Board of Directors

Board of Directors

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Robert Tocker
Chair Emeritus*
Barbara Tocker
Chair
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Terry Tocker
Vice Chair
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Donna Stevens Tocker
Donna Stevens Tocker is a longtime advocate of public libraries. An avid reader, she spent her youth enjoying weekly visits to her local public library. Born and raised in Cleburne, Texas, she is the daughter of a multi-generational Texan father and a British mother, who eventually became the director of the above mentioned library. Donna followed her mother’s example and worked at the Texas Legislative Library at the State Capitol building while attending Austin Community College and the University of Texas. Later, she was employed at the Texas State University Library in San Marcos. She graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Donna is a member of the American Library Association, the Texas Library Association, Philanthropy Southwest and a lifetime member of Hadassah. She is married to Darryl Tocker. They have two daughters, Rachel and Laura, and one granddaughter, Addison.
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*Deceased
Robert Tocker*
Chair Emeritus
Barbara Tocker
Chair
Terry Tocker
Terry Tocker
Vice Chair
Donna Stevens Tocker
Donna Stevens Tocker
Donna Stevens Tocker is a longtime advocate of public libraries. An avid reader, she spent her youth enjoying weekly visits to her local public library. Born and raised in Cleburne, Texas, she is the daughter of a multi-generational Texan father and a British mother, who eventually became the director of the above mentioned library. Donna followed her mother’s example and worked at the Texas Legislative Library at the State Capitol building while attending Austin Community College and the University of Texas. Later, she was employed at the Texas State University Library in San Marcos. She graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Donna is a member of the American Library Association, the Texas Library Association, Philanthropy Southwest and a lifetime member of Hadassah. She is married to Darryl Tocker. They have two daughters, Rachel and Laura, and two grandchildren, Addison and John.
Natalie Tocker
Natalie Tocker
Gretchen Pruett
Gretchen Pruett

Gretchen Pruett is the Library Director for the New Braunfels Public Library since 2008. She was the Assistant Director at the Georgetown Public Library for 5 years, after beginning her library service career with the Round Rock Public Library as the “Toddlertime Lady” in 1994. She holds a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Texas in Austin and received a Bachelor of Business Administration – Accounting degree from the University of Toledo.

Ms. Pruett started her career as a Certified Public Accountant in New York State for ten years, specializing in non-profit and governmental accounting and auditing. Upon her relocation to Texas in 1994, she pursued her library degree and career. She has served on numerous boards and committees for library and community nonprofit organizations – usually as the Treasurer, including a term in that office on the Executive Board of the Texas Library Association.

Susan Mann
Susan Mann

Susan S. Mann joined the Tocker Foundation board of directors in March of 2018. She is the director of the Hillsboro City Library in Hillsboro, Texas, where she has served for over 35 years. In 2015, Susan was honored to be elected by her peers as President of the Texas Library Association for a term of one year. In 2011, Susan was awarded the TLA Distinguished Service Award and received a Texas House of Representatives' resolution in her honor. She was named Small Community Librarian of the Year in 1994 by the TLA Small Community Libraries Round Table (SCLRT). Susan is a founding member of the SCLRT and served them for many years in various capacity most notably as chair in 1992 and again in 2002.

Susan’s service to her community also includes nine years as an elected member of the Hillsboro Independent School District Board of Trustees with six of those years as President of the governing body as well as serving the Hillsboro Heritage League, Sesame Woman’s Club and numerous other community committees and organizations. In 2001, she was named Citizen of the Year by the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce.

Susan has served many roles in the Texas Library Association, but she is most noted for her service on the Legislative Committee, serving as Vice Chair and Chair for many years. Susan spends a large amount of her time advocating to legislators on behalf of libraries in both Austin and Washington DC.

Susan has lived in Hillsboro with her husband, Arthur, for over 37 years. They have two daughters and three adorable grandchildren who consume much of their spare time and as Susan likes to say, “They are the most fun I have ever had!!!”

Edward Smith
Edward Smith

Edward Smith joined the Tocker Foundation Board of Directors in 2019.  He is the Executive Director of the Abilene Library Consortium in Abilene, Texas, where he has served for over 10 years.  Prior to his work in Abilene, Edward served as Director of Member Services Development at Amigos Library Services in Dallas, Texas, and has worked in libraries and information management roles for more than 25 years.

Edward is active in the Texas Library Association, serving in numerous roles over the years including the Executive Board and in 2020, he was honored by his peers with the Librarian of the Year award. Edward is often recognized for his leadership in library collaboration, partnering with numerous organizations across the region and the state to ensure libraries thrive into the future. He has a Bachelor and Master of Arts from Hardin-Simmons University and a Master of Science from the University of North Texas.

Edward’s service to the local Abilene community also includes serving on the nonprofit boards of the Friends of Abilene Public Library, the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, and Abilene Heritage Square.  Edward also serves as an Elder of Beltway Park Church.

Edward is passionate about activating people towards their vision for the future.  In his spare time, he serves as a strategic planning guide, helping individuals and organizations discover their unique purpose and make the greatest impact.

Darryl Tocker
Darryl Tocker
Executive Director & Board Member

Darryl Tocker is the third Executive Director of the Tocker Foundation since its inception in 1964. Before joining the Tocker Foundation in 1990, Darryl Tocker was a financial analyst with the Zale Corporation from 1981 to 1995 in both the Dallas and New York offices.

During his term with the Tocker Foundation, Mr. Tocker has advanced the organization’s commitment to public library advocacy. Due to the many initiatives and projects, the Tocker Foundation was one of the initial organizations on the American Library Association’s National Honor Roll and a recipient of the Texas Library Association’s Centennial Champion medallion.

In addition to his role with the Foundation, Darryl Tocker has served as President of the Friends of Libraries and Archives of Texas, the support organization to the Texas State Library. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Texas Book Festival and the Executive Board of Raising Austin, Inc. Mr. Tocker also serves on the Advisory Board of the Portal to Texas History at the University of North Texas and the Advisory Board of the University of Texas, School of Information. Most recently, Mr. Tocker was honored to be appointed by the governor of Texas as a commissioner of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. His five year term will allow him to epand his work on behalf of public libraries.

Mr. Tocker’s affiliations include his long time memberships to the American Library Association, Texas Library Association and Philanthropy Southwest.

Mr. Tocker holds both a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Science from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Karin Gerstenhaber
Karin Gerstenhaber

Associate Director

Karin joined the Tocker Foundation in 2011. Her strengths in project management and community outreach have supported her work to improve communication with grantees, outreach with partner organizations and efficiency in the administration of grants. Her passion for serving others through the philanthropic work of the Foundation has expanded her role over the years, leading to her current position of Associate Director.

In advancing the Tocker Foundation’s mission, Karin is a member of the Texas Library Association where she is permanent chair of the Tocker Grant Review Committee, a volunteer group of professional, library grantees that advise the board of directors. Karin also works closely with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, particularly on the topics of state-wide broadband expansion, connectivity and technology for patrons.

Karin has been an active member of Philanthropy Southwest since joining in 2012. She has served on both the Annual Conference Committee and the Professional Learning Committee and was honored to join the board of directors in 2020. With rural issues always top of mind, she is an active member of the Texas Rural Funders and serves on its committee dedicated to better broadband access, adoption and use for rural Texans.

Karin has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership and Management from the Center for Community-Based and Non-Profit Organizations. Outside of work, Karin spends much of her free time creating mosaic artwork in her studio that was once the spare bedroom. She welcomes visitors but cautions anyone from going barefoot in there. She lives in Austin with her husband, Gary.