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Julia Rathgeber is the Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations for the UT System Office of Governmental Relations. She serves as the primary liaison between the UT System Administration and Board of Regents and the Texas Legislature on the wide range of budget and policy issues that affect higher education and health care in Texas, generally, as well as the UT System institutions. She is also the liaison with executive branch officials and agencies of Texas state government and at times with local governments in Austin and around the state.
Julia most recently served in the private sector as Vice President of Governmental and Regulatory Relations and Business Development at Berkshire Hathaway Energy, following a distinguished career in Texas government, including senior positions in the governor’s, lieutenant governor’s and speaker’s offices.
In 2020, she became Chief of Staff for Dade Phelan, speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, after previous terms as Commissioner of Insurance for Texas and Deputy Chief of Staff for Gov. Greg Abbott. She went on to serve as President and CEO of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas until joining Speaker Phelan’s office.
Julia began her professional career in 1990 with the Texas Senate, directing the Senate Research Center and providing research for Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock. In 1998, she worked for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, where she was responsible for long-term planning for air, water and waste issues.
In 2001, she joined the General Land Office, where she provided research for the Land Commissioner and staffed the Governor’s Task Force on Homeland Security. Moving back to the Senate in 2003, she assisted Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, where she was responsible for policy development and coordination of the referral and hearing of legislation in the Senate.
Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Plan II Honors Program from The University of Texas at Austin, and a law degree from The University of Texas Law School. Julia and her husband Ross have a daughter, Byrn.
