Texas State Representative Ana E. Hernandez was elected in December, 2005 to represent District 143 in the Texas House of Representatives. District 143 covers part of Houston including areas of Magnolia, Manchester, Port Houston, Cimarron and Denver Harbor, the cities of Galena Park and Jacinto City, and portions of Pasadena and Channelview. She serves on the House Committees on Juvenile Justice and Family Issues, Border and International Affairs, and Rules and Resolutions.
During the 80th Legislature, she served as Chair of the Environmental Legislative Caucus. She was also appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve on the National Conference of State Legislatures committee on Agriculture, Environment and Energy.
Ana began her career in politics by participating in the Texas Legislative Internship Program sponsored by State Senator Rodney Ellis. Through this program, she worked for Representative Jessica Farrar and later became her Chief of Staff. She then went on to work for the late Representative Joe E. Moreno. She worked three continuous legislative sessions, the 76th-78th Legislatures (1998-2004).
Born in Reynosa, Mexico and raised in Pasadena, Texas, Ana comes from a very close-knit and hard working family, and is the younger of two daughters. Her father works at a refinery where he has been a shift worker for over 20 years, and her mother worked as a school cafeteria worker while raising her children.
Ana graduated from Sam Rayburn High School in Pasadena, and enrolled at the University of Houston, where she graduated with membership from the Honors College. She received her Bachelors of Art in Political Science and Psychology. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she participated in a study abroad program to China and a Peace Corps summer internship in South Africa. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, Ana attended the University of Texas School of Law. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence in May of 2004. While in law school, Ana participated in the UT School of Law Exchange Program and attended the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
In addition to representing District 143 in the Texas House of Representatives, she also practices law at the Mostyn Law Firm. Previously, she was an attorney at ConocoPhillips Company where she worked on issues of property tax, real estate and right of way. She is a member of various professional, civic and charitable organizations including the State Bar of Texas, a member of the Board of Directors for the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston, a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow, a board member for Precinct Together and on the Board of Regents for the Texas Chiropractic College.
