AUSTIN — The 2026-27 officers for the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) were elected during the Association’s 2026 Delegate Assembly, which was held Oct. 9 in Houston. New TASB President Mary Jane Hetrick of Dripping Springs ISD succeeds Immediate Past President Tony Hopkins of Friendswood ISD. Dan Micciche of Dallas ISD now serves as president-elect. First vice-president is Justin Chapa of Arlington ISD, and second vice-president is Nicholas Phillips of Nederland ISD. Julie Cole of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD serves as secretary-treasurer.
Mary Jane Hetrick, President
Hetrick is in her fourth term on the Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees, having served four years as vice-president and two years as president. She is a 2017 Leadership TASB graduate and Master Trustee.
She received a bachelor’s in business administration from The University of Texas-Pan American (now UT-Rio Grande Valley), a master’s in public administration and a certificate in nonprofit management from Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM), a doctorate in public administration and public policy from Auburn University, and a certificate in business law and compliance from the Texas A&M University School of Law.
Hetrick’s professional experience includes working as an adjunct professor for AUM, TROY University, and Austin Community College. In 2014, she founded a nonprofit consulting business.
Active in her community, Hetrick was honored by the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce with the Hometown Hero award in 2020. She serves on the Dripping Springs Education Foundation Board and as president of the Foster Village Board and was co-founder and vice-president of Patriots’ Hall of Dripping Springs.
Dan Micciche, President-Elect
Micciche was elected to the Dallas ISD Board in 2012. He is partner emeritus at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. During his time with Akin Gump, Micciche started and chaired a school partnership program with James W. Fannin Elementary School in Dallas. The program won the State Board of Education’s highest award for community partnerships in 2011.
He has received numerous recognitions for his work in public education, including the No Kid Hungry Award from Share Our Strength, The Closing the Gap Award from Leadership ISD, and the Voice of Children Award from Children at Risk.
He received his undergraduate degree from Stony Brook University, his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, and his master’s degree in education policy and analysis from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Micciche also holds a master’s degree in public leadership from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.
He has been recognized by D Magazine as one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas and by Texas Monthly as a Super Lawyer.
Micciche’s civic and charitable activities include serving on the boards of the American Red Cross Dallas, Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce, and Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas. He previously served on the School Finance Task Force of the Greater Dallas Chamber and the State Bar of Texas Board. He was a member of the Comptroller’s Tax Advisory Group under three different comptrollers.
Justin Chapa, First Vice-President
Chapa has served on the Arlington ISD Board of Trustees since 2017. He previously served on the district’s Financial Futures, Citizens Bond Oversight, and Capital Needs steering committees.
A first-generation college student, he spent his undergraduate years at Harvard University, earning a bachelor’s in government with honors. Upon graduating, he joined Teach for America and taught 12th grade government and economics classes at Rivera High School in Brownsville, Texas. He then pursued his Juris Doctorate at Stanford Law School, where he concurrently earned a master’s in education.
Chapa practices law as a senior attorney at McDowell Hetherington LLP, focusing on complex civil litigation and appeals. He previously clerked for Judge Catharina Haynes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Judge David Godbey of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Chapa has been named a “Texas Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, a “Best Lawyer Under 40” by D Magazine, and a “Top Attorney” by 360West.
Chapa co-founded a scholarship program for graduating seniors at his alma mater, Sam Houston High School. The program has awarded more than $50,000 in scholarships since 2007. He has served on the boards of United Way Tarrant County, Arlington ISD Education Foundation, Arlington Public Library Foundation, and Leadership Arlington, among other groups.
Nicholas Phillips, Second Vice-President
Phillips has served on the Nederland ISD Board of Trustees since 2010 and currently serves as president.
He is the principal at Hardin-Jefferson Junior High School in Hardin-Jefferson ISD. Previously, he served as both a middle school and high school principal in Beaumont ISD, where he was recognized by the Texas PTA as the 2023 Secondary Principal of the Year. He began his career in education as a middle school social studies teacher.
Phillips earned a Bachelor of General Studies and a Master of Education in Administration from Lamar University. He is also a 2015 graduate of Leadership TASB, earning the designation of Master Trustee.
Phillips has served on the Nederland Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors and the Nederland City Council. He currently serves on the Lamar University Alumni Advisory Board.
Julie Cole, Secretary-Treasurer
Cole is a trustee on the Hurst-Euless-Bedford (HEB) ISD Board, having joined the board in 2013. She has held numerous leadership positions during her tenure and is currently serving as president. The HEB ISD Board was named 2020 Outstanding School Board by the Texas Association of School Administrators.
Cole is a 2018 graduate of Leadership TASB and a Master Trustee. She also has been active with the North Texas Area Association of School Boards. Cole is involved in many community organizations, including the HEB ISD Education Foundation, the HEB Chamber of Commerce, and as a mentor at Trinity High School.
She has been employed at Fidelity Investments since 2016 as part of the customer knowledge and strategic insights group, leading the interaction analytics team for personal investing.
Tony Hopkins, Immediate Past President
Hopkins has served on the Friendswood ISD Board since 2008 and was elected to his fifth four-year term in 2024. Hopkins currently serves as board president. He is a Leadership TASB graduate and a Master Trustee. Hopkins has served on the TASB Board since March 2018.
Hopkins was the president of the Gulf Coast Area Association of School Boards for 2019-20 and 2020-21. He is president of Four Creek Investments LLC, an independent energy consulting and investment firm, and serves as chief financial officer of 14 companies, including Modular Plant Solutions, LLC; Woven Metal Products, Inc; and TF Companies LLC.
Hopkins earned a bachelor’s degree from Lamar University and a master’s degree from Rice University.
About TASB
TASB is a nonprofit organization established in 1949 to serve local Texas school boards. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 5.5 million public school students.
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