A Journey Guided by Care, Community, and Commitment

Dr. Klenz grew up in North Carolina and following college joined the United States Peace Corps. While in the Peace Corps in Southern Africa, she met her future husband, a fellow volunteer. Following her service, she went on to medical school at Duke University followed by residency training in Ob/Gyn at New York University.

Wanting to get back to a rural lifestyle, she and Kyle began their professional careers in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas. They enjoyed 25 years living and working in the border towns of McAllen, Edinburg and Mission Texas. After retiring from her practice, they moved to small ranch outside of Giddings, TX.

ELIZABETH KLENZ

Growth isn’t the enemy — but it must be guided by people who live here and care about this place.

We need to act now to protect our local schools, family farms, and small-town character.

Why I Am Running for Texas State HOUSE

Standing Up for Rural Texas and the People Who Live Here

I came to Texas in 1999 as a new Ob/Gyn drawn to rural health care. I spent the next 25 years in the Rio Grande Valley, living and working in a small community that grew to a bustling area approaching a million people. The growth brought real benefits — new restaurants, shops, a larger airport, and new schools. Small community hospitals expanded into major medical centers, and a new medical school opened its doors. The energy and opportunity were exciting.

But I also saw the costs. Local farmers struggled as water and land became too expensive. Urban sprawl pushed into neighborhoods and pastures. When my husband and I moved to Lee County to build our retirement, I hoped for a quieter life. Instead, I see similar challenges arriving here. Our pastures filled with oak trees, our historic town squares, and our close-knit neighborhoods are now facing pressure from power plants, data centers, heavy traffic, and industrial waste. Our groundwater is being pumped out of our district to fuel growth somewhere else.