Mary Beth Rogers

1994 Inductee
Civic and Volunteer Leadership

Mary Beth Rogers’ diverse talents and skills ranging from professor, public servant, writer, political organizer, historian and author earned her recognition as one of Texas’ most creative and effective civic leaders.

In 1997, Ms. Rogers joined KLRU-TV as chief executive officer, culminating years of experience as a professor, public servant, political organizer, historian and author. In 1994, she served as the Lloyd M. Bentsen Chair in Business and Government Relations at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, where she received the Teaching Excellence Award. Ms. Rogers taught a seminar on political change, challenging her students to envision the world as it should be and to make that vision a reality, and she was founding member of Leadership Texas, a program to train women for political office.

When Ann Richards was elected state treasurer in 1982, she appointed Ms. Rogers as deputy treasurer. Together they transformed the agency from an outmoded antiquity into a model of innovation and efficiency considered one of the best in the nation. In 1990, Rogers served as campaign manager for Richard’s gubernatorial bid, providing the organizational skills to bring about the election of Texas’ first woman governor in more than 50 years. Rogers served as Governor Richards’ Chief of Staff for 19 months and played a key role in articulating and building their vision of a new Texas: a government that is more efficient, accountable, accessible and inclusive than ever before.

In 1979, Ms. Rogers was the director of a comprehensive project to focus public attention on the contributions of women throughout Texas history. The three-year project resulted in a major museum exhibition entitled “Texas Women - A Celebration of History,” the first such exhibit in the United States.

She is the author of numerous books, articles and book chapters. Her books include We Can Fly, a collection of stories about adventurous Texas women, and Cold Anger: A Story of Faith and Power Politics, a story about the work of community organizer Ernesto Cortes and the Industrial Areas Foundation.