A problem-solver who has never backed down from a challenge, Amber Snyder has been in one supporting role or another at the Texas Legislature for over 30 years.
Snyder
She began as a receptionist for the House parliamentarian and Legislative Council director in 1994, a time when cigarette smoke still swirled through the historic hallways. Her executive director happened to be one of the smokers. It wasn’t an issue until a pregnant Snyder started feeling more nauseous from the odor.
“I was having morning sickness, and the smoke didn’t help,” she says. “So, they offered to move me over to the Information Services department to answer phone calls. It was supposed to be temporary. But after maternity leave, they asked me if I wanted to move back, but I said, ‘No, thanks!’ I loved the people, and there was so much I wanted to learn!”
Since then, Snyder has served in an information services capacity. With the conclusion of the Legislature’s 89th session, she now has over three decades of experience, with 16 regular sessions and a plethora of special sessions under her belt.
“Amber’s support of the speaker’s office has been a cornerstone of her career,” says Roxanne Hoffman, manager of the council’s computer support center. “She has successfully supported speakers and their staff, providing them with the training and support necessary to utilize legislative software and tools effectively. Her ability to adapt and excel in this capacity underscores her deep understanding of the legislative process and her unwavering dedication to public service.”
Solving Puzzles With a Smile
Snyder says she is known for two main things: She’s outgoing, and she loves a good puzzle.
“I am very social, and I love interacting with clients. I love helping people,” she says. “I have always liked to do crossword problems and word games. I just like solving things—I like the challenge! I also love murder mysteries, though that might have been influenced by that fact that I am married to a now-retired police officer.”
Profiles in Service: Legislative Staff
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, NCSL is running a special series of profiles highlighting the invaluable contributions of legislative staffers across the nation. Each of NCSL’s nine professional staff associations chose staffers who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, creativity and impact in their legislative roles. We’re publishing the profiles throughout NCSL’s 50th anniversary year. To read more profiles, visit Profiles in Service: Legislative Staff.
Others cite her incredible work ethic as her most shining attribute.
“She is always in the foxhole. She never runs away from ‘hard.’ If there is a task that is important and needs to be done, she runs toward it,” Texas Legislative Consultant Philip Mannie says.
Snyder says she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998, but it hasn’t slowed her down. “I think people should know that they can continue to be productive, even when they have a disease like MS.”
She attributed much of her post-diagnosis success to the support she received from colleagues, but Mannie says Snyder makes her own success.
“She is always willing to give her best. She is all go, and nothing can stop a force of nature like her,” he says. “Her work ethic is amazing and is something for others to follow. She leads by example.”
Snyder, who grew up on a farm, credits her parents for instilling in her the value of hard work and a good education because of the hardships in their own early lives.
“They wanted us to have the skills and abilities to be independent and take care of ourselves,” says Snyder, who is the oldest of eight girls. “All eight of us have bachelor’s degrees and four have master’s degrees, and we all helped out on the farm doing manual labor.”
Snyder’s hard work also won her the spotlight for this Profile in Service. Her nominator, colleague and friend Hoffman, says Snyder led the painstaking, multiyear rewrite of the correspondence management system, a giant database that the House and Senate offices use for casework and incoming constituent communication.
Fostering the Future, Leaving a Legacy
In 2013, after nearly 20 years at the Legislature, Snyder earned the chance to supervise the office consultant team. Now, she is considered someone who leads both by example and with her heart.
“My motto is, ‘It is important to me to make sure that my staff and clients are happy, successful and valued,’” Snyder says.
As for her team members, they champion the motto, “We are exemplary customer service.”
“She wants to grow new leaders and people, to make sure that others continue to care about the Legislature and the work that is done,” Mannie says. “She doesn’t just want to grow her team’s hard skills; she also wants to teach them about why their job matters. She wants to see the legacy of what she has created live on. To share with others that honoring this institution is a legacy.”
When asked about her legacy, Snyder says she’s proud of her work and all the people she instilled values in—including her own two children, both of whom work at the Legislative Council, her son in IT networking, and her daughter in the legal department.
“I have family to carry on my traditions and legacies,” Snyder says. “So, when I leave, there will still be a Snyder working for the Texas Legislative Council!”
Sarah Altshuler is a policy associate in NCSL’s Legislative Staff Services Program.