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Nancy BocskorDirector, Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy, Texas Woman's University ![]() Nancy is the new Director of the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy at Texas Woman's University in Denton, TX, where she will launch its programs to promote civic engagement and leadership in public service. The author of “Go Fish: How to Catch (and Keep) Contributors: A Practical Guide to Fundraising,” Nancy Bocskor is an adjunct professor at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management where she taught both online and in-class fundraising courses. Nancy is on the board for Running Start, an organization that encourages young women to run for office and an advisor for the Veteran's Campaign, a program that encourages Veterans to enter public service. She served on the board of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale for seven years, where she chaired the school’s Curriculum Committee for five years. Most recently, Nancy was chosen as “Mentor of the Year” by PLEN (Public Leadership Education Network) for her work advising college women interested in careers in public service. In 2016, she was selected by the Washington Academy of Political Arts & Sciences as one of the "Top 12 Women Changing the Face of Political Communications in Latin America." Nancy was the recipient of the 2010 the Distinguished Alumni Award at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio for “her passion to affect change in national and international communities, training and consulting with the nation's and world's political leaders, and commitment to educate others, particularly women, around the world.” |
Ashley Dedmon, MPH, CHESHealthy Living Matters Project Coordinator, Harris County Public Health
Ashley is on the advisory board for The Women’s Fund of Houston, the Prairie View A&M College of Education, and a member The Greater Houston Women’s Chamber Health Network of the Texas Medical Center and the Greater Houston Black Chamber. She is a member of the Texas Breast Health Collaborative, The National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the Penn Medicine: Basser Center for BRCA Young Leadership Council. She actively volunteers with Susan G. Komen, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), as a peer navigator, an Ambassador for Got Boobs?, and Ovacome Inc. She serves on the health and wellness committee at her church, The Fountain of Praise, and is a member of the Missouri City-Sugarland Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc. Her greatest accomplishment is being a wife to her husband, Cameron for five years, and a mother to their daughter. |
Congresswoman Sylvia R. GarciaRepresenting the 29th District, Texas
Sylvia is a native of Palito Blanco, a South Texas farming community. The eighth of ten children, Senator Garcia saw her parents struggle to raise her and her siblings. Senator Garcia's parents taught her that with hard work and a good education she could accomplish anything. As a result of these lessons, Senator Garcia dedicated herself to success at school. She earned a scholarship to Texas Woman's University in Denton, where she graduated with a degree in social work and political science. Senator Garcia then received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston, working several jobs to pay for her tuition. Just as her parents believed in her future, Senator Garcia believes the children of Texas can do anything. Garcia has dedicated her life to her community and to public service. As a social worker and legal aid lawyer early in her professional career, she protected our community's most vulnerable, old and young, and ensured no one was forgotten. Sylvia continued her public service career by serving as Director and Presiding Judge of the Houston Municipal System for an unprecedented five terms under two mayors. In 1998, she was elected City Controller, the second highest elected official in Houston city government and its chief financial officer. She quickly earned a reputation as the taxpayers' watchdog, fighting to protect the pocketbooks of working families and ensuring the City was transparent and accountable. After two terms as Controller, Sylvia was elected to the Harris County Commissioner's Court. The first Hispanic and first woman to be elected in her own right to the office, she continued her advocacy for working families and made certain Harris County took care of its most defenseless, all while making certain Harris County led the way for new jobs and economic development. Sylvia was sworn in to the Texas State Senate on March 11, 2013, representing Senate District 6. She became the seventh woman and the third Hispanic woman to serve in the upper chambers after winning a special runoff election for the seat of the late Senator Mario Gallegos. In 2018, Sylvia decided to take her fight to Washington. She ran to represent her community, country and family in Congress. On Jan 3, 2019 she was inaugurated to represent Texas Congressional District 29. She became the first Hispanic member of the Houston Congressional Delegation and one of the first two Latinas to represent the State of Texas in the U.S. Congress. |
Ericka GrahamExecutive Director, Project 88 Foundation & Freelance Teaching Pastor, Ecclesia Houston
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Judge Lina HidalgoCounty judge for Harris County, Texas
Lina has dedicated hundreds of hours to our County’s most vulnerable communities—from her time at the Texas Civil Rights Project to serving as a Spanish-English medical interpreter at the Texas Medical Center and supporting immigrants in search of lost loved ones. Over the past few years and while pursuing a joint degree in law and public policy at NYU and Harvard, Lina conducted research on criminal justice policies and coordinated with advocacy groups and governments to push for criminal justice reform. Before that, Lina worked throughout Southeast Asia to promote transparency and accountability by supporting journalists, bloggers and artists. She helped create and fund a program to bring Stanford students to public policy positions and has served the immigrant and incarcerated communities at any opportunity and in various states. |
Lisa HuntRector, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
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Abbie KaminCandidate for Houston City Council, District C, Abbie Kamin Campaign
Abbie, a native Houstonian, moved back to Texas in 2014 to begin her professional legal career, assisting voters obtain voter photo-ID and became an Associate Attorney at Brazil & Dunn, LLP. The youngest member of the firm, Abbie was involved in a wide range of civil practice areas, including, in particular, voting rights and civil rights suits. Wishing to focus her attention on policy and advocacy issues around the state, Abbie most recently served as the Committee Director for the Texas House Human Services Committee for the 85th Legislative Session. |
Jannelle WatsonSouthwest Lead, Facebook
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