Collegian Staff
Logan Evans, Alyson Oliver, Jose Romero and Janine Shuman
TCC’s board president lost reelection, and another race resulted in potential legal action in the board of trustees election May 1.
Shannon Wood will serve as District 2 Board of Trustee after beating incumbent Conrad Heede.
Wood received 66.8% of the votes, while Heede got 33.2%.
“Thank you to all the wonderful people in Southlake, Keller, Colleyville, Grapevine, NRH, Hurst, Bedford and Westlake who voted for me,” she posted on Facebook reacting to her victory. Attempts to reach Wood were unsuccessful.
She thanked her volunteers that worked alongside her and said she’s happy to represent District 2 as their trustee.
Heede has served on the board since 2011 and has been the president of the board since 2019.
“I’ve been totally honored to serve Tarrant County College for 10 years,” he said. “To serve the college, the institution, the students and the community for the last 10 years. I just really enjoyed it and it’s been a wonderful, wonderful experience.”
Heede said some of the board’s largest accomplishments he contributed to are the creation of a digital roadmap for the college, sustainability policy and the development of partnerships for scholarships.
Heede left Wood with some parting advice.
“It’s going to take a lot of training,” he said. “It takes a trustee two or three years before they really know what the job is all about and know how much work it takes. I hope that she puts in that time and effort to learn what it takes to be an effective board of trustee member.”
Sherri McCullouch won District 5.
She withdrew from the race due to an unexpected change that would keep her from fulfilling trustee duties, as stated in her letter of withdrawal.
However, this decision came once the deadline for removal from the ballot had already passed, according to Reginald Gates, district vice chancellor of communications & external affairs.
McCullouch will still be running in the upcoming runoff election against Leonard Hornsby, who beat his opponent Christi Clanton by 13 votes.
Hornsby said he has been associated with TCC for over 40 years. His desire to see it thrive was part of what motivated him to run.
The race was tiring for him, he said, and he was disappointed by his opponents’ partisan stances.
“They’re not red, they’re not blue,” he said of the students at TCC. “They are people that need to be served.
However, the college is headed in a good direction, he said, and he hopes this trajectory continues.
Clanton denied to comment after seeking legal counsel concerning the validity of the election results following McCullouch’s withdrawal.
Jeannie Deakyne will represent District 3, totaling up an average of 75% of votes for the position.
Deakyne wants to improve fiscal responsibility and education and workforce development in Tarrant County.
“I am a unifier who genuinely wants to see TCC meet the needs of our county,” she said. “To have such a decisive victory in my race is a testament to how aligned my vision for education and workforce development is with our communities,”
Deakyne was proud of her campaign and how it helped her victory. She had over 100 endorsements from community leaders, outstanding volunteer support, and a focus on interests that mattered to District 3 voters, she said.
In her run, Deakyne wants to focus on incentives to support economic development and implement career training programs to produce higher-paying jobs in the area, she said.
“I want to provide responsible oversight of the $825 million bond passed by Tarrant County voters in 2019,” she said. “With over a decade of experience planning and oversight of Arlington ISDs bonds, I have proven experience in ensuring voters’ tax dollars will equip facilities, create workforce solutions and deliver innovative programs accessible by all TCCD students.”
To make college more affordable, Deakyne wants to partner with ISDs to support more rigorous dual-credit courses, early college high school and advanced placement testing, which reduces the number of classes taken after graduation.
Teresa Ayala won District 1’s board seat with 77.80% of the vote.
“As a former TCC student and adjunct, it is an honor to serve this institution and our community,” she said. “Knowing that I play a small role in this cohesive unit of seven trustees who come together for a meaningful common cause is inspiring.”
Ayala said the role of community colleges is important, especially now.
She hopes to continue focusing on student access, retention and completion while following TCC’s goals and principles.
She said effectively managing the bond program, strengthening collaborations with community partners and nurturing the college district so it achieves its full potential is another aspiration.
