I have politics on both sides of the family. My father, Bob Eckhardt, was a labor lawyer, state legislator and U.S. Representative known for his advocacy of the environment, human rights, fair energy-policy and Constitutional restraint in war and peace. My mother, Nadine Eckhardt, has worked in and around government all her life in her individual capacity and (being a 50’s girl) as a helpmate in the political careers of her husbands, writer Billy Lee Brammer and my father.
Our parents instilled in my sisters, brother and me an admiration for what good government can do for all of us. They taught us that good government comes from listening to the people most directly involved in an issue while never forgetting the ones who cannot speak for themselves. Through their example, I have learned that elective office is not a career but a temporary trust lent out to one among us willing to stand up for all of us.
I did not take the most direct path to get to where I am today. Although most of my family is from Austin, my father’s work kept us in Houston and Washington, D.C. for most of my youth. After graduating from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, I spent 12 years in New York City living my childhood dream of a life in professional theater and managing a restaurant named for my mother Nadine. In 1994 I returned to Texas to pursue my next dream — studying law and public policy at the University of Texas. I worked for eight years as an assistant Travis County attorney prosecuting misdemeanor criminal cases, pursuing protective orders for family violence victims and representing the County in various civil proceedings including mental health commitments, bond forfeitures, dangerous animal suits and environmental cases. After my time as an assistant Travis County attorney, I worked briefly for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid pursuing protective orders for indigent victims of family violence.
As a Travis County Commissioner I currently serve on boards including the Travis County Finance Housing Corporation, the Texas Conference of Urban Counties (Policy Board), the Community Action Network (as Vice Chair of the Resource Council) and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. And I personally serve as a board member of Texas Freedom Network.
My husband, Kurt Sauer, is also a lawyer. We have two young, feisty and nearly perfect children, Hank and Nadine.
