Vice President, Communications
Merrill helps Texans better understand the research, data and policy choices shaping the state's future. Before joining Texas 2036, she spent more than three decades advising Fortune 500 companies, trade associations and nonprofits across Texas on strategic communications and public affairs.
Texas’ wildcatter mindset has resulted in a maximalist — and surprising — expansion of renewable energy resources in a state traditionally associated with oil and gas. Exploring 25 years of U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, this series traces the Lone Star State’s unexpected transformation into an “all of the above and below” energy powerhouse,…
At the turn of this century, Texas was a major oil producer — but not yet the dominant one. In 2000, energy analysts viewed the state’s output as a mature asset in slow, inevitable decline. Today, however, the Lone Star State is an “all of the above and below” energy powerhouse that produces nearly half…
In March, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, created a new House Select Committee on Health Care Affordability, and gave it the task of examining factors affecting healthcare affordability in Texas. This bipartisan committee, led by Chair James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, and Vice Chair Toni Rose, D-Dallas, will focus this legislative interim on studying why…
Gold Plans Led Texas Enrollment in 2026 Against a backdrop of national ACA enrollment declining nearly 8%, Texas added more than 200,000 plan selections in 2026. That 5.2% increase represented the largest numerical gain in the country. That growth is notable, but the data showing the composition of that growth is the more significant story….
When examining the 2026 ACA enrollment data, a clear line emerged between two groups of consumers: those who actively chose a plan during open enrollment, and those who were automatically renewed into their prior year coverage plan without taking any action. The difference in outcomes between those two groups is one of the most revealing findings in this…
Runoff elections don’t generate the same attention as general elections, but they often decide who appears on the November ballot. In Texas, understanding how runoffs work can make the difference between being an informed voter and sitting out a contest that shapes your community’s representation. What is a runoff election? A runoff election occurs when…