As the General Counsel for the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Susan Maldonado supervises all attorneys and legal support staff and activities related to the agency’s legal services. This includes regulatory enforcement, licensing, administrative law matters, agency procurement and contracting, and litigation related to the agency’s program areas of Agriculture & Consumer Protection, Food & Nutrition, and Trade and Business Development, as well as administrative support to commodity boards, the Prescribed Burning Board and the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority. 

Susan has dedicated her legal career to public service with more than 20 years of experience working in state government in Texas. In addition to serving as briefing attorney at the Third Court of Appeals, Susan has gained varied legal experience over her career at several state agencies, including the Texas General Land Office, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Texas Building and Procurement Commission/Texas Facilities Commission. 

Susan joined TDA in 2015 as the Deputy General Counsel/Ethics Officer responsible for personnel matters before her promotion to Lead Deputy General Counsel in 2021. She was appointed by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller to General Counsel in August 2023. 

Susan earned her Bachelor of Arts in Government from The University of Texas at Austin and a juris doctorate degree with honors from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas where she served on law review. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, traveling around Texas and is an avid college sports fan.