ABOUT ME

I am a passionate community builder and service-minded leader who enjoys working alongside others to creatively solve problems and make a positive impact.

I am also the proud mother of three Eanes-educated children. Zach, a design engineer now working in the Boston area, Leah Anderson, a senior studying engineering and sustainability at the University of Washington Seattle, and Brett Anderson, a freshman studying engineering and chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne.

I am so grateful for the strong foundation that Eanes ISD and the Westlake community provided for my children. I want to ensure that EISD continues to innovate and adapt so that it remains a destination district for ALL learners for generations to come.

Community Involvement Highlights

I have over 20 years of serving the Eanes community in a variety of roles. This has afforded me a broad perspective and insight into the needs of ALL our children and our teachers. I continue to expand my community connections so that I can best understand the ever evolving experiences of students and families across the district.

Elected to the Eanes ISD Board of Trustees in May 2023*
Founding Member, Eanes Finance and Personnel Subcommittee*
Member, Eanes Legislative Committee*
Member and organizer, Raise Your Hand Texas Community Leaders Fellowship Training*
Member, EISD Long Range Facilities Planning Committee
Member, Westlake Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian Committee
Community Advocate, Challenge Success - Advocated for smart, nuanced changes to the GPA weighting system that rewards effort while encouraging exploration of interests outside of traditional curriculum.
Representative, EISD Student Safety and Health Advisory Committee (SSHAC)
Member, EISD SSHAC Mental Health Subcommittee
Past-President, Rotary Club of Austin Westlake
Service Chair, Rotary Club of Austin Westlake*
Treasurer-elect, Rotary Club of Austin Westlake*
VP Communications & Founding Member, Young Men’s Service League Westlake Chaper (YMSL)
Non-Profit Liaison, Young Men’s Service League Westlake Chapter
Member, WHS and WRMS Campus Leadership Teams
Mentor, FLL Robotics
Westlake Robotics "Travel Agent"
Mentor, Destination Imagination
Invited Participant, Westlake Community Leadership Forum
Past-President, Rob Roy on the Creek Home Owners Association
Event Lead and Student Mentor, American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Westlake
Co-founder, Community to Community - grassroots non-profit effort to assist families at Austin Title 1 Middle School*

* Indicates current position

My Story

Resume

Story

Born and raised in Maryland, I made my way to Texas as quickly as possible after a four year detour in chilly Boston to study Chemical Engineering at MIT. Eager for more sun and an adventure west, I moved to Texas to complete a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at University of Texas at Austin.

Fortunately, a dream job opportunity at a medical device company allowed me to stay in Austin. This experience fostered an interest in business strategy and led me to ultimately relocate to California to complete an MBA at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford. My husband, Paul Anderson (from whom I am now amicably divorced), and I welcomed our first child, Zach, during my first year at Stanford and our second child, Leah, not long after my graduation.

Driven by our love of Austin and our desire to raise our children in an excellent public school system, we repatriated back to the great state of Texas as quickly as possible. Quite simply, Eanes ISD was the only district we considered when searching for a home. Brett, our third child, completed our family with his arrival a couple of years later. Our children have thrived in the Eanes school system, and I am extremely grateful to have been a part of this community for over 20 years now.

During this time, I have made the personal decision to direct my attention full-time to my family and volunteer work in the community. In addition to serving in countless roles in Eanes at both the school and district level (some more glamorous than others…I might still smell like FTE popcorn), I have worn many hats outside of our school system including Girl Scout troop leader, non-profit liaison with the Young Men’s Service League, chair of the Westlake Relay For Life (an American Cancer Society community event and fundraiser), and numerous leadership roles in the Westlake Rotary Club, including President and Service Chair. I also focus on addressing needs outside of Westlake, working with several other friends and community members to organize assistance for families in need in a Title 1 school community in Austin, most notably with our Holiday Helper program.

Driven by my ever-growing interest in public service, in 2020, I decided to return to school once more, matriculating at the UT LBJ School to study public policy. I whole-heartedly subscribed to the mantra “use it or lose it!”.

With my degree fresh off the press in December 2022, I launched my campaign for a place on the EISD Board of Trustees, a position I had contemplated for several years. Now, I ask for your vote once again. I have devoted countless hours serving as a trustee, learning about the challenges and opportunities facing Eanes. I am eager to continue on and use that knowledge and the relationships I have developed to help position Eanes for ongoing success in a challenging educational landscape.

I balance my community work with a passion for travel, particularly by car. I have logged many thousands of miles over the past several decades traveling across the US with my family. A five-week RV trip from Austin to Alaska holds the record as my longest excursion to date.

I am also a longtime runner and recreational fisherman and simply love being outdoors in general. I recently have learned the benefits of "chainsaw therapy", enjoy DIY projects around my house and garden, and can often be found strolling my neighborhood with my two dogs, a very large and stubborn Great Pyrenees named Clara Bell and an extremely loyal and loving cattle dog named Harry.

I truly enjoy meeting people and learning about their Eanes experiences and hopes for the future. Please reach out to me at diane4eanes@gmail.com if you would like to chat over coffee, kombucha, or even a glass of wine or beer. Heck, a “dry” chat at the library also works!

Better yet, use my new "Ask Diane" tool to connect with me!