Melissa Noriega
Encyclopedia
Melissa Meisgeier Noriega (1954- ) is a member of the Houston City Council
in Houston, Harris County
, Texas
, holding At-Large Position 3. Noriega is a former educator and civic leader in Houston and Harris County
, Texas
, as well as a former member of the Texas House of Representatives
.
in the Houston Independent School District
.
Noriega attended the University of Houston
and graduated with a Bachelors of Science
degree in Psychology in 1977. While at the University of Houston, she was president of Phi Mu
Fraternity, and vice-president of the Pan-Hellenic Council.
In 1983, Noriega received a Master's of Education degree in Counseling from the University of Houston
College of Education.
from 1981 to 2007 in various capacities. She began as an administrative assistant for Title I Research and served HISD as Manager of Special Projects and District Initiatives, spending the bulk of her career in Parental Involvement and Community Engagement. She concluded her career at HISD as a manager of Professional Development Services.
on February 14, 1991. She is stepmother to Alex Noriega and mother of Richard J. "Ricky" Noriega, Jr.
.
, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard
, served in Afghanistan
as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2005, Melissa Noriega left her job with the Houston Independent School District
and was formally sworn-in to serve in the 79th Texas Legislature. On January 11, 2005, she became the first person to serve in the Texas Legislature
under provisions of an amendment to the Texas Constitution
approved by voters in 2003, allowing the designation of another person to hold the full rights and privileges of office while the legislator is on active duty in the military. In addition to serving in the Regular Session of the 79th Texas Legislature, Melissa Noriega also served during two special sessions of the Texas Legislature on Education in 2005.
While serving in the Texas Legislature, Noriega served on the Defense Affairs and State and Federal Relations Committee, which oversees military operations in Texas as well as Homeland Security. She also served on the Corrections Committee.
She was named Freshman of the Year by the Democratic Caucus and was awarded the first Joe E. Moreno Public Service Award by her colleagues.
Noriega was also instrumental in passing Municipal Wi-Fi legislation during the 79th Legislature.
, a post which is elected "at large," by a vote of the entire city of Houston. This is the same post vacated by Shelley Sekula Gibbs
, who won a Special Election to replace former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
in November 2006. Sekula Gibbs was required by Texas law to vacate the seat to serve the remainder of DeLay's term even though she lost to Nick Lampson
in the general election.
Prior to 1993, vacancies on the Houston City Council were filled by mayoral appointment until the Texas Legislature changed the state law where special elections are mandated. Mayor Bill White vowed not to hold a special election since the $5 million (the estimated cost of taxpayer money for a special election) should be allocated to city services. Noriega's campaign was the third special election since 1997 where Chris Bell
served the remainder of former councilmember John Peavy, who resigned in the wake of an ethics investigation.
Running on a platform of safer neighborhoods, a healthier environment, and more effective government for Houston, Noriega polled more votes any of 11 other candidates in the May 12, 2007 general election and advanced to a run-off against Roy Morales, a retired military officer. On June 17, 2007, Noriega defeated Morales, garnering more than 55 percent of the vote.
Noriega defeated Morales again in the general election in November 2007, and earned her first two-year term on Houston City Council.
Melissa Noriega serves as the chair the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. This committee considers public safety and law enforcement, including Police, Fire and EMS; Homeland Security and emergency preparedness; and the Houston Emergency Center. 67% of the City's budget goes to public safety.
In addition, Noriega serves on the following committees: Budget and Fiscal Affairs; Flooding and Drainage Issues; Human Services and Technology Access; Regulation, Development and Neighborhood Protection; Transportation, Infrastructure and Aviation; and the Water Resource Management subcommittee.
Council Member Melissa Noriega serves on The Mayor's Complete Count Committee, a grassroots, community-based awareness program focused on the importance of being counted in the 2010 census.
In 2009, Noriega is running unopposed for re-election to Houston City Council.
Houston City Council
The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas.Currently, there are fourteen members, nine elected from council districts and five at-large. The members of the Council are elected every two years, in odd-numbered years...
in Houston, Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, holding At-Large Position 3. Noriega is a former educator and civic leader in Houston and Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, as well as a former member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
.
Early life and education
Melissa Noriega was born to Charles and Connie Meisgeier in Philadelphia, PA, in 1954. Her father is a lifelong educator; her mother is a writer. Her family moved to Houston, Texas in 1957. Noriega grew up in Austin and Houston and graduated from Scarborough High SchoolScarborough High School (Texas)
George Cameron Scarborough High School is a secondary school located at 4141 Costa Rica in Houston, Texas, United States with a ZIP code of 77092...
in the Houston Independent School District
Houston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities...
.
Noriega attended the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and graduated with a Bachelors of Science
Bachelors Of Science
Bachelors of Science is the stage name of Phil "Rene", Chris and Lukeino. They met in California and formed a successful act, quickly becoming one of the top drum and bass producers in the electronic music scene...
degree in Psychology in 1977. While at the University of Houston, she was president of Phi Mu
Phi Mu
Phi Mu is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. It was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The organization was founded as the Philomathean Society on January 4, 1852, and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same year...
Fraternity, and vice-president of the Pan-Hellenic Council.
In 1983, Noriega received a Master's of Education degree in Counseling from the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
College of Education.
Educational work
Noriega was employed with the Houston Independent School DistrictHouston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities...
from 1981 to 2007 in various capacities. She began as an administrative assistant for Title I Research and served HISD as Manager of Special Projects and District Initiatives, spending the bulk of her career in Parental Involvement and Community Engagement. She concluded her career at HISD as a manager of Professional Development Services.
