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Two candidates will face off in the race for Katy ISD board of trustees Position 6 in the upcoming May 4 election.
Candidates were asked to fill out questions and answers from Community Impact. They were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
*Indicates incumbent
Why are you running for this trustee position?
Student success! With all the struggles facing public education, it is vital to have experience and institutional knowledge to guide the future of Katy ISD and its well-known exemplary reputation as a leading school district in Texas. Championing students, partnering with parents, and valuing teachers and caring for the community …
What are your top qualifications for the trustee position?
Servant leadership, trust, excellence, kindness and wisdom. I have been a part of guiding the exemplary success of Katy ISD as it rapidly grew from 40,000 to 95,000 students and 13,000 employees. Success isn’t an accident, it is the outcome of vision, planning, careful execution and evaluation.
What are the biggest challenges facing the district, and how would you address them if elected?
More opportunities for college and career students, by constantly evaluating the needs of businesses and future job needs. In a time when teachers are leaving the profession, we must improve their workload and show them the respect they deserve. Find a solution to discipline problems in classrooms because all children …
Why should voters support your candidacy for the position?
I bring trusted experience, wisdom and proven leadership. The majority of the board is new. The largest employer in Katy, fifth-largest district in Texas, should not be handed over to six of seven members with little to no experience. The answer to inexperience is not more inexperience.
Why are you running for this trustee position?
Two of my children attend Taylor High School, giving me unique insight into the district’s policies and curricula results. I believe passionately in civic service, parents of students are well-suited to serve in board roles, as those parents have a high stake in the outcomes of board policy.
What are your top qualifications for the trustee position?
I have national and local civic experience, serving five years in the USMC and seven years as co-founder and board chairman of the nonprofit NextOp. I am an experienced business leader and technology entrepreneur currently serving as CEO of Medbridge, one of the nation’s largest providers of physical therapy software.
What are the biggest challenges facing the district, and how would you address them if elected?
The biggest challenges facing the district are teacher retention and fiscal accountability. I would address them by ensuring that teachers are supported by board-level policies that reinforce discipline in the classrooms and by forcing the administration to make spending tradeoffs to stay within budget.
Why should voters support your candidacy for the position?
Voters should support me because I am the father of children in the district; because I have a history of nonpartisan service as a USMC veteran, a veteran’s nonprofit founder, and a former foster parent; and because I am an experienced businessman who’s comfortable holding administration accountable to budgets.
