Meet the Board Members Behind Engage Mansfield ISD and our legislative priorities

The Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees is made up of dedicated community members who help guide the direction of our schools. Together, they set district priorities, oversee policy and budgets, and work to ensure Mansfield ISD remains a safe, supportive place where students can learn, grow, and prepare for life beyond graduation.

Each trustee brings a unique perspective shaped by their experiences as parents, professionals, and advocates for public education. What unites them is a shared commitment to students, educators, and the belief that strong schools are built through thoughtful leadership and engaged communities.

Through Engage Mansfield ISD, the Board is focused on transparency, understanding, and connection. This page is designed to help you get to know the people behind the decisions, what motivates them, why they care about Mansfield ISD, and how community involvement plays a role in shaping the future of our schools.

Meet the Mansfield ISD School Board members below and learn more about their passion for education, service, and our community.

Meet Your Board

Dr. Benita Reed

School Board President | Place 6 | Term 2023–2026 | Contact

As President of the Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees, Dr. Benita Reed brings more than three decades of experience in public education and a deep personal commitment to the Mansfield community. She believes the school board’s role goes beyond governance, it’s about setting a clear vision, protecting student and staff safety, and ensuring every decision supports strong academic outcomes and meaningful opportunities for students.

What Dr. Reed loves most about MISD is its people. She describes Mansfield as a community that shows up for one another , celebrating successes, supporting families through challenges, and working together to help students thrive. Through initiatives like Vision 2030 and Engage Mansfield ISD, Dr. Reed is focused on preparing students for a rapidly changing world while helping the community understand how state-level decisions impact local classrooms.

Dr. Benita Reed Mansfield ISD board member for MISD and focused on legislative priorities with Engage Mansfield ISD

To her, Engage Mansfield ISD is about connection and awareness; giving parents, educators, students, and residents a clear voice in conversations that shape public education. When the community is informed and engaged, she believes MISD is stronger, safer, and better equipped to serve every child.

Michelle Newsom

School Board Vice President, Place 1 | Term 2024-2027 | Contact

Michelle Newson Mansfield ISD board member for MISD and focused on legislative priorities with Engage Mansfield ISD

Mrs. Michelle Newsom serves as a trustee for Mansfield ISD with a deep respect for the students and staff who make the district exceptional. She sees the school board’s role as setting clear direction for the district, adopting policy, overseeing the budget, and supporting district leadership, while keeping students at the center of every decision.

Mrs. Newsom is passionate about preparing students for life beyond graduation. She believes students are more than test scores and values MISD’s personalized approach to learning, where students build ownership through individualized scorecards that reflect academics, engagement, and personal growth. She is also a strong supporter of fine arts and Career and Technical Education programs, recognizing their role in helping students discover strengths, develop discipline, and find pathways that lead to fulfilling futures.

Above all, Mrs. Newsom believes public education is powered by people. She has immense appreciation for MISD educators and staff, and values the role families, volunteers, and community partners play in supporting students. To her, the strength of Mansfield ISD comes from the collective effort of a community that shows up for its schools and its kids.

Mrs. Newsom believes meaningful engagement begins with understanding how decisions are made, from how a bill becomes law to how funding and policy choices impact local classrooms. She emphasizes that safety, student support, and long-term planning require both informed leadership and an engaged community.

Through Engage Mansfield ISD, Mrs. Newsom encourages families and residents to stay informed, ask questions, and participate in the process. When the community understands the issues facing public education, they can better advocate for students, educators, and the resources needed to support the whole child, today and in the future.

Dr. Jandel Crutchfield

School Board Secretary, Place 2 | Term 2024–2027 | Contact

Dr. Jandel Crutchfield serves as a trustee for Mansfield ISD with a clear focus on vision, student experience, and advocacy. She views the school board’s role as setting the direction for the district, from approving budgets and adopting policy to hiring and evaluating the superintendent, while ensuring those decisions translate into safe campuses, strong academic programs, and the resources students and staff need to succeed.

At the heart of Dr. Crutchfield’s work is the belief that every student should graduate college, career, and life ready. For MISD, being “life ready” means more than academics, it means supporting students’ social and emotional growth, leadership development, and sense of belonging. She is proud of MISD’s personalized approach to learning, where students track their progress, understand their goals, and receive targeted support to help them thrive beyond a letter grade.

Dr. Jandel Crutchfield at Mansfield ISD board member for MISD and focused on legislative advocacy for schools with Engage Mansfield ISD

Dr. Crutchfield believes meaningful engagement starts with understanding how state decisions affect local classrooms. She advocates for strong safety measures, local flexibility, and policies shaped by the voices of educators who see student needs every day. Through Engage Mansfield ISD, she encourages families and community members to stay informed and involved, because public schools serve every child who walks through their doors, and strong advocacy helps ensure students have the resources and support they deserve.

Jesse Cannon serves on the Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees as both an advocate for public education and a product of the Mansfield community. He believes one of the district’s greatest strengths is that everyone has a place, students, families, educators, and residents alike, and that people genuinely care about the community they pour into. To him, Mansfield ISD thrives because people are willing to serve, make sacrifices, and invest in the future together.

