Governor Abbott Appoints Four To State Board For Educator Certification
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Rohanna Brooks-Sykes, Arturo J. “Art” Cavazos, Sandie Mullins Moger and Laurie J. Turner to the State Board for Educator Certification for terms set to expire February 1, 2021. The board develops certification and continuing education requirements and standards of conduct for public school teachers.
Rohanna Brooks-Sykes of Spring is a related services counselor at Klein High School and is a nationally certified counselor and a licensed professional counselor supervisor. She is a member of the Texas School Counselors Association, Texas Counselors Association (TCA), chair of the TCA Public Policy and Advocacy Committee and former co-chair of the TCA Human Rights Committee. She is chair of the Spring Creek Counseling Association (SCCA) Legislative Committee, member of Klein Unite for Understanding Diversity Council. Brooks-Sykes is former president of SCCA and former member of the Klein District Instructional Development Council and Klein District Improvement Plan: Closing the Achievement Gap. She received a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Houston and a Master of Arts in counseling from Prairie View A&M University.
Arturo J. “Art” Cavazos, Ed.D. of Harlingen is superintendent for the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District. He is a member of the University of Texas College of Education Advisory Council, member of FIRST in Texas Board and participated in the National ConnectED Superintendents Summit. He is a member of the Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas High Performance Schools Consortium, University of Texas Cooperative Superintendent Program Executive Board and the Ford Next Generation Superintendents Council. He is also board member and past president of the Boys and Girls Club, board member of Su Clinica Familiar, South Texas Emergency Care Foundation, and member of the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce. He is a former member of the Academic Achievement Distinction Designation Committee and UIL Waiver Review board. Cavazos received a Bachelor of Science in elementary education and a Master of Education from The University of Texas Pan-American and a Doctor of Education from The University of Texas at Austin.
Sandie Mullins Moger of Houston is a former Houston Community College Trustee for District VI. She is a board member of the West Houston Leadership Institute and former board member of the West Houston Hospital and West Houston Region P-16 Education Council. Mullins co-founded and served as president for Super Neighborhood 17, co-chaired the Business and Education Committee for Houston West Chamber of Commerce and served as a member of the Economic Development, West Houston Public Safety, Governmental Affairs and Teacher of the Year Committees. She also volunteered for the March of Dimes, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Texas Children’s Hospitals, The Collaborative for Children, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and Grace Presbyterian Church. Mullins received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration in marketing from St. Mary’s University.
Laurie J. Turner, Ed.D. of Corpus Christi is an American history teacher at Gregory-Portland Junior High School and former Social Studies Department Head. She is president of the Flour Bluff ISD Education Foundation and vice-president and sub-committee member of Corpus Christi Community Outreach. She is a member of the Nueces County Historical Commission, former coordinator for the Collaborative Education Program for Americas and a former Court Appointed Special Advocate. She is also former coordinator for the Safety 1st Campaign, member of the Campus Improvement Committee and Calendar Committee for Gregory Portland ISD. Turner received a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from the University of Portland, a Masters of Public Administration in public policy from Washington University and a Doctor of Education from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.