Stacey Combest
Stacey Neal Combest, J.D., is a dedicated civic leader, legislative strategist, and advocate based in Huntsville, Texas, committed to improving systems of care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Appointed by the governor to serve on the board of Humanities Texas, she brings a strong legal foundation and a passion for public service to her work. Stacey earned her Juris Doctor from UNT Dallas College of Law and has built her career around advancing meaningful policy change and supporting families across the state of Texas.
With more than a decade of experience in advocacy and public policy, Stacey previously served as Chair of the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding, where she led efforts to develop 14 legislative recommendations—all of which were successfully passed into law. Her work focuses on expanding access to services for individuals with severe-to-profound IDD, collaborating with legislators, state agencies, and community partners to drive bipartisan, solutions-oriented outcomes. Known for her hands-on approach, she regularly works directly with families in crisis, helping them navigate complex systems and connect with critical resources.
Stacey’s leadership extends beyond formal roles into grassroots advocacy and community engagement. She serves as a legislative committee chair for Walker County Republican Women and is actively involved with Parents and Allies for Remarkable Texans. Guided by a philosophy of practical problem-solving and purpose-driven service, she is deeply committed to leaving a lasting impact through her work—ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the care, dignity, and support they deserve while shaping a more responsive and compassionate public policy landscape.
• Certified Mediator
• Notary Public
• UNT Dallas College of Law- J.D.
• University of Houston- Bachelor's
• Gubernatorial Appointee on Board of Humanities Texas
• Former Chair of Texas Commission on Special Education Funding
• Parents and Allies for Remarkable Texans
• Walker County Republican Women Legislative Committee
• Local Huntsville Community Events
• Sam Houston State University Community Outreach
• Texas Commission on Special Education Funding
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the passion and love I have for helping families and guardians secure the funding and support their loved ones with special needs deserve. My educational foundation—a Juris Doctor from the University of North Texas Dallas College of Law and a BA in Political Science from the University of Houston—along with my certification as a mediator, has equipped me to serve effectively, whether as a gubernatorial appointee on the Board of Humanities Texas or as former Chair of the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding, where I helped advance legislative recommendations into law. As an IDD legislative strategist, I am deeply committed to helping individuals with intellectual disabilities access critical services and working alongside state legislators to pass meaningful, impactful legislation.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is that I can truly make a difference—something that is deeply personal to me as a parent of a child with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women entering this field to step into civic leadership and advocacy work. It’s a meaningful path that allows you to leave a lasting footprint and make a real difference in your community, your state, and society as a whole.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is the overwhelming need out there. I receive so many phone calls from parents and guardians who cannot sustain taking care of their severe to profound son or daughter at home anymore. The need is unreal. We're working to make sure that these individuals can be serviced and helped from a healthcare perspective so they're not ending up in our state and county jails, which is the problem now. We need to prevent individuals with intellectual disabilities from being placed in jails when they didn't need to be in there in the first place. We're working on oversight that can help with that, and I think that's necessary. I think that's what the community needs.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
If there's anything that I live by, it's make it count. Just make it count. I believe that we need to leave a footprint that makes a difference in our state, our nation, our society. My mom is 94 and lives with Bill and I. We don't know how much longer I'll have with her, but I'm gonna make it count. I spend time with her because every day is precious. I work out at the gym 4 days a week. Bill and I enjoy driving to College Station on Tuesdays for Rosa's Taco Tuesday. I love spending time with my mom. I'm an only child, and my father passed away in 2003, but my mom lives with Bill and I and she loves it. Bill loves her, and I spend time with her.