Leadership when people need help the most.

Selena Xie has spent her career showing up when people need help the most.

As an EMS Commander, ICU nurse, labor leader, and longtime public servant, Selena has dedicated her life to serving Austin residents during their most difficult moments. Whether responding to medical emergencies, caring for critically ill patients, leading first responders through a pandemic, or helping families recover from natural disasters, Selena's work has always been centered on one simple principle: public service is about improving people's lives.

Now, she's running for Austin City Council to bring that same commitment, experience, and problem-solving approach to District 8.

Roots in hard work and public service

The daughter of immigrant parents who came to Texas to pursue graduate education, Selena grew up understanding the value of hard work, public service, and community. Her parents built careers as research scientists, and they instilled in their children a belief that success comes with a responsibility to give back.

Selena earned a degree in Political Science and Economics from Amherst College. Later she attended Austin Community College to study paramedicine and Texas Tech University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Along the way, she developed a deep appreciation for both public policy and frontline service—an uncommon combination that continues to shape her leadership today.

From disaster response to the Austin frontlines

Selena's commitment to disaster response began after Hurricane Katrina, when she moved to New Orleans to assist with recovery efforts. There, she witnessed firsthand how devastating disasters can be for families and communities—and how critical strong emergency services and effective government can be in times of crisis. After Hurricane Ike brought her back to Texas, she continued working on disaster preparedness and recovery efforts, helping communities strengthen their ability to respond to future emergencies.

Her passion for public service ultimately led her to Austin-Travis County EMS, where she has served the community for more than a decade. Starting as a field paramedic and rising through the ranks to Commander, Selena has spent years responding to emergencies in neighborhoods across Austin, including many throughout District 8. She understands that decisions made at City Hall have real consequences in people's daily lives. She has seen firsthand how transportation challenges can delay emergency response, how housing affordability affects working families, and how investments in public safety and infrastructure directly impact community well-being.

In addition to her EMS service, Selena works as an ICU nurse at Dell Seton Medical Center, caring for critically ill patients and helping families navigate some of the most challenging moments of their lives. Her experience on the front lines of healthcare has given her a unique perspective on the challenges facing Austin residents and the importance of responsive, effective government.

A proven leader and advocate

For six years, Selena served as President of the Austin EMS Association, representing more than 500 paramedics and EMS professionals. During her tenure, she led the organization through some of the most difficult periods in Austin's history, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Winter Storm Uri, and the ongoing opioid crisis. Under her leadership, the association secured historic wage increases, expanded paid family leave, improved workplace safety, and successfully advocated for additional EMS resources to better serve Austin residents. During Winter Storm Uri, Selena helped raise more than $60,000 to support first responders affected by the storm while coordinating efforts to ensure medics had the resources they needed to continue serving the community.

Throughout her career, Selena has built a reputation as someone who can bring people together to solve problems. She has worked alongside first responders, healthcare professionals, neighborhood advocates, mental health organizations, criminal justice reform advocates, business leaders, and government officials to find practical solutions to complex challenges. She believes lasting progress happens when people focus less on politics and more on results.

Ready to serve in a new way

Today, Selena is a public servant and community leader who believes Austin can continue to grow while protecting the quality of life that residents cherish. She is running for City Council because she believes District 8 deserves leadership that is accessible, accountable, and focused on delivering results.

Selena knows Austin's challenges aren't theoretical. They're the realities she has encountered everyday throughout her career. She has answered the calls, driven the streets, worked the long shifts, and listened to residents when they were at their most vulnerable.

As the next District 8 Council Member, Selena will fight to make Austin more affordable, improve transportation and public safety, protect our environment and water resources, and ensure that city government delivers the services residents deserve.

Because for Selena, public service has never been about politics. It's about people.