Melissa Noriega was elected to Houston City Council At-Large, Position 3 in June of 2007 to fill the unexpired term. In November of 2007, she was elected to a full two-year term and was re-elected in November, 2009 without opposition. Councilmember (CM) Noriega has been successful by building a broad coalition of citizens, businesses and community organizations.
Melissa believes that effective public service is accomplished through relationship-building and the ability to set aside personal agendas for the greater good. Leadership in government requires a strong commitment to ethics and a willingness to collaborate in making decisions that strengthen and improve communities.
Houston Roots
Melissa Meisgeier Noriega was born in Philadelphia in 1954, but her family moved to Texas as soon as they could, locating in Houston in 1957. She grew up in Austin and Houston, and is a product of Scarborough High School in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Her father is a lifelong educator, as are two of her three siblings; her mother is a writer. Both of her parents are ordained ministers.
Melissa attended the University of Houston and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology. She was president of Phi Mu Fraternity, and Vice-President of the Panhellenic Council. She graduated with a MEd, Counseling, from the UH College of Education.
Professional Background
For 27 years, Melissa worked in the HISD in the Education and Research Departments, Title I, district administrative offices and Professional Development, but her passion for many years was Parent Involvement, Leadership and Community Engagement. She served as staff for several HISD superintendent-level leaders.
In June 2004, her husband, State Representative for District 145, Rick Noriega, then a Major (now Colonel) in the Texas Army National Guard, was called by his country to serve in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2005, Melissa left her job and her responsibilities at home to be the first person to serve in her spouse’s stead under a constitutional amendment approved by Texas voters in 2003.
She was sworn in on January 11, 2005 and went on to serve in the 79th Regular Session, as well as two 30-day Special Sessions. She was named Freshman of the Year by the Democratic Caucus and was awarded the first Joe E. Moreno Public Service Award by her colleagues.
Family
Melissa and Rick married on Valentine Day, 1991, in anticipation of further conflict in Operation Desert Storm. Melissa is stepmother to Alex, a graduate of Texas A&M and the mother of Ricky, Jr., born in 1997. She has been President of the Eastwood Civic Association and has served on the Executive Committee of Parents for Public Schools (PPS). She and Rick are Life Members of the University of Houston Alumni. The Noriega family attends the downtown Episcopal Christ Church Cathedral.
Melissa has found it an enormous privilege to serve her neighbors of the historic East End, the people of the City of Houston and the citizens of the State of Texas. As a committed Houstonian, she strives every day to be the servant leader that she believes is her calling and ministry.