Email: Place5@coppellisd.com

Degrees and Certifications: BBA Finance, Texas A&M-Commerce

Began Serving on School Board: May 2017 (Re-elected in 2020 and 2023)
Up for Re-Election: May 2026

Occupation/Place of Employment: Certified Financial Planner  Caviness Wealth Management, LLC

What Factors Most Strongly Influenced your Decision to Run for the School Board?
As a long-term Coppell resident, father of 3 CISD students and husband of an Educator, I believe I bring a unique perspective and vested interest in seeing that CISD continues to deliver on its commitment to provide a great education for many years to come.

What are your 1-5 year goals for the students in CISD?
Continue to improve communication within the community. Plan for student growth in a fiscally responsible manner. Work towards achieving the goals set forth by the community through our strategic design efforts.

Is there valuable insight and some information you feel a prospective school board candidate should know BEFORE they seek election?
Anyone seeking to serve in a school board capacity should educate themselves on the district and to better understand the “why” behind decisions, policies and practices. Most importantly, they should be involved.

What have you learned about being an elected public official that has helped you successfully perform your duties for the children and citizens for the district?
The most important things I have learned are to ask questions, respect the staff and teachers, and never lose focus on our primary mission to provide a top notch education to our kids.

Email: Place6@coppellisd.com

Degrees and Certifications: BBA from University of Nebraska – Lincoln; MBA from Southern Methodist University

Began Serving on School Board: May 2018  (Re-elected in 2021 and 2024)
Up for Re-Election: May 2027

Occupation/Place of Employment: CEO, Prio Consulting, LLC & Nichole Bentley Coaching

What Factors Most Strongly Influenced your Decision to Run for the School Board?
My four children had a wide array of experiences, activities and interests as students. That developed in me a passion for serving all CISD students and ensuring they have equitable opportunities that serve them where they are in their educational journey. I care about CISD enhancing what we do well and improving in the areas where we could do better as our district evolves.

What are your 1-5 year goals for the students in CISD?
My goals are to provide opportunities for all students to forge strong relationships that nurture their exploration of their passions – whether they are college bound or have other post-graduate plans. It is essential that our students develop tenacity, resourcefulness and character. I desire our students to feel safe, challenged and ready for life after graduation within an environment where each student experiences a year's worth of learning and growth each school year.

Is there valuable insight and some information you feel a prospective school board candidate should know BEFORE they seek election?
Prospective school board candidates should be aware of the time commitment required to serve and how much more involved that is than campaigning. It is beneficial to have served on CISD committees, volunteered on campus and to understand that school board trustees are responsible for equally serving all students and interests, even when it may conflict with what is best for your own child. It is helpful to understand what is included and excluded in a school board trustee's responsibilities and purview. 

Email: Place7@coppellisd.com

Degrees and Certifications: Bachelor’s in Management Information Systems; Juris Doctorate both from the University of Oklahoma

Began Serving on School Board: November 2022 (Re-Elected in 2023 and 2024)
Up for Re-Election: May 2027

Occupation/Place of Employment: Principal Corporate Counsel/ Microsoft Corporation

What Factors Most Strongly Influenced your Decision to Run for the School Board?
There are two main factors: First, I was inspired by supporting my wife’s 20 year career as a public school educator. Helping her get her classroom ready every summer, meeting her students, and hearing the challenges she and her fellow teachers have faced and will experience was a huge motivator. Secondly, given my experience as an active volunteer in this community and as a legal professional, I wanted to continue to serve CISD in this capacity by being a part of the district’s future, continuing its great tradition of high quality public education, and helping the district grow to new heights.

Email: Place1@coppellisd.com

Degrees and Certifications: Coppell High School, '91; Texas A&M (B.A.), '95; Master Reading Teacher Certification

Began Serving on School Board: May 2016 (Re-elected in 2019 and 2022)
Up for Re-Election: May 2025

Occupation/Place of Employment: Former teacher (Dallas Public Schools: 3rd grade teacher and then PK-6 Literacy Specialist)/stay at home mom

Family: Husband - Ray Walker; Children - Jackson (2020 CHS Graduate), Elizabeth Grace (2023 CHS Graduate), Hogan (8th Grader at CMS East)

What Factors Most Strongly Influenced your Decision to Run for the School Board?
I grew up in Coppell, and I'm a proud product of Coppell ISD schools. Now my kids are a part of Coppell ISD too. I'm also a former educator, so education is both my passion and my past profession. All of these reasons influenced my decision to run for the school board

What are your 1-5 year goals for the students in CISD?
Improving the student experience by focusing on Coppell ISD’s Core Values and Mission Statement:  Working together, we are committed to creating profound learning experiences for each child, while nurturing meaningful relationships, to positively impact our world.

Is there valuable insight and some information you feel a prospective school board candidate should know BEFORE they seek election?
I would say this: it takes more time than you think, and it is worth every minute. To prepare, I would encourage you to get involved in the PTOs, take the iLead class, and attend board meetings.

Email: Place2@coppellisd.com

Degrees and Certifications: B.Tech. in Civil Engineering, N.I.T. Kurukshetra India; Masters in Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky; MBA from Southern Methodist University COX School of Business

Began Serving on School Board: May 2018 (Re-Elected in 2019 and 2022)
Up for Re-Election: May 2025

Occupation/Place of Employment: Software Consultant and Real Estate Investor

Family: Renu (Senior IT Manager at Verizon); Children - Daughter Smiran (2019 CHS Graduate), Son Sharan (2022 CHS Graduate)

What Factors Most Strongly Influenced your Decision to Run for the School Board?
I believe that my background of owning Software consulting and commercial real estate companies along with Civil Engineering and MBA trainings give me unique perspective and skills to tackle challenges and optimize opportunities for CISD while serving our community in purposeful manner.

What are your 1-5 year goals for the students in CISD?
Make sure we do boundary realignment in best possible manner with community input. Once we complete our Strategic Design we need to make sure we successfully implement every aspect of it in coming years.

Is there valuable insight and some information you feel a prospective school board candidate should know BEFORE they seek election?
This volunteering opportunity is about serving CISD staff and CISD community at large. Candidate should take time to educate themselves in all the various responsibilities involved what they bring to the table and if they can help improve our CISD in all possible ways.

Email: Place3@coppellisd.com

Degrees and Certifications: Wittenberg University, BA Accounting; Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University), MBA Finance; University of Dallas, Graduate School of Management, Certificate E-Commerce Management

Began Serving on School Board: May 2007 (Re-elected in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022)
Up for Re-Election: May 2025

Occupation/Place of Employment: Financial Analyst; In the past he also worked as a Consultant/Newbold Advisory, Consultant/Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting Group and Financial Analyst (Software, Hardware and Capital Planning) & Information Technology Security / IBM

Family: Wife - Jo Ann, IBM Business Development Leader; Children - Son Caleb (NTH@C Graduate)

What Factors Most Strongly Influenced your Decision to Run for the School Board?
The talent and growth potential of the young people in the district was a very strong influence. Another key influence was the level of support given by the parents and community for public education. A third factor was the commitment and quality of the district staff (teachers, administrators, superintendent, and support staff). Lastly, the existing challenges facing public education that present a great opportunity to drive creative solutions for student achievement and staff development.

What are your 1-5 year goals for the students in CISD?

• Ensure the Strategic Design is implemented and assessed to ensure the current and future needs of students are being met, and supporting the campuses on their Campus Improvement Plans.

• Expand educational channels for students across elementary, middle school and high school such as blended learning, flipped classrooms; increase the number of educational organizations, and enhance business partner relationships to grow knowledge of career technical education pathways.

• Leverage the cultural diversity of the student population within the district

Is there valuable insight and some information you feel a prospective school board candidate should know BEFORE they seek election?

• You will need to spend a lot of time learning about your responsibilities as a trustee by doing research on the topics you will be required to make decisions on, preparing for meetings by reading any documentation provided by staff, and attending meetings (regular and special board meetings, special committee assignments, district events, campus events, regional and state activities…).

• You will have to be open to understanding all aspects of how a school district operates and how the laws at the federal and state level affect your options.

What have you learned about being an elected public official that has helped you successfully perform your duties for the children and citizens for the district?
It is very important to regularly review the reasons why I ran initially and afterwards, understand the current educational environment within and external to the local community and assess how well I am working toward those changing objectives.

Email: Place4@coppellisd.com

Degrees and Certifications: BS-Electronics & communication from Bhavnagar University, India; Montessori Teachers Certification from Collin County Community College, Plano, TX; MA in Educational Leadership from Sarasota University, Florida

Began Serving on School Board: May 2023
Up for Re-Election: May 2026

Occupation/Place of Employment: Former educator at A Child’s Garden Montessori School; Current student at Sarasota University; Stay at home Mom

What Factors Most Strongly Influenced Your Decision to Run for the School Board?
My passion for high-quality public education. My experience in education and working with children and families give me a unique perspective to better understand the system and its challenges. Coppell ISD community has been our village, our home away from home. It is my honor to serve on the school board and to give back to our community.

"I ❤️ CISD because of its commitment to high-quality education through innovative teaching methods and strong relationships with all stakeholders, fostered by numerous engagement opportunities."