Born in Macomb, Illinois, Fran Rhodes lived in multiple states for her husband’s job before finally moving to Texas from California in 1994. Though she is now retired from a career in sales and marketing, Rhodes worked for about thirty years in the office furniture industry, and holds a BA in Business Management from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.
Rhodes first became interested in politics during the Bush administration, writing letters to legislators on various bills. However, when Obama was elected, she decided that she needed to do more. She attended a tax day rally in 2009, and joined several grassroots groups, subscribing to their online newsletters.
After an invitation by a friend, Rhodes attended a meeting of the Northeast Tarrant Tea Party that summer. She stayed involved, and before long found herself the Liaison Coordinator for the NETTP. As Liaison Coordinator, Rhodes oversaw a NETTP program which appointed a grassroots activist to act as a liaison to each elected official in the region.
Eventually she became a member of the NETTP steering committee, then a board member, and is currently the VP of Fundraising.
In 2013, Rhodes launched the Citizen Advocate program, leading a small group of dedicated activists to the state capitol regularly during the 83rd legislative session to testify on bills and make their opinions known to legislators through position papers, phone calls, and emails. She has continued the program ever since, and is gearing up to begin it again for the 85th session.
“I enjoy leading this group because it’s the place where I see that we can actually make a difference, influence what goes on in our government, and really make our voices heard.” said Rhodes, “Even when we don’t get the outcomes we want, people see that we show up, we put in the time, we do the work, and we are not going away!”
In addition to her activism with the NETTP, Rhodes is also very active in the GOP, and was a delegate to the Republican Convention in 2016. She is a volunteer with the Humane Society of North Texas, and involved in the music and fine arts department of Keller United Methodist Church.
Rhodes is both a Heritage Action Sentinel and an Empower Texans Torchbearer.
Rhodes’ ultimate aim in politics is to restore government to its constitutional limits and inspire the next generation of activists:
“I hope that my involvement in these political activities will have an impact on all levels of our government returning to their constitutions or charters, and that our efforts will make governments and politicians more accountable to their constituents. But more importantly, I hope that my efforts will educate and inspire others to become activists and leaders, and continue to carry the work forward.”
When she is not volunteering for some political cause, Rhodes pursues her hobbies: music, sewing, and quilting, among other arts and crafts. She is also an avid gardener.
