Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Nidia De La Cerda and Rob McClelland to the Texas School Safety Center Board for terms set to expire on February 1, 2025. Additionally, the Governor reappointed Isaac “Bill” Avera, Craig Bessent, and Kerri Brady and appointed Rania Mankarious, Edwin Flores, Ph.D., and Adebola “Serah” Sulaiman for terms set to expire on February 1, 2026. The Commission provides financial and technical support to counties to develop and maintain quality and cost-effective indigent defense systems.
Nidia De La Cerda of Corpus Christi is an assistant principal for Tuloso-Midway Independent School District (ISD). She is a member of the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association and the Nueces County Veterans Service Office Volunteer Corps. De La Cerda received a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of Texas (UT) Rio Grande Valley and a Master of Arts in Bilingual Education from UT Permian Basin.
Robert “Rob” McClelland of Dripping Springs is the director of Business Development at BPI Bauerle Partners Inc and a school board member of Dripping Springs ISD. He is also a board member for JC7 Foundation, a member of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office Training Advisory Board, and a Deacon at Bannockburn Church. McClelland received a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Texas A&M University and an honorable discharge from the United States Army. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Combat Action Badge, and the Presidential Service Badge during his 12-year tenure as an Army Officer.
Bill Avera of Jacksonville is the chief of police and emergency manager with the Jacksonville ISD. He is the president of the Texas School District Police Chiefs’ Association and a member of the Texas Police Chiefs Association, East Texas Police Chiefs Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is a member and past chair of the Cherokee County Child and Family Service Board and a member of the Jacksonville Rotary Club and the Jacksonville ISD Education Foundation. Avera received a Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement and Police Science from Sam Houston State University and a Master of Science in Management from East Texas A&M University. He completed the Basic Police Officers Course at the East Texas Police Academy in Kilgore.
Craig Bessent of Abilene is the assistant superintendent with Wylie ISD. He is a Texas School Marshal and a member of the Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas Association of Pupil Transportation, and Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas. Additionally, he is a board member of Abilene Crime Stoppers, View Caps Water District, and Abilene Emergency Operations. Bessent received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Education from Texas Tech University and a school superintendent certification form Abilene Christian University.
Kerri Brady of Cypress is vice president of educational practice at Huckabee. She is a registered architect and member of the Texas Society of Architects, American Institute of Architects, and the Association for Learning Environments. Brady received a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University and a Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law.
Rania Mankarious of Houston is the CEO of Crime Stoppers of Houston. She is a member of the Texas Bar Association and a volunteer for National Charity League. Additionally, she is an advisor for Safe and Sound Schools and the Organization for Social Media Safety. Mankarious received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston College, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School.
Adebola “Serah” Sulaiman of Mesquite is a Board Certified Physician Assistant working as a Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider with Mind Body Optimization. She is a leadership fellow with Clinicians Leading Ingenuity in AI Quality. Sulaiman received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, master’s degree in Spanish Language Arts and Culture from the University of Salamanca, and a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.
Edwin Flores, Ph.D. of Dallas is a managing partner at Chalker Flores, LLP. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Patent Bar and a board member of Medical City Hospital Dallas and the Mary Crowley Cancer Research. Flores received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from UT Austin, Doctor of Philosophy in Immunology from Washington University in St. Louis., and a Juris Doctor from UT School of Law.