Judith Haughton Scholarship
The Judith Houghton Memorial Educational Scholarship is an educational scholarship awarded annually in honor of Judith Houghton, a loyal and committed friend and supporter of the payroll profession and the Texas Payroll Conference.
The purpose of the Judith Houghton Memorial Educational Scholarship is to recognize individuals dedicated to the payroll profession and encourage their educational advancement through opportunities provided in the State of Texas.
The Scholarship Award recipient will receive a free Texas Payroll Conference registration for the 2027 Conference. (Hotel and travel expenses will be the sole responsibility of the scholarship recipient.) The winner will be announced during the awards ceremony at the 2026 conference to be held in The Woodlands, Texas.
Judith, “Judy” Houghton passed quietly in sleep at Presbyterian Hospital on January 19, 2012 at the age of 72. She was born in Rawlins, Wyoming, and moved to Texas at the age of 3. Many current-day attendees may only recognize her name because the TPC scholarship which was established in her honor. TPC veterans knew Judy as our first conference planner.
Judith studied dance and drama at the University of Texas. Not long after graduating in 1957, she choreographed shows in Dallas, Austin, Galveston, and Texas City, and began teaching at a new dance school in Dallas. She was affiliated with the Southern Methodist University dance faculty and produced live shows at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, at Six Flags locations in Texas and Georgia, and at Marine World and Seven Seas. She also partnered with Charles R. Meeker, Jr. and others in the operation of “Charlie’s Place” in Fort Worth.
Ms. Houghton worked with show business legends such as Bob Hope, the Smothers Brothers, and Jimmy Durante while serving as Vice-President and General Manager of Miss Teenage America. She not only produced the Miss Teenage America national telecast for many years, but traveled the world producing Miss Universe pageants. Her credits include countless major productions for communities as well as major corporations such as Dr. Pepper. She took joy in spotlighting young talent, and several Broadway and television personalities made their professional debuts in her shows.
Ms. Houghton went on to work as Communications Director for the Alzheimer’s Association in Dallas and as meeting planner for the Texas Payroll Conference, which is where so many of us met her and came to love her. As the meeting planner for TPC from 1989 to 2005, Judy was a loyal and committed friend and supporter of the payroll profession and the Texas Payroll Conference. She was called on a gloomy Saturday to meet a group of well-intended payroll professionals who needed “some help” planning a state-wide payroll conference. Judy agreed to meet this small group at a Steak & Ale Restaurant to see if she could offer any assistance. Not only did she succeed in helping this small group organize the very first TPC, but she began a legacy that is still going strong.
2025 Jennifer Slaton
2024 Shelby Kennedy, FPC
2023 Kathryn Hubbard, CPP
2022 Antonio Hernandez
2021 Nicole (Nikki) Myers, CPP
2020
2019 Trish Camp, CPP
2018 Jackie Carroll, CPP
2017 Sheri Lewis, CPP
2016 Donna Nava, CPP
2015 Marilyn LaMance, CPP
2014 Stephanie Ann Grace
2013 Carolyn Cardenas
2012 Pam Lloyd
2011 Anna Correia, CPP
2010 Sharonda Young, CPP
2009 Carl York, CPP
2008 Terri Watkins, CPP
2007 Donna Epperson, CPP
2006 Mary Jo Lantz, CPP
The Scholarship Award recipient will receive a free Texas Payroll Conference registration for the 2026 conference. Hotel, meal and travel expenses will be the sole responsibility of the scholarship recipient.
The recipient must be involved in a payroll or related field, at the time of application. Current members of the Texas Payroll Conference Board of Directors are ineligible to apply. The recipient of the scholarship award need not be present to receive the award.
An application for the scholarship must be postmarked no later than deadline stated on the application. Applications postmarked after this date will not be considered. The scholarship application may be submitted by the individual nominee or by a third party on behalf of the nominee.
The following items must be submitted to be considered for the scholarship:
1. A completed application form due by July 24, 2026 Download form here
2. A completed questionnaire as shown on the application
3. One original, signed professional letter of recommendation
Applications should be submitted to the Scholarship Committee no later than the stated deadline.
Completed applications may be submitted via e-mail to: tpcscholarship@txpayrollconference.org