Join us for an engaging discussion about public service and the pressing political issues shaping our nation today. Congressman Gonzales, who represents Texas’s 23rd District and served in the U.S. Navy with deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, will share insights from his career in public life and his perspective on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and Texas.
Congressman Tony Gonzales
Throughout his entire life, Tony Gonzales has made the choice to be a fighter in the face of adversity. He was abandoned by his father when he was two months old, and at age seven, Tony and his mother sought refuge at a battered women’s shelter. For much of his youth, Tony was raised by his grandparents in San Antonio, Devine, and Camp Wood. When Tony was 18, his beloved grandfather passed away, leading Tony to leave high school and enter the Navy without a diploma—or even knowing how to swim. Over his twenty years of service in our military, Tony rose to the Navy’s highest rank of Master Chief Petty Officer—an accomplishment that less than 1% of enlisted individuals achieve. He was deployed multiple times in support of combat operations in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and regional security operations throughout Asia. While on the front lines, Tony was confronted with some of the most dire situations an individual can face.
Now in Congress, Tony represents the 23rd District of Texas, which covers more than 800 miles of the southern border—the largest border district in the country, larger than 30 states, and encompassing two time zones. Tony is currently serving his third term in Congress, where he sits on the critically important Appropriations and Homeland Security committees. Tony also serves as Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Conference, which is devoted to advocating for issues that are critical to the Hispanic community.
Though he entered the Navy without a high school diploma, Tony went on to earn his diploma, a graduate certificate from Georgetown University, a Master’s degree in International Relations from American Public University, and he is now a Ph.D. candidate in International Development with an emphasis on Security Studies and International Politics at the University of Southern Mississippi. Prior to serving in Congress, Tony also served as a Department of Defense Legislative Fellow in U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s office where he provided essential contributions to the Senator’s defense, foreign policy, and intelligence portfolios. Tony is active in his hometown community of San Antonio, where he and his wife, Angel, live and are raising their six wonderful children.
About General Lezy
General Lezy was a public policy leader, serving more than 30 years in the United States Air Force, culminating as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy where he was responsible for the establishment of all policies concerning military personnel matters including accessions and retention programs; compensation and benefits; and the classification, assignment and career development for the 1.4 million service members of the Department of Defense. His example of leadership in public policy leaves behind a tremendous legacy.