Cy-Fair ISD School Board Members
In this article, we’ll be looking at the list as well as the biographies of Cy-Fair ISD school board members.
The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, also known as Cy-Fair ISD, is a public school district located in northwest unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. In 2010, it became the largest recognized school district in Texas, with 75 out of 78 campuses receiving an ‘Exemplary’ or ‘Recognized’ rating from the Texas Education Agency. The district covers a 186 square miles (480 km2) area that includes a portion of Houston, the city of Jersey Village, and other unincorporated areas in Harris County. The district has 92 campuses, including 56 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, 13 high schools, and four special program facilities. Additionally, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD is part of the tax base for the Lone Star College System. The district’s website is www.cfisd.net, and its headquarters are located at 10300 Jones Road, Houston, Texas, 77065-4208.
Cy-Fair ISD Board Members
- Tom Jackson
Tom Jackson is the president of Cy-Fair ISD. Jackson, who has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2011 and was re-elected for a third term in November 2019, Mr. Jackson has been a resident of CFISD for 33 years and currently resides in the Copperfield subdivision. All three of his children attended CFISD schools, with two of them graduating from Langham Creek High School.
Apart from his role as a trustee, Mr. Jackson is also the president of Green River Oil and has 42 years of experience as a CPA. He has been involved in various volunteer activities, such as serving on the CFISD Leadership Committee from 2008 to 2011 and being an active member of band booster clubs from 1996 to 2004. He has also served as the president of Harris County Municipal Utility District (MUD) No. 163 for almost 20 years and is a member of the Copperfield Joint Operations Board, the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, the HSCPA, the NSSAR, and Bear Creek United Methodist Church.
In his spare time, Mr. Jackson volunteers as a reader at Lowery, Copeland, and Fiest elementary schools. He is also a presenter for the New Arrival Centers at Langham Creek and Cypress Falls high schools, as well as for the READ 180 program at Cypress Creek High School. He participates in Veterans Day programs and gives patriotic and historical presentations at various elementary schools while also assisting in the recognition of Air Force Junior ROTC cadets at all high schools. Furthermore, he has been a judge and speaker for the JASON program since its inception and volunteers as a CFISD Bus Buddy
- Julie Hinaman
Julie Hinaman is the vice president of the institution. Hinaman has been a member of the Board of Trustees since June of 2019, when she was appointed to fill a vacant Position 2. Later that year, in November 2019, she was elected to a four-year term. Hinaman has lived in CFISD for 18 years and resides in the Towne Lake subdivision with her husband, Alan. Her daughter, Allie, graduated from Cypress Woods High School.
Hinaman is an active CFISD Global Volunteer, volunteering regularly at Cypress Creek and Cypress Falls high schools, as well as Anthony Middle School. She is also involved in mentoring students through the CFISD Mentor program and serves as a mentor/coach with the Cy-Hope Ambassadors of Compassion program. Additionally, she has volunteered as a CFISD Bus Buddy for Duryea, McFee, Sheridan, and Wilson elementary schools.
Hinaman has held various leadership positions within CFISD, including serving as the chair of the CFISD Community Leadership Committee and co-chair of the CFISD Long Range Planning Committee, which helped develop the 2019 CFISD Bond recommendation. She has also been involved in the Sampson Elementary PTO Board and the Cypress Woods HS band and drill team booster clubs. In recognition of her contributions to education, Hinaman was named the CFISD Friend of Education during the 2018 Wall of Fame Ceremony and received the 2019 State Board of Education Heroes for Children Award.
Beyond her involvement in CFISD, Hinaman is a member of several organizations, including the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, the Cy-Fair League of Women Voters, Cy-FARE, the National Charity League (Cypress Gems), and 100 Women Who Care, Cy-Fair. She frequently attends academic, athletic, and fine arts events throughout the district and enjoys visiting students and teachers in their classrooms.
