Board Member Information
The State Board for Educator Certification was created by the Texas Legislature in 1995 to recognize public school educators as professionals and grant educators the authority to govern the standards of their profession. The Board oversees all aspects of the preparation, certification and standards of conduct of public school educators.
Governor's Appointments to the State Board for Educator Certification
The Texas Education Code requires that the governor appoint the following 11 voting members of the SBEC board, for six-year terms: four classroom teachers, one counselor, two administrators, and four citizens. Four non-voting members also serve on the board: the governor appoints a dean of a college of education and a person who has experience working for and knowledge of an alternative certification preparation program, the Commissioner of Education appoints a staff member of the Texas Education Agency, and the Commissioner of Higher Education appoints a staff member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Classroom Teachers
Jean Streepey, Board Chair, teaches Business Design and Leadership in the Moody Advanced Professional Studies (MAPS) department at Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas. Jean taught middle school math and STEM for sixteen years and has been honored as a Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. In addition, Jean was recognized as the Region 10 Secondary Teacher of the Year and was a team leader for the U.S. Education Department’s Teach to Lead Innovation Summit. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from Southern Methodist University, a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University in Shreveport, and a Master of Education in Leadership and Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington. Jean holds the Master Math Teacher, Business and Finance, and Principal certifications. Her term expires February 1, 2025.
Josue Tamarez Torres of Forney is a veteran classroom teacher, Dallas ISD Master Teacher, mentor teacher, and Campus Instructional Leadership Team member for the Dallas Independent School District (ISD) where he has worked for over 10 years. Additionally, he has a Master Teacher designation under the Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment. He is a member of the Texas Commission on Virtual Education, a math coach with the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association, former education fellow and professional development facilitator for Teaching Trust, and a former policy fellow for Teach Plus. He has received many teaching awards in the last few years including Dallas ISD and South East Dallas Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year, Campus Teacher of the Year, Maverick Award: Top Scoring Teacher, Hall of Fame: Top Team Award, and STAAR Playmaker Award. He is a former corps member, mentor, and ambassador for Teach for America and a former member of Home Visit Project. Torres received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baruch College. His term expires February 1, 2025.
Bob Brescia, Ed.D. of Odessa is a Teacher of Record for Ector County Independent School District, and an adjunct professor for Wilmington University. He previously served as the Executive Director for The John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute and served as the Head of School for Saint Joseph Academy in Brownsville. He is a board member at Constituting America in Dallas, a member of the Odessa Information & Discussion Group, and an Advisory Board member for Odessa’s Southwest Heritage Credit Union. He is the former chairman of Basin PBS television and the American Red Cross of the Permian Basin and former president of Rotary International – Greater Odessa. He is also a monthly columnist for the American Society for Public Administration in Washington, DC. Brescia has twenty-seven years of military service as a highly decorated Airborne Ranger Cavalry soldier, NCO, and commissioned officer in the United States Army. He received a Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) in Civil Government from Norwich University, a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems and a Master of Arts in International Relations from Boston University – European Division, and a Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership with distinction from The George Washington University. His term expires February 1, 2029.
Bobbie Lynn Weir, NBCT, of Dallas is a former private sector business executive and a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher for Richardson High School. As the Hotel Internship Practicum Coordinator, her visionary educational and entrepreneurial approach led to the creation of a new "Hotel Lobby Area Learning Center" providing Workforce Development opportunities to students. This new Center was recognized by Governor Proclamation as a state-of-the art learning center and the first of its kind in North Texas. Ms. Weir is a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) with a certificate focus of Career and Technical Education in the discipline area of Leisure and Recreation Services. She was the first person to receive this designation in Texas. Ms. Weir is the former board president of the Hospitality Education Association of Texas (HEAT), advisory board member of The Educator Collective, education committee member of the Hotel Association of North Texas (HANTX), Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellow, and a Teach Plus national policy advisory board member. Ms Weir received the Junior Achievement teacher of the year award, Richardson Independent School District (ISD) CTE career connector award, Richardson ISD CTE outstanding educator award, HEAT hospitality teacher of the year award, and the HANTX hotel teacher of the year award. Ms. Weir received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Abilene Christian University. Her term expires February 1, 2027
Counselor
Bena Glasscock, of Adrian is the Child Services Coordinator for Hereford Independent School District and serves as the campus coordinator for the Hereford Center for Accelerated Learning, the alternative high school program. She is a member and former president of the Texas School Counselor Association and a member of the Texas Counseling Association, Texas Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, American School Counselor Association, Lone Star State School Counselor Association, and former campus coordinator for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Ms. Glasscock received a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics, as Master of Education in Counseling from Tarleton Sate University, and a Principal Certification from West Texas A&M University. Her term expires February 1, 2027.
Administrators
Michael D. McFarland, Ed.D. of Crowley has 30 years of experience in public education and is currently the Superintendent of Schools for Crowley Independent School District, where he has served since 2017. Previously, he served as the Superintendent of Schools for Lancaster Independent School District, Assistant Superintendent of Achievement and Pupil Services for Champaign Public Schools in Champaign, Illinois, and Principal for John Tyler High School in Tyler and Foster Middle School in Longview. He is the past President of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, a member and past President of the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators, and a former board member of the Texas Association of School Boards Risk Management Fund. He is a member of the American and Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), Association for Supervision of Curriculum Development, Association of School Business Officials, TASA Future Ready Superintendent Task Force, and the Texas Education Agency Commissioner's Accountability Policy Advisory Committee. Additionally, he is a member of the Baylor University Board of Regents, Crowley Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club, a former member of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Best Southwest Chamber of Commerce, and a former member of Lions Club. McFarland received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor University, a Master of Education from Stephen F. Austin State University, and a Doctor of Education from Baylor University. His term expires February 1, 2027.
