An Even Greater Tomorrow
Meet Texarkana, Texas Ward 5 City Council Member Libby White
Texarkana citizen Libby White recently filled the vacant Ward 5 Council seat in Texarkana, Texas. Libby and her husband, Brad, have lived in Ward 5 of Texarkana, Texas, since November 2009. Libby hopes to help lead Texarkana into an even greater tomorrow by serving on the city’s City Council.
After graduating from Pleasant Grove High School in 2003, White achieved a psychology degree from Texas A&M University-College Station. During her time there, White was elected president of the Chi Omega sorority, which ignited her desire to lead and serve in the community.
“While executing the role of president, I developed leadership, management, and speaking skills that have influenced my career and service paths,” White expressed. “My dream has always been to help people, wherever I am in life and however the opportunity arises. I thrive in social settings, making connections with people and looking for ways to improve situations.”
Upon graduating from Texas A&M University-College Station, White worked for Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, before marrying her husband and moving back to Texarkana in 2008. White has continued to work in church environments and use her psychology degree by raising four boys over the last 11 years. White’s oldest son is in the STEM program in the 6th Grade Center at Texas Middle School, and her younger three children are in 4th grade, 2nd grade, and kindergarten at Red Lick Elementary School. Since her boys started public school, White has also served in multiple roles in the Red Lick School District, including her most recent appointment as secretary for the Parent Teacher Community Organization (PTCO) board. White is also active in the Pleasant Grove Youth Association (PGYA) sports organization. She has been a head coach for youth basketball teams for three years, and she served as a head coach for PGYA T-ball this spring. In addition to coaching for PGYA this season, White is also helping as an assistant coach for the Trinity Youth Basketball League in the kindergarten age division.
“People are my passion, and wherever my kids have been plugged in, that is where I have given my time and attention,” White said.
White and her family have been active members of Heritage Church for the past eight years, and since 2018, White has volunteered as the director of women’s ministry for the church. In addition to leading Bible studies, White has also been a guest speaker for the main church service, organized meetings, planned multiple events for 200+ women, and worked as part of the staff team at Heritage to fulfill a goal in partnering with churches in the community to transform Texarkana.
“While serving my family as a stay-at-home parent, I realized I also needed a creative outlet for my talents,” White stated. “In 2019, I embraced the opportunity to co-host a multi-media show called Table Talk with the KLFI TV station in Texarkana.” Over the next two years, White interviewed multiple leaders in the area and helped share the goals of the community and leadership. In 2021, White had the opportunity to interview Sarah Huckabee Sanders at one of her Town Hall appearances in Texarkana during her campaign for Governor.
Working for KLFI sparked White’s interest in speaking on camera and interviewing individuals in the community.
“My eyes were opened to so many nonprofits and organizations in our city that are doing amazing work,” White said. “Through that experience, I was able to meet people in the community I never would have otherwise, so when an opportunity presented itself to work with Texarkana Magazine and meet even more people, I took the challenge!”
During 2021-2022, White hosted on-camera interviews for Texarkana Magazine’s digital platform and also wrote stories in the monthly publication. White had the opportunity to interview Judge John Tidwell, former Mayor James Bramlett, and many business leaders in the community during her time with the magazine.
“In the interviews, I was able to dig into the inspiring stories of these amazing leaders, and it stirred a desire in me to follow in their footsteps in serving our community even more,” White said. “While writing a story on James Bramlett in December 2021, I realized that I was one of the ‘young ones’ he refers to who grew up here, moved off, but then came back home and wanted to make Texarkana the best it can be.”
When White’s youngest child started kindergarten, she took a step toward making Texarkana the best it can be by earning a personal training certification through the National Council on Strength and Fitness in July 2022. White also completed the process of starting her own LLC in the State of Texas—Fueled & Fit, LLC—and she has been training men and women at the Wacha Resolutions Training Center in Downtown Texarkana for the past five months.
“This new venture has allowed me to tap into another area of my skills and develop new relationships in the community,” White said.
As White begins her term on the Texarkana, Texas City Council, she expressed that she is, “ready to dive into public service in order to hear the needs outside of my daily bubble, to form new and lasting connections, and to set an example for my kids of giving sacrificially and making a difference in the lives of others.”
“It is an honor to serve on the Texarkana, Texas City Council and give back to the same community that has given so much to me,” White said. “I hope my love for people, speaking abilities, ambition, and positive mindset will be an asset for our Council and the future of Texarkana.”
