Building a New American Path Forward

Meet Kathryn

I was born in the border town of McAllen, Texas and graduated from the Public School System there. I am a 5th generation Texan on my father’s side, and my ancestors help settle Fredericksburg in 1846. My maternal side of the family came to the United States in 1620, and we settled in Texas in 1919. My mother and siblings have lived in Bandera County since 1987. My siblings graduated from Bandera HS and my children attended both Bandera and Medina Valley Schools, and my grandchildren attend Bandera Schools. I taught HS science and physics at Bandera. I have taught middle school, high school, and college levels of education. In 1999, I obtained my Paralegal Certification from UTSA in hopes of going into environmental law. I worked in family law for a year. Later, I became a pediatric Physical Therapist through UTHealth and obtained my doctorate from UTMB- Galveston. As a physical therapist I have worked in homes, schools, hospitals, and clinics for adults and children with disabilities or injury.

I have seen the struggles families endure. They are in constant fear of changes in healthcare availability and cost as well as decreased food availability (SNAP benefits/WIC/Cost). The elderly worry about changes to Medicare and Social Security. Public school children with disabilities have experienced cuts in resources due to budget freezes to Title 1, mental health, food, and special education in schools.

As House Representative for District 53, I will work to right these wrongs in Austin to build a New American Path Forward.

Be Part of the Movement

Issues

Concerns in Detail

  • Concern

    Texas has slashed $600 million in Medicaid Funding for students with disabilities .Texas is 46th out of 50 states that spends the least per student, $12,700, annually. I will work to increase funding for students with disabilities so public schools can hire quality staff for students with disabilities and equipment needs. I will work to increase funding for mental health counselors, physical, speech and occupational therapists in public schools

  • Concern

    Texas has experienced significant reductions in rural healthcare access leading to 26 hospitals closing since 2010, driven by the decision to not expand Medicaid in Texas, and declining reimbursement rates by public and private insurance. I will work to increase and expand Medicaid in rural Texas.

  • Concern

    During the furlough in 2025 many children were left with the inability for their parents to buy food for them. In addition, Texas has cut SNAP benefits by $90 per person which greatly reduces the amount a family can eat per month. Governor Abbot vetoed a Bill to extend food services through the summer of 2025 for school children. I will work to increase SNAP benefits and expand benefits to hard working families that make only minimum wage.

  • Concern

    Texas failed children and families along the Guadalupe River during the July 4th flood by not having the infrastructure and warning systems in place and a slow response. I will work to increase funding and make sure the warning systems and infrastructure are in place and maintained to ensure safety for all who live and visit the Texas Hill Country.

  • Concern

    Due to decreased affordability of food and goods I will work for Texas to increase and expand the WIC program to children 0-5 years and the elderly. Those living on a fixed income such as the elderly and minimum wage workers can not afford the inflation in food products. In the greatest nation on Earth no-one should go hungry. Eating is a human right, not a benefit of opportunity.

  • Concern

    Water and natural resources are taking a hit in rural Texas due to huge corporations buying land for AI which demand massive amounts of freshwater for cooling data centers and powering them with increased energy needs raising the cost of our electricity. Along with depleting local water and natural resources environmental ecosystems are disrupted and harmed. Building the wall across Big Bend or in the Rio Grande Valley will compromise the native animal species of these areas.

Conservation of our natural resources along the Medina River for all to enjoy now and in the future. Fishing and flooding along the Medina River in The Texas Hill Country.