Published July 21, 2022

Board of Trustees Vice President, Dr. Marilyn Tolbert, has completed the board leadership program through the Texas Association of School Boards and earned the prestigious designation of Master Trustee.

Tolbert, who is serving her second term in Place 1 on the EMS ISD Board of Trustees, was one of 35 school board trustees from across the state selected as a member of the Leadership TASB Class of 2022. As part of the yearlong education leadership study program, Leadership TASB students participate in sessions on effective leadership, leader development, teambuilding and education. Members also work in teams throughout the year on extended learning assignments and deliver a presentation featuring leadership in their home district. Participants who complete all required elements of the study graduate with Master Trustee status, which is the highest designation recognized by TASB.

"I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to participate in this experience to help me better serve our students, district, and community," Tolbert said. "Through this yearlong journey, we learned how to mentor and be mentored, embrace our roles as trustees, and be an overall better leader. We also deepened our understanding of governance, networking, advocacy, and so much more."

Created in 1993, Leadership TASB has more than 900 graduates to date. EMS ISD Trustee Steven G. Newcom also is a Leadership TASB graduate and earned the Master Trustee designation in 1998. TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school boards. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 5.4 million public school students.

"I wouldn't have had this opportunity with the support of my Team of 8," Tolbert added. "Thank you to my fellow EMS ISD Trustees and Dr. Chadwell for their support during this process. I am looking forward to continuing the important work underway in our district!"