Senator Leticia Van de Putte Biography
Senator Leticia Van de Putte, a pharmacist for more than 26 years, represents a large portion of San Antonio and Bexar County. A former-five term state representative, she is now serving her fourth term as a Texas State Senator for District 26. In 2002 she became the Chair of the Senate Hispanic Caucus and is currently the Chair of the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus. Nationally, Senator Van de Putte is a member of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, where she served as President from 2003 to 2005. She has also been actively involved in the National Conference of State Legislatures. She served as a member of the Executive Committee for three years and is currently serving as President of NCSL, as the first Texan and first Hispanic to ever chair the organization. She will also serve on the Executive Committee of The Council of State Governments through 2006.
Over the past two decades, Senator Van de Putte has been honored with numerous awards such as the Vietnam Veteran's of America's "Legislator of the Year Award," the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill "Texas Legislative Champion Award", the United Way of San Antonio "Children=s Championship Award", the League of United Latin American Citizens= ALegislative Recognition Award@, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve "Seven Seals Award", the Texas Classroom Teachers Association "Legislative Star" Award, the Texas Pharmacy Association APharmacist of the Year@, the American Pharmacists Association's "Hubert H. Humphrey" Award named for a noted pharmacist and public servant, and numerous others. Most recently the Center for Policy Alternatives honored Senator Leticia Van de Putte with the "Arthur S. Fleming Leadership Award". This national award is presented to a leader who exemplifies the ideals of public service through the highest standards of performance.
She is a strong advocate for children, veterans, improved access to health care, quality education, and economic development issues and has consistently authored and sponsored bills to assist families in securing opportunities. Senator Van de Putte has been a key author of bills that reformed our welfare system, revamped our Juvenile Code, and insured children. Multiple civic organizations and community groups have recognized Senator Van de Putte as one of the most effective, hardworking, sincere, and influential legislators in Texas.
The Senator was a Kellogg Fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1993. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, and she is a 1973 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas. Senator Van de Putte currently lives in San Antonio with her husband of 28 years, Pete, and has six great children: Nichole, Vanessa, Henry, Gregory, Isabella, and Paul, three of whom are in college and one in medical school.
LETICIA R. VAN DE PUTTE
Texas Senator, District 26
Leticia R. Van de Putte, R. Ph. is a pharmacist by profession, and has served as the state senator from District 26 since 1999.
In 1990, she was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and was overwhelmingly re elected in 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1998. Mrs. Van de Putte served in five legislative sessions as State Representative for District 115. In a special election in 1999, she was elected to the Texas Senate, and has since become a distinctive voice in health care, education, and economic development issues.
In 1997, Texas Monthly Magazine, in their annual "Texas Best Legislators" issue, described her as an effective legislator having a "career year" during the 1997 session. In July 2001, Texas Monthly featured Senator Van de Putte again as one of the "Session Players" of the 77th Legislative Session.
Senator Van de Putte, born on December 6, 1954 in Tacoma, Washington and raised in San Antonio, where she currently lives with her husband of 26 years Henry P. "Pete" Van De Putte Jr. and their six children: Nichole, Vanessa, Henry, Gregory, Isabella, and Paul.
Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, 1993
Kellogg Fellow of the Health Leadership Program
Alumni of the Program for Senior Executives in the State and Local government
University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Aug. 1977 Aug. 1979
Graduated cum laude 1979, Dean's List
Kappa Epsilon
Drug Abuse Control Program Coordinator
University of Houston, College of Pharmacy, Jan. 1976 June 1977
Kappa Epsilon
Poison Prevention Program Director
University of Houston, Jan. 1975 Dec. 1975
UH Marching Cougar Band, member of "Cougar Dolls"
St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 1973 Dec. 1974
Sigma Alpha Tau Sorority
Thomas Jefferson High School, San Antonio. Texas
Graduated May, 1973
National Honor Society
Texas Senate, Nov. 1999 P
Member of Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee Chair 2003
Member of Administration Committee 2003
Member of Business & Commerce Committee 2003
Member of Education
Subcommittee on Higher Education 2003
Joint Select Committee on Public School Finance 2003
Appointment by Lt. Governor David Dewhurst
Personal Privacy Task Force 2002
Appointment by Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff
Joint Select Committee on Public School Finance 2001
Appointment by Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff
