State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins

Born April 3, 1954, in Detroit, Michigan, Rep. Gervin-Hawkins was raised by a single mother in a family of six children. After earning her degree from Eastern Michigan University in 1975, she worked at the Ford Motor Company before moving to San Antonio to serve as personal accountant for her older brother, NBA Hall of Famer George “Iceman” Gervin, who was then playing for the San Antonio Spurs. She also holds a Master’s degree in Education from Our Lady of the Lake University and is pursuing a doctorate in Leadership Studies.

In 1991, the siblings co-founded the George Gervin Youth Center to help at-risk young adults earn their GEDs and find jobs. In 1994, Rep. Gervin-Hawkins helped launch the George Gervin Academy — one of the first public charter schools in Texas — which she now serves as superintendent. The academy has since expanded to serve approximately 1,200 students throughout the Bexar County area, and she has helped more than 1,800 high school dropouts attain their diplomas through her work there.

For the 89th Legislative Session, Speaker Dustin Burrows appointed her to the House Committee on Appropriations — with a seat on the Subcommittee on Articles I, IV, & V — and to the Redistricting and Ways & Means committees, plus the Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting.