Martha J. Wong, Ed. D.
Texas House of Representative

State Representative Martha Wong, a native Houstonian, is a second generation Chinese American and the first Asian American elected to the Houston City Council, as well as first Asian American woman to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives. Sworn into office on January 14, 2003, the Honorable Martha Wong now represents District 134 in Houston, Texas, which includes River Oaks, West University, Southside Place, Bellaire, and parts of Montrose; as well as the medical city area.

Since serving as a State Representative, she has been honored by Speaker Tom Craddick to be appointed as Vice Chairman to the Committee on Rules and Resolutions, and as a member of the Committee on Urban Affairs and the Committee on Economic Development. She has also been honored when appointed to the Executive Committee of the newly formed Texas Tourism Caucus.

On December 4th, 1993, Dr. Wong was elected to the Houston City Council, where she captured 62 percent of the votes in a run-off for the District C Council Position. She was reelected two more times by an overwhelming 85 percent in 95 and ran unopposed in 1997. Martha has a long list of firsts: first Asian American School Principal in the State of Texas; first Asian-American recognized by the Houston Federation of Women’s Award for Excellence in Education; first Asian American in the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame.

Representative Wong has a Bachelor degree from the University of Texas and a masters and doctorate from the University of Houston, where she has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus in the College of Education. She has chaired the Asian American Studies Program Advisory Board and lead in major fund raising efforts. Martha was also appointed by Lt. Governor Hobby to serve on the University of Houston’s Vision Commission and by Governor George W. Bush to the Governing Board of the Texas Department of Economic Development.

She currently serves on the Boards / Advisory Boards of the American Red Cross, the Neuhaus Education Center, the Alley Theater, the Lions Eye Bank Foundation, the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association, the Asian Society, the University of Houston Alumni Organization and the Houston Olympic 2012 Foundation.

Representative Wong is a recognized leader in both the Asian American and the greater Houston Community. She was been recognized for community service and dedication by the Greater Houston Women’s Foundation, the Houston Lion’s Eye Bank, the National Conference of Christian and Jews, the Texas Asian Republican Caucus, the Young Women’s Christian Association, the Upper Kirby District, TREK, and the Texas Council of Women School Executives, the Chinese Community Center, to name a few.

Dr. Wong is a unique woman who has truly exemplified the best of two cultures. She gives of herself to help others. She has made Houston a better place to live through her work with many civic organizations and service as a Houston City Council Member and looks forward to doing more for Houston and Texas in her new position as State Representative. Representative Wong has been a key player in bringing people together and providing leadership in untouched areas.