Since its founding, the Texas Charter Schools Association (TCSA) has sought out independent directors with a passion for education and a desire to improve the lives of Texas students to serve on the TCSA Board of Directors.

For four years, Secretary Rod Paige has served as our Chairman, and we are forever grateful for his time and dedication to the mission of TCSA and his tireless efforts on behalf of Texas public charter school students. As his responsibilities have increased in his new role as Jackson State University's Interim President, Secretary Paige has stepped down as Chairman of the Board. TCSA and the students of Texas have benefited from his leadership and commitment to provide Texas families a choice in public education to best meet the needs of their children.

I am thrilled to announce that the TCSA Board of Directors has elected Tom Castro to serve as Chairman and as a community and business representative on the TCSA Board of Directors. Tom is an experienced businessman having run a media company, oilfield service company, and managed private equity. He has worked on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. but equally important, Tom has devoted countless hours to organizations educating America's children, and serves on the Board of Yes Prep Public Schools in Houston, the National Board of Teach for America, and Spellman College in Atlanta. He has formerly served as a board member for the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., the National Council of La Raza in Washington, D.C., and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago. Tom resides in Houston with his wife, Jacqueline, a native of Bogotá, Columbia, and their two teenage children.

Tom has the experience and heart to help TCSA continue its momentum as we navigate our next chapter. We are thrilled to have Tom as part of TCSA and look forward to his leadership as our new chair.