Cecilia Abbott
First Lady of Texas
Cecilia Abbott’s story reminds us all that the American Dream is alive and well in Texas. The granddaughter of immigrants from Mexico, Cecilia was raised in San Antonio by parents who were both educators, and who instilled in Cecilia, her sister and two brothers a love of learning and helping others.
Cecilia took their lessons to heart, earning three degrees from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Cecilia then devoted her life to serving others. She has been a teacher, vice-principal, and principal at several Catholic schools across Texas, and later went on to another noble calling working in senior health care services.
But Cecilia hasn’t only devoted her professional life to helping others – she’s done the same thing in her personal life. She currently serves on the board of several educational organizations and is an active member of many philanthropic groups.
Cecilia believes strongly in giving back. Her signature initiative as First Lady combines the two things that she is most passionate about — Texas and philanthropy. She calls it Texanthropy, and through it she promotes volunteerism and service to others across Texas. Cecilia has also partnered with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on a similar initiative — Network of Nurture — to raise awareness about the ways Texans can support the children and families in the state’s child welfare system. She also collaborates with the Governor’s Child Sex Trafficking Team, DFPS, and a diverse group of faith leaders across Texas working together to develop effective strategies to end human trafficking through the Governor’s Response Against Child Exploitation (GRACE) initiative.
Cecilia is a devoted wife to her husband of 40 years, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and a proud mother to her daughter, Audrey, and dogs Pancake and Peaches. With her husband’s election as Governor, Cecilia made history by becoming the first Hispanic First Lady of Texas.
