The Hon. Dr. Martha J. Wong

Dr. Martha J. Wong, a native Houstonian, is a third generation Chinese American. Wong is the first Asian American elected to the Houston City Council and the first Asian American woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives. Her history making election occurred on December 4, 1993, when she captured 62 percent of the votes in a run-off for the District C seat and served three terms. In 2002 Martha made history again by beating a 22year incumbent and became vice chair of two House Committees. Dr. Wong served two terms in the Texas House.

Martha has a long list of firsts: first Asian American School Principal in the State of Texas and the first Asian American Associate Superintendent in HISD; first Asian-American recognized by the Houston Federation of Women’s Award for Excellence in Education; first Asian American in the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. Recently, the first Asian appointed by the Texas Governor to chair a State Commission, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the first Asian to be honored by the Texas Women’s University’s Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership.

Dr. Wong earned a Bachelor degree from the University of Texas and a Masters and Doctorate from the University of Houston, where she has also been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Houston Alumni Association and the UH College of Education Alumni.

Martha currently serves on the Boards / Advisory Boards University of Texas Health School of Medical Bio Informatics, the Texas Library and Achieves Commission, the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (co-founder), the Texas Asian American Assembly (founder and past chair), and the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club. Also Martha has also served as the Vice President of the Houston Chapter of the American Leadership Forum, the Houston Olympic 2012 Foundation, the Chair of the South Central Region Arthritis Foundation and the Texas Arthritis Foundation, Greenway Council of Homeowners, the Memorial West Republican Women's Board.

Dr. Wong is a recognized leader in both the Asian American and the greater Houston Community. She was been recognized for community service and dedication by the Greater Houston Women’s Foundation, the Houston Lion’s Eye Bank, the National Conference of Christian and Jews, the Texas Asian Republican Caucus, the Young Women’s Christian Association, the Upper Kirby District, TREK, and the Texas Council of Women School Executives, the Chinese Community Center, the Variety Children’s Charity, Greater Houston OCA, The University of Texas at Austin's Community Leadership Circle, the National Chinese American Citizen's Alliance, the Asian Network Association and the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association with the George H.W. Bush Award for Service. In 2020, Governor Abbot has appointed as the Chair of the Texas Library and Archives Commission,

Martha J. Wong is a unique woman who has truly exemplified the best of two cultures. She has made Houston and Texas a better place to live through her work with civic organizations and service as a Houston City Council Member and Texas State Representative In addition, her education profession has made Texas education better for students and educators. Martha has been a key player in bringing people together and providing leadership in untouched areas.

In March 2022, KPRC, Channel 2, Houston, chose Dr. Wong as one of "14 Trailblazing Women who left a lasting mark on Houston and Beyond."