Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Julie Ruehle and reappointed Stacey Neal Combest and Ellen K. Ramsey to serve on Humanities Texas, with their terms set to end on December 31, 2027. Humanities Texas is the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and is one of 56 nonprofit state and jurisdictional humanities councils in the United States. The organization conducts and supports public programs in history, literature, philosophy, and other disciplines to help strengthen communities across Texas.
Julie Ruehle from Austin is currently CEO of the Ruehle Family Office. She also serves as a board member at Austin AI Hub and mentors students at the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute at The University of Texas in Austin. Ruehle is involved with WIN Angel Network and Ligo Partners. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the University of Houston, an MBA from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, and completed Columbia University’s executive program in venture capital and private equity.
Stacey Neal Combest from Huntsville previously chaired the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding. She is certified in alternative dispute resolution mediation, is a member of the Texas Association of Mediators, and formerly led Texans for State Supported Living Centers as president. Combest earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Houston and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law.
Ellen K. Ramsey from Midland works as Public Stakeholder Consultant for Energy Transfer and is a partner at Ramsey Petroleum, L.P., while volunteering in civic roles. She serves on boards including those for the Midland Chamber of Commerce and Midland Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees. Ramsey is also a Junior League sustainer and PTA lifetime member. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UT Permian Basin.
According to information on the official website, Governor Greg Abbott leads the executive office for Texas, focusing on economic development, education enhancement, border security efforts, community initiatives, job growth, innovation, protection of individual liberties, parental empowerment in schooling, southern border security measures such as Operation Lone Star, prevention efforts against child sex trafficking, collaborations with businesses like Southwest Airlines for economic expansion, community certifications through Travel Texas, as well as maintaining primary offices in Austin at the State Insurance Building since his election in 2014.
