Today we’d like to introduce you to Mihaela Plesa.
Hi Mihaela, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in the 90s and early 2000s as the daughter of Romanian immigrants, surrounded by strong women who just handled things: my mom, my teachers, the women in my community. This was the beginning of that “girl boss” era, but for me, it wasn’t a trend, it was real life. They didn’t wait to be told they belonged. They showed up and figured it out. That shaped how I move through the world.
After college, I went into fashion merchandising and design and built a small business with my best friend. We learned everything in real time. Some days you feel like you’ve figured it out, other days you’re starting over.
Running a small business teaches you fast: how to make decisions under pressure, how to adjust when things don’t go as planned, how to keep going when you’re tired and there’s no backup plan. And we navigated every kind of “ism” along the way. Sometimes subtle, sometimes not. You learn quickly how to hold your ground, how to walk into rooms where you’re underestimated and still take up space.
In 2017, the world felt unsettled. Instead of stepping back, I stepped in. I went to work at the Texas Capitol as a legislative staffer because I wanted to understand what was actually happening. I wanted to understand how decisions were being made, not just react to them.
That experience changed everything.
I saw how policy is made, but I also saw who was missing from those conversations. At some point, it stopped being something I could just observe. It felt like something I had to be part of.
So I ran for office.
Not because it was the plan, but because it felt necessary. Because I knew the perspective I carried, as a first-generation Romanian American, as someone who built a business from the ground up, as someone who had seen both sides of the system, was missing.
Today, I’m proud to be the first Romanian American elected in Texas, and the only one elected in the country. And I brought all of it with me. Every lesson, every setback, every hard-earned perspective.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, and honestly, I don’t think it’s supposed to be.
Everything I had done up to that point, building a business, learning how to navigate uncertainty, stepping into the Capitol in 2017 to better understand how decisions get made, all of it prepared me in some way, but nothing fully prepares you for running in a district like this.
In 2022, this was one of the most competitive races not just in the Texas House, but in the country. You could feel that every single day. The pace, the pressure, the level of attention. You are constantly out in the community, having real conversations, earning trust one person at a time. There is no shortcut for that.
And then in 2024, it didn’t slow down. We are still in a DLCC target seat, still one of the few races in Texas where every cycle is this competitive. That is something I take pride in, because it means people here are engaged and paying attention, but it also means the work never really stops.
There is a weight that comes with representing a district like this. You cannot take your eye off what people are actually dealing with in their daily lives: rising costs, housing pressures, healthcare, the things that show up at the kitchen table. It is hard work, but it is also what keeps me grounded. Every part of the journey built on the last, and it continues to shape how I show up and do this job.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What I do is grounded in something pretty simple. I focus on the issues people are actually dealing with in their daily lives and work to turn those into real policy that makes a difference.
In the Legislature, I’ve spent a lot of time focused on public health, public safety, and financial systems, especially through my role as Vice Chair of the Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services Committee. That means everything from consumer protections to how we think about long-term financial stability for Texans.
One of the pieces of work I’m most proud of is House Bill 37, Everly’s Law. It created a statewide standard for perinatal bereavement care and a dedicated initiative to support families going through the loss of a child. That bill came from a conversation in the district, and it turned into something that is now setting the standard not just in Texas, but nationally. It also secured funding to help hospitals provide the training and resources families need in those moments.
I’ve also worked to bring real investments back into the district, including funding for early childhood intervention and services that support kids and families early on, when it matters most.
More broadly, I’ve focused on legislation around public safety, retirement security, and making sure our systems are actually working for people, not just functioning on paper.
In terms of what I’m known for, I think it’s that I stay grounded in the community. I don’t approach this work from theory. I approach it from lived experience, from building a business, from understanding what it feels like when costs go up or when systems don’t work the way they should.
And I take pride in being someone who can get things done in a bipartisan way. Everly’s Law passed with broad support, and that’s intentional. If you want to make real change, you have to be willing to work across the aisle and stay focused on the outcome.
I’ve been honored to receive recognition like Freshman Legislator of the Year and education advocacy awards, but what matters most to me is whether the work is actually helping people.
That’s what sets me apart. I’m not here to just be part of the process. I’m here to make sure it works better for the people it’s supposed to serve.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
People usually see the policy side of my life, the work, the pace, the constant movement. What they don’t always see is everything outside of that.
My family means everything to me. My parents came here from Romania and built a life from scratch. That work ethic and that perspective shaped how I see the world. My fiancé, Todd, is my constant through all of it.
And then there’s Napoleon and Oliver, my faithful best friends. They run the house. I love those dogs more than I probably should admit, but they have a way of resetting everything. No matter what kind of day it’s been, they just want your time and a walk around the neighborhood.
I also love being in my garden. There’s something about growing things, taking care of something over time, that slows everything down in the best way.
And if I can find a little extra time, I’ll get a run in around the neighborhood. It clears my head and helps me think.
Those parts of my life don’t usually make it into the public side of what I do, but they matter just as much.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.plesafortexas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plesafortexas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlesaforTexas
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihaela-plesa-26640348
- Twitter: https://www.x.com/plesafortexas
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@plesafortexas
