Author: Maria Castro Calzada

💕 __________ A PROUD product of and Mother of 2 children in/from Houston Public Schools; married to my high school sweetheart, Paul, since 1998. 🩺👩🏽‍⚕️ __________ I have been a Full-time Board Certified Physician Assistant for over 22 years and a Texas Licensed Medical Provider for over 20 years in Infectious Diseases, Wound Care, and Hyperbaric Medicine. I have been a Member of The Houston Women Leaders Association since 2020 and a Small Business Owner. ⚕️🥼__________ I’ve been a Member of AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants) and TAPA (Texas Academy of Physician Assistants) since 1998 and continue to serve as a member of the TAPA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee since 2020. ✏️📚__________ I am the current CVHS (Carnegie Vanguard High School) PTO President, was the 2-year 2020-2022 CVHS PTO VP Communications and served from 2018-2021 on the Senior Awards Committee and Chaired the committee from 2019-2021; I was also the Senior Class Parent for Carnegie Class of 2022. I am a Girl Scout Troop Co-Leader/First Aider since 2013; I am a Past President of Emerson Elementary PTO 2009-2013. 🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ __________ I am an outspoken LGBTQ+ Advocate & Accomplice; Houston Pride365’s Volunteer of The Year 2021 & Houston Pride365’s Medical and Safety Lead Officer 2022, and Scholarship Committee Chair 2023-Present; a Sustaining Member of PFLAG since 2016, GLMA since 2020, The LBGT PA Caucus since 2019, and The Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus since 2021 and Endorsement Committee Member since 2023. ⚖️__________ I was Campaign Manager to Judicial Candidate Paul Calzada for the 312th District Court in 2021; a past HCDP Precinct Chair 2012-2015, Our Revolution Harris County Endorsement Committee Member 2021-2022, current Harris County Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar 2020-Present, Harris County SD 15 State Delegate 2020 & 2022, current JoltInitiative.org Volunteer; Madrina Level Donor, 2020-present. 🇦🇷🇨🇱 __________ 1st Generation American, Bilingual Spanish Speaker, PALH (Physician Associates For Latino Health/Heritage) Sustaining Member since 2000. 🧡🤘🏻🏈🏫 __________ UT Football Fan, 18-year Season Ticket Holder Lifetime Texas Ex; TEHC (Texas Exes Houston Chapter) Board Member, TEHC Communications Chair, 2022-present; TEHC Student Sendoff Committee Member, 2020-present; and TEHC Scholarship Selection Committee Chair, 2023-present, and Member 2020-present. 🍷🧉🥃__________ A lover of South American red wines, Argentine maté and American South Bourbons. __________