WHY I'M RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION
I care deeply about the Eanes-Westlake community. Over 20 years ago, I chose to move here and put down roots so that I could raise my children in one of the best school districts in the nation. We could have moved anywhere, but we chose Eanes. For the last 3 years, as a school board trustee, I have had the opportunity to study our district and public education with a unique lens. I have asked A LOT of questions and developed many relationships - both within our district and across the state of Texas, with other parents, trustees, education experts, and staffers and legislators under the pink dome.
I am ready and eager to continue in this role. With new leadership at the helm, the future of Eanes excites me, but we must navigate these waters wisely. To be sure, we face challenges, but I know that if we all work together, and chart a vision together, Eanes will remain a leader in public education and a community with a rich legacy of success.
HOW I THINK:
In my career and volunteer work, I have been recognized by many as an open-minded individual who highly values stakeholder input in the decision-making process. I strive to make informed decisions in every situation. As a trustee, that means listening to a variety of voices within the community to hear different perspectives and ideas for possible solutions. I am known for sitting down with anyone - I welcome the opportunity to have difficult conversations. Again and again, I am reminded that Westlake is a diverse community with varying needs and priorities across neighborhoods, schools, and even within households and families.
While I have acquired a considerable depth and breadth of knowledge about Eanes and Westlake over the years, I recognized that our challenges have evolved and there is always more to learn. I remain committed to learning from all voices in the community to understand the various perspectives on how we can as a district provide the best education possible for our children. I also recognize that often compromise is needed in order to move us forward.
The challenges that our district faces are complex with many variables involved. While my background in science and engineering lends itself to an evidence-based mindset and a desire to focus on outcomes and metrics, I understand that numbers very often do NOT tell the whole story, particularly in education. We must look to qualitative methods and more nuanced analysis to fully understand the questions before us and provide better insight into the data.
I want to continue to bring this data-driven yet humanistic approach and rigor to the Eanes ISD School board. The more we can make decisions supported by data, reason, and community input, the more successfully we can address the challenges ahead.
MY PRIORITIES:
SUPPORTING
TEACHERS
Teacher quality is widely recognized as the most important variable in a student’s educational success. As such, we must continue to advocate for policies that increase teacher salaries and create a culture that makes them want to return to Eanes each fall. Heck, we want them excited to walk in the door and inspire learners every single day!
One cost-effective way to do just this is to simply ask for their opinions. To make important decisions that impact them AFTER genuinely seeking their input. To help them understand the WHY behind decisions once they are made. I know that we have room for improvement here. I've lived in Eanes for 20 years and have developed relationships with A LOT of teachers. I hear their concerns. I am excited to see our new superintendent jump in and engage in REAL conversations with not just our principals but our teachers and other support staff. Of course, he cannot sit down with every employee, but I know that what he learns will inform changes that will positively impact our district. He himself has been a teacher, a coach, a principal. He gets it.
Thankfully, the Texas legislature has begun to also "get it" and recognize that we have a crisis with teacher recruitment and retention not just in any given district but in the profession overall. In the 89th session of 2025, legislators allocated significant funds to the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA), resulting in roughly 7% raises for many (but not all) Eanes teachers. This was a great step forward; however, we will need to advocate for raises once again in the 90th because these are NOT built into the funding formula - not even a basic COLA (cost of living adjustment).
Another tool for improving teacher pay is through the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA).
Last spring, I voted YES to approve Eanes' entry into the program, which was established by the legislature in 2019 to create a system for merit-based pay. I have always been concerned that teacher pay raises are based solely on tenure and that teacher reviews were woefully inadequate (although there has been some improvement in recent years). Eanes has been concerned since its inception that this program is a culture killer. To be sure, it is not perfect, but the 6 cohorts of districts that preceded us helped expand the program to encompass all teachers and even campus leadership rather than simply core curriculum teachers. The challenge now lies in creating a system specific to Eanes that accurately reflects teacher performance - one that does not overemphasize test scores and that is able to capture student growth in a district where the majority of our students are high achievers. We must work with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to develop a system that accurately identifies who our most valued teachers are. Embedded in the adoption of TIA is a transition to T-TESS, a robust evaluation tool for teachers and administrator. This change comes with apprehension and significant work, but I believe it also comes with significant benefits. Both our teachers - and our students - crave authentic feedback that enables them to grow, and having strong tools and methodologies in place is critical to making sure that happens.
