The Honorable Florence Shapiro is an education pioneer who brings vast experience to CFT's board.

From 1993 to 2013, Florence served as a Texas state senator. In 2003, she became chair of the Senate Education Committee. She swiftly moved to pass legislation overhauling the state’s school finance system while improving accountability and creating excellence in the classroom.

Under her leadership, Texas was the first state to create college and career readiness curriculum standards. And Florence played an instrumental role in getting CFT's Educate Texas (formerly known as the Texas High School Project) off the ground. 

A former small business owner, her journey into Texas politics began two decades earlier and many miles from the Texas Capitol. As a former public school teacher, she first entered elective office as a Plano City Council member. Following six terms on the council, she was elected mayor of Plano. Today, Florence is a partner at Shapiro Linn Strategic Consulting, where she serves as a public policy consultant specializing in education.

Florence holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Texas at Austin.

She and her husband, Howard, live in Plano. They have three children and 12 grandchildren.

“Being involved with Communities Foundation of Texas allows me to instill a philanthropic spirit that will be passed down to my children and grandchildren. I am honored to be a member of a community-based group of trustees whose vision makes Texas better every day.” — Florence Shapiro


 

Community Leadership / Board Service

Florence’s consistent leadership has earned her glowing praise and a bevy of honors. She has been honored in her community and statewide for outstanding contributions to education, transportation and her work to improve the lives of children across Texas.

Florence serves on many community boards and brings the perspective of the legislature to the boardroom. She chairs the board of the Dallas Holocaust Museum and the advisory board of Tex Protects, a statewide organization the advocates to protect children from abuse and neglect.

She sits on the boards of UT Southwestern Medical Center, Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at the University of Texas, Children’s Medical Center and Collin County Business Alliance.

Upon her retirement from the Texas Senate, the city named the city council chambers in Plano the Senator Florence Shapiro Council Chambers.