AUDREY SELDEN
Biographical Information    

Audrey Selden is the Senior Associate Commissioner for Consumer Protection (CP) and the Provider Ombudsman at the Texas Department of Insurance.  She oversees the TDI division that assists consumers with questions about insurance and reviews and helps them resolve disputes or problems with their insurance companies or agents.  She also supervises the review of insurance advertising materials and coordination of public education and outreach efforts.  In Fiscal Year 2002, Consumer Protection staff answered more than 620,000 telephone inquiries, distributed more than 2.2 million consumer publications, reviewed 6,000 pieces of advertising, and coordinated more than 570 public outreach events each year.  In addition, CP complaints resolution staff resolved more than 34,000 consumer complaints and returned more than $48 million to consumers. As Provider Ombudsman, Audrey coordinated the department’s efforts to establish procedures and monitor insurance company and HMO compliance with laws ensuring prompt payment to health care providers.  

In 2001, Audrey was honored by the Austin Ballet as one of the “Women on Their Toes” for outstanding volunteer service.  She was awarded the Ma Ferguson Award for Excellence in the Public Sector in 1997.  Under Audrey’s leadership, Consumer Protection was recognized in 1996 with a Greater Austin Quality Award for “commitment to quality.” CP has been recognized as a model for organizations seeking to implement a practical and unified strategic and business planning system.  CP’s consumer information call center, complaints resolution division, and consumer outreach program have served as models for “best practices” by the following organizations:  

·         The Urban Institute, Washington D.C.

·         Florida , Oklahoma , and Pennsylvania Departments of Insurance

·         U.S. General Accounting Office

·         Texas State Auditor’s Office

·         Texas Sunset Advisory Commission  

Audrey has given presentations on management, strategic and business planning, and the effective use of performance measures at seminars sponsored by the LBJ School of Public Affairs, Texas State Agency Business Administrators Association, and the Texas Association of Counties.  

Audrey graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in political science in 1978 and a Master of Public Administration degree in 1981.  After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1986, she worked as a judicial law clerk under U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice.  From 1987 to 1990, Audrey was a civil litigation associate at the Houston law firm of Butler & Binion.  Audrey served as the Texas Assistant Secretary of State from 1991 to 1994 under Secretary of State John Hannah Jr.  A 1992 graduate of Leadership Texas, Audrey is a board member of the Foundation for Women’s Resources.  In addition, she serves as secretary of the board for Literacy Austin, and vice president of the board, volunteer facilitator, and speaker for the Girl Scouts Lone Star Council.

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