Qualifications
What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position?
I’ve spent almost thirty years in cybersecurity and risk management, and I served on the Bay City City Council. I raise heritage pigs in Matagorda County, so I know land and livestock.
Disaster Recovery
What measures should the state take to respond quickly and effectively to disasters?
Texans shouldn’t wait until disaster strikes to get organized. I’ll have recovery vendors vetted and under contract before hurricane season, not after. I’ll build recovery teams inside the regional councils of governments so local officials aren’t starting from scratch. And I’ll publish where every dollar goes and how long each step should take.
Veterans
What new initiatives or programs would you support to help veterans?
Most veterans I meet have never heard of the Veterans Land Board. So I’d take it to them. I’ll put VLB outreach teams in rural and South Texas counties, working alongside county service officers, instead of waiting for applications to show up in Austin. I’ll set a published deadline for every loan decision. And I’ll keep pushing for a full VA hospital in the Valley.
Flood Plain Management
What strategies would you support to reduce flooding risk and strengthen long-term community resilience and disaster recovery.
I live in Matagorda County. Down here, we’re getting priced out by insurance long before the next storm shows up. Any home rebuilt with GLO money will meet current flood maps and use stronger roofs and elevation, because that’s what brings premiums down. I’ll protect the dunes, wetlands and drainage that take the first hit for us.
Education Funding
What role should the General Land Office play in making sure that state lands generate long-term financial benefits for Texas public schools?
This is the whole reason the office exists. The Permanent School Fund is worth over $60 billion, and it should be earning from solar, wind and geothermal, not just oil and gas. I’ll responsibly lease state land for every dollar it can honestly return, publish what each acre earns, and send more of it to classrooms. That money belongs to schoolkids, not to politics.
