Commencement Speaker
Lesley Briones
Commissioner, Precinct 4
Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones is a proud Latina and native Texan who grew up on the U.S.-Mexico border. She is the first woman to lead Precinct 4, and the first mother elected in her own right to the Harris County Commissioners Court.
Commissioner Briones oversees county services for Precinct 4, which is larger than eight U.S. states and is home to over 1.2 million residents. Precinct 4 includes five cities, 55 parks, and 10 community centers. On the Commissioners Court, she plays a significant role in shaping countywide policies and delivering progress on infrastructure, disaster readiness, public safety, justice, health, and more.
Commissioner Briones has championed initiatives to make Harris County safer and more inclusive. She spearheaded adding new criminal district courts and the expansion of the Sheriff's Office TeleDeputy program to reduce call times, secured significant investments for flood mitigation projects and domestic violence resources, drove efforts to install lactation pods in county facilities, and led the creation of the county’s first LGBTQIA+ Commission. Her signature initiative, Call 4 Projects: Places 4 People, focuses on leveraging partnerships to improve safety and connectivity through transformative infrastructure projects.
Commissioner Briones graduated with honors from Harvard University and began her career teaching in low-income public schools. She later earned her law degree from Yale, practiced law, and served as a Harris County Civil Court at Law Judge.
Commissioner Briones lives in Houston with her husband, Adán, and their three daughters.
For more information, please contact the Office of the University Registrar at graduation@tamiu.edu or at 956.326.2250.