Molly Lester

Molly Lester currently serves as Policy Director for the Chief Program and Services Office of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. In this role, she leads policy development, daily operations and legislative coordination for the office overseeing HHSC client services programs—including Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, behavioral health, maternal and child health, and long-term services and supports. She also manages three policy coordination offices that lead strategic initiatives for specific populations: older adults, people with disabilities, and service members, veterans and their families.

In her seven years with Texas HHS, Molly has also served as senior policy advisor for the Chief Program and Services Officer and spent two legislative sessions in Government Relations, where she worked on agency appropriations and major legislation related to nursing facility regulation and Medicaid pharmacy benefits. Prior to returning to HHS in 2014, Molly spent three years in Washington, D.C. working for a nonprofit advocacy group that advocated for appropriations for international diplomacy and development programs.

Molly earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her master’s in international politics from American University.