[dennisw]

BiographY

Carole Keeton Strayhorn is the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts -- the first woman in history elected to that office.

In 2002, she received more votes than any other female candidate for any office nationwide, and more votes than any other winning Republican candidate.

Strayhorn began her career as a public school teacher, and was later elected to the Austin School Board. Strayhorn has also served as a member of the Texas Railroad Commission, mayor of Austin, president of the Austin School Board, and president of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees -- and was the first woman to hold each of those offices.

Strayhorn is a government honors graduate from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a lifetime honorary member of the Austin Police Association and in 1999 became the first recipient of the Friends of Texas Taxpayers Award from the Citizens for a Sound Economy.

[Conservative Firster]

Carole Keeton Strayhorn (formerly McClellan, formerly Rylander)

www.window.state.tx.us

Comptroller Strayhorn is the daughter of the late Page Keeton, the revered long-time Dean of the University of Texas Law School. He instilled in her at a very early age the importance of public service. She not only learned that lesson from her dad, she passed it on to her children. Her eldest son, Dr. Mark McClellan, is the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He previously served as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Her twin sons, Brad McClellan and Dudley McClellan are both attorneys. Brad is a former Assistant Attorney General for Texas and is now his mom’s campaign manager. Dudley is Assistant General Counsel for the State Bar of Texas. Her youngest son, Scott McClellan, is Press Secretary to the President of the United States.