The district must also prioritize ensuring that our mission-driven teachers believe that their hard work is paying off - that their efforts are having a positive impact on their students. Classroom management in an age of shorter attention spans and pervasive digital devices is a different challenge these days. District policies, professional development, and support staff such as counselors and administrators are all tools that improve the classroom learning environment for all. Additionally, Eanes must be as smart as possible when designing planning periods and developing teaching assignments (ie not 3 separate classes preps). Too many of our teachers are working into the night grading assignments and planning lessons rather than enjoying their own families and some well-deserved downtime.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Fiscal responsibility and transparency is of the utmost importance for our district. Since inception of the FIRST rating system, Eanes has been awarded the highest grade possible each year. The district is meticulous in its accounting and has responsibly maintained a strong fund balance over the years. Despite a deficit budget of $3.2 million in FY25, our fund balance ended at 28% of revenue. With the cuts made for FY26, our fund balance will end near 25%. And, if we pass a balanced budget as intended for FY27, we should maintain a 25% fund balance. This are difficult fiscal times in which we are having to make cuts that no one wants to make and we have done so with the fund balance always in mind.
Why are we here?
Eanes, like most other entities, has faced significant inflation (~20%) over recent years. At the same time, public education funding remained stagnant during the 2021 and 2023 legislative sessions. Funding from the most recent session in 2025 saw significant investment in teacher pay (truly something to celebrate!), but insufficient funding to cover increases across other areas (facilities maintenance, utilities, insurance....and Special Education services!)
I definitely am a proponent of getting creative and developing new revenue streams, and I accept that we must continue to look for "efficiencies" while trying to minimize the impact on the student classroom experience. As I mention at the top of this page under "How I Think", spreadsheets and data do not tell the whole story here. They can help us formulate the questions, but they do not provide the full, nuanced answer. When contemplating where to cut staff, only our administrative leadership who are in a position to assess the value added by each employee can make that call. My role as a trustee is to ensure that we have the systems in place to adequately assess where the value is being added.
I know that our new superintendent (who just started in January and who I helped hire!) has been working hard to make his own informed assessment of the budget cuts that were developed by administration and vetted by the Finance and Personnel Subcommittee of the Board last fall. I expect that when the budget is up for a vote in June, it will look a little different than it did in January and it will have his fingerprint on it. (Fun Fact: the Finance and Personnel Subcommittee was formed at my request and additional community members were brought to the table also at my request.)
STUDENT SUPPORT
Student support is grounded in a culture of caring, inclusion, kindness, and perseverance. It includes awareness and broad acceptance of the multitude of characteristics that make us unique. These essential elements for student well-being ultimately translate into greater student success at Eanes and beyond.
EVERY student benefits from a culture of inclusivity. When students feel accepted and we foster a culture that celebrates differences, we have safer schools, lower stress levels, and students who are in a better mindset to learn. Strong evidence exists that connectedness and inclusion provide a long-lasting impact on promoting mental wellbeing.
To best support our students, our schools and families must have a mutual understanding of student needs, resources available, and policies in place. When a student is struggling, it is important for parents and staff to work together as a team and listen to the student voice. We must continue to empower our youth and families with tools and knowledge that support mental wellbeing. Fostering resilience in our youth while they are in the Eanes system helps prepare them for the world beyond.
We always have room for improvement in these areas, and I believe we must keep student support a priority. This priority has spillover effects into another priority - safety - as mentioned in more detail below. As we work to provide a welcoming environment and equal opportunities within the Eanes experience, it is important that we monitor the impact of our efforts and listen to feedback and suggestions from all stakeholders - students, families, and staff. We are fortunate to have the support and dedication of our district CARE Committee and also Eanes For Everyone, whose work focuses on helping us understand and celebrate our differences and creates opportunities for important conversations and growth.
