The September 9 meeting of the Kendall County Area Democratic Women (KCADW) will feature Texas Senator Leticia Van de Putte. The meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. and will be held at Kronkosky Place, 17 Old San Antonio Road, in Boerne. Senator Van de Putte represents a large portion of San Antonio and Bexar County. A former five-term state representative (from 1990 – 1999), she is now serving her fifth term as a Texas State Senator. She will discuss women in Texas politics.

Senator Van de Putte currently serves as Chair of the Veteran Affairs and Military Installation Committee, as well as being a member of the Senate Committees on Education, State Affairs, and Business and Commerce. She is a strong advocate for children, veterans, and quality public education, and has been honored by many national civic and community organizations for her tireless advocacy on behalf of the people she represents. Among many others, Senator Van de Putte is the recipient of the “Edward R. Roybal Award” from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, the “Legislator of the Year Award” from the Vietnam Veterans of America, and the “Arthur S. Fleming Leadership Award” from the Center for Policy Alternatives. In addition, Senator Van de Putte was selected by Texas Watch for their Legislative Honor Roll for her work on behalf of Texas consumers and homeowners.

Nationally, Senator Van de Putte served as co-chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention, joining the ranks of such Texas women as Barbara Jordan and Ann Richards, who had previously served. She has been actively involved in the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), serving as President from 2006 to 2007. She is the subject of a book written by Dr. Sharon Navarro titled, “Latina Legislator: Leticia Van de Putte and the Road to Leadership.”

Senator Van de Putte is a 1973 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, and was a Kellogg Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1993.

The program is open to everyone, without regard to political affiliation. KCADW holds monthly meetings in the Boerne area on the second Thursday of every month. Contact Cindy Offutt (210-698-5009) for further information, or go online to www.kcadw.com