August 9, 2022

Texas Comptroller’s Deputy Comptroller and Chief of Staff Honored as a 2022 Outstanding Women in Texas Government Award Recipient

(AUSTIN) — Lisa Craven, chief of staff to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar and the agency’s deputy comptroller, was one of four women recently honored as a 2022 Outstanding Women in Texas Government Award recipient.

The State Agency Council to Gov. Greg Abbott’s Commission for Women recognized Craven for outstanding leadership. Craven has served the state of Texas for 35 years, starting at the Texas Capitol as a tour guide while a student at the University of Texas at Austin. She worked in positions of increasing responsibilities for elected officials in the Texas Legislature and first began working with Hegar in 2007, when he was a state senator and she was his chief of staff and legislative director.

“Lisa has been a valuable public servant and a treasured partner to me and this agency,” Hegar said. “From expanding broadband to advancing water projects, from understanding the complexity of the state budget to enhancing state employees’ work lives, Lisa has built a reputation for asking the right questions, outworking just about everyone at the table and finding ways around obstacles to do the right thing for the state. She does it without worrying about who is going to get the credit. Lisa would rather make a friend and solve a problem than draw a line in the sand and lose the chance to make a positive difference for Texas.”

Since joining the Comptroller’s office in 2015, Craven has worked to carry out Hegar’s goal to, “leave the place better than we found it.” To that end, Craven formed an executive team to focus on employees and customer service. She met with more than 1,000 Comptroller employees, and those conversations led to many important changes, such as a training overhaul, expanded telework opportunities, a paid internship program and an employee advisory board.

These actions had a measurable effect. In 2020, the Comptroller’s office was named a top place to work in the Austin American-Statesman’s survey of workplaces.

Craven said encouraging agreement among diverse groups for the greater good is at the core of her philosophy.

“Compromise isn’t a bad word. Understanding the importance of stakeholder input and then working together to reach a solution is always the best path to policymaking,” Craven said. “If everyone can give a little, and no one is 100 percent happy, then you probably have a pretty good product.”

The Outstanding Women in Texas Government Award honors women in state service who are contributing their talents and skills to help shape the future of Texas. Candidates were nominated by their respective state agency leadership in one of four categories, and an independent committee selected the women whose contributions best exemplified the categories of Leadership, Professional Development, Community Involvement and Rising Star.

The award winners will be honored at a ceremony in September.

The other Outstanding Women in Texas Government Award recipients for 2022 are:

• Outstanding Professional Development: Gina Gallegos, district engineer, Texas Department of Transportation;
• Outstanding Community Involvement: Margie Henson, digital signature analyst, Texas Workforce Commission; and
• Rising Star: Jennifer Feliciano, manager–contracting branch, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

“To serve the people of Texas is a great honor; to do so working alongside these exceptional public servants is a privilege,” Gov. Abbott said. “Their commitment to excellence at each of their state agencies is an inspiration, and the First Lady and I are proud to celebrate these four women for their dedication and selfless service to the people of this great state.”

The Governor’s Commission for Women promotes opportunities for Texas women through outreach, education, research and referral services. The State Agency Council supports the Governor’s Commission for Women and offers professional development training to its members.