Marisa B. Perez-Diaz (D) P.O. Box 1025 Converse, TX 78109 (210) 294-6140 marisa.perez@tea.texas.gov

Board Term: Jan. 1, 2023 - Jan. 1, 2025

Marisa B. Pérez-Díaz, the District 3 State Board of Education member, was elected to the Board of Education in November 2012 and took office on Jan. 1, 2013. She is the youngest Latina, nationally, to have ever been elected to serve on a State Board of Education and is now serving her fourth term on the board having been re-elected in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Perez-Diaz served on the Committee on Instruction from January 2013 to December 2016. Since January 2017, she has served as vice chair of the Committee on School Initiatives. She now serves as vice chair of the Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund which oversees the Permanent School Fund, the nation's largest education endowment. The committee also oversees policies for some funding and auditing functions.

During her time on the Board, Pérez-Díaz has been instrumental in the redevelopment of high school graduation requirements, the update and approval of the Long-Range Plan for Texas Public Education and the rebranding of the Permanent School Fund. Additionally, she has been a leading voice in the fight to approve and implement Mexican American Studies and African American Studies courses for high school credit in Texas.

Pérez-Díaz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with a minor in psychology, from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Perez-Diaz's cohort's research on the impact of a social justice-oriented principal training program called the Urban School Leaders Collaborative on the transformation of prospective K-12 administrators was presented at the University Council for Educational Administration's 2016 Convention in Detroit, MI and the American Educational Research Association's 2017 Annual Meeting.  She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from UTSA and is a Graduate Fellow.

Perez-Diaz's passion for child advocacy and public service manifested itself during her tenure with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Her training and certification in child welfare range from child development and advanced risk assessment to planning diversity initiatives and community engagement. Harnessing her expertise and skills, she went on to serve as a district-level administrator in several Texas school districts.

Perez-Diaz serves on several non-profit boards and is an active member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

As the District 3 board member, Perez-Diaz represents the citizens in the following counties:  Bee, Brooks, DeWitt, Duval, Goliad, Gonzales, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Lavaca, Live Oak, McMullen, Starr, Wilson and parts of Bexar and Hidalgo counties.

Perez-Diaz is married to Rafael Diaz, Jr. They are the proud parents of three children, Catalina Yaretzi, Rafael, and Santiago Jadiel.