Occupation
CEO
Education
BS in Accounting & MS in Taxation - University of North Texas
Campaign Phone
214-914-6010
54 years, I have also lived in every feeder pattern at some time in my life
Yes, Twin Boys who attended RISD K-12. They Graduated from Richardson High School in 2021
As a current board member, I have attended or watched every board meeting (10) in the last year.
A Trustee role requires a meaningful time commitment beyond scheduled meetings—typically 20–30 hours per month depending on district needs.
RISD Strategic Planning Committee (2021, 2024)
RISD Facilities Planning Committee
RISD 6th Grade Transformation Committee
RISD Star Teacher Award Committee
RISD Calendar Committee
RISD Technology Committee
Among numerous Board-level committees (ie, Legislative, Policy, Budget Review, Bond, etc.)
Leadership Richardson (Class 33)
RISD Foundation Board Member
UNT College of Business Deans Advisory Board
One of the biggest challenges I see is balancing the growing and diverse needs of our students with declining attendance-based funding. As a parent and board member, I’ve seen how much expectations for education are changing. We need to evolve by offering more flexible programs, modern learning environments, and different pathways for students—while staying grounded in what works and being responsible with limited resources.
From what I’ve seen, ESAs may have less impact on RISD than many expect. A large portion of families using them are already in private schools, and many private schools aren’t structured to fully accept vouchers. I believe our focus should be on continuing to strengthen RISD—especially engaging families early through Pre-K and innovative programs—so families choose to stay because of the value we provide.
I believe trustees should focus on making sure the right processes are in place, not deciding individual materials. RISD has strong systems, including educators and advisory groups like the School Library Advisory Council, that review materials and concerns. My role is to ensure those processes are fair, transparent, and reflect our community—while also making sure parents have a voice and options when concerns arise.
In my experience, the single biggest factor in student success is having a great teacher in the classroom. That’s where I believe our focus should stay—recruiting, supporting, and retaining strong educators. Every student deserves to grow, and our goal should be at least a year of progress for every child. We can close gaps by lifting outcomes for all students, not by lowering expectations.
My approach to funding is simple: protect the classroom first. That means prioritizing teacher compensation, instructional resources, and student programs. I’ve seen firsthand how tight budgets are, and I believe we have to be disciplined—evaluating every expense carefully while advocating for better state funding. Even in challenging times, we need to stay focused on what directly impacts students.
I think boundary changes should always be a last resort. Before going there, we should look closely at how we’re operating—reducing central costs where possible, improving efficiency, and making sure our staffing models align with enrollment. If changes are needed, they should be thoughtful, transparent, and involve the community so families understand both the challenges and the reasoning.
I believe it’s important that students learn history honestly and in an age-appropriate way. RISD follows the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS) standards, and our teachers are supported with resources and training to teach these topics thoughtfully. My role is to ensure we stay grounded in those standards while helping students understand the full context of history and develop critical thinking skills..
The shift of sixth grade to middle school creates new opportunities. I think we can use this moment to rethink how we use elementary space—expanding Pre-K for all, creating flexible programs, and adapting to changing needs. With thoughtful planning, we can turn this into something that benefits both students and families long-term.
One of the things I’m proud of in RISD is the strength of our people and programs. We have great teachers, strong outcomes, and growing partnerships like child learning academies and health clinics. I believe we should continue to build on that—while also communicating more clearly what makes RISD special—so families and educators see it as a place they want to be.
Student safety is always a top priority. RISD has made meaningful investments in both people and technology—like improved monitoring systems and emergency response tools. While no system can eliminate all risk, I believe in continuously improving and staying proactive so parents can feel confident their children are in a safe environment.
We’ve seen real progress with the recent updates to the Code of Conduct, including fewer behavioral disruptions in classrooms. That’s encouraging. At the same time, I think this is an area where we need to stay focused making sure teachers have the support they need and classrooms remain productive environments for learning.
I believe strongly that education works best as a partnership. Parents know their children best, and educators bring professional experience. My role is to help ensure there are clear ways for parents to be heard, while also supporting the systems that allow teachers to do their jobs effectively. When we listen well and communicate clearly, we build trust.
I support a strong foundation in literacy, especially using the Science of Reading approach. Research shows the importance of phonics-based instruction, and RISD has taken steps to train teachers and implement this effectively. My role is to ensure we continue supporting those efforts so every student has the reading skills they need to succeed.
Occupation
US Operations Director
Education
BBA Computer Science from Hardin-Simmons University
Campaign Phone
214-253-9719
17 years
Yes, I have three students in RISD currently. The are in 11th, 7th, and the SPED classroom in 1st grade.
As my roles as a parent, ambassador, or committee member, over the last year, I have watched or attended over half the meetings.
As your trustee, I would commit to serving 20 hours a week, helping our schools and our students.
I have been serving on RISD committees for over 10 years in RISD. In the last three years, I have been a member of:
- RISD Ambassadors
- Budget Steering Committee
- Strategic Planning Committee
- Technology Advisory Committee
- Bond Steering Committee
I have only run for the RISD school board, and feel that our local schools are the place where I can do the most good for our community. In our local community, I have served at our local church for over 17 years. Within my service across the country, I serve as the Chair of the Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence's AI committee, as well as a member of NIST's Organization of Scientific Area Committees Video Subcommittee.
In the past 6 years, RISD enrollment has declined 12%, achievement has seen little to no improvement, and spending has climbed over 25%. Right now, our district is drifting toward the average, while our students and teachers deserve excellence.
