Jacquie Baly, President of BalyProjects, is an accomplished businesswoman who has been a leader in the Houston region’s business and policy communities for more than two decades. She began her career as a city and regional planner then served as Governor Rick Perry’s appointee on water and wastewater issues. Following her appointee position, she became Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Sugar Land. Jacquie founded BalyProjects in 1999 to provide public affairs, corporate services, media relations, public policy, and planning services to individuals, institutions, small businesses, the government, and corporations. Currently, she is an adviser to Governor Greg Abbott on Higher Education initiatives. She is also a policy analyst for Fox 26 (KRIV), KTRH/AM740, and various television and radio stations.

Jacquie has won numerous awards, including Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Role Model Honoree, St. Jude’s Children Hospital Philanthropist of the Year, KTRK-13 Woman of Distinction, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Woman of Excellence, University of Houston Alumni Association’s “Rising Star” and Black Alumnus of the Year awards. A native of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in City Planning. She has taught public policy at the University of Houston for over 13 years and served as a Faculty-In-Residence at the University of Texas in Austin.

Before forming BalyProjects, Baly was Vice President at the Greater Houston Partnership. She has also worked as the director of Planning and Community Development for the cities of Seabrook and Sugar Land.

Baly has served on several boards, including Texas Lyceum, City Hall Fellow, Parks Youth Ranch Advisory Board, Texas Dragon Boat Association, Alley Theatre Advisory Board, Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce-Infrastructure division chair, Texas CASA-Director, Fort Bend Boys’ Choir-President, YMCA-Past President, The Chinquapin School’s Board of Trustees-Past Vice President, Fort Bend Education Foundation-Gala Chair and Board Member, Sugar Land Economic Development 4-B Corporation-Director & Vice President, Sugar Land’s Intergovernmental Relations subcommittee (legislative liaison).

She is also a member of the Greater Houston Partnership’s Transportation Infrastructure Advisory Committee, the Transportation Policy Council, Fort Bend County Mobility Planning Committee, The Center for Houston’s Future Business Leadership Forum; Leadership Houston, Class XVIII; Rotary International and the Sugar Land Exchange Club.

Jacquie is the proud mother of two amazing young men. Her eldest, Raphael, recently graduated from Trinity University as a double major in business and marketing and is currently pursuing his MBA at Boston College while playing baseball. Her youngest son Alexandre is a senior at Harvard University. Alex is a neuroscience major and plans to pursue a career in medicine and global health.