SAFETY
Eanes has worked consistently over many years to make our campuses secure. However, this "job" is never done. It is a priority that demands an attitude of continuous improvement and vigilence.
TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY
Continued focus on doing our best to provide timely, comprehensive, and easily accessible information about what is happening in our classrooms and across our district as a whole is vital to developing trust, building community, and ensuring that Eanes operates as efficiently as possible.
Capturing people's attention in a world with crowded inboxes and constant push notifications is a challenge - especially when those people are busy parents. We must continue to explore how parents want to receive information and use multiple channels to connect with not only Eanes parents but also residents whose children have graduated or have yet to enter Kindergarten. We must make good effort to engage with every taxpayer in our district whether they have children or not. Communication styles and tools are advancing, and being creative and innovative on this front is important. In a time when budgets are constrained, getting the most bang-for-the-buck with our communication dollars is key.
One area that is ripe for improvement is community surveys, historically called "climate surveys." I have been asking about and requesting a new round of climate surveys for years. I have heard pushback from administration voicing concerns such as "survey fatigue" and poor timing. I have been told that every 3 years is frequent enough. No, I strongly disagree. It is not. And our new leadership understands this. I am ecstatic to know that additional community outreach (with students, teachers, and parents) is on the horizon, but I realize that we must get this right. There is an art and a science to surveys. We have resident experts in this field ready to jump in and volunteering to help.
Two other words I have used frequently over the last three years are "metrics" and "dashboard." I learned early on as a trustee that these words can evoke apprehension in some, but we must get better at identifying the metrics that we need to measure our success in reaching our goals. Together, we can design a customized system that provides timely information via dashboards to everyone in our Eanes ecosystem. The technology is available, and it is becoming cheaper by the minute.
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Eanes has long prided itself on being a leader in education, producing countless graduates who have gone out into the world and achieved great success, sometimes quite publicly but more often not. This success is steeped in the values of hard work, perseverance, and innovation that both our schools and our families instill in our youth. It dates all the way back to the pioneers and cedar choppers who established the first public school in Texas because they understood the value of education.
The world is changing at an accelerating pace, and we must not rest on our laurels. We must continue to be innovative and adaptive. Under our new superintendent, we will have opportunities as a community to give input and have conversations around what we believe the "Eanes experience" should be. How can we best prepare our youth for the future ahead? We must revisit and reaffirm (or modify) our belief in the Eanes wheel that outlines the core characteristics of an Eanes graduate.
Over the last 30 years, educational technology has slowly crept its way into our classrooms, with promises of differentiated learning and provision of the skills needed to be successful in the workplace of the future. These tools have also promised to help teachers do their jobs better - to enable students to advance at the pace best for them & engage them with "gamified" incentives. Decades later, as we move full steam into the world of AI, we must stop and ask ourselves, as a community: "What have we gained?" and "What have we lost?" And as we consider how to employ AI in education, we must ask: "What do we stand to gain?" and "What do we stand to lose?" This is strategic decision for our district and must be a part of the community conversation that informs district administration and the Board of Trustees.
As a recognized leader in the provision of special education services, Eanes must continue to strive for the earliest possible identification of neurodivergent learning styles and the subsequent provision of the appropriate accommodations and supports. This is how we achieve the best student outcomes possible. A strong, collaborative partnership between teachers, parents, and administrators is a key element in a student's success.
DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING
Early diagnosis of learning challenges
Pathways for acceleration appropriate to the students abilities
CTE
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Eanes has and will continue to educate leaders of the future. The K-12 experience is ripe with opportunities day in and day out to help our children develop strong leadership. Successful leaders understand how to inspire others and work together for common goals. They are team players. They understand the importance of clear communication and feedback and how to implement those practices. Each and every one one of our students can and should develop these skills. Leadership takes many forms. Even quiet individuals can be leaders in their own way. Leadership is about using your voice and influencing others, and we can prioritize equipping all of our students with tools to help them do that as effectively as possible.
Many experiences within Eanes have offered leadership development for years, particularly within our extracurricular programs where we are fortunate to have many exceptional mentors and coaches. They model day in and day out how to bring out the best in every individual and manage group dynamics.
