Meet Washington County's new Leaders in Education
July 27, 2015
On Tuesday, August 4, join us for a luncheon forum featuring Blinn College President Dr. Mary Hensley, Brenham ISD Superintendent Dr. Walter Jackson, and Burton ISD Superintendent Dr. Edna Kennedy. This forum will be held from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the banquet room of the Blinn College Student Center.
After a thorough national search, Blinn College named Dr. Mary Hensley the 15th president in College history in May 2015.
Prior to her arrival at Blinn, Hensley served the Austin Community College District for 14 years, including six and a half as executive vice president for college operations. In that role, her responsibilities included oversight of 11 campuses, six off-campus centers and the district police department.
With experience in both K-12 and higher education, Hensley has served as a teacher, counselor, middle school principal, high school principal, director of secondary education, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent in the Ysleta, Socorro and Round Rock school districts. At Austin Community College and McLennan College, she served as Coordinator for Resource and Grant Development; Associate Vice President, Instructional Support Services; Vice President, College Support Systems and ISD Relations, and Executive Vice President, College Operations.
In addition to her service on numerous boards and committees in support of community colleges and their mission, Hensley received the 2006 Career and Technology Association of Texas Appreciation Award.
Hensley holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Doctor of Education from Baylor University. She also holds elementary, counselor, supervisor, mid-management and superintendent certificates.
She enjoys traveling, golf, bicycling and spending time with her family.
Dr. Walter Jackson is a native of Liberty, a small East Texas town located 40 miles west of Beaumont. Dr. Jackson has served in public education for 21 years; he has served as a middle school and high school teacher, assistant principal, middle school principal, high school principal, assistant superintendent and now superintendent of schools in Brenham ISD.
Dr. Jackson comes to Brenham from Alief ISD, an urban district of over 47,000 students in Houston, Texas, where he has worked for 21 years. He is a proud graduate of Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He received his master’s from Prairie View A&M University and his doctorate in education from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Dr. Jackson’s post graduate studies have taken him to Harvard University on four different occasions, most recently last summer. He has completed an advanced business certificate from Rice University, and in February 2015 he completed the National SUPES Academy, an executive superintendent preparation program in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Jackson has taught masters and doctoral courses for the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and has served as a field advisor and leadership coach to principals at Rice University.
An ordained minister in the Baptist church, Dr. Jackson has been an active member of his church his entire life serving as director of music and worship leader. He and his wife Tanya, also an educator, have been married for 18 years, and are the proud parents of two, a daughter Bailey, and a son Braelin. Both children will be attending Brenham ISD schools in the fall.
Dr. Jackson and family are very excited to be living in Brenham where he is tirelessly working to become and active an engaged neighbor in the community.
Edna Davis Kennedy was raised in Goldthwaite, Texas and graduated high school in 1979. She attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology and an endorsement in Special Education, Language and/or Learning Disabilities in 1982. Kennedy taught Special Education for 12 years and received a Masters’ in Counseling Psychology from Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas in 1993. She served as an Associate Psychologist for 3 years and later received her Principal Certificate from ESC XIII/Tarleton State University Cohort Group in 2002. She has held administrative positions as an Assistant Principal/Counselor, Vocational/Transition Coordinator, and Special Education Director and received her Superintendent Certificate from Tarleton State University Cohort Group in 2004. She served as a superintendent in Oglesby ISD for nine years, Marion ISD for two years, and took her position as Superintendent in Burton ISD in February 2015. Dr. Hensley completed a Doctorate in Educational Leadership in the Spring 2015.
Dr. Kennedy and her husband David Kennedy, a Superintendent in Westhoff ISD, have raised six grown children and are blessed with eight grandchildren. When they are not involved in school activities, they enjoy spending time with family, running cattle, and showing/raising/hunting Treeing Walker CoonHounds.