- Gilbert Sarabia
Gilbert Sarabia, who is the secretary and is an Army veteran and retired AT&T employee, has been a member of the CFISD Board of Trustees since November 2019. He has been a resident of CFISD for 32 years and currently resides in Cypress Forest with his wife, Ginger. All four of his sons attended CFISD schools from kindergarten through graduation from Cypress Creek High School. Mr. Sarabia has been actively involved in the CFISD community for over 25 years, primarily as a coach and volunteer. He is currently an assistant baseball coach at St. Pius High School, and he has served as a member of the Cypress Creek Athletic Booster Club, the CFISD Community Leadership Committee, and the Long-Range Planning Committee. He frequently visits legislators in Austin to advocate for CFISD students and is a member of the Texas Association of Sports Officials and the executive board of Young Life. Currently, he volunteers at Matzke Elementary School.
- Debbie Blackshear
Debbie Blackshear, a resident of the CFISD community for 41 years, has been a member of the CFISD Board of Trustees since 2015 and was re-elected for a second term in November 2019. She and her husband Paul live in the Cypress Village subdivision, and both of her children graduated from Cy-Fair High School. Mrs. Blackshear retired in 2012 as president of Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union and now volunteers regularly at Danish Elementary School, Emmott Elementary School, and Cook Middle School. She has been a Bus Buddy since the program started and also coordinates the annual staff appreciation luncheon and Christmas cookie treats through her church, Good Shepherd United Methodist Church. Mrs. Blackshear has served on several CFISD Long-Range Planning Committees since the 1990s, including co-chairing the LRPC that recommended a 2014 Bond to the Board of Trustees. She is an active member of the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation, the Cy-Hope Board of Directors, Junior Achievement, Exchange City, and the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, she has been a volunteer and buyer for the CFISD Livestock Show and Sale for 28 years and is a former member of the Cy-Fair High School FFA Booster Club and current member of the Cypress Ranch High School FFA Booster Club. Mrs. Blackshear served as CFEF Salute to Our Heroes Co-Chair from 2009 to 2011 and currently serves as the Cy-Fair John Fox Chamber Herd Co-Chair.
- Dr. Natalie Blasingame
Dr. Natalie Blasingame holds Position 5 on the CFISD Board of Trustees, and her term runs from November 2021 to November 2025.
Dr. Blasingame has been a member of the CFISD Board of Trustees since 2021 when she was elected to her first term. She has lived in CFISD for 20 years and resides in Copperfield Southdown with her daughter, who is currently a student at Langham Creek High School.
Before retiring, Dr. Blasingame worked in administrative positions at BakerRipley, Houston ISD, Spring Branch ISD, and Alief ISD. She has also volunteered with various organizations, including Hairgrove Elementary and Kirk Elementary as a Bus Buddy, Aragon Middle School as a member of VIPS; and Langham Creek High School as a mentor and booster club member.
Dr. Blasingame’s community involvement extends beyond CFISD, as she has served as a Girl Scout troop leader, Sunday school teacher, member of the PTO Executive Board, Copperfield Dolphins swim team board member, and member of the student ministry council at her church.
- Scott Henry
Scott Henry has been a member of the CFISD Board of Trustees since 2021, when he was elected to his first term in November. He has lived in CFISD for 17 years and currently resides in the Stablewood Farms subdivision with his wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Audrey. Mr. Henry’s two other children are graduates of CFISD schools.
Currently, Mr. Henry volunteers at Goodson Middle School and has previously participated in various programs such as the Watch DOGS program, in-school reading programs, and Junior Achievement. He has also assisted as a homeroom mom helper.
Apart from his involvement with the school district, Mr. Henry serves as the vice president for the Stablewood Farms Home Owners Association, is the director of Municipal Utility District No. 389, and is a part of InfraGard, a public-private partnership between U.S. businesses and the FBI.
- Lucas H. Scanlon
Lucas H. Scanlon has been a member of the CFISD Board of Trustees since 2021, when he was elected to his first term in November of that year. Mr. Scanlon has been a resident of CFISD for 12 years and currently lives in the Towne Lake subdivision with his wife, Bethany, and daughter, Jonah.
Mr. Scanlon’s professional background includes serving as a director of business transformation and strategy, where he advises clients on utilizing culture, process, and technology to achieve strong engagement and positive business outcomes. Prior to this, he worked as a band director at Mayde Creek Junior High in Katy. He has also been involved in volunteering at Rennell Elementary as a Watch DOG dad.
In addition to his professional work, Mr. Scanlon has taught as a FinTech adjunct professor at Rice University and Northwestern University since 2019.