With over 700 employees and 11 district offices across the state, the Railroad Commission has primary regulatory jurisdiction over the oil and natural gas industry, the natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline industry, natural gas utilities, the LP-gas industry, and coal and uranium surface mining operations.

During her service at the Commission, Ms. Maxwell supervised and managed Commissioner Porter's executive staff and participated in the day-to-day decisions and operations of the agency. She also served as a passionate advocate for the Commission and industry under the two Sunset reviews of the agency during the 82nd and 83rd Legislative Sessions. This experience sharpened her political acumen and benefited from her tireless work ethic, along with providing the opportunity to build upon her strong relationships with statewide elected officials, legislators, and staff.

Prior to her tenure at the Railroad Commission, Ms. Maxwell worked at Locke Lord LLP in Austin as an attorney and lobbyist. Ms. Maxwell also served on the executive staffs of Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn.

Ms. Maxwell graduated with Honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2007, where she was a founder of the Texas Journal of Oil, Gas, & Energy Law (TJOGEL) and served on the Journal's editorial board. She graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Government with Highest Honors in 2001.

Ms. Maxwell was born and raised in Kilgore, Texas - home of the legendary East Texas Oil Field. She is very proud of her family's heritage and hard work in the East Texas oil and gas industry, where her great-grandfathers, grandfather, and father drilled and operated wells.

She serves on the boards of the Texas Energy Law Association and the Oil, Gas, & Mineral Law Section of the Austin Bar Association.