Marriage and children
Melissa Meisgeier married Richard J. "Rick" NoriegaRick Noriega
Richard Joel "Rick" Noriega was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 145 in eastern Houston, first elected in 1998. He was the Democratic nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn...
on February 14, 1991. She is stepmother to Alex Noriega and mother of Richard J. "Ricky" Noriega, Jr.
Community & Civic Involvement
Noriega is a past president of the Eastwood Civic Association and served on the executive committee of Parents for Public Schools. She is a Life Member of the University of Houston Alumni and a member of Houston's Christ Church CathedralChrist Church Cathedral, Houston
Christ Church Cathedral, Houston is the cathedral church for the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. The congregation was established in 1839, when Texas was still an independent republic. It is the oldest extant congregation in Houston and one of the oldest non-Roman Catholic churches in Texas...
.
Tenure in the Texas House of Representatives
Noriega served as a State Representative for Texas House District 145 in 2004 and 2005 while her husband, State Representative Richard J. "Rick" NoriegaRick Noriega
Richard Joel "Rick" Noriega was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 145 in eastern Houston, first elected in 1998. He was the Democratic nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn...
, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard
Texas Army National Guard
The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces . Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support...
, served in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2005, Melissa Noriega left her job with the Houston Independent School District
Houston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities...
and was formally sworn-in to serve in the 79th Texas Legislature. On January 11, 2005, she became the first person to serve in the Texas Legislature
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
under provisions of an amendment to the Texas Constitution
Texas Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Texas is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Texas.Texas has had seven constitutions: the constitution of Coahuila y Tejas, the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas, the state constitutions of 1845,...
approved by voters in 2003, allowing the designation of another person to hold the full rights and privileges of office while the legislator is on active duty in the military. In addition to serving in the Regular Session of the 79th Texas Legislature, Melissa Noriega also served during two special sessions of the Texas Legislature on Education in 2005.
While serving in the Texas Legislature, Noriega served on the Defense Affairs and State and Federal Relations Committee, which oversees military operations in Texas as well as Homeland Security. She also served on the Corrections Committee.
She was named Freshman of the Year by the Democratic Caucus and was awarded the first Joe E. Moreno Public Service Award by her colleagues.
Noriega was also instrumental in passing Municipal Wi-Fi legislation during the 79th Legislature.
Candidacy & Election To Houston City Council
In January, 2007, Noriega launched her campaign for At-Large Position 3 on the Houston City CouncilHouston City Council
The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas.Currently, there are fourteen members, nine elected from council districts and five at-large. The members of the Council are elected every two years, in odd-numbered years...
, a post which is elected "at large," by a vote of the entire city of Houston. This is the same post vacated by Shelley Sekula Gibbs
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is a physician and a former member of the United States House of Representatives representing from November 13, 2006, until January 3, 2007. She has also served as a City Councilwoman in Houston, Texas for three terms...
, who won a Special Election to replace former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
in November 2006. Sekula Gibbs was required by Texas law to vacate the seat to serve the remainder of DeLay's term even though she lost to Nick Lampson
Nick Lampson
Nicholas Valentino 'Nick' Lampson is an American politician from the state of Texas and was a Congressman representing the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. He was defeated by Pete Olson on November 4, 2008 in his re-election bid....
in the general election.
Prior to 1993, vacancies on the Houston City Council were filled by mayoral appointment until the Texas Legislature changed the state law where special elections are mandated. Mayor Bill White vowed not to hold a special election since the $5 million (the estimated cost of taxpayer money for a special election) should be allocated to city services. Noriega's campaign was the third special election since 1997 where Chris Bell
Chris Bell
Chris Bell may refer to:*Chris Bell , singer-songwriter and guitarist of the band Big Star*Chris Bell , former Congressman and 2006 candidate for Governor of Texas...
served the remainder of former councilmember John Peavy, who resigned in the wake of an ethics investigation.
Running on a platform of safer neighborhoods, a healthier environment, and more effective government for Houston, Noriega polled more votes any of 11 other candidates in the May 12, 2007 general election and advanced to a run-off against Roy Morales, a retired military officer. On June 17, 2007, Noriega defeated Morales, garnering more than 55 percent of the vote.
Noriega defeated Morales again in the general election in November 2007, and earned her first two-year term on Houston City Council.
Melissa Noriega serves as the chair the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. This committee considers public safety and law enforcement, including Police, Fire and EMS; Homeland Security and emergency preparedness; and the Houston Emergency Center. 67% of the City's budget goes to public safety.
In addition, Noriega serves on the following committees: Budget and Fiscal Affairs; Flooding and Drainage Issues; Human Services and Technology Access; Regulation, Development and Neighborhood Protection; Transportation, Infrastructure and Aviation; and the Water Resource Management subcommittee.
Council Member Melissa Noriega serves on The Mayor's Complete Count Committee, a grassroots, community-based awareness program focused on the importance of being counted in the 2010 census.
In 2009, Noriega is running unopposed for re-election to Houston City Council.
Awards and honors
Noriega has won numerous awards and honors including:- American Jewish CommitteeAmerican Jewish CommitteeThe American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
, Houston Chapter, Community Service Award, 2006 - East End Chamber of Commerce, Service Award, 2005
- Variety Club of Houston, Community Service Award
- Greater Houston Partnership, Recognition Award, 2005
- Freshman of the Year, First Recipient of the Joe E. Moreno Service Award, Democratic Caucus, Texas House of Representatives, 79th Legislative Session, 2005