Mary Benton, a familiar name to longtime Houston television viewers, received the Legacy Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Houston Chapter. KHOU 11 morning traffic anchor Jennifer Reyna served as the event's emcee.
Benton was honored Thursday, June 25, 2026, during the 41st Annual Excalibur Awards at the Houston Botanic Garden. The event, themed “Night of Bold Voices,” celebrated communications professionals throughout the Houston area. The Legacy Award recognizes Benton’s lengthy career in Houston media and communications.
For many Houstonians, Benton is best remembered for her nearly 20 years as a reporter at KPRC 2. She joined the Houston NBC station in October 1994 and remained there until July 2014.
During her time at KPRC, Benton covered just about every type of story imaginable, from Houston City Hall and hurricanes to politics and major breaking news.
Benton's television career began in Texas before she arrived in Houston. She worked as a reporter and substitute anchor at KTBC 7 Austin from 1992 to 1994. She had previously worked at KCEN 6 Waco-Temple-Killeen.
After departing KPRC in 2014, Benton moved into government communications, where she put her decades of experience on the other side of the microphone to work.
She became Manager of Media Relations and Public Affairs for the Harris County Toll Road Authority, serving as its primary spokesperson and handling media relations, community outreach and public communications.
She later served as Director of Communications and Division Director for Harris County before joining Harris County Public Health, where she worked on communications, marketing, media outreach and stakeholder engagement.
In 2018, Benton returned to Houston's political communications scene by joining the Mayor's Office of Communications as Press Secretary. She was later appointed Director of Communications in 2020.
Today, Benton serves as Chief of Communications and Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Houston. In the role, she serves as the chief spokesperson and senior communications advisor, helping lead the communications strategy for the mayor and city government.
AAF-Houston also honored Benton in 2019 for her leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion, and she has been recognized as an influential woman and role model in the Houston community.
A native of Harlingen, Texas, Benton graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism degree.