Joint Interim Committee on the Office of Natural Resource Public Interest Counsel 2001
Appointment by Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff
Research & Oversight Council on Texas Workers' Compensation 2000
Appointment by Lt. Governor Rick Perry,
Texas House of Representatives Jan. 1991 1999
Member of Appropriations Committee, 1999 1999
Member of Economic Development Committee 1995 1999
Vice Chair 1999 1999
Member of Insurance Committee, Vice Chair 1997 1999
Member of Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee 1995 1997
Member of International and Cultural Relations Committee 1993 1994
Member of Human Services Committee 1991 1994
Chair of the Trauma Care Subcommittee 1991 1992
Member of Labor and Employment Committee 1991 1992
Mexican American Legislative Caucus
Secretary 1991 1996
Chair Feb. Aug. 1998
Vice Chair 1998 1999
National Conference of State Legislatures 1991 P
NCSL Executive Committee Member 2000 2001
2001 NCSL Annual Convention Host Committee Member
NCSL Assembly on the Legislature
Chair of the Children, Families and Social Services Committee 1992 1993
2000 National Democratic Convention
Delegate Senate District 26
2000 Texas Democratic Convention
Delegate Senate District 26
1990 Texas Democratic Convention
Elected to Permanent Platform Committee
Mexican American Business Professional Women "Woman of the Year" 2003
The Texas Foreign Language Association "Distinguished Public Service Award" 2003
Texas Association for Home Care "People's Choice Award" 2003
Americans with Disabilities Act " Public Servant of the Year" 2003
Texas Industrial Vocational Association " Outstanding Legislator" 2003
Texas Public Power Association "Public Official Award" 2003
Any Baby Can " Faces of the Medical Community Recognition Award " 2003
American Diabetes Association "Champion for Diabetes Recognition Award" 2003
League of United Latin American Citizens- LULAC "Legislative Recognition Award" 2003
Mexican American Unity Council "Albert Pena, Jr. Life Time Achievement Award" 2002
Southwest Mental Health Center Hope For Children " Esperanza Award" 2002
American Lung Association of Texas " Public Policy Award" 2001
The Texas Classroom Teachers Association "Legislative Star" 2001
Hispanic Journal Magazine "The Best of the 77th Legislature" 2001
Image de San Antonio "Outstanding Hispanic Woman Award" August 2001
Texas Monthly Magazine "Session Player 77th Legislative Session" July 2001
Southwest Workers Union "Dignity & Justice Award" May 2001
Texas Pharmacy Association "Pharmacist of the Year," March 2000
The Association for Women in Communications "Headliner Award" Award for Public Endeavor 2000
Texas Dietetic Association "Champion of Good Health through Nutrition" recognition, March 2000
American Pharmaceutical Association "Hubert H. Humphrey Award 2000" Recipient, March 2000
Texas Association for Education of Young Children "Legislator of Year," 1999
50 Most Influential Pharmacists American Druggist Magazine, 1999
Moderna Magazine Latina 2000 Award, 1998
Texas Mental Health Liaison Group for "Outstanding Work & Support, 75th Legislature," 1997
American Cancer Society "1997 Public Policy Award," 1997, 1995
Assn. for Children for Enforcement of Support "Golden Heart Award," 1997
La Prensa "San Antonio Latina Women in Action Award," 1997
Business & Professional Women/Texas, "Hermine Tobolowsky Award" Outstanding Contributions to Women's Issues, 1997
University of Texas at San Antonio, Minority Business Development "Elected Official Advocate of the Year Award," 1997
University of Texas at San Antonio "Hispanic Research Center Lifetime Achievement Award," 1997
Texas Medical Association "Texas Legislature's Texas Medicine's Best Award," 1995, 1997
Texas Academy of Family Physicians "Patient Advocacy Award," 1997
Texas Monthly Magazine "Career Year in the 75th Legislative Session," 1997
University of Texas, College of Pharmacy "William T. Sheffield Outstanding Alumnus Award," 1996
Texas Pharmacy Association Distinguished Service Award, 1996
Texas Department of Human Services Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Advisory Board
Award of Recognition for Contributions to Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, 1991 1996
Texas Pharmacy Association "Pharmacist of the Year" Award Region D, 1995
The Texas Community Education Council Advisory Council Association &
The Texas Community Education Council Association Award for Support of Community Education, 1995
Texas Family Bar "Top Ten Legislators," 1995
Mexican American Bar Association "Legislator of the Year Award," 1995
Texas Association of Regional Councils "Legislative Leadership Award," 1995
The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce & The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Award for contribution to Higher Education, 1995
Alamo Community College District Appreciation Award, 1995
Alamo Chapter of Credit Unions Recognition Award, 1995
San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame, 1993
AVANCE'S Community Service Award, 1993
Who's Who of American Women
LULAC Women's Committee of San Antonio "Las Manitas Mother's Day" Award, 1992
San Antonio Express News "Outstanding Woman in Politics," 1992
Mujeres Project "Mujer a Mujer" Award, 1992
Mexican American Business and Professional Women's Club Young Career Woman of the Year, 1983
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