Scott Muri, Ed.D., Board Vice-Chair, of Odessa is the Superintendent of Schools for Ector County Independent School District. He previously served as the Superintendent of Schools for Spring Branch Independent School District and as Deputy Superintendent of Academics for Fulton County Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a member of Chiefs for Change, the American Association of School Administrators, the Urban School Administrators Association, the Texas School Alliance Board of Directors, the Ed-Fi Leadership Council, and the Consortium for School Network Superintendents Advisory Council. He is also a member of the Texas Broadband Office Board of Advisors, Odessa Chamber of Commerce, Education Partnership of the Permian Basin, and an executive board member of the Ector County ISD Education Foundation. Additionally, he is a former executive board member of Good Reason Houston, former board member of Junior Achievement of Houston, and former member of the Greater Houston Partnership Education Committee. Muri received a Bachelor of Arts in Intermediate Education and Middle School Education from Wake Forest University, a Master of Public School Administration from Stetson University, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Wingate University. His term expires February 1, 2029.
Citizens
Tommy L. Coleman, Board Secretary, of Beaumont is an Assistant District Attorney for the Jefferson County Criminal District Attorney’s Office and a Special Assistant US Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. He is a former non-commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve and a National Defense Service Medal recipient. He is a member of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association and the State Bar of Texas. Coleman received a Bachelor of Science in political science from Texas Wesleyan University and a Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. His term expires February 1, 2025.
Julia Dvorak of Pflugerville is the founder of Julia Faye Consulting, a public relations consulting firm, Texas outreach director of EdChoice, an account manager for Steinhauser Strategies, and an advisor to other national education organizations. She is a member of the Austin Liberty Leadership Council and former chair of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Austin Steering Committee. Julia received a Bachelor of Science in Political Communication and a certification in Ethics & Leadership in Law, Politics, and Government from The University of Texas at Austin. Her term expires February 1, 2025.
Courtney Boswell MacDonald of Kerrville is a community volunteer. She previously worked on the Senate Education Committee, and served as executive director for Texans for Education Reform, Texas Institute for Education Reform, and Texas Aspires. She is a former math teacher at Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD. MacDonald received a Bachelor of Science in fashion and communications and a secondary education certification from Texas Christian University and a Master of Public Policy in education policy from Vanderbilt University. Her term expires February 1, 2029.
Rex Gore of Austin is President of PJS of Texas and co-founder of CleanScapes. He is a former board member of Building Owners and Managers Association, Real Estate Council of Austin, Austin Chamber of Commerce, and the Boy Scouts of America. He is a regional board member for IDEA Public Schools, member of the Texas Business Leadership Council Education Task Force. He is the co-founder and board member of PelotonU and former chair of TCSA - Charter Schools Now C4 and Regents School of Austin. Mr. Core received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Economics and a Master of Business Administration from Kansas State University. His term expires February 1, 2027.
Dean of College of Education Representative
Alma D. Rodríguez, Ed.D., of Brownsville is the Dean of the College of Education and P-16 Integration and a Professor at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Previously, she was a teacher and an assistant principal for Brownsville ISD. She is a member dean of Deans for Impact and a member of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Texas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and the American Education Research Association. Rodríguez received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Master of Education in English as a Second Language from The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, and a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston. Her term expires February 1, 2029.
The Higher Education Coordinating Board Representative
Emma Gelsinger, Ph.D., currently serves as Senior Director of Academic and Health Affairs at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board where she leads policy implementation projects and supports a variety of strategic initiatives including educator preparation. She has worked in higher education since 2013, grounding her work in advancing equity and increasing access to education through effective policy, planning, and data. Prior to the Coordinating Board, Emma served as Research & Policy Analyst at the University of Texas System Office of Academic Affairs. As part of that role, she led the Educator Preparation Policy Advisory Group, and supported statewide policy efforts to improve educator preparation. She also previously served as Data Consistency & Policy Analyst at the University of Maine System, and as Research & Planning Associate at the University of Southern Maine. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Southern Maine in 2020, focusing on educational policy and leadership.
Alternative Education Preparation Program Representative
Veronica Galvan, Ed.D. is the Vice-President of Academic Relations for Teach Us Texas in Harlingen. She previously taught as a Texas public school teacher and at the university level for the University of Texas System. She holds professional certificates in Early Childhood Education, Bilingual Education, ESL, Elementary Speech, and Elementary Self-Contained Education. Dr. Galvan earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Education from Pan American University and a Doctor of Education for the University of Houston. Her term expires February 7, 2027.
Texas Education Agency Representative
Kelvey Oeser is the Deputy Commissioner of Educator Support at the Texas Education Agency where she helps ensure Texas recruits, supports, and retains effective teachers and principals to serve the 5.5 million public school students in Texas. A graduate of Emory University, Kelvey began her career as a middle school English teacher in East Los Angeles. She holds a Master’s degree in secondary education from Loyola Marymount University and a Master’s degree in public affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Kelvey previously worked at the Texas Education Agency once before, where she launched the Texas STEM Initiative and managed grant programs focused on redesigning high schools serving low income communities. As the national Vice President of Staff Training Design at Teach for America, Kelvey led a team of designers who created leadership and staff development opportunities for 800+ instructional staff members across the country. As a Partner at TNTP, Kelvey led the organization’s work in Texas focused on recruiting, training and supporting great teachers and school leaders. Prior to her current role at TEA, Kelvey was the Chief of Networks at Leading Educators, where she led the strategy and implementation of the organization's programmatic partnerships with school systems across the country focused on reinventing professional development for teachers. Kelvey lives in Austin with her husband, two kids, and two dogs.