We can fix each of these, but we first need to define them and create long-term plans to turn them around. I’m running to prioritize student achievement, restore fiscal discipline, and refocus our resources on the classroom. Let’s stop settling for "good enough" and ensure RISD remains a top-tier destination for families.
ESA legislation doesn’t change our mission: providing a world-class education for every student. As a dad with three kids in RISD, I see the value of our focused programs (e.g., Magnets, Advanced, and Special Ed) firsthand.
Our best response to vouchers is to ensure RISD remains the first and best choice for all families by sharpening our foundational courses and driving student growth. While I believe any school receiving public funds should meet the same rigorous accreditation and testing standards we do, our focus must remain on being so excellent that families become ambassadors.
Trustees should ensure all materials are age-appropriate and maintain viewpoint neutrality. We have committees for these reviews already, and I believe a trustee’s role is to champion transparency in that process.
I have a track record here. When iPads arrived in 2016, I worked with my school and the district to develop better security and content monitoring. My goal is to ensure every resource in our classrooms aligns with our community’s high standards. I believe we should respect professional expertise and ensure our community has a clear seat at the table.
To close gaps, we must raise the floor without lowering the ceiling. Since 2019, our 3rd-grade reading scores have stalled, and math scores have declined nearly 10 points. While testing isn't everything, it is a vital health check for our progress.
As your trustee, I will advocate for proven strategies over trendy new programs. We should look to success stories like Mississippi, which surged from 49th to 9th in reading by focusing on the Science of Reading. By scaling what works to our most vulnerable campuses, we ensure every student is challenged and supported.
As your trustee, I would focus on 3 things: classroom achievement, future readiness, and building with the end in mind. First, ensure every dollar directly supports academic growth. Second, prioritize College, Career, and Military readiness to give every graduate a head start in life.
Finally, we need a 50-year infrastructure strategy, so assets outlast their debt. It is disheartening to see 2021 bond projects already being replaced by projects in the 2025 bond. By working with our community on a long-term plan, we can build a stable, high-quality future for RISD.
Closing a neighborhood school should be the absolute last resort. Having served on the Budget Steering Committee, I saw that administrative costs account for roughly 20% of our budget, roughly $100 million all told. We must act on other recommendations to find savings and sell underused properties before disrupting our families.
Schools are the heart of our community and the primary reason we have a district. If more adjustments are needed, I'd scale back overhead first, ensuring our resources stay with the students/schools where they belong.
We should provide a comprehensive view of history that celebrates our nation’s progress toward the ideal that "all [people] are created equal". History shows us that while no person is perfect, our journey to form a "more perfect union" is a vital story to tell honestly, without projecting today's standards onto the past.
By following the TEKS and state guidance, we can ensure lessons are age-appropriate and build logically as students grow. For example, the foundations laid in elementary should prepare students for the deeper complexities they will navigate in middle and high schools.
The move to a middle school model is really about expanding elementary capacity for a new class, namely Pre-K. In fact, our enrollment has declined from when it was decided we would make the transition pre-COVID. Today, finishing the transition to middle school is our best move for stability and consistency.
It ends the "split" system, where some students may end up moving schools twice if they wish to attend a magnet program at another school. By aligning our grades, we also stop unnecessary elementary expansions and create a consistent, high-quality curriculum for our middle-grade students.
To attract the best staff to Richardson, I want RISD to be the best place to work. Already, we’ve stayed ahead of state updates on pay recently, but I know it takes more than a paycheck to keep a great teacher. We have to show them a real path to grow their careers right here.
As a dad with kids in our special education programs, I also see how much we rely on our aides and therapists. I’ll make sure we don't just market to find new teachers, but that we support every staff member. If our educators feel valued, families will naturally want to be part of what we’re building.
Student safety is a moving target, so there are always ways to improve. Having lived in NY post-9/11, I’m a firm believer that our strongest defense is a community that looks out for one another (so many If You See Something, Say Something signs).
As a former Plano Police Department employee, I also want to move beyond just infrastructure and strengthen our partnership with local law enforcement. I’d lean on experts to find practical ways to protect our kids from both external threats and work with our communities to stem violence and bullying inside our schools.
I would love to dig deeper into the updated Code of Conduct changes. I believe that as a district, we must balance a teacher's right to a safe classroom with a student’s right to an education. While I support empowering teachers to handle disruption, we must be careful with long-term exclusions.
As your trustee, I want to ensure the policy is consistent with the state requirements, protects teachers' care of their classrooms, and creates an environment for students to learn, while providing help, encouragement, and a pathway back for students who are disciplined.
A great education is a partnership. Most schools already do a good job of keeping parents in the loop, but conflict can arise when there’s a lack of transparency or ethical concerns. For example, when my student was in 4th grade, a teacher suggested The Hunger Games. I didn't feel they were ready for a story about kids killing kids yet. By 8th grade, they were ready, and we processed it together. I believe the board’s role is to build that trust by ensuring materials are age-appropriate. As your trustee, I’ll work to ensure we respect both the teacher’s expertise and the parent’s experience.
A love of reading is a gift that gives students an edge for the rest of their lives. I'd support the Science of Reading because it’s based on proven, phonics-based methods. We’ve seen this work in states like Mississippi, which went from 49th to 9th in the nation in just a few years. At a time when even Ivy League schools are seeing literacy gaps, we must lean into these proven methods to ensure our kids can both decode words and truly comprehend what they read. As your trustee, I’ll prioritize raising our expectations and our scores, giving every RISD student a solid foundation.
