Bob Geske was born into a military family in rural Minnesota and had lived in 10 states and two countries by the time he graduated high school in Houston, Texas, in 1964. After high school, Mr. Geske moved to El Paso to attend Texas Western College, now the University of Texas at El Paso, and play basketball for Coach Don Haskins and baseball for Coach Andy Cohen. Mr. Geske earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education from UTEP, and began working at the University as its Director of Intramurals and Recreation. After 16 years at UTEP, he began teaching seventh-grade English at Morehead Middle School, where he had a 14-year tenure. Mr. Geske then taught English, social studies and health at the Center for Career and Technology Education before retiring from EPISD. He and his wife, Jeannie, have three grown children who attended EPISD schools, as well as five grandchildren. Besides being a family man and educator, Mr. Geske is known as a college and high school official in several sports, including volleyball, football, and basketball. He and his wife are active parishioners at St. Patrick Cathedral and other civic organizations.

Email  bgeske@episd.org

Alfonso V. "Al" Velarde is the executive director for the Child Crisis Center of El Paso and has been leading the Center for 10 years. Mr. Velarde was appointed to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Public Private Partnership Committee and is on the Board of Directors of the Texas Alliance on Children and Families. Before going to work at the Child Crisis Center, he retired from the El Paso Police Department after serving 21 years as an El Paso police officer and was the division director of Housing Programs and Community Services at the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso. He received his bachelor's in business management from the University of Texas El Paso and is a graduate of the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas Leadership Academy. On his off time, Mr. Velarde is a football referee and has been officiating high school football games for the past 11 years. He is married with three children, and four grandchildren.

Email avelarde@episd.org

Susannah “Susie” Byrd is a lifelong El Pasoan and a graduate of Austin High School. She also attended Crockett Elementary School and Bassett Middle School. After high school, Ms. Byrd attended Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., and upon her return to El Paso began work as the director of marketing and publicity for Cinco Puntos Press – her family's publishing company. In 2005, Byrd was elected to the El Paso City Council to represent the West–Central neighborhoods. During her eight years on council, Byrd served as mayor pro tempore and focused on quality–of–life investments, sustainable development and public transportation reform as means to help the local economy grow. She also was part of a political coalition that helped spur the current wave of Downtown redevelopment. Most recently, Ms. Byrd has been invited to serve on the Borderplex Economic Alliance's Education and Workforce Committee, which focuses on the skills and talent requirements to support identified industry clusters and high growth opportunities. Byrd is the owner of Moxie Communications and Consulting and a published author. She is married and the mother of three children.

Email  sbyrd@episd.org

Diane Dye is a retired educator following more than 30 years as a math teacher in several El Paso area schools. During her career, Ms. Dye worked on many education pilot programs, including Advanced Placement math programs and gifted and talented instruction. Ms. Dye earned a bachelor's of science degree from Texas A&M University and a master's in business administration from New Mexico State University. She also is a member of the Fort Bliss/EPISD Collaborative Committee.

Email ddye@episd.org

Charles "Chuck" Taylor, a New Jersey native, came to El Paso by way of his service at Fort Bliss. Mr. Taylor retired as Command Sgt. Major in 1976 after serving 20 years in the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery. Post retirement, Mr. Taylor earned bachelor's degrees in criminal justice and education from the University of Texas at El Paso and a master's in health services management from Webster University. He was a special education teacher for nearly a decade and has extensive experience working with the mental health community in El Paso County. Mr. Taylor has owned several businesses in El Paso and is a supporter of the Buffalo Soldiers reenactments across the city. He also was named Texas Big Brother of the Year by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization.

Email ctaylor@episd.org

Trent Hatch was born and raised in Mexico and attended and graduated high school in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, located 180 miles southwest of El Paso, Texas. Mr. Hatch lived in the inner city of New York (Brooklyn, Bronx) for two years where he served a mission for his church. He is actively engaged in community programs from church, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, Little League Football and currently serves as the vice president of operations for the Franklin High School Football Booster Board. Mr. Hatch received his bachelor of science in business marketing from the University of Phoenix and is the general sales manager for a global semiconductor distributor. He has lived in El Paso with his family for more than 15 years and married with three children who attend EPISD schools.

Email thatch@episd.org

Dori Fenenbock is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Tulsa Law School. She served as a legal intern for the 10th Circuit United States Court of Appeals and the Oklahoma Court of Appeals. Beginning in 1994, she established her own business in the design, manufacture, and delivery of retail packaging to nationwide clients. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas Association of School Boards, on the TASB Budget Committee and she served as co-chair of the EPISD Master Facility Planning Committee. She was the Assistant Secretary and Governance Chair of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, the past President of the El Paso Jewish Academy and past President of the Jewish Federation of El Paso, and currently serves as a Director on the National Board of the Jewish Federations of North America. She is a graduate of Leadership El Paso Class 36, a Sustainer with the Junior League of El Paso and served as Vice President of the Coronado High School PTSA.

Email dfenenbock@episd.org