Roosevelt Nivens
President
Roosevelt Nivens began his career in education as a teacher in Dallas ISD before working as an assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent of achievement and organizational management in Lancaster ISD. He served as superintendent of schools in Community ISD, and in 2021, he became the superintendent of Lamar CISD.
Nivens was named 2026 National Superintendent of the Year after being named the 2025 Texas Superintendent of the Year. In 2019, Nivens was named Region 10 Superintendent of the Year and National Superintendent of the Year for the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE). In 2022, he was named Latino Serving Superintendent of the Year by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS).
The son of educators, Nivens earned his bachelor’s degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in education from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
As a TASA member, he has served on the Executive Committee and Advocacy Committee.
Jeannie Meza-Chavez
President-Elect
Now in her 29th year in education, Jeannie Meza-Chavez began her career as a middle school English and reading teacher and an assistant principal in Socorro ISD before moving to San Antonio to serve as the inaugural planning principal of the Young Women’s Leadership Academy in San Antonio ISD. After returning to the El Paso area, Meza-Chavez became principal at Nolan Richardson Middle School in El Paso ISD, then moved into district administration, working as the human resources director for secondary personnel before stepping into the superintendency in Tornillo. Since 2017, she has been the superintendent of San Elizario ISD.
Meza-Chavez has been honored twice as the ESC Region 19 Regional Superintendent of the Year, first while serving at Tornillo ISD in 2017 and again at San Elizario ISD in 2022.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, her master’s from Sul Ross State University, and her doctorate from New Mexico State University.
Recently, Meza-Chavez served as president of the Texas Council of Women School Executives. She has also served as the Chair of the Regional Advisory Committee for Superintendents, as a Region 22 Fine Arts Executive Committee Member, and has been invited to serve on the TASA Higher Education Committee. She has participated on the design team for TASA’s Future-Ready Superintendents Leadership Network and the TASA Member Engagement Committee. She also serves locally as a founding Board Member for the Gaspar Enriquez Cultural Center in San Elizario, Texas.
Walter Jackson
Vice President
Walter Jackson has worked in Texas public education for three decades, beginning his career in Alief ISD as a teacher, then serving as an assistant principal, principal, and area superintendent before making the move to Brenham ISD, where he served as superintendent before taking the top job in La Porte in 2020.
In 2019, Jackson was named as the Region 6 Superintendent of the Year and was a finalist for Texas Superintendent of the Year. In 2024, the Texas School Public Relations Association honored him with its esteemed Key Communicator Award. In 2025, he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus from Liberty ISD, where he graduated from high school. In July 2026, the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators honored him with the esteemed Pinnacle Award at their Summer Conference.
Jackson holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University, a Master of Education degree in Administration from Prairie View A&M University, and a doctorate in education from Baylor University. His post-graduate studies have taken him to the Harvard Graduate School of Education four times, and he has earned the university’s esteemed Professional Leadership Certificate. He also holds an Advanced Management Certificate from Rice University.
Chris Moran
Immediate Past President
With more than three decades of work in public education, Chris Moran has worked as a teacher, coach, bus driver, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent in districts in Regions 7, 4, and 15. He served as superintendent in Whitehouse and Brownsboro ISDs before being named superintendent of San Angelo ISD in 2024.
In 2019, he was named the Region 7 Superintendent of the Year.
Moran received his bachelor’s degree from Evangel University, his master’s from The University of Texas at Tyler, and his doctorate from Stephen F. Austin State University. He has also received post-doctoral training through the Lamar University Center for Executive Leadership and the SMU District Leadership Fellows.
Moran has served on the TASA Executive Committee since 2021. He has also served on the Commissioner’s Cabinet and enthusiastically advocates for all students.
