Texas Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Cindy Conroy, assistant vice president/director of community outreach at El Paso-based WestStar Bank, to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The department is responsible for promoting and preserving homeownership, financing the development of affordable rental housing, supporting community and energy assistance programs, and performing other functions. Her term runs until January 31, 2027.

Prior to joining WestStar Bank, Conroy was the executive associate in the office of the associate dean of research and the director of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso. She also has more than 12 years of academic administration and grant management experience at the University of Texas–El Paso.

Conroy serves on many boards and devotes hours to nonprofit organizations, including the Foundation for El Paso Community College where she helps women pursue higher education. She is a past president of El Paso Executive Forum, served on the board of the Foundation for Women’s Resources and as chair of United Way of El Paso County.

In November 2020, Conroy was appointed to the Governor’s Commission for Women, which helps minority women into business and fights against human trafficking. In 2022, she was named one of that year’s “Women of Impact” by El Paso Inc., a West Texas business publication.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve on the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and contribute to promoting affordable housing opportunities and community resources across the state,” Conroy says. “Every Texan deserves access to safe and affordable housing, and I look forward to working towards this goal and supporting programs that enhance our communities.”

Established in 1990, WestStar Bank is a locally owned community bank with assets of more than $3 billion. It serves the El Paso, Las Cruces and Northern Mexico region known as the Borderplex.