Annie's List - Changing the Face of Power

A Few Words about Us

In 2002, due to crafty Republican redistricting, the Texas House lost five Democratic women and our numbers stayed stagnant in the Texas Senate. Today, only 20 out of 181 Texas legislators are Democratic women. And in Texas history, no more than 150 women have ever served compared to approximately 6,000 men.

Annie’s List was started in 2003 to combat this alarming trend and already we have seen major successes. We are a diverse coalition of political professionals, non-profit executives, policy experts, former candidates and elected officials, major donors, attorneys and more - all dedicated to changing the face of power in Texas politics (thereby combatting the assault on issues of most importance to women and their families) by recruiting, training and supporting women candidates across the state.

Annie’s List Purpose
Target legislative and down-ballot statewide races
Recruit, train and support progressive women to run for office
Train and place professional campaign staff on targeted races
Raise early money so that women become viable contenders
Engage and activate women voters on behalf of endorsed candidates

the board

As the true power of Annie’s List lies
with the thousands of women around Texas that support our work and our progressive Democratic women candidates, we have a Board of Directors to reflect them. In early 2006, we elected all new members, women who are leaders in their communities around the state, to guide our fast growing organization through what may be the most important election cycles of our lifetime.

	Naomi Aberly Dallas Chair
	Colleen Casey San Antonio Vice Chair
	Rosie Mendoza, CPA Austin Treasurer
	Robbie Ausley Austin
	Kate Campbell Spring Branch
	Patricia Fagadau Dallas
	Sonia Falcon McAllen
	Lupita Gutierrez San Antonio
	Lisa Kraus Dallas
	Alice London, JD Austin
	Amber Anderson Mostyn, JD Houston
	Ellen Susman Houston

the staff

Since our 2003 inception Annie’s List
has grown tremendously. Five full-time staff members are now on board to advance the mission of Annie’s List everyday. We have assembled an impressive group of folks with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.

	Robert E. Jones *Political Director*
	Anne Bradley Development & Finance Director
	Genevieve Van Cleve Deputy Political Director
	Megan Rodman *Finance Assistant*
	Aimee O'Malley New Media Director & Office Manager

BOARD EMERITUS

We are proud to announce the Annie's List Board of Director Emeritus. We have been tremendously lucky to have the support of these woman when they served on our Board and will continue to solicit their advice and wisdom.

Cecilia Boone
Dallas

Lynette Maddocks Gatlin
San Antonio

Dorothy Mackey Luriè, PhD
Houston

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our inspiration

As the first woman elected to statewide office in Texas, the first

woman president of the Texas State Teachers Association, a suffragist leader and the driving force behind some of the most sweeping changes in public education in our state’s history – some might call
Dr. Annie Webb Blanton a trailblazer. She understood that raising awareness about the plight of women and children was not enough. And she understood that meaningful change would only occur when more women had a seat at the table where decisions were being made. So she took action and ran for office herself.

In her 1918 campaign for State Superintendent for Public Instruction, Annie Blanton was called an atheist and political tool for Governor Bill Hobby by her two male primary opponents –

which included the incumbent, Walter Doughty. She fought back and highlighted Doughty’s close relationships with the recently impeached Governor James Ferguson and breweries around the state. She ran a tough campaign and won handily with the help of women voters, voting for the first time in a primary election, in the July primary. The following November, she made history as the first woman elected statewide in Texas, without the help of women voters who could not yet vote in general elections.

Annie Blanton went on to prove that women could not only win tough campaigns, but that they could govern as well. It was under her leadership that a system of free textbooks was established, teacher’s salaries were raised and rural education was dramatically improved. It is in honor of her spirit and incredible accomplishments that Annie’s List works so hard to change the face of power and put even more women at the table to guide the future of our great state. She set the bar for what women can and must do to keep Texas moving forward!

learn more about Dr. Blanton