Eanes has countless examples of graduates who have benefitted from these experiences and gone on to accomplish remarkable feats, some more publicly than others. Our alumni network is an underutilized asset, and I am excited that this is now a focus of Eanes jointly with the Eanes Education Foundation.
Our new superintendent is championing this focus on leadership development for ALL students - and also for staff. At a time where enrollment and staff morale are challenges, I believe this focus will help us attract and retain families and staff who are passionate about making a difference and growing. In a changing world labor economy, this are critical qualities to possess.
LEGISLATIVE
ADVOCACY
Yes, we will sure up our finances in Eanes (and continue to think creatively, looking for more solutions), but we must also state our case as convincingly as possible to the Texas legislature. It would be irresponsible for me as a trustee to not also continue to have conversations with lawmakers to illustrate how unfunded and underfunded mandates have constricted us over time and how they are negatively impacting one of the best public school systems in the nation.
For that reason, I am committed to helping Eanes approach legislative advocacy differently for the 90th Session in 2027. I am one of ten community and staff members (along with our new superintendent, Kirk Koennecke) who are participating in 18 months of training through Raise Your Hand Texas, a non-partisan entity focused on properly funding public education. Our cohort is passionate about educating and empowering our community so that we together can understand and to tell the Eanes story. I am also one of three trustees who comprise the Legislative Committee and work to strengthen our relationships at the Capitol and ensure that Eanes' voice is heard.
Bonds are an important element of budgeting that in recent years have strategically aimed to move expenses from our Maintenance and Operations budget to capital budgeting, freeing up as much money as possible for staff raises within M&O. To accomplish this, our bonds aim not only to keep our aging infrastructure operationally efficient, but they include funding for a wide variety of Eanes’ programs, campus safety, and digital initiatives. I have closely followed the bond advisory process leading to the development of the ~$130 million bond that will be on the May ballot I have talked with parents and administrators to understand the concerns and complexities of financing our district needs through the bond process. Our financial leadership is highly competent, working responsibly to maximize every dollar that comes in the door via the early retirement of debt and the matching of the portfolio of bond debt instruments with the lifespan of the investment. I fully support the spending and see it as an imperative part of funding the work that our district needs to do to educate our children.
Want to learn more about what is in the 3 Bond Propositions on the ballot? Visit www.eanesbonds.com.
BONDS
Bonds are an important element of budgeting that is not subject to recapture by the state. In recent years, Eanes has strategically aimed to move expenses from our Maintenance and Operations budget to capital budgeting, freeing up as much money as possible for staff raises within M&O. To accomplish this, our bonds aim not only to keep our aging infrastructure operationally efficient, but they include funding for a wide variety of Eanes’ programs, campus safety, and digital initiatives. Our financial leadership works responsibly to manage every bond dollar through the early retirement of debt and matching bonds with the lifespan of the investment.
In 2023, our district began a thoughtful and extensive process of Long Range Facilities Planning. Campus teams, which included well over 100 staff, students, and parents, provided input for a district committee (appointed by the Board of Trustees) with 18 members of the Westlake community to develop a vision for future investment in the infrastructure of the district. The committee's report was presented to the board in May 2025 with the expectation that ADDITIONAL community engagement will sought to both communicate the committee's vision and understand what elements of the plan are supported by voters.
Eanes facilities are aging - our youngest building, Bridgepoint Elementary, is 26 years old.
VISIONARY
PLANNING
Education is at a pivotal point. Both funding and pedagogy are changing. Technology and the education freemarket are variables that we must talk about as a community during the strategic planning process We are reaching a critical point where we must seriously consider sizable investments in major capital improvement projects to address aging facilities that are no longer able to adequately serve the various programs that use them. It is imperative that we gather broad stakeholder input so that we can smartly determine where we should invest
navigate the process of the long-term strategic master planning. We are fortunate to have many creative minds with varied expertise in our district to help us develop a vision for the future. It is exciting to ponder the possibilities that lie ahead, but the road to a successful bond must be navigated wisely.