Before joining the board, Jesse spent time in the classroom as a music teacher, where he built relationships with students and helped them pursue passions, set goals, and grow beyond academics. That experience continues to shape his work as a trustee. He sees his role at the board table as being a voice for educators, students, and community members who are not always in the room when decisions are made, bringing an essential perspective rooted in real classroom experience.

Jesse is a strong supporter of fine arts, athletics, and Career and Technical Education, recognizing their impact on student success and belonging. He believes access to these programs can change the trajectory of a student’s life and is passionate about ensuring every Mansfield ISD student has equitable opportunities to participate. As a trustee, he also advocates for proper public education funding, emphasizing that well-funded schools allow teachers to focus on teaching, students to focus on learning, and communities to focus on supporting one another, without educators having to fill funding gaps themselves.

Jesse Cannon at Mansfield ISD board member for MISD and focused on legislative advocacy for schools with Engage Mansfield ISD

Jesse Cannon II

School Board Trustee, Place 5 | Term 2025-2028 | Contact

Jesse believes public schools thrive when communities show up and speak up. The decisions made beyond our classrooms shape the opportunities students have every day.

Engage Mansfield ISD gives families and neighbors an educated voice, so every child has access to the programs, support, and experiences that help them belong, grow, and succeed.

Ana-Alicia Horn

School Board Trustee, Place 4 | Term 2025-2028 | Contact

Mrs. Ana-Alicia Horn serves on the Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees with a strong belief that student success begins with partnership. She sees the relationship between families and schools as a shared responsibility, one where parents bring insight, encouragement, and advocacy, and the district provides the resources, expertise, and support students need to thrive.

As a trustee, Mrs. Horn helps provide governance and oversight for Mansfield ISD, including setting district goals, adopting policy, overseeing the budget, and supporting the superintendent and staff. She understands that board decisions shape everything from academic programs and staffing to safety, long-term planning, and how well the district can meet the needs of a growing, diverse community.

Ana- Alicia Horn, at Mansfield ISD board member for MISD, and focused on legislative advocacy for schools with Engage Mansfield ISD

Mansfield ISD is deeply personal to Mrs. Horn. She and her family chose this district intentionally because of its diversity, its sense of community, and its commitment to celebrating the unique strengths of every student. She takes pride in serving a district that brings together families from multiple cities, cultures, and backgrounds — and believes that informed, engaged community members are essential to ensuring MISD continues to thrive for future generations.

Jason Thomas 

School Board Trustee, Place 3 | Term 2025–2028 | Contact

Mr. Jason Thomas serves on the Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees with a strong focus on protecting the district’s integrity and long-term success. As a school board member, he brings proven leadership, a commitment to education, and a dedication to community service to help ensure Mansfield ISD continues to provide strong opportunities for every student.

He chose to serve on the Board to help ensure Mansfield ISD remains a choice district, one where decisions are guided by the needs of students, families, and educators, rather than the influence of outside interests.

What Mr. Thomas values most about Mansfield ISD is its reputation as a high-performing district and the confidence it gives families. As a parent, he never questions whether his children are receiving a quality education, and he takes pride in serving a district that consistently delivers strong academic outcomes.

Jason Thomas at Mansfield ISD board member for MISD and focused on legislative advocacy for schools with Engage Mansfield ISD

Mr. Thomas believes staying informed and engaged allows Mansfield ISD stakeholders to have a meaningful voice in the future of public education. When families and community members understand district initiatives, they can speak in support of the programs they value and raise concerns about those they do not.

Courtney Lackey Wilson

School Board Trustee, Place 7 | Term 2023–2026 | Contact

Courtney Lackey Wilson at Mansfield ISD board member for MISD and focused on legislative advocacy for schools with Engage Mansfield ISD

Courtney Lackey Wilson serves on the Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees with a deep personal connection to the district she once called home as a student. She credits her upbringing in Mansfield ISD with instilling a strong sense of service, community involvement, and the responsibility to give back, values that inspired her to step into public service and help ensure future generations have the same opportunities she did.

What Courtney loves most about Mansfield ISD is its people. She describes the district as a large family, one that may not always agree, but consistently shows up for one another when it matters most. She has a deep admiration for MISD students and staff and believes the heart of public education lives in the relationships built in classrooms every day.

As a trustee, Courtney is especially mindful of how decisions made at the state level shape what happens locally. She advocates for fair public education funding, respect for educators, and policies that allow teachers to focus on what they do best: teaching students. She believes educators enter the profession driven by purpose and heart, and they deserve trust, support, and the resources needed to serve students well.

Courtney believes investing in children is one of the most important responsibilities we share as a community. Decisions made beyond our classrooms affect teacher support, student opportunities, and the experiences that shape the next generation.

Engage Mansfield ISD gives families and residents a way to stay connected, share their stories, and advocate for public education. When the community speaks up and stays involved, we help ensure our schools remain strong, supportive places where every student can thrive.

Your Voice Matters in Mansfield ISD

Engage Mansfield ISD provides simple ways to stay informed, learn about issues impacting our schools, and participate in conversations that shape the future of public education in Mansfield.

Ways to get involved:

  • Learn how state-level decisions affect Mansfield ISD

  • Stay updated on district priorities and school safety efforts

  • Share your perspective and advocate for students and educators

  • Participate in community conversations and events