Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Maghan Gautney and Ernest Worthington and reappointed Benda W. Lee to Governing Board of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) for terms set to expire on January 31, 2027. Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired serves as a special public school in which students who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities, are eligible for consideration for services. It is also a statewide resource to parents of these children and the professionals who serve them.
Maghan Gautney of Anna is a Digital Product Manager at Capital One. She is certified in Business Process Management and Six Sigma Lean. Additionally, she is a member of the American Goat Society and the Nigerian Dairy Goat Association. Gautney received a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration from The University of Texas at Arlington.
Ernest Worthington of Lancaster is a retired Internal Revenue Service Tax Law Specialist. He is a former student of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and attended North Texas State University.
Brenda W. Lee of Brownwood is an educational consultant for vision teachers at the Education Service Center, Region 14 in Abilene. She is past president and conference chair of the Texas Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired and former committee co-chair for the International Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Additionally, she is a member of the West Texas Cluster for Blind and Visually Impaired which provides services for all of West Texas through six education service centers. Lee received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Howard Payne University in Brownwood and a Master of Arts in Special Education from Stephen F. Austin State University.
These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.