Higher education is in the midst of a long transformation—from campus-bound systems to flexible, inclusive, digitally mediated ecosystems. Navigating that shift requires more than technical fluency; it demands strategic foresight, policy awareness, and the ability to translate big-picture challenges into actionable change.
For two years, I had the opportunity to contribute to that work as a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA). This organization has been a pillar in the digital learning space for over four decades—long before remote teaching became a necessity, and long after it stopped being a novelty.
My time on the board coincided with a moment of immense pressure and potential: the early post-pandemic years when institutions were rethinking delivery, access, and the role of technology in higher education. And it was here—alongside an incredible network of statewide leaders—that I honed my capacity for higher education strategy at scale.
My Role on the TxDLA Board: Bridging Strategy, Practice, and Community
During my tenure on the board, I served as Co-Chair of the Membership Committee. In that capacity, one of my most meaningful contributions was co-developing and launching the TxDLA Mentorship Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to match experienced members with newer or less connected colleagues seeking growth and guidance in areas such as:
- Instructional design
- Digital accessibility and UDL
- Online pedagogy
- Technology leadership
- Grant writing and scholarship
- Community engagement
From Concept to Pilot: Building a Mentorship Culture
Our committee identified a gap: while TxDLA had strong programming and a loyal member base, many members—especially newer professionals—struggled to find entry points for deeper engagement or sustained support. In response, I co-authored a comprehensive proposal for a cross-sector mentorship pilot that would:
- Create mentor/mentee pairs based on shared interests and goals
- Provide structured resources and training to both parties
- Use feedback cycles to iterate and improve the model
- Center inclusivity, skill-building, and career development
We intentionally designed the program to be low-barrier, high-impact: participants could tailor the frequency and format of their meetings, set individualized goals, and co-create a mentorship plan that worked for them. Behind the scenes, we built evaluation tools, selection criteria, and incentive structures to support sustainable growth.
What Board Service Taught Me About Leadership in Higher Education
Serving on the TxDLA board gave me a rare opportunity to zoom out—to look beyond my own institution and ask:
- What do educators across the state need right now?
- How are institutions adapting differently to the same pressures?
- What is the role of a professional association in leading, not just responding?
That experience sharpened several key leadership muscles:
Systems-Level Thinking
I deepened my ability to align local innovations with statewide strategy—something I now bring into cross-campus projects like LMS migrations, faculty development planning, and quality assurance proposals.
Navigating Complex Stakeholder Landscapes
At TxDLA, the audience wasn’t just faculty—it was technologists, policy makers, accessibility advocates, K–12 leaders, and higher ed administrators. I learned to listen deeply, synthesize quickly, and communicate clearly across vastly different contexts.
Shaping Equitable Policy with Practical Tools
Most importantly, I gained experience in how policies and practices evolve together. I helped craft messages and structures that grounded aspirational goals (like digital equity) in real-world tools, support models, and resource constraints.
Why Board Service Matters (And What I’d Say to Future Leaders)
Serving on a board like TxDLA’s isn’t just about governance. It’s about vision setting. It’s about being in the room where strategic directions are debated, challenged, and made stronger.
If you’re someone who bridges operational insight with big-picture thinking—who enjoys the tension between pedagogy, technology, and policy—I can’t recommend this kind of service highly enough.
Because ultimately, the most important decisions in education are rarely made in classrooms or LMS dashboards alone. They’re made in strategic planning rooms, advisory boards, and long-range budget meetings.
And when educators and designers are at those tables, the outcomes are better for everyone.
