The Race For Dallas ISD’s District 1 School Board Seat Is Going to Be Very Interesting

Like I was saying, or writing, earlier this morning …

When Edwin Flores announced he wasn’t going to seek re-election to the Dallas Independent School District board two weeks ago, the District 1 trustee said he’d hold off on making an endorsement. At the time, only one other candidate had announced: Michael Greenberg, a DISD dad. But, said Flores, “I am going to wait for the field to fill out,” which it probably would now that the incumbent was beating a retreat. And, sure enough, a few days ago Jennifer Levy threw her nurse’s cap into the ring.

But moments ago a third candidate for the District 1 seat emerged — none other than Elizabeth Jones, a familiar name to those Friends of Unfair Park who followed Anna’s coverage of the city’s redistricting battle. Because Jones was the outspoken District 13 representative on the Redistricting Commission. She’s also a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Dallas School of
Management and sits on the Big Thought board of directors.

And, says the release that follows, Jones has quite the big name serving as her campaign treasurer: none other than Ebby Halliday, who says, “Elizabeth is expertly
qualified to be a trustee. Her incredible background both personally and in business and education
will be an invaluable asset to the board and administration.” (Though, if memory serves, Halliday also served as Gary Griffith’s campaign treasurer during his odd, unsuccessful ’07 run for Dallas mayor.) And to think: No one even wanted to run for the board last year.

Successful Businesswoman and Professor Elizabeth Jones
Announces for Dallas ISD Trustee in District 1
Pledging to use her business expertise and deep commitment to the children in Dallas
ISD schools, Elizabeth Jones officially filed today for Trustee in District 1 currently held by Trustee
Edwin Flores who has decided not to seek re-election.

In announcing her candidacy, Jones, who is committed to excellence in public education, said,
“I was a latch-key kid raised by a single working mother in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic
environment. Thanks to a first rate public education and teachers with the highest commitment
to excellence and to every child’s success, my life was changed for the better. I have a deep
commitment to community, social responsibility and education equity.”

Elizabeth’s professional career covers more than a quarter of a century including being a senior
finance executive, investment banker, and corporate strategic management advisor with McKinsey
& Co. Over the course of her career she has been a trusted advisor to governments, Fortune 1000
and emerging technology companies in strategic financial management, product/technology
innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.

She is currently a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) School of
Management, where she is the co-founder and Associate Director of the Center for Finance Strategy
Innovation (CFSI). Elizabeth has developed and taught courses in the MBA and graduate finance
programs for over ten years. She conducts extensive business research in finance, performance
management and governance policy. Elizabeth is a frequent speaker to business, education, and
public sector groups.

Civic leader Ebby Halliday Acers has agreed to be campaign treasurer. “Elizabeth is expertly
qualified to be a Trustee. Her incredible background both personally and in business and education
will be an invaluable asset to the board and administration,” stated Mrs. Acers. “I am deeply
impressed with her commitment and love for children and fervent desire to make sure every student
receives a world class public education.”

Elizabeth’s public service spans nearly a quarter of a century. She currently serves on the National
Board of Examiners of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award & Performance Excellence
program, and previously served on the Global Board of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) Enterprise Forum Corporation where she was the recipient of the 2009 MIT Presidential
Citation.

She has a long history of service to Dallas, having served on the 2011 City of Dallas
Redistricting Commission, three terms on the City of Dallas Cityplace TIF Board, the Dallas

Business Development Corporation Board, and Leadership Dallas class of 1998. She is a graduate
of the FBI Citizen’s Academy class of 2009. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Big
Thought and the Royal Northaven Neighborhood Association Board. Her previous non-profit Board
service includes Texchange, The Family Place, Dallas All Sports Association, Dallas Chamber
sub-committee on Trade Finance, and many others.

Elizabeth earned her BA in Economics and Political Science from Wellesley College, and an MBA
in International Finance and Strategic Management from RSM Erasmus University (Netherlands)
including coursework at MIT Sloan School. She has completed ppost graduate work in corporate
and fund governance, project finance, and project management.