Distinguished Citizen Award

The Distinguished Citizen Award annually honors individuals who share Scouting’s belief in leadership, determination and values, and have contributed significantly to the growth and vitality of Central Texas.

Past recipients include:

• Attorney/Philanthropist Clarke Heidrick
• Attorney/Philanthropist Tim Taylor
• Endeavor Real Estate co-founder David Roche
• University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven
• Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp
• the late University of Texas President Bill Powers
• former Governor Rick Perry
• Texas Disposal Systems co-founders Bob and Jim Gregory
• former University of Texas Men’s Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds
• past Greater Austin Economic Development Corporation Chair Gary Farmer
• Philanthropists Pete and Tomi Winstead
• the late Austin Mayor Gus Garcia

This Year’s Honoree

Elizabeth Christian, a fourth-generation Austinite and journalism graduate of the University of Texas, is CEO of Elizabeth Christian Public Relations, one of Austin’s oldest and largest PR firms.

Christian has a four-decade career in public relations, journalism and political affairs. In addition to running an award-winning PR firm, which serves such clients as Google and Google Fiber, St. David’s HealthCare, Austin FC, Texas Mutual Insurance, the Austin Board of Realtors, the Downtown Austin Alliance, and others, she is active in the community.

She is a vice chair of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation and past president of the Headliners Club and of the Austin Area Research Organization. She is an active member of the board of trustees of the Greater Austin Crime Commission and the Covenant Presbyterian Foundation.

She has long been active with the Austin Chamber of Commerce, having served at various times as chair of the transportation, education and communications committees. She has attended (and helped underwrite) virtually every Chamber intercity trip and has made numerous visits to Washington with Chamber delegations to lobby for Central Texas interests.

Christian and her husband, former Austin Mayor Bruce Todd, have two grown children.

Event Details

Our Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon honoring Elizabeth Christian is scheduled for April 7, 2021, at the JW Marriott Hotel, 110 E. 2nd St., Austin, 78701. We will announce details and table purchase/sponsorships for the event as soon as possible.

Please enjoy these comments by Clarke Heidrick from our 2019 event:

Event Impact

For more than one hundred years, the Boy Scouts of America has provided programs with a mission of preparing young people for adulthood – and to be responsible citizens.  Scouting offers exciting programs designed to inspire, build character, and instill the values boys and girls need to succeed today. Funds from the Award dinner benefit nearly 600 Scouting programs across 15 Central Texas counties serving youth regardless of ability or economic level. 

Event Sponsorship

Underwriting for this event makes it possible for 100% of all dollars raised to go directly to Scouting programs in Central Texas. All event sponsors will be recognized in front of one of Austin’s finest collections of civic-minded leaders and corporate philanthropists.

If your company would like to know more about any of these events, please contact our Development Director using the following form: