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Students.  We must design the higher education environment for the way students learn today.  I will champion innovative and flexible learning environments that maximize choices  to meet the students where they are, rather than where we have wished them to be. 

Careers of the Future.  Dallas College must make sure that every educational pathway (pre-K12 and 4-year college) is aligned with a career in the workplace.  That alignment must include graduating and/or certifying that students have the knowledge and skills that current and future employers are seeking or will be seeking.  I have helped drive the alignment work between Dallas College and Dallas ISD for both our associate degree pathways and our career institute pathways.  We must strengthen and deepen those connection, pathways and processes to make sure every student has a seamless transition between the pre-K-12 space and Dallas College, and when applicable, from Dallas College to a 4-year degree granting institution.

Workforce Preparedness.  Workforce preparedness and producing well-rounded citizens is not a binary choice.  Dallas College can graduate or certify students ready for the work force and produce well-rounded citizens.  We have been able to teach both by embedding into the curriculum those attributes that we want from all of our students.  I believe in the power of the “and”, meaning  we can educate a capable future workforce and foster engaged citizens that contribute to our communities.

Accountability for Student Outcomes.  As a co-author of the accountability metrics that have helped drive a significant increase in student achievement in Dallas ISD, including our board goals and alignment of the evaluation of top leadership with those goals, Dallas ISD has transformed the student experience will also maintaining strict financial accountability. 

Employees. We must make Dallas College one of the best places to work in Dallas, as such, employee engagement must be a top focus.   We must highlight, empower, champion, and reward the many contributions of the faculty and staff. 

Financial Accountability.  Financial accountability is also an area in which I have vast experience as both business chair and audit chair for multiple years in Dallas ISD. Given the ongoing bond work in Dallas College it is important to have the business experience and oversight experience to make sure that the taxpayer’s money is paramount.  Finally, a deep understanding of leveraging philanthropic dollars with public funds will be a way to address significant challenges for Dallas College students.  Again, my experience with the restart of the Dallas Education Foundation in Dallas ISD provides experience in this critical new area. 

Innovation.  My career as a biotechnology patent attorney revolves around innovation every single day.  I have been a leader in, and drove the alignment of, the educational pathways between Dallas ISD and Dallas College under both our early college high school (P-TECH) and Career Institutes.  I advocated for the rapid expansion of early college high schools at all Dallas ISD schools to make sure that students in every quadrant of the district were able to maximize education attainment.  I have also helped drive the expansion of school choice within the school district, especially neighborhood schools, to provide multiple career pathways that align to the jobs of the future.  I was also the designer and driving force behind Dallas ISD’s Career Institutes, which are designed to bring careers that do not require 4-year college to the forefront, with direct connections through Dallas College to the workforce.

Bond Construction. We need strict accountability for the finances of the district, including the 1 billion in bond construction.  At Dallas ISD, our last 3 bonds have been completed on-time and under-budget, while providing work of the highest quality for our students.  In addition, we ran surplus budgets in Dallas ISD by having great oversight and systems that would identify any fraud and abuse.  Our taxpayers, community, and students deserve affordable educational services of the highest quality.