Marlene Phillips

Marlene Phillips is the Director of the Center for Women in Government at the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership (JNIWL) at Texas Woman’s University. In her current role, Phillips executes programming to educate and equip women to make meaningful impact in public service roles and oversees the operation of the only museum specializing in women’s leadership in Texas.

Phillips’s career began on Capitol Hill where she worked as a Legislative Assistant in a Texas member’s office. From there she spent over 10 years at the American Red Cross leveraging her experiences in the Peace Corps and with the International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent to become a Foreign Service Officer. As an FSO, Phillips mastered Spanish and French while advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives in Mexico, France, and Ecuador. She is an active community volunteer and serves on the boards of several local nonprofits. Phillips earned an MBA from Texas Woman’s University and her BA from Texas Tech University.

Based in: Gainesville, TX
Organization: Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership at Texas Woman’s University
Position: Director, Center for Women in Government
Speaking topics: careers in public service, legislative process, campaigning & elections, leadership as a woman in government, public policy in action, supporting women in government, foreign service careers, immigration law, grant writing
Audience preferences: all
In-person or virtual: both
Speaking format: lead presenter, panelist, workshop facilitator, Q&A/informal discussions
Speaker fee: none

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Page last updated 2:14 PM, April 9, 2026