Decision Maker

Lina Hidalgo

Former Harris County Judge

Texas

Lina Maria Hidalgo is an American politician serving as the county judge of Harris County, Texas, the third-most populous county in the United States. She made history as the first woman and first Latina elected to this office. Despite the title, the role of county judge in Texas is primarily administrative, serving as the county's chief executive and emergency manager. Lina Hidalgo oversees a budget exceeding $4 billion. A member of the Democratic Party, she assumed office in 2019. Hidalgo has an impressive academic background, holding a JD from Harvard University, a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Stanford University, and a Master's in Public Policy from New York University. She has previously worked as a Spanish-English medical interpreter at Texas Medical Center.