Board of Trustees

  • Uplift Education has a board of appointed community leaders and volunteers that help guide the direction and future of the network as a whole.

    Board meetings are open to the public.  Click any of the Quick Links for more information.

    Community Forum Rules and Procedures:

    • Speakers will have three (3) minutes speak.
    • Only those persons who registered to speak per the rules on the posted agenda may address the Board.
    • Speakers will be called in the order they registered to speak.
    • Only the person who registered to speak, may address the Board. There will be no substitution of speakers.
    • Groups consisting of two or more persons shall appoint on person to address the Board.
    • The Community Forum is not a Q&A session with the Board; rather, speakers will have three (3) minutes to provide commentary to the Board.

    The Board appreciates respectful, courteous, and professional behavior from speakers and other attendees.  It is a violation of law to breach the peace during Uplift Education board meetings.   Attendees breaching the peace will be warned, asked to leave the meeting or district property, or cited or arrested by police, as well as prohibited, at the discretion of the Uplift Board or Uplift Administration, from attending future Uplift Board meetings.

Board of Directors 2024-25

  • Dr. Lael Melville*

    Chairman of the Board

    CEO, Melville Family Foundation

    John McPherson*

    Vice-Chairman of the Board

    President, Opportunity 2040 Fund

    Marcia Aaron

    Partner, Charter School Growth Fund

    Delina Barbosa

    Parent Board Member

    John Beckert*

    At-Large Member of the Executive Committee

    Operating Partner, Highlander Partners, LP

    Dr. Michielle Benson

    Executive Director, The Arts for Minority Youth

    Melonee Berry 

    Parent Board Member

    Justin Betzen

    Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

    Tony Caesar

    SVP IT & CIO, Cradlepoint

    Simon Chen*

    Chair - Audit Committee

    Controller, Varsity Brands

    Cullum Clark*

    Former Chairman of the Board

    Director of the Bush Institute, Economic Policy Initiative

    Berenice Contreras

    Parent Board Member

    Adam Cox

    Partner, Bain & Company

    Pilar Davies*

    Co-Chair - School Engagement Committee

    Community Volunteer

    Tony Dona

    Former Chairman of the Board

    Executive Director, Greystar-Thackeray

    Scott Ewing

    Chief Legal Officer, Trinity Industries

    Ricky Garcia*

    Chair, Development Committee

    Community Advocate

    Mandy Ginsberg

    Operating Partner, Advent International

    Rose Hawkins

    Parent Board Member

    Rusty Jaggers*

    Chair-Governance Committee

    Community Volunteer

    Cameron Johnson*

    Chair- Real Estate Committee

    CEO, Nickson

    Sam Kang

    President, Schwab Charitable

    Hanna Kim

    Vice President FP&A, McKesson Corporation

    Laura Martinez

    Enterprise Growth & Development Manager, Toyota Corporation

    Melissa McNeil

    Former Board Chair

    Harold Montgomery*

    Chair, Finance & Strategic Planning Committee

    Managing Partner, T9 Fund, LP

    Yanela Montoya

    Director of Education, Southern Dallas Thrives, United Way Dallas

    Todd Rapp

    CEO, Fortress Multi-Manager Group

    Giovanny Sanchez

    Account Executive, Perry Weather

    James Stanton*

    Chair- Advocacy Committee

    Partner, Stanton LLP

    Tracy Syler-Jones*

    Chair, Uplift Fort Worth Advisory Board

    Community Volunteer

    Ed Tauriac

    Senior Strategic Advisory, FTI Consulting

    Christine VanDeVelde*

    Co-Chair, School Engagement Committee

    Author, Journalist and Speaker

    Peter Zwick

    Partner, Jones Day

     

    *denotes voting member of the Executive Committee