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Meet Mary & Norma, the 2 UT Austin professors on Joe Biden's transition team

Norma Cantu is a UT Law professor and Mary Wakefield is a professor in the UT School of Nursing.

AUSTIN, Texas — Two Austin college professors made the list of President-elect Joe Biden's transition team.

The list, which can be found online here, has about 500 names of top professionals in medicine, law and more. 

"These teams are composed of highly experienced and talented professionals with deep backgrounds in crucial policy areas across the federal government. The teams have been crafted to ensure they not only reflect the values and priorities of the incoming administration but reflect the diversity of perspectives crucial for addressing America’s most urgent and complex challenges," the Build Back Better website for Biden and Kamala Harris states.

RELATED: Biden promotes unity, turns to business of transition

Among those names are Norma Cantu and Mary Wakefield, who are both professors at the University of Texas.

Cantu teaches at the UT School of Law. According to Cantu's biography page, she has experience as the assistant secretary of education for Civil Rights in the Clinton Administration and as regional counsel and education director of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Credit: UT Austin
Pictured: Left, Norma V Cantu. Right, Mary Wakefield.

The law professor is part of Biden's department of education team, which will "also review the Corporation for National and Community Service."

Wakefield is a professor at UT's School of Nursing. She serves as co-chair of the National Academy of Medicine’s Consensus Study on the Future of Nursing 2020-2030. In 2019, Wakefield was an honoree of the Living Legend award. The American Academy of Nursing gives this award to those who have "demonstrated extraordinary contributions to the nursing profession throughout their career."

The nursing professor and doctor are part of Biden's department of health and human services team, which will "also review the Consumer Product Safety Commission."

Both professors will serve as "volunteers," which means they are volunteering for the transition in their personal capacity. 

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