Mary Beth Rogers
Writer
Mary Beth Rogers has worked as a professor, public servant, writer, political organizer, historian, public television CEO and author. She served as deputy treasurer of Texas under Ann Richards, later working as campaign manager for Richard’s 1990 gubernatorial bid. After Richards won the election, Rogers served as Governor Richards’ Chief of Staff for 19 months. Rogers held the Lloyd M. Bentsen Chair in Business and Government Relations at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where she received the Teaching Excellence Award.
She also served as CEO of KLRU-TV, the Austin PBS station. Rogers has returned to the subject of Texas history throughout her career, with a special focus on the history of women in the state. She was director of the Texas Women’s History Project, and has written numerous books and articles. They include We Can Fly, a collection of stories about adventurous Texas women; Cold Anger: A Story of Faith and Power Politics, about the work of community organizer Ernesto Cortes and the Industrial Areas Foundation; and the biography Barbara Jordan: American Hero.