Tickets are $25 per person or $250 for a reserved Corporate Table (seats 8). A catered buffet lunch is included. Reservations can be made by calling the Chamber at (979) 836-3695. The deadline to reserve a seat is Wednesday, July29.
After a thorough national search, Blinn College named Dr. Mary Hensley the 15th president in College history in May 2015.
Prior to her arrival at Blinn, Hensley served the Austin Community College District for 14 years, including six and a half as executive vice president for college operations. In that role, her responsibilities included oversight of 11 campuses, six off-campus centers and the district police department.
With experience in both K-12 and higher education, Hensley has served as a teacher, counselor, middle school principal, high school principal, director of secondary education, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent in the Ysleta, Socorro and Round Rock school districts. At Austin Community College and McLennan College, she served as Coordinator for Resource and Grant Development; Associate Vice President, Instructional Support Services; Vice President, College Support Systems and ISD Relations, and Executive Vice President, College Operations.
In addition to her service on numerous boards and committees in support of community colleges and their mission, Hensley received the 2006 Career and Technology Association of Texas Appreciation Award.
Hensley holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Doctor of Education from Baylor University. She also holds elementary, counselor, supervisor, mid-management and superintendent certificates.
She enjoys traveling, golf, bicycling and spending time with her family.
Dr. Walter Jackson is a native of Liberty, a small East Texas town located 40 miles west of Beaumont. Dr. Jackson has served in public education for 21 years; he has served as a middle school and high school teacher, assistant principal, middle school principal, high school principal, assistant superintendent and now superintendent of schools in Brenham ISD.
Dr. Jackson comes to Brenham from Alief ISD, an urban district of over 47,000 students in Houston, Texas, where he has worked for 21 years. He is a proud graduate of Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He received his master’s from Prairie View A&M University and his doctorate in education from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Dr. Jackson’s post graduate studies have taken him to Harvard University on four different occasions, most recently last summer. He has completed an advanced business certificate from Rice University, and in February 2015 he completed the National SUPES Academy, an executive superintendent preparation program in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Jackson has taught masters and doctoral courses for the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and has served as a field advisor and leadership coach to principals at Rice University.
An ordained minister in the Baptist church, Dr. Jackson has been an active member of his church his entire life serving as director of music and worship leader. He and his wife Tanya, also an educator, have been married for 18 years, and are the proud parents of two, a daughter Bailey, and a son Braelin. Both children will be attending Brenham ISD schools in the fall.
Dr. Jackson and family are very excited to be living in Brenham where he is tirelessly working to become and active an engaged neighbor in the community.
Edna Davis Kennedy was raised in Goldthwaite, Texas and graduated high school in 1979. She attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology and an endorsement in Special Education, Language and/or Learning Disabilities in 1982. Kennedy taught Special Education for 12 years and received a Masters’ in Counseling Psychology from Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas in 1993. She served as an Associate Psychologist for 3 years and later received her Principal Certificate from ESC XIII/Tarleton State University Cohort Group in 2002. She has held administrative positions as an Assistant Principal/Counselor, Vocational/Transition Coordinator, and Special Education Director and received her Superintendent Certificate from Tarleton State University Cohort Group in 2004. She served as a superintendent in Oglesby ISD for nine years, Marion ISD for two years, and took her position as Superintendent in Burton ISD in February 2015. Dr. Hensley completed a Doctorate in Educational Leadership in the Spring 2015.
Dr. Kennedy and her husband David Kennedy, a Superintendent in Westhoff ISD, have raised six grown children and are blessed with eight grandchildren. When they are not involved in school activities, they enjoy spending time with family, running cattle, and showing/raising/hunting Treeing Walker CoonHounds.
Tickets are $25 per person or $250 for a reserved Corporate Table (seats 8). A catered buffet lunch is included. Reservations can be made by calling the Chamber at (979) 836-3695. The deadline to reserve a seat is Wednesday, July29.
Contact:
Shae Janner, Business Programs Manager
shae@brenhamtexas.com, 979-836-3695
