Kwabena Mensah was appointed as the district’s chief of schools and then subsequently approved by the district’s board of trustees following a closed meeting Jan. 10.
Mensah currently serves as the assistant superintendent supporting elementary schools at FBISD, according to a Jan. 10 announcement from the district. He has also served as a campus administrator at all levels in FBISD as well as Austin ISD, Aldine ISD, Spring ISD and Katy ISD.
The new appointment comes after the previous chief of schools, Joe Rodriguez, left the district in May 2021 to become superintendent of Fredericksburg ISD, the school district said in an email to Community Impact Newspaper.
"I'm honored and excited about continuing to work alongside brilliant and dedicated school leaders as we cultivate equitable learning environments for all 78,000-plus students in Fort Bend ISD," Mensah said in the announcement.
Mensah earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in kinesiology from Rice University, a master's in education from the University of Texas and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Houston.
“Dr. Mensah has done a tremendous job dutifully serving our district for several years,” FBISD Superintendent Christie Whitbeck said in the announcement. “When it came time to select the best candidate, the most qualified person was right down the hall. I am confident he will continue to do great work in support of the children and staff of Fort Bend ISD.”
Mensah begins his new position immediately with a starting salary between $161,482 and $234,791 per year.