Sylvia Handy

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Personal Information

Born in Weslaco, Texas, to Rogelio “Roy” Handy and the late Agustina “Tina” Martinez-Handy, both pioneers and life-long citizens of Donna, Texas, Sylvia S. Handy was raised with strong family and community values. Ms. Handy attended public schools in Donna, Texas, and graduated from Donna High School in 1975. She then attended Pan American University in Edinburg, Texas, and later received certification by the Texas Judicial College in Austin, Texas, in court management. Her education continued at the University of Houston where she studied to become a Mediator. Striving to enhance her career, Ms. Handy became certified by the Supreme Court of the State of Texas as a Court Reporter.

In 1992, after the birth of her daughter, Ms. Handy took much interest in the educational system and ran for public office on the Donna School Board. After a successful campaign, Ms. Handy faithfully served her school community as the only female trustee and held offices as Board Secretary, Vice President, and President. It was during her term on the Donna School Board that she became aware of the debilitating road conditions in her Precinct, which contributed to school tardiness, absenteeism, and embarrassment for children who could not safely pass or travel through colonia roads.

The possibility of making a difference in her school community inspired her to run for County Commissioner in 1996. She made history when elected to become the first female County Commissioner in Hidalgo County and all of lower South Texas. She is completing her third four-year term in office and is the senior member of the Hidalgo County Commissioners’ Court. Throughout her tenure in office, Commissioner Handy has become known for her relentless pursuit of funding to pave and construct new roads in her Precinct and to develop innovative programs for her constituents.

Commissioner Handy has paved record-breaking miles of new roads and has brought in millions of dollars in additional state and federal funding to enhance her operational budget and create new community-based programs. These programs include the Solid Waste Enforcement and Citizen Collection Station Program, the “Keep It Clean” Hidalgo County Environmental Education Program, and the Project Recover Youth Program. In June of 2002, Commissioner Handy was also successful in obtaining grant funding through partnership with Workforce Solutions to begin a GED / Job Readiness Program in Precinct 1.

Under the department’s Road and Bridge operation, she established Hidalgo County’s first Paving Crew – saving the County approximately one-half the service cost compared to contracted road work. She has also renovated and upgraded five existing County parks in Precinct One, including the very popular Delta Lake Park, which welcomes over 55,000 visitors annually. She also opened and constructed the County’s first Little League Park known as the Monte Alto Veterans Park.

She is currently the Past President of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council of Governments, President of the Hidalgo-Willacy Housing Finance Corporation, President of the Hidalgo County Finance Corporation, President Emeritus of the Delta Region Revitalization Corporation, Board Member of the Texas Association of Regional Councils, Board Member of the Texas Conference of Urban Counties Policy Committee, Board Member of the Hidalgo County Drainage District, Board Member of the Tip of Texas Girl Scouts Council, and represents Commissioners’ Court on the Hidalgo County Community Service Agency Board of Directors, the Hidalgo County Urban County Program and the Hidalgo County Buildings and Grounds Department. She is also a member of the National Rotary Club Association and has been recognized by the National Executive Women Who’s Who Association.

In 2003, Commissioner Handy initiated the Solid Waste Management Program, under the auspices of the Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Sanitation Department, which was honored as one of the top five environmental programs in the State of Texas through the prestigious TCEQ Texas Environmental Excellence Award, and has continued to receive this honor annually.

In addition to these civic duties, she is also credited for establishing the first Mid-Valley Women’s Political Caucus – founded to encourage women to participate in the political process. She is also an annual sponsor of local chapters of the Boys and Girls Club and the South Texas Little League Association, has delivered motivational speeches at Drug Awareness and Student Empowerment Rallies, including guest speaking at the annual Red Ribbon Kick-Off Parade in Donna and at the Soy Unica Soy Latina Girl Power Conference. Ms. Handy has also been an active participant and volunteer of local community fundraising drives for Cheerleader groups, Band Booster Organizations, and local Church programs.

She has also been recognized by the Hidalgo County Veteran’s Association for her continued support of Valley Veterans at the Veteran’s Day Ceremony held annually at Delta Lake Park since 1997. The City of Donna recognized her commitment to public service by declaring November 20, 2001, Sylvia Handy Day. She was also selected as the HBCi Mother of the Year in May of 2002, representing the entire Rio Grande Valley as a role model for young women and the Valley by virtue of her career and profession. She was also chosen as 2006 Extraordinary Woman by Women Together / Mujeres Unidas.

Ms. Handy is married to Gabriel Espronceda and has two children, Arielle Tina and Gabriel Roy. Together with her family, she is a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elsa, Texas.