Dr. Judy Gaut Traylor – Educator, Advocate, and Servant Leader

Dr. Judy Gaut Traylor has devoted her life to education, civic leadership, and community service, becoming a respected force for progress and compassion across East Texas. A retired Vice President of Student and Outreach Services at Northeast Texas Community College, she has also shaped young minds as an Adjunct Professor of Education and Psychology at both Northeast Texas Community College and Texas A&M University–Texarkana.

Her leadership in education was recognized at the highest levels—Dr. Traylor was the inaugural recipient of the distinguished “Cheesie Nelson Award,” a top honor in Texas community college educational leadership. This award underscores her commitment to opening doors for students and building bridges between institutions and the communities they serve.

Dr. Traylor’s legacy extends beyond the classroom. She recently concluded seven years as Chair of the Wood County Democratic Party in Congressional District 5 and served on the Texas Democratic County Chair Association Board. Her 12-year tenure as a Quitman ISD School Board Trustee reflects her long-standing commitment to local education and public service.

Deeply rooted in service and sisterhood, she is a Golden Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she serves as Protocol Chair for the Gamma Omicron Omega Chapter in Tyler, Texas. Her dedication to scholarship continues as she chairs a dissertation committee at Ferris University, mentoring future leaders with wisdom and grace. In her faith community, she holds the role of Church Clerk at Muddy Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Quitman, Texas.

Her outstanding dedication was most recently recognized with the 2025 Martin Luther King Unity in the Community Award by Jarvis Christian University—an honor that reflects her lifelong devotion to justice, unity, and equity.

Dr. Judy Gaut Traylor embodies the spirit of a servant leader. Guided by faith, truth, and perseverance, she says, “I treat others how I wish to be treated. I am familiar with both success and failure. I do not wallow in self-pity—I get up and try again. I have a servant's heart and receive great joy from helping others.”