurement dashboarding system, as well as a program to implement continuous improvement methodologies throughout the organization.  These initiatives will allow the City to benchmark organizational performance,  identify areas for performance improvement, and provide transparent performance reporting to the public.

Before joining the City of Temple, Christine served as a Quartermaster Officer in the United States Army, where she became passionate about the ethical stewardship of government funds and assets. Christine has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University, and a Master of Public Affairs degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.

Ashley Cooper joined the City of Temple in August 2014 working in the Utility Billing Office as a Customer Service Representative I. In 2015, she transferred to a part-time position within the Library to focus on her Bachelor’s degree. In 2016 she began working in the Human Resources Department as a Human Resources Technician. She promoted to Human Resources Generalist and in 2019 promoted into the Human Resources Manager role. She joined the Performance Excellence team in 2022 as the Organizational Development Manager. Ashley’s contributions will focus on employee engagement, learning and development to help foster a culture that aligns with our core values. Ashley is passionate about focusing on current staff and the opportunities for them to learn and grow within the organization in hopes they have a long and happy tenure with the City of Temple.

Ashley has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Human Resources Management from Texas A & M University – Central Texas and an Associates of Arts degree in Business from Temple College. She has started coursework for her Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Virginia Suarez joined the City of Temple in April 2022 as an Administrative Assistant in the Performance Excellence Department. Virginia’s focus is on providing exceptional service to every citizen visiting City Hall for business.  Prior to joining the City of Temple, Virginia worked in the non-profit sector with United Way of Central Texas (5yrs) and also worked with Bell County (17+ yrs).

Virginia has served on the Temple Independent School District – Board of Trustees for over 30 years.

Virginia is a life-long resident of Temple and is passionate about serving the community.  She loves spending time with family, attending sports